Subject: [TR] TR6: more on LEDs--tail/brake lights this time

From: "Tim Gaines" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:38:43 +0000

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After making a choice for the LiteZupp kit for the dash (awaiting=20
delivery), I'm now zeroing in on the tail/brake lights that were too dim=20
for my liking after my recent interstate drive at night. Roger expressed=20
his concern with LiteZupps being brighter only when viewed from directly=20
behind the car, and I have seen this issued mentioned for other LEDs in=20
the past. I recently saw a couple of Youtube testimonials favoring the=20
Sylvania 1157R red LEDs, and they do seem to be distinctive in that=20
their design directs light down and to the side, which would seem to=20
make maximum use of the reflector and mitigate against the=20
directionality issue. Have any of you tried those bulbs?

Before making any changes in bulbs I decided to take the lenses apart=20
for cleaning. I found enough dust and soot to account for at least some=20
of the dimness I had noticed, but cleaning them didn't improve=20
brightness greatly. The tail/brake reflectors were another story. They=20
were very dull and offered a poor reflective surface. Cleaning didn't=20
help, so I spray-painted them with a white enamel paint that I had left=20
from another project. The result was much improved visibility of the=20
incandescent bulbs, so much so that I may just leave them in place.=20
Nevertheless, the size of the brake/tail lens is pretty small and I may=20
yet try out an LED replacement to get the visibility I want, so I am=20
still interested in any information regarding the Sylvania 1157R and=20
other LEDs that you have tried.

By the way, in my opinion the amber turn signal and backup lights are=20
plenty bright enough as is. For some reason the turn signal reflectors=20
were still in very good shape.

Tim
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<body><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">After making a choice for =
the LiteZupp kit for the dash (awaiting delivery), I'm now zeroing in on t=
he tail/brake lights that were too dim for my liking after my recent inters=
tate drive at night. Roger expressed his concern with LiteZupps being brigh=
ter only when viewed from directly behind the car, and I have seen this iss=
ued mentioned for other LEDs in the past. I recently saw a couple of Youtub=
e testimonials favoring the Sylvania 1157R red LEDs, and they do seem to be =
distinctive in that their design directs light down and to the side, which =
would seem to make maximum use of the reflector and mitigate against the d=
irectionality issue. Have any of you tried those bulbs?</font><div><font si=
ze=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;"><br /></font></div><div><font size=3D"2=
" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">Before making any changes in bulbs I decided t=
o take the lenses apart for cleaning. I found enough dust and soot to accou=
nt for at least some of the dimness I had noticed, but cleaning them didn't =
improve brightness greatly. The tail/brake reflectors were another story.=
 They were very dull and offered a poor reflective surface. Cleaning didn't=
 help, so I spray-painted them with a white enamel paint that I had left fro=
m another project. The result was much improved visibility of the incandesc=
ent bulbs, so much so that I may just leave them in place. Nevertheless, th=
e size of the brake/tail lens is pretty small and I may yet try out an LED=
 replacement to get the visibility I want, so I am still interested in any i=
nformation regarding the Sylvania 1157R and other LEDs that you have tried.=
</font></div><div><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;"><br /></font>=
</div><div><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">By the way, in my op=
inion the amber turn signal and backup lights are plenty bright enough as i=
s. For some reason the turn signal reflectors were still in very good shape=
.=C2=A0</font></div><div><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;"><br />=
</font></div><div><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">Tim=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0</font></div></body></html>
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