[Healeys] led brAke lights fro rear reflectors

[Alan Seigrist]

I Erbs -

I reread your email.  It is the article I wrote on this list a while back.
Here it is again, all the info you need is there:

*************************

I thought y'all would like to know that I have done an even better thing
with this reflector conversion.

I have been watching LED technology for some time and I have found a company
that makes a very VERY high intensity 1157.  Trust me these lights are as
bright, if not brighter than halogen bulbs... and they're better because
they last forever and they have "instant on" functionality, plus the bulbs
never get hot.

This is how the set up looks before final assembly on my early '64 BJ8:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Healey.Nut/HealeyNutSCarStuff/photo#5108189838072380146

I bought the LED from this company:

http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm

The LED I bought to use with the reflector was the Eagle Eye II 1157 in red
(red is usually the brightest type of LED).  I also bought the 1157 sockets
from the same company.  As you can see in my picture above I installed a
ground wire at the bottom of the socket, as the light will be isolated from
ground when mounted.

I drilled a hole in the rubber mount using a 25mm carbide tipped hole drill
bit.  The Eagle Eye II light fits very nicely in the hole and will not fall
out (slight interference fit).

The only thing with these LEDs are the running lights and the brake lights
are almost the same brightness (out of the box), so I put an inline 100
ohm/5 watt resistor on the running light circuit and now it all works
perfectly.  The light draws enough current so that a standard flasher will
still work with this bulb.  So, now my reflectors have running lights as
well as brake/turnsignal lights.  It works really well!

FYI I also bought the Eagle Eye Tower 1157 (red) and put that in the
standard Lucas turnsignals.

Just one question - one of the reflectors has silver paint on it.  Any
recommendation for getting rid of the liver paint so the light will be
brighter?  Will Tamaya hobby thinner work?

********************************

Alan

'52 A90
'53 BN1
'59 Jag Mk IX
'64 BJ8


On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 7:25 AM, I Erbs <eyera3 at gmail.com> wrote:

> OK. I did look to the archives and found some references to led retrofits,
> but not what i was looking for.
> So does anyone have a how to with part#s to convertt he rear reflectors to
> LED running/brake lights?
>
> --
> I Erbs
> 59 BT7
> On the way to a paint job and interior..... :) :) :)
> Portland, OR
> _______________________________________________
> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>
> Healeys at autox.team.net
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
>
> You are subscribed as healey.nut at gmail.com
>
> http://www.team.net/archive