Reverse Light Bulbs
04-27-2003, 01:46 PM
#16
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Dave, I'm thinking about the brake lights myself. My '88 TS is mint and I don't need a rear-ender! I need to test to see how hot things get because you can lay on the brake for a long time in city traffic.
I have a temperature probe for my multimeter and will use that to measure the temps on the plastic socket and inside the lens housing.
The other issue is wire gauge. True to form, Porsche wired the rear like $hit. I think they were trying to give Lucas (aka: Prince of Darkness) a comparative good name for quality in electrics.
The wires in the last foot are only 0.5mm. That is about 20 AWG. These are really thin and have me more worried than melting plastic lenses. Let's wait for my tests.
I know Performance Products sells a high output bulb for this application. It was a crummy one, but it drew the same current.
We shall see. I'm not going to go forward if it doesn't pass my tests. And everyone that knows me knows I have VERY high hurdles.
I have a temperature probe for my multimeter and will use that to measure the temps on the plastic socket and inside the lens housing.
The other issue is wire gauge. True to form, Porsche wired the rear like $hit. I think they were trying to give Lucas (aka: Prince of Darkness) a comparative good name for quality in electrics.
The wires in the last foot are only 0.5mm. That is about 20 AWG. These are really thin and have me more worried than melting plastic lenses. Let's wait for my tests.
I know Performance Products sells a high output bulb for this application. It was a crummy one, but it drew the same current.
We shall see. I'm not going to go forward if it doesn't pass my tests. And everyone that knows me knows I have VERY high hurdles.
04-27-2003, 02:52 PM
#18
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by IceShark:
<strong>Jason, I don't want to get into an argument on LED vs halogen. Especialy since you are a customer. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> LEDs will not do the trick through the old plastic. I have many sitting around here that I tested. And from the same manufacturer as your cited link.
LEDs just don't cut the mustard yet when you are trying to go whole hog. And then we get to cost. For quality LEDs you nearly need to sell a kidney to pay for them.
Regards.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Thats cool, I leave that kind of stuff up to the experts (you
). I just did the LED keylight mod and loved it, so I'm on an LED honeymoon I guess. Did a quick search and found those so I thought I would mention them. The fact that I'm a customer is the very reason I'll trust your judgement on this.
BTW, that ground strap cable was a beast! Excellent job. I need to post pictures of the cable I took out of there too - it was much much worse than I thought. The upgrade seemed to solve some of the wierd ground problems I was having (gauge float, dim lights, etc), but the factory volt gauge still shows ~13v instead of the ~14v I have been told to expect. I haven't put that auxiliary ground strap on yet, do you think that will fix it? Could it be that the brushes in the regulator are going south?
<strong>Jason, I don't want to get into an argument on LED vs halogen. Especialy since you are a customer. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> LEDs will not do the trick through the old plastic. I have many sitting around here that I tested. And from the same manufacturer as your cited link.
LEDs just don't cut the mustard yet when you are trying to go whole hog. And then we get to cost. For quality LEDs you nearly need to sell a kidney to pay for them.
Regards.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Thats cool, I leave that kind of stuff up to the experts (you
). I just did the LED keylight mod and loved it, so I'm on an LED honeymoon I guess. Did a quick search and found those so I thought I would mention them. The fact that I'm a customer is the very reason I'll trust your judgement on this. BTW, that ground strap cable was a beast! Excellent job. I need to post pictures of the cable I took out of there too - it was much much worse than I thought. The upgrade seemed to solve some of the wierd ground problems I was having (gauge float, dim lights, etc), but the factory volt gauge still shows ~13v instead of the ~14v I have been told to expect. I haven't put that auxiliary ground strap on yet, do you think that will fix it? Could it be that the brushes in the regulator are going south?
04-27-2003, 05:15 PM
#19
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Jason,
Yeah, I should have tried to talk you into buying the new voltage regulator and full battery cable package, including the fused supplemental over to the fuse/relay box. I'm not really a pushey salesman type of personality, though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
You have a 951 and unless you are a magician, you need to pull the alternator and put it on a bench to replace the voltage regulator. A lot of work, though I think guys like Danno can do it in an hour. LOL!
The supplemental ground you got will help more as it is to the frame rail. There is something strange as to how these cars were built which I don't quite understand, but I know that supplemental ground will help a LOT. Think it has something to do with the galvinizing and body protection.
Anyway, get a new voltage regulator ($16.50) from me and think about the supplemental over to the fuse box ($54). Then the fused positive ($100) sections. If you are not kissing 14v on the dash, you have a bad alt or battery.
These upgrades really do work. Porsche was on the ropes when these cars were built and didn't do the wiring right. Well, that is the charitable slant.
Yeah, I should have tried to talk you into buying the new voltage regulator and full battery cable package, including the fused supplemental over to the fuse/relay box. I'm not really a pushey salesman type of personality, though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
You have a 951 and unless you are a magician, you need to pull the alternator and put it on a bench to replace the voltage regulator. A lot of work, though I think guys like Danno can do it in an hour. LOL!
The supplemental ground you got will help more as it is to the frame rail. There is something strange as to how these cars were built which I don't quite understand, but I know that supplemental ground will help a LOT. Think it has something to do with the galvinizing and body protection.
Anyway, get a new voltage regulator ($16.50) from me and think about the supplemental over to the fuse box ($54). Then the fused positive ($100) sections. If you are not kissing 14v on the dash, you have a bad alt or battery.
These upgrades really do work. Porsche was on the ropes when these cars were built and didn't do the wiring right. Well, that is the charitable slant.
04-27-2003, 05:47 PM
#20
I have LEDs now for my brake lights and have used the halogens you describe in the past for reverse lights. The LED are super fantastic since they seem to last forever. The halogens lasted about two heart beats. All I can say is you better make sure you have absolutely no blinker fluid or you wind up replacing those really expensive bulbs at a disturbing rate. Heck, even with leak free light assemblies the bulbs didn't seem to last very long. They were pretty bright though.
04-27-2003, 06:33 PM
#22
Me?
I honestly cannot remember if I got them at Pep Boys the last time I was in Florida or if I picked them up once when I stopped by Summit Racing. It's been maybe a year and a half since I put them in.
I honestly cannot remember if I got them at Pep Boys the last time I was in Florida or if I picked them up once when I stopped by Summit Racing. It's been maybe a year and a half since I put them in.
04-27-2003, 09:48 PM
#23
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Hey Michael, if you get these halogens from Osram or Phillips they have a rated life of 500 hours. That is more/same as a stock headlight bulb, which lasts nearly forever. Are you saying you had lenses that were filled with water and that cracked the bulb glass? Or did you get a cheap Asian manufacture?
And which LEDs did you get that were as bright as a halogen? I've got a pile of 'em sitting here from LedTronics and I just don't see this. Heck, I just want to get the job done so am all ears on this. However, there is a reason that even the most fanatic LED promoter is not claiming they would be great for headlights.
For the reverse lights we are looking for lights to see by, not lights to be seen. And we have plenty of power to supply whatever we use, unlike someone in the bush of Alaska.
And which LEDs did you get that were as bright as a halogen? I've got a pile of 'em sitting here from LedTronics and I just don't see this. Heck, I just want to get the job done so am all ears on this. However, there is a reason that even the most fanatic LED promoter is not claiming they would be great for headlights.
For the reverse lights we are looking for lights to see by, not lights to be seen. And we have plenty of power to supply whatever we use, unlike someone in the bush of Alaska.
04-27-2003, 11:03 PM
#24
Hey Dan,
I didn't mean to imply the LEDs were as bright. All I was saying about them was that they seem to last forever.
The halogens I used were varied. The first ones I used where an actual kit that had a ceramic adaptor for the 1156 base and used a wedge type bulb, except that is was like glued in. I have no idea where they were made. The other was a Hella coversion. I lost a few because my right side lens leaked for a little while and water would splash on the bulb I guess and it would turn black and go out. Even after I got the lens to stop leaking (by removing it and resealing) the bulbs didn't last very long. Having worked with halogen bulbs a lot in the past, I know not to touch them, and if I did by mistake I would clean the oil off with alcohol.
I didn't mean to imply the LEDs were as bright. All I was saying about them was that they seem to last forever.
The halogens I used were varied. The first ones I used where an actual kit that had a ceramic adaptor for the 1156 base and used a wedge type bulb, except that is was like glued in. I have no idea where they were made. The other was a Hella coversion. I lost a few because my right side lens leaked for a little while and water would splash on the bulb I guess and it would turn black and go out. Even after I got the lens to stop leaking (by removing it and resealing) the bulbs didn't last very long. Having worked with halogen bulbs a lot in the past, I know not to touch them, and if I did by mistake I would clean the oil off with alcohol.
04-28-2003, 05:58 PM
#25
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Well, I have the sample halogen bulbs coming so I can run the tests.
I'm thinking 2 minutes on and measure temperatures. Anyone want it longer? Then I will burn one for a week and flip it on and off to see about life. 168 hours should be long enough to eliminate Michael's life concerns.
If we go forward I need to order 100 to get the good price, so more interest would be nice. But if we don't get to 100 the price shouldn't go up more than a buck.
I'm thinking 2 minutes on and measure temperatures. Anyone want it longer? Then I will burn one for a week and flip it on and off to see about life. 168 hours should be long enough to eliminate Michael's life concerns.
If we go forward I need to order 100 to get the good price, so more interest would be nice. But if we don't get to 100 the price shouldn't go up more than a buck.
04-28-2003, 07:48 PM
#28
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
I think these should pass the tests. They aren't cheap bulbs. My bulb supplier said that he usually sells them to the major trucking companies for the brake lights on the back of the trailers. Trucking companies are pretty particular about safety and low maintenance.
04-28-2003, 07:53 PM
#29
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Question: I am going to do the testors paint as well. Why not leave a small portion of the reverse lens white? The lenses from toysforyourtoys.com are this way...
