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LED Brake Lights, Lumens
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2021 9:05 pm    Post subject: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

A new incandescent 1156 bulb puts out 400 lumens and an old one about half of that. Looking at LED replacements it looks like they start around 650 lumens and go up to at least 2800 lumens. How much is enough and what do newer cars have? Does anyone have any brands that they prefer?
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 3:55 am    Post subject: Re: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

Not sure about the lumens, but these are definitely brighter then stock and they flash for when you step on the brake and then go solid.
Since many drivers are texting when driving I want all the attention getting lighting I can get!

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4Gears4Tires
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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 11:35 am    Post subject: Re: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

I can't speak to the specific lumen output, but I thought that the LED replacement bulbs were a significant improvement. The reverse light especially had a focused lens at the top and it was brighter than the stock square beams. Seriously. Of course now it's all replaced with a truck taillight that I think are even better.

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I think the flashing bulb Steve posted is a great idea. When I installed my 3rd taillight I made sure it flashed when braking. It's not constant, it does a triple flash and then solid.
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Merian
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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 12:04 pm    Post subject: Re: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

lumens just measure total light flux

what you really want to know is illuminance to a surface that corresponds to the eyeballs of the guy behind you

lumens might be enough for a comparison esp. if they are all made the same but try to test one and return if not
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Ronzo_volvo_guy
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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

WT;

Lumens are a measurement of total light output...when measured emitted from a (relatively) pinpoint source like an incandescent lamp, they instrument it up and come up with some abstract total number...but comparing this number to the lumen rating of a multi-emitter LED replacement is like comparing apples to oranges, because garanteed the test fixturing they used for the LED test was not the same as the Incand. test... what they don't tell you is how the totalized the light output...

...bottom line is how the light from an LED replacement is reflected by Reflector, and directed, by Lens, and where all the light from the emitter is going...its complicated as hell, because it's influenced by so many factors, so virtually impossible to predict, and a strictly numbers comparison is pretty much useless outside the laboratory...

...and there's the issue of incandescent (full spectrum light) to monochromatic light, and what has to happen in the lens...I've written about this here: https://www.sw-em.com/Amazon_Rear_Light_Fixture_Restoration.htm#Considering_LED_Replacement_Lamps ...again from the vintage Volvo world, but you should appreciate the similarities...point is, we want to improve out visibility if anything!

I recommend you plug a particular type you are considering into the car, then watch the fixtures from a various positions which you want them to be seen from (i.e. directly behind, like from a car following, but also behind and to the side, like a car in the next lane and following)...meaning you have to do your own real-world test...do not rely on number alone (the chinese are known for inflating/outright lying when it comes to electronic ratings anyway), so nothing beat a practical test IMO!

This automotive quality engineer has some good objective tests where you can see what's involved with a valid test (on Headlight LEDs)...he actually projects the light onto an AREA and measures it on a grid...see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1L_aFGjmSI I don't mean to make it more complex than it needs to be, but it clearly is rather complicated...

Hope that shed a little (only a small pun intended)...

Cheers


Last edited by Ronzo_volvo_guy on Fri May 28, 2021 12:14 pm; edited 2 times in total
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valvecovergasket
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PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 12:13 pm    Post subject: Re: LED Brake Lights, Lumens Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:
Not sure about the lumens, but these are definitely brighter then stock and they flash for when you step on the brake and then go solid.
Since many drivers are texting when driving I want all the attention getting lighting I can get!



drives me nuts seeing those in traffic, sea of blinking lights - seems to mostly be on third brake lights? - on a lot of newer CUVs.


ive had good luck with superbrightleds.com and using their vehicle finder, the stuff they sell fits well and is quite a bit brighter than the standard bulbs.
i converted our whole van to LED other than the front turns
be sure to match the LED color to the lens color.
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