Last night a guy who was following me said my tail lights were really dim. I figure it doesn't matter if the intensity is "right"- what matters is what someone driving behind me sees.
First, I'm going to run a dedicated ground wire to each lamp. But I'm also seriously considering going to LED tail lights. Lots of questions:
- I'm running a 12V system with no turn signals, just tail/brake lights and the license plate light out back. (No change is planned for the license plate lamp.) Should I be looking for
"dual intensity" 1157 replacements ?
- I know "more is better" when it comes to LED brightness, but what should be my minimum LED count/bulb requirement? There are lots out there. Heat generation isn't an issue, is it?
- In the "dual intensity" line, are the LEDs evenly divided between the two "filaments"? In other words, does a 36 LED product devote 18 LEDs to dim and 18 to bright?
- Would a square printed circuit board with a square pattern of LEDs look square-shaped, or would this pattern tend to blend circular over a distance?
- If I go with 24V 1157 dual intensity, then will the LEDs burn out twice as quickly, but be twice as bright as a 12V offset?
- 100° wide angle or narrow projection? Seems like narrow is all that I'd need, given the housing. Along the same lines, there isn't a need to add reflectivity to the back of the housing (such as white paint or aluminum foil) since the LEDs are so directional, right?
I guess that uses up my allotment of questions for August. Thanks for any help/advice you can offer.
Bill
