Re: LED "bulbs" for Spider tail lights

[Paul Witek <pwitek@domain.elided>]

I think the primary problem with these LED "bulbs" is that they're trying to replace incandescent bulbs in a taillight designed for incandescent bulbs.

Light bulbs are a "point source"; that is, without reflectors, the light travels pretty much in all directions from the filament.  Taillights use reflectors to shine the light from the sides of the bulb out through the lens. 

LEDs are far more directional; by and large there is very little light leakage off to the sides.  Without this, you end up with a small circle of illumination on the lens, right over the bulb.

Add to this fact that as yet, even the brightest LED's are a far cry from putting out the light of a 79-cent 1156 bulb.  New production cars that use LED's in the taillight use a large array of them (with no reflectors).   

I suppose one could mount a ton of individual LEDs on some perf board (or etch a circuit board) the same shape as the lens of a taillight - this would put out much closer to the original light output and pattern.  

You can always spot cars with LED taillights, they're somewhat odd in that the light is on, then instantly off - you don't realize how conventional bulbs "fade out" as the filament cools until you see an LED taillight switch off.

- Paul Witek


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