Tinted LEDs for Turns and Brake

[jthiessen]

I am looking to upgrade my turns and brake lights to brighter LEDs, probably from Superbrightleds.

As I'm sure you all know they have options for tinted LEDs.

Just curious if anyone has experience putting Red Tinted LEDs in their tail lights and Amber Tinted LEDs in their signals (along with their respective coloured lenses) and if there are any Pros and Cons.

 

[16VGTIDave]

Been there and done that. Red LED's will shine red through the amber lens of the turn signals. In the tail light red LEDs work fine, but illuminate the plate with red light. This may have strange effects depending on the color of your plate. My highly reflective white Ontario plate appeared a delightful shade of rose (aka pink). Amber LEDs will not be bright enough. Use very bright white for the signals and you wont have a problem.

Also, make sure that the 1157 brake bulbs double in brightness with the brake. I had to spend $90 to find a good pair of bulbs. When I was using cheap LED bulbs, people couldn't tell when I was applying the brakes because the was hardly any difference in brightness.

 

[jthiessen]

...Also, make sure that the 1157 brake bulbs double in brightness with the brake...

I am looking at this one which has white LEDs that will hit the license plate. Not sure what specs to look at to compare LED brightness to incandescent brightness, or if the light doubles with brake or not.

 

[Wolfe_11B]

1157s are dual filament. 1156s are single. So if you buy something listed as 1157 and it doesn't have 2 filaments, they ripped you off with a 56.

 

[jthiessen]

1157s are dual filament. 1156s are single. So if you buy something listed as 1157 and it doesn't have 2 filaments, they ripped you off with a 56.

Yeah, that might be true.

Though I don't think LEDs have filaments at all - that said I wonder what creates the two stage lighting? Perhaps 50% and 100% outputs, or maybe half the LEDs on as running and the other half as braking?

 

[16VGTIDave]

Typically reduced output for running light, and full output for brake. Often, the cheap LED bulbs have virtually no difference.