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Re: LED tail lamps -

To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: LED tail lamps -
From: "Nolan Penney" <npenney@mde.state.md.us>
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 10:47:11 -0400
Something else I've observed with them (after being told to look for it)
is that they are extremely directionally sensitive.  Oh, they're bright
when you're looking squarely at them.  Get a few degrees off though, and
now they aren't very bright.  In fact, some of them are so faint as to
be effectively turned off to the viewer.  

This creates some very real problems for vehicles that are not
approaching you square to the LED's.  Just look at the vendor display at
a car show and you'll see what I'm talking about.  Especially if they've
got a regular filament bulb there for comparison.

>>> "bschwart@postoffice.pacbell.net" <bschwart@postoffice.pacbell.net>
09/26/03 10:10AM >>>
I just installed a pair of new fangled 1157 LED replacement bulbs in
the
Spitfire rear lamps and noticed a few peculiarities that you may or may
not
like to be aware of  Whilst they appear to work fine, (one doesnt get
to
use whilst nearly enough does one:-}) the cruise control, probably not
of
concern to a lot of you on the list ;-}, stopped working  I presume
that
the unit I have, which has a pretty universal hookup arraignment, one
sense
wire to the hot side of the brake, and the other sense to the switched
wire
of the brake to disconnect the cruise when the brakes are applied, uses
the
resistance or voltage difference in the stop lamp bulbs for sensing,
and
apparently the LEDs do convey this difference or its so different that
the
cruise doesnt know what to make of it-  also the voltage is VERY
critical.
Below a certain amount, like when the car has sat unused for a while,
the
lamps wont work until the alternator kicks in and ups the voltage to
at
least 12 or more  ANYTHING below this and they wont light..   I am
going
back to the regular filament lamps for now.  A pity since I like the
idea
of not having to worry about having a blown lamp 
That what I have observed, as always your mileage may vary -

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