LED taillight project. Can the taillight be opened?

 
If it's a higher wattage watch out for overloading of amps. Some rocketeers on here have had overheated wiring. (Just a thought)
 
I ran that 30 watt white for over a year, never had a problem.

Ken, while you're absolutely right on all accounts the lens cut a lot of the light off but, it worked and was still bright as hell because of the wattage. The selection of red 1157's I was able to find at the time was not encouraging so I used the high wattage white one.
 
If it's a higher wattage watch out for overloading of amps. Some rocketeers on here have had overheated wiring. (Just a thought)

I ran that 30 watt white for over a year, never had a problem ..

When they spec LEDs in wattage, they are not truly consuming that amount of power - they use that as a sort of 'equivalence' to an incandescent.
They don't show the actual current, but have to believe it is not truly 30W.

Example - look at the gobbledy-gook description for this bulb:


See that they claim 21W - same "power" but 3x the lumens.
But then go on to qualify that you can only replace front OR rear without utilizing load resistors - you will get hyper-flashing if replacing both (i.e. the end remaining as incandescent is behaving as the load resistor)
By fundamental definition, if you get hyper-flash, it is NOT drawing the same current as incandescent therefor cannot possibly be consuming 21W
 
Yep, that’s why I hate shopping amazon, product information quality ranges from china eBay level to German precision, with no easy way to discriminate lol.

I am fairly sure the second wattage number linked is accurate to the actual draw, 5watts, which is still fairly high power for small less like that.

The whole LED market is a mess right now, in many industry sectors as every factory tries to jump on the band wagon and make a buck. It’s really s buyer beware market.
 
Of course with a coloured LED you can also use a clear lens.
You can - but ime there are then issues with colour fading. Found that smoked lenses - whilst reducing nocturnal light a bit - dramatically improves contrast/visibility during the day.

Best is red behind red, amber behind amber. imo - the 3*3 COB arrays work well for tail/brake/indicators.

Headlights (ime) need bright single point emitters otherwise they're a bugger to focus.

Worth noting that many modern LEDs are in fact close to UV - it's the phosphorescent filter goo they're potted in that alters teh Kelvin Colour range.

A ROT value is 100lumens/Watt. But a 30W "bulb" will need a MONSTER heat-sink.
 
Can anyone recommend a specific Red LED bulb that's a direct replacement for the stock brake light on a 2008 Standard R3?
 
You think that bulb would fit the stock taillight housing on our R3R’s? I know some are too long.

I bought two different sets of this type.
Both fit inside the OEM lens just fine.
Both suck as they are not visibly better than the OEM 1157.
Just got a new rear Exedra Max on way home from Leakey Texas.
When that wears out, I shall get serious in determining the actual light values for the various bulbs.

FYI - these are what I have:


 
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Chris,
I have been researching these Luxeon LED applications and may have come up with the reason for my issue regarding the non improvement of the 1157 LEDs I have tried in my OEM tail light.
An OEM lens for incandescent lights filters different wave lengths than does a lens designed for LED; therefor, an LED under a OEM lens is NOT effective.
What sayest youse re: this?