TR6 suggestions for brake LED bulbs

[ichthos]

Anyone have a suggestion for an LED bulb for the brake light? One reason I would like to switch is it looks like the plastic reflector has melted partially around the reflector in both tail lights. Bought one for another car, but wasn't happy with it. Any help/suggestions are appreciated.

 

[mgedit]

Currently being discussed on another forum:

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/49522-another-rear-light-experiment/

Cheers, Mike

 

[Mert]

Go to Classic Auto LED's website. I purchased a complete set from them for my Austin Healey.

 

[TR3driver]

Currently being discussed on another forum:

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/49522-another-rear-light-experiment/

Cheers, Mike

That discussion appears to be for a TR3, which is something of a special case. I don't believe a TR6 has the same issues.

The big problem with a TR3 is that LEDs are always more-or-less directional, and the tail/brake lights (or tail/turn on early cars like mine) mount the bulb at a funny angle. But a TR6 mounts the bulb in the conventional orientation, so that is much less of an issue.

Litezupp https://www.litezupp.com/ has a good reputation and is sensitive to the needs of vintage car owners. They actually offer a bulb that is customized for the TR3 corner lamps!

Personally, I wanted more light, so I've been working on rolling my own. I also added a flasher circuit to the center brake light, so it quickly pulses about 5 times when I hit the brakes. The corner light is so bright that my wife literally said there was something wrong with the other side, it was too dim

Brake lights should be no problem, but if you use LEDs for turn signals there will be some other changes required. Different turn and hazard flashers, plus probably some dummy resistors to get the indicator on the dash to work properly.

 

[mgedit]

Thanks for the clarification Randell. I wrongly though the question was about TR3 lights. I am going to experiment with LEDs in my TR6. Switched to LEDs in dash and very happy. Are you neg ground with your TR3 to make the flasher module work on the centre light, or did you design your own? I bought a flasher module on ebay some time ago to use with a third brake light I want to add to my TR6 but it is neg ground only. Having that centre light flash would be nice on the 3. I seem to recall you have all three rear lights working as brake light too. Cheers, Mike

 

[poolboy]

I have the first one on this page in my TR6.
Kind of expensive, but they are bright especially with a reconditioned reflector.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/filter/Cross_Reference_Number,1157,21,195:

 

[TR3driver]

Thanks for the clarification Randell. I wrongly though the question was about TR3 lights. I am going to experiment with LEDs in my TR6. Switched to LEDs in dash and very happy. Are you neg ground with your TR3 to make the flasher module work on the centre light, or did you design your own? I bought a flasher module on ebay some time ago to use with a third brake light I want to add to my TR6 but it is neg ground only. Having that centre light flash would be nice on the 3. I seem to recall you have all three rear lights working as brake light too. Cheers, Mike

I am negative ground; but the flasher is my own design and I could have just as easily made it positive ground (I think). My goal was to have everything fit inside the lens, so there wouldn't be room for a module anyway. The flasher is just a NE556 dual timer IC with some associated resistors and capacitors so that one timer section does the quick flashes, and the other timer section disables the first after about 5 flashes. Then the output controls a power MOSFET (from the junk box) which in turn controls the LEDs.
Another change from stock, the red LEDs are mounted to an aluminum plate that divides the lens front/rear. That way, the license light (white LEDs) does not show red to the rear.

I do also have the corner lights working as both stop and turn. That was done earlier, with relays mounted under the dash, so I just left it intact (except for adding a resistor across the center brake light).

This isn't a very good photo, as you can't really see the differences in brightness, but I was trying to compare the LED center light to the wife's Toyota. I need to find a way to override the automatic shutter speed on my camera (should be much easier on the new camera, but I haven't tried it yet).

 

[mgedit]

Thanks Randall. Sorting out how to make the flasher is beyond my electrical capabilities. The three brake light setup is very nice. I have some diagrams of how others have done that, and may try to sort that out one day. Cheers, Mike

 

[ichthos]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will check out the leads listed. Poolboy did you order the red led lights? Also, when you said reconditioned reflectors, did you restore them yourself? I sprayed mine with a silver chrome paint after splicing/repairing one of the reflectors. I switched to LEDs for my dash and am very happy with the better visibility at night.

 

[poolboy]

Yes, you should have a red LED's behind a red lens.
I tried the chrome paint, but later I used a mylar food storage bag, cut it to shape and glued it to the reflector.
It seemed to be a bit brighter.

 

[ichthos]

Like the Mylar idea. How did you glue it?

 

[poolboy]

Contact cement in an aerosol can.

 

[martx-5]

... The flasher is just a NE566 chip with some associated resistors and capacitors so that one timer section does the quick flashes, and the other timer section disables the first after about 5 flashes. Then the output controls a power MOSFET (from the junk box) which in turn controls the LEDs...

I assume you mean a 556 dual timer IC. Great idea. I just might do this myself.

 

[TR3driver]

I assume you mean a 556 dual timer IC.

Good catch! Thanks, Art.

I updated the post to hopefully reduce future confusion.