Posted by jim on 6/21/2008, 9:08 am, in reply to "Anyone using LED replacement tail or brake lights?"
71.60.72.188
They suck.
LEDs need totally different optics in the lens to work. A halogen lamp is brighter than an LED and puits out light equally in all directions- and about 1/2 of that light hits the reflector and is bent into the correct angle and aimed out thrugh the lens. The LED cannot do this. A true LED light has a cluster of diodes that are strategically aimed toward the lens. I can get into many technical aspects of LEDs, but I won't bore you.
These plug-in LEDs have only 6-8 diodes whereas a real LED light assembly has 5-10 times that. Another note- the aftermarket plug-in ones are not DOT, SAE or NHTSA approved for use in the US. Although many don't care about this, you should if you'd ever be in a collision. Many of the "riceboy" or "Altezza" clear light assemblies have the letters "DOT/SAE" molded into the plastic, but are not approved for use. It's easy to stamp letters onto a product.
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