Hello all,

I was looking around today and ran across some red L.E.D. lights that would a direct replacement for the 1157 bulb, I was wondering If anyone has tried this, and if so how did it work. I was mainly thiking of the brightness of them, although it would be kinda cool to have clear lenses...hmmmmmm .....LOL,

Thanks for any replies,

Joey

 

I have never used them, but they do look good. They have a cherry red color versus the old bulbs that give off a orange-red type light. The only thing you might have to do is put in a heavy duty flasher. The original flasher uses the current drawn by the bulbs to make it flash. If the LED lights draw less current, it will make the flasher flash slower or not at all. That's why you have to use a heavy duty flasher when pulling a trailer. Adding lights to the factory flasher draws too much current and it makes it flash too fast.
The good thing about the factory flasher though, is that it lets you know if a bulb is burnt out, because it will quit flashing. A heavy duty flasher won't let you know this, and keep on flashing.

 

fordblue_ca;

Where'd you see the LEDs?

Rick

 

I saw them at Wal-Mart, then a Canadian tire for about 11.50 a peice. I was just wondering if they would be alot brighter, for that price it might be worth it.



Joey

 

I have tried these out. (similar) I tried some out in my car. I liked them because they came on instantly. The problem was that the turn signals didn't flash at all because there wasn't enough current draw. The other drawback to them is that they have no side light. You basically have to be directly behind the vehicle to see them.
My set is currently laying in my tool box.

 

Charlez;

Yeah, I saw a set last night, and didn't care for them on a vehicle.

Might be a good idea for a boat trailer tho'. In and out of the water and all, and the trailer is slaved to the vehicle flasher.

Hmmm

Thanks,

Rick

 

These have been around for a few years, the first ones I saw were on military vehicles and were direct replacements and came only in red and yellow/orange, and they are available in brilliant white now also. They were actually available before that for industrial applications and you can find them in Graingers, McMaster-Carr, Allied Electronics, Newark Electronics, Mouser and other catalogs for all types of applications up to 110v and more, both direct plug in replacements and hard wired. You can get the standard vehicular replacements at just about all automotive places now.
If you want to make them more dependable smear some bulb or silicone grease in the socket first it makes them more corrosion resistant. They are more resistant to vibration than wire elements and typically last longer, hence their increasing popularity in industrial applications. And you can buy complete assemblies at trailer, tractor, truck suppliers, I bought a set for my trailer and they hard wired and sealed so I used butt splices and shrink sleeve to install them and I haven't had any trouble with them since. I bought them at a place that sells truck, trailer and bus supplies.