Roger,
I think I read that if you use white LEDs in an application that has a red
lens (like an MGB tail light) then the red lens will cancel out all but the
red wavelengths coming from the LED (which won't be that much on a white
LED). They recommend that you use red LEDs with red lenses.
I did a search and found a number of references. One interesting article is
at:
http://www.hendonpub.com/publications/lawandorder/otherarticles.asp?ID=729
"According to Mike Walma, electronics/optics engineer, the LED white light
is a combination of all wavelengths of light. The red lens acts as a filter,
blocking all wavelengths except red. This makes the use of a white LED
behind a red lens very inefficient, with output losses around 50% and up.
LEDs are very efficient at producing one color (wavelength) of light. LEDs
producing the full spectrum of white light are not as efficient, and the
light output not passed through the lens is converted to heat."
So, it sounds like we've got to use white LEDs.
-Desmond
'78 MGB
On 9/16/06 12:00 AM, "Roger Wilt" <rdwilt@pol.net> wrote:
> I agree with idea of brighter brake lights for safety so I ordered and
> received a pair of replacement bulbs for my MGB 1157's -Matrix II 32 LEDs
> from autoillumination.com and they are putting out less than 1/2 the wattage
> than my old 1157. Dangerously dim. I'm probably sending them back.unless
> someone has a great idea of what's up -remember the old 1157's are working
> fine. I checked, cleaned contact points etc.
> Roger
> '51MGTD
> '74MGB
--
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Desmond Mullen dkm@unc.edu P:919/843-7998 F:919/962-1238
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