One of my reverse lights is burnt out so i'm going to take the chance to buy some bright @ss LEDs to replace them with. I plan to tint my trucks glass, and smoke/tint my taillamps so I will need them. Problem is with my limited education about lighting, what & where should I buy? I've been searching Ebay for some 12v 3156 LEDs. Obviously the more LEDs a bulb has the brighter it will be, but the more expensive it will be, but it may be worth the few extra bucks if it saves my bumper. Any suggestions on what kind to buy? Looking for affordable prices but plenty of lighting. Anyone who has done this please chime in! Thanks.

Heres a couple listings I have checked out, any input appreciated.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2x-WH...WDVWQQtcZphoto

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-05...WDVWQQtcZphoto

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3156-...WDVWQQtcZphoto

 

Does anyone have any input/advice for which one to go with?

 

Get the last one. You want as many side-firing LED's as possible. The reflectors give off most of the light, and those first two are forward-firing only, so they don't shoot into the reflectors. The last one looks like a good deal, also.

 

I think it's a crap shoot. You might get lucky and you might be disappointed. I'd cross the first one off my list, though, if I were you. It's from Hong Kong and it may not be of great quality.

The second one says specifically "backup/reverse" so that's the one I'd choose.

The problem is, while these things are getting brighter every day, I'm not sure they're there yet. I bought a pair of 3-watt (very bright) rear firing LEDs for my truck a while back and the light was whiter and brighter, but not much more than the OEM bulbs. I have a pair of 50 watt halogens in the sockets now and they're brighter than OEM, but again, I wish they were brighter.

I think the real problem is the design of the light housing in our trucks. It doesn't concentrate the light properly to the rear. I will say though, that my LEDs and the 50 watt halogens sit a bit further out than the OEMs and that may be the problem.

The second LEDs you're looking at appear to have side firing LEDs close to the base, so they may be perfect. They're pretty cheap, and they can't be any worse than OEM. I say give em a try (and I'd like to know what you think).

Sorry Raptor, you snuck in ahead of me. The second ones DO have side firing LEDs too. There are 27 LEDs total and the picture shows about 9 I think that are rear-firing.

- Jack

 

One more thing - bulb count is no guarantee of brighness. Different kinds of LEDs put out much different levels of light. The brightest ones now seem to be ones called Luxeon or ones using the Cree die. I'm not seeing those names in any of the bulbs here.

- Jack

 

Thank you for those who replied. I'll look into the others you mentioned JackandJanet. I dont want anything that will heat up or cause a short, but I want a bright LED for my reversers ofcoarse. If I dont find what I am looking for I will go with the 45 LED bulbs.

 

Darren, I recommend v-leds.com for your LEDs.

Very fast shipping, and if it doesn't work they'll send you another for free. Oznium.com is the same way with customer service, but they don't sell to many bulbs for taillights, ect... they are more of an interior LED supplier.

Both are great companies... might cost a few dollars more, but in my opinion it is worth it.

 

v-leds.com are severely overpriced. And dont be worried with heat- LED's put out like 1/60th the amount of heat compared to your stock bulbs. No matter what you get, be sure it has more side-firing than forward-firing.

keep us updated, I'm curious to see what you get.

 

I have this bulb in currently-

Looks like this-

More pics in gallery.

 

Yeah I just checked V-LEDs, $50 a set for two reversers, wow... I dont think I will be buying from them...

I know that LEDs wont heat the lens itself but I thought I read somewhere that a certain LED could heat up at the plug in spot and create heat? Maybe that was something about the wrong # LED in a socket or something.

So far it looks like I'm going to stick with the 45 LED bulb.


Very nice! How much did the bulbs from you from super lumination?

 

looks like $18 each + $4 s/h. They use paypal and since you are also in PA, it should take appox. three days to get them USPS (no sundays). They are the only ones I deal with.

 

Those look cool! I'll get those same bulbs but if you guys are looknig for deals, go to eBay. There are a bunch of LED vendors on there that sell those same bulbs for maybe 1/2 the price. I got two 20-LED Ambers for my front turn signal for $15 plus $5 shipping. I'll be getting some white reverse lights and two 3-watt license plate LEDs next paycheck to finish it up. I also need to get new 3157 Reds because the ones I have in there are 15 forward-firing, so I need some new ones with side-firing.

 

One other small point Darren - the link you originally posted for the 45-LED bulb is for one light. If you go to his "store", you'll find a pair for sale at $15.19 plus shipping.

- Jack

 

Thanks for your input all. I bought the 45 LEDs this morning.

Yes I know, I just asked you guys for your opinions and to see if anyone has used this particular LED.

 

Tell us what you think after they arrive Darren - please! Someone has to be the ginea pig, and we'd like to know your opinon.

I went through the two versions I told you about, and I'm still not satisfied.

- Jack