led lights in tail lights?

warriorpluto · Mar 31, 2009

anybody running led light bulbs in their tail lights? and why dont they my sequential tail lights for 87-93 mustang? they have them for the 70s mustangs and 94-09 but they just skip over our years.

bubba-dough · Mar 31, 2009

I run store bought l.e.d's in my tails. I have been working on making my own programmable l.e.d. tails and turns though. I have the program written, the microcontroller loaded, and the l.e.d.s breadboarded. Everything works. I just need to mock it all up in the spare housings I bought 6 months ago. I am just so busy I haven't had time to get them finished.

warriorpluto · Mar 31, 2009

bubba-dough said:
I run store bought l.e.d's in my tails. I have been working on making my own programmable l.e.d. tails and turns though. I have the program written, the microcontroller loaded, and the l.e.d.s breadboarded. Everything works. I just need to mock it all up in the spare housings I bought 6 months ago. I am just so busy I haven't had time to get them finished.

whenever you get it worked out ill buy it from you. just let me know.

Mustang5L5 · Mar 31, 2009

warriorpluto said:
anybody running led light bulbs in their tail lights? and why dont they my sequential tail lights for 87-93 mustang? they have them for the 70s mustangs and 94-09 but they just skip over our years.

Due to the diffuser style lens, you need to make an LED board. Using LED bulbs is just too dim.

As for sequential tail lights...it's because Foxes only have 1 bulb on each side as the brake light. What is there to sequence them to? The turn and reverse signals? The older and newer Mustangs have 3 bulbs for the brake lights. We have 1

85_SS_302_Coupe · Mar 31, 2009

You can get the LED "bulb" that replaces the stock bulb. They're not much brighter than stock but they'll last a looong time.

Mustang5L5 · Mar 31, 2009

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
You can get the LED "bulb" that replaces the stock bulb. They're not much brighter than stock but they'll last a looong time.

If you go that route make sure you get the SMD LED's and not the normal ones. They are considerable brighter.

I Have SMD LED's in my reverse lights of my G35 and i can see clearly when backing up.

Super Bright LEDs - Miniature Wedge Base Bulbs

Expensive though...$50+ for two bulbs

85_SS_302_Coupe · Mar 31, 2009

Those are the same ones i was talkin about

I didn't think they were much brigher though. Maybe it has to do with older lenses. My buddy got the Cobra style tail light lenses which are thicker than the '87+ style and his lights were pretty dim so he got those and they did help but it wasn't dramatic.

Mustang5L5 · Mar 31, 2009

They are brighter...but the stock bulbs are still the brightest.

Darkwriter77 · Mar 31, 2009

Look on eBay, there's some LED bulbs that plug in like stock bulbs but have bulbs going in more than one direction, rather than the ones with about 8 bulbs just on the outward-facing surface like you'll find at Autozone or wherever (the stupid APC bulbs). Looks kinda like a miniature spiked club. There's a bajillion listings for them in every shape, size, and color, and most of them are pretty cheap. I've been thinking about giving them a try in my '84 sometime just for giggles.

bubba-dough · Mar 31, 2009

Mustang5L5 said:
Expensive though...$50+ for two bulbs

haha $50 for 25 cents worth of stuff. I buy all my leds directly from the manufacturer in China. The technology that is going on right now with leds & oleds is crazy.

As far as the sequential thing goes, a fox only having one bulb doesn't matter at all when you are doing it with led's. You are only using the fox wiring to trigger the microcontroller.

foxmustangman · Mar 31, 2009

I tried the led's for the stop lights, but it was just a small circle instead of fillilng the entire lens. I have red led turn signals though and love 'em. Yeah, they don't make sequential light kits for the fox because there's nothing to sequence. Maybe a 79 taillight, but there isnt much of a demand for those.

bubba-dough · Mar 31, 2009

foxmustangman said:
Yeah, they don't make sequential light kits for the fox because there's nothing to sequence.

Again people need to not think that just because a fox only has one bulb that it can't be done...and done rather easily. Reguardless of standard mount or surface mount leds all you have to do is pcb them up w/the supporting electronics and microcontroller. You then only use the fox wiring as an input trigger. Your talking $10/side in parts. The ones I have set up is 6 rows, 5 in a row, each one is 5mm 20,000mcd with a 30* angle. Naturally you need to be an electronics guy to build & program this stuff but a manufacturer could do it cheaply.

warriorpluto · Mar 31, 2009

Mustang5L5 said:
If you go that route make sure you get the SMD LED's and not the normal ones. They are considerable brighter.

I Have SMD LED's in my reverse lights of my G35 and i can see clearly when backing up.

Super Bright LEDs - Miniature Wedge Base Bulbs

Expensive though...$50+ for two bulbs

those are the only one that are that bright?

warriorpluto · Mar 31, 2009

oh yeah i forgot to mention i have the black euro tail lights. would that be worse?

Mustang5L5 · Mar 31, 2009

warriorpluto said:
those are the only one that are that bright?

Yup. The truely bright LED's are expensive. They are higher wattage units than the ones typically sold on ebay. Those little $5 per bulb jobs on Ebay aren't even half as bright as a normal bulb. Even the SMD bulbs aren't the same when used in a reflector style lens with a diffused lens over it.

LED lights are a totally different setup period. Look at any car with LED's and the lens is clear plastic tinted red and they use WHITE LED's.

Only real way to have LED's be as bright as stock lights is to use a clear plastic lens, and create an LED board using SMD LED's

There was a thread a while back about a guy who made LED taillights with hundreds of LED's on a custom board.

I think the thread was "Check out my LED taillights" or something like that.

stykthyn · Mar 31, 2009

half his pics dont work anyway

Mustang5L5 · Mar 31, 2009

warriorpluto said:
oh yeah i forgot to mention i have the black euro tail lights. would that be worse?

yup

led lights in tail lights?

warriorpluto

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85_SS_302_Coupe

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I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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led lights in tail lights?

Member

Active Member

Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Resident Ranting Negative Nancy

Active Member

Member

Active Member

Member

Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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