LED Exterior Light Sets

Almost like the higher-end BMW headlights:
http://www.0bmw.com/bimmerheadlights4.jpg

I've never seen such a thing done as a modification, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Still, I just don't see anyone going through the trouble to tear open their headlight housings to modify them like that. Now if you'd like to replace any bulb type of exterior lights you can do that, many already have and the LED kits readily available as a simple part swap (plug 'n play).

 

Darell was making some for a short time, it appears that he is no longer making them. They were a little pricey, but of amazing quality and brightness. I'm sure the few that got them love having them. You can see a lot of examples still on his site, and if I remember right I think he even mentions/references/compares with some off-the-shelf parts that are commonly found.
Prius Mods

 

i am looking for really bright backlights
but can not find any good anough

 

thx tideland
i found 194 168 W5W 2825 Map Led Parking Signal Marker Bulbs
and shipping to the EU is only 9.5 dollars...
its what i was looking for http://superlumination.com/images/auto_bulbs/194_smt3_w_wm.jpg
i hope these are bright anough for the rear red.

 

the light bulg ( 5 watts ) is white and the casing is red
so i am going to place a white led in.

 

Tangoit,

I don't think Usans have the side marker or rear fog lights. We may not be much help with these. If you have the factory front fogs I would suggest you consider HIR instead of LED for them. It should not be that hard to build an LED running light that looks like the one in your picture. A series of three-watt white LEDs mounted on a heat sink would do it if there is room in back of the light for the heatsink. I don't know what a Polarg light is so I cannot comment on it. While you are at it I'd like to suggest that you consider LED footwell or undercar lighting. The effects can be quite nice.

LedLighting Products


Flying Dutchman,

are the "backlights" the white ones that turn on in back of the car when you back up? If so, I am dissatisfied with mine and was thinking of adding LED lights to help it. They won't fit in the taillight housings and would have to be glued to the bumper or something.

 

what about those led light bars that just attache to the bottom of a bumper and go all the way across? make a big running lite/ break lights or back up light.

 

are you looking for the best drop in LED bulbs? or do you wish to fabricate a custom light? i'd recommend spending a bit of time looking around the LED forum on hidplanet.com/forums. i made a completely custom set of taillights for my current car, a 95 taurus SHO. if you're looking to create your own lights, let me know and i'll be of any assistance i can (although i don't know much prius-specific, because i cant get one until i sell the aforementioned SHO.

 

ah ok, well i've heard good things about autolumination.com. never bought from them, but i know some people who have and have said good things. prices are high, but they're quality products from what i've heard. (one of those you get what you pay for kinda places)

 

That Darell guy here, checking in. Though I have made some of my own exterior LED lights, I don't sell them because of DOT considerations. You get hit and the other lawyer finds out you don't have DOT signal lights, and you can miss out on collecting what is due to you.

I also need to point out that in general, you will be disappointed with any drop-in replacement for exterior lights (this is above and beyond the fact that they're illegal in the US). The fixtures are made for incandescent lights. LEDs are FANTASTIC when the fixture is made for them. Not so great as a retrofit. Many reasons for this - and one is how waste heat is dealt with. Incans NEED to be hot to operate. LEDs need to be cooled to last. Very hard to retrofit one situation with the other.

If you want red light - with or without a red lens - ONLY use red LEDs. The reason is simple: If you use a white LED, the red lens will filter out 50% or more of the photons that LED emits. Very little red is evident in a "white" LED - and red is the only wavelength that will pass through the red filter (lens).

Don't do it. Only use red if you want to pass red light through the lens. Incandescent has a huge red component, and much of it will pass through the filter to make you happy. Not so with "white" LED. White LEDs are made with blue emitters covered with a yellow phosphor. Very little red content. You can see this for yourself by shining a white LED flashlight through red wine. It will be almost as if you have no light on. Now try it with an incandescent flashlight.

Anyway... my stick-in-the-mud suggestion is to not replace signal lights that you life depends on, with drop-in LED solutions that won't be bright enough, nor legal.

 

you can always sell them as Off road only/ show, which removes any liability from yourself. If you're choosing not to do this simoly to "look out" for people, that's cool too. its funny how insurance works, the tails on my SHO are probably not legal, however they look and perform 100 times better than stock tails. LEDs are brighter, longer lasting, had have quicker response times than incandesents (milliseconds, but every bit counts)

while i agree with you that retrofits are better than drop ins, there's a few points i'd like to contest- it's actually quite easy to do a LED retrofit (custom, not a drop in bulb) and keep the heat down, both by driving the LEDs at a slightly lower amperage than rated and also using a PWM (pulse width modulator) to dim rather than resistors. the array in my current car's tail lights puts out almost no heat after being on for extended periods of time (cool to the touch after an hour).

the best type of LEDs to use for a retrofit is actually red LEDs behind a clear lens and RED/ORANGE leds behind a red lens. the red lens will filter the red LED and make the color look dull or off. red/orange and a red lens gives the best stock color appearance.

using superflux LEDs or CREE's (although CREE's typically need a heatsink) it's possible to make tails and turn signals that are actually brighter than stock. NOTE: i am only advocating a custom made solution, using PCB to arrange LEDS in an array pointing out of the car, NOT the drop in bulbs that direct light into the light housing (another aspect of LEDs are that they are manufactured with differing viewing angles for light output, as opposed to incandescents which throw light in all directions.

Darell, i'd like to talk with you more as you (obviously) know quite a bit about this type of modification/EV's. please don't take my disagreement as personal, its just what i have learned through my own experience.