LED Car Bulbs

Si_GTi · Post by **Si_GTi** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:20 pm

So do xenons

I'll be after LED lamps for the back of my car later on next year, so if wul3er's little experiment pays off, I'll be getting some for the regular red units. If not, I'll get some aftermarket clusters I've got my eye on...

Gotta agree with Tahrey about people standing on their brakes in motionless traffic though - eejits

there's a handbrake for a reason! I bet they're all sat in gear with the clutch depressed too!

mikegti · Post by **mikegti** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:52 pm

carmadaaron wrote:
bstardchild wrote:
Steve_O wrote:The reason I'm getting them is that they come on instantly. You wouldn't believe how much difference that can make on the motorway etc, plus the fact they're bright makes them harder to miss.

<snip>

It's amazing just how slow filament bulbs are in comparison!!
I've noticed that on LED third brake brakelights on cars - first to come on every time
yeh noticed tat too.... apparently LEDs use less power.

I think its more to do with the current in an LED goes from zero to max almost intantaneously due to the way semiconductors work (avalanche effect!), whereas a conventional bulb gives out light due to the filament getting hot (and since it takes a while to heat up...)

enough technical stuff - they just look cool

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 8:16 pm

wonder what si would think if he knew i'm probably there with the engine off and the car in gear.. clutch up..

its all to do with the resistance and how it changes due to temperature, or so my physics tutor at the college says.
wires get more resistive as they get hot... or is that the other way round? erm.

Steve_O · Post by **Steve_O** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 8:33 pm

Hmm, not sure they were saying less power was the reason they came on quicker!!

Anyway, yes they do use a lot less power. The ones I posted are just over 1 Watt - a lot by LED standards, but about 1/15th of the power used in a conventional tail light bulb!!

My mate's degree project used a single 5W LED for a performance bicycle lamp. It was fookin bright, and he had to make a heat-sink for it too!!

wul3er · Post by **wul3er** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:54 pm

Ok, I got these today and got 1 installed in the Passenger side.

They cost me Â£7.99 for 2

They arent as bright as normal bulbs but not that much dimmer, They do come on slightly quiker then normal.

If anyone knows how i could host a video i'll get a video and post it up and let you's see.