Not so Super Bright LEDS

Im using 32 Ford Headlight bulbs in my 40 and painted the inside of the buckets gloss white . Installed a relay under the floor to take the extra load so all the brake light switch does is make and break a ground.
 
Here are the results. Halogen on the right. Super bright incandescent from Sacramento Vintage Ford on the left.
TailLightcomparison-1.jpg


Indeed, the incandescent is just as bright as the halogen with even some other advantages: 1) They're less than 1/3 the cost - $3.95 compared to $15.50 for the halogen. 2) They are conventional filament location just like standard bulbs rather than the weird double bulb configuration of the halogen. The advantage of that is that the filaments actually line up with my blue dot and shine straight through them instead of being off to the side like the halogens. That's why the left light looks so much bluer. I really like that. 3) Hopefully they'll last longer. But, even if they only lasted 1/2 as long they'd still be cheaper because they're less than 1/3 the cost.

For my application of stock 6 volt and blue dot lenses, there's nothing better. I'm very pleased. Thanks again 4dFord/SC for the tip.
 
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Glad it's worked out so well for you, OH. I've had mine in for about five years with the stock wiring and no relay.

BTW, what are you using for a license plate bulb? It shows up your plate very well. Mine with the stock bulb is distinctly visible to the naked eye, but that's about all:(
 
The picture of the Superbright looks like the one on page 1 showing the LED.

How about picture comparing the Superbright and the LED?
 
40cpe said:
The picture of the Superbright looks like the one on page 1 showing the LED.

How about picture comparing the Superbright and the LED?
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Oops. The two pictures look so much alike because they are, in fact, the same picture. My bad. I've replaced the later duplicate with the correct picture that shows better the difference.

Here's the close up comparison:
The lense lit up by the LED.
IMG_2377.jpg


The lens lit up by the incandescent:
Taillightincandescent.jpg
 
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4dFord/SC said:
Glad it's worked out so well for you, OH. I've had mine in for about five years with the stock wiring and no relay.

BTW, what are you using for a license plate bulb? It shows up your plate very well. Mine with the stock bulb is distinctly visible to the naked eye, but that's about all:(
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I just use a stock bulb but notice that sometimes the ground between the fixture and the frame it's mounted in gets a little loose making the light dim and I have to wiggle and twist it until the light is bright again. You may want to check that.
 
Old Henry said:
....
However: They take just as many amps as the halogens - 7.5 amps for each brake light filament. Added together, that's 15 amps to light both brake lights at the same time. For 6 volts that requires at least 10 ga. wire (I used 9 ga.) ....
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Not sure why you think you need such heavy wire; 14 gauge would carry the current for both stoplights, or 12 if you want some margin. There are many sources, but here's a convenient one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4013396&postcount=11

Here's another: http://forums.aaca.org/f120/what-wire-gauge-use-195137.html
 
Ross F-1 said:
Not sure why you think you need such heavy wire; 14 gauge would carry the current for both stoplights, or 12 if you want some margin. There are many sources, but here's a convenient one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4013396&postcount=11

Here's another: http://forums.aaca.org/f120/what-wire-gauge-use-195137.html
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4dFord/SC said:
Glad it's worked out so well for you, OH. I've had mine in for about five years with the stock wiring and no relay.
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Yeah, I think you're all correct and I was wrong. I had my reasons but they were wrong. I would certainly use 12 ga. but probably nothing bigger is necessary.
 
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coolcoupe said:
Old Henry,what is this relay you mention and how do you hook it up? Thanks for now, Moe
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I used a horn relay (from Mac's here: http://macsautoparts.com/early-v8-f...ord-7ra-13853-a/camid/F30/cp/JS0R3CHL1074089/):

7RA-13853-A_pJPG.JPG

Heavy wire from battery or circuit breaker goes to battery (B) terminal. Heavy wire from horn (H) terminal goes to brake lights. Lighter wire goes from switch (S) terminal through brake light switch to ground.

But, as others have said and are probably correct, this may not be necessary for the Sacramento Vintage Ford super bright incandescents, just the halogens.
 
The original bulbs just don't put out enough light for the blue dots and the cops started pulling me over for no lights.
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There is a reason blue dots are illegal just about everywhere, they take a marginal light and make it useless.
 
[There is a reason blue dots are illegal just about everywhere, they take a marginal light and make it useless. ]

I agree - additionally, the wavelength of LED output is strongly in the blue region, causing the blue dot to act as an optical filter, cutting down the light output level in comparison to incandescent lamps, whose output is in the red range....Bob L
 
I'm certainly not trying to talk anybody into blue dot lenses. They are the only non-authentic thing on my '47. But, as far as visibility, we have all seen cops go from the old red-only overheads to blue. Why? Because the blue stands out among so many red lights on the road. Blue-dot lenses actually work the same. They are a contrast to all of the red tail lights seen on the road and draw sharp attention to them which is particularly important because the size of the old stock fixtures are so small compared to modern tail lights. That isn't the main reason I run them though. It's mostly because I remember as a kid seeing them on old cars and thinking they looked so cool - like neon - that I dreamed of having them some day and now I do. Yes, they are illegal in my state (that's why I use a pseudonym:eek:) but no cops have bothered me about them since I got the bright bulbs in them. Probably because they love the looks of them as much as I do. :rolleyes:
 
They are a contrast to all of the red tail lights seen on the road and draw sharp attention to them which is particularly important because the size of the old stock fixtures are so small compared to modern tail lights.
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If you have ever driven behind a car with blue dots you would know that whole statement is just not accurate.
 
OldHenery, Try lambertenterprises.com they will make either 6 or 12 volt kits.I went with their 40 conversion kit and now I can be seen at night.Thay are not plug in bulbs they are boards made for your tail lights. hope this helps. Reguards 40f convt
 
Called Sacramento Vintage Ford today and placed an order for 2 Superbright 6 -Volt 14/50 CP bulbs....unfortunitaly they are out of stock, but I was told the next shipment should be here March 1...just three weeks away.
 
Maybe I'm old fashioned , but I would never put LED's in an old car, they just don't look like they belong there to me. JMO
 
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