Brighter reverse lights

[Huffer]

So we all know the stock reverse lights suck, and they're even worse if you have a tinted rear window (like me).

I have tried LEDs - and while brighter standing at the back of the car, they still don't put out sufficient light for me while reversing.

LiCelsior tells me he has a HID setup for his reverse lights:


h11 base, 6k color, standard ballasts...basically, standard 30amp relay, one to power, one to ground, one to reverse signal, and one to ballast signal

double sided tape the ballasts to the inside of the trunk (where the holes are)

Output:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/bf1fa2cb-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/ed994446-1.jpg

Or is it going to be easier and better to install additional rear lights (white output) in the bumper cover, like this?
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/bulightonnight-1.jpg

[rougeben83]

For the amount of time a reverse light is on, the HID ballasts probably won't even have enough time to fully charge up and stabilize the arc in the capsule...

I'm going with option 2 in the next couple of weeks, I'll take pics of the results per usual.

[Huffer]

I keep reading that people are saying I would need to have dedicated power and not "run off" the same harness for the reverse lights because of their current draw - but I doubt that for the amount of time you'd be in reverse that I'd run much of a risk of overpowering the harness?
The 1156 bulbs are only 55W stock, and if I ran LEDs...

Update me Ben, I'd love to see your work. I'd probably copy you too!

[StatGSR]

what about retrofitting a different/better bulb? sorry cant remember off the top of my head what the reverse bulbs are.


***edit

did they are 1156's... did you try something like this before? http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/ ... x-xLX3.htm (http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F115x-xLX3.htm) or http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/24vosubr24le.html

[Huffer]

I bought these 1156 9-bulb LEDs. They are brighter than stock, but not as bright as I want:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0650001588 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110650001588)
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/BESTLE00085-1.jpg

There isn't that much room inside the light cavity, and I don't want to cut the mounting/lock hole just incase I need to go back to stock.

I think the big issue is that the light cover itself prevents a lot of light from actually projecting through.

[bobbyjimmy]

You need decent "CREE" type LED's like superbrightleds.com (amongst others) sell.
Also need 3w minimum - LED's can't penetrate (insert joke here) like normal halogen globes do.

I bought these for my BH; http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... K:MEWNX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220714488414&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT)
Haven't shown up yet, but look decent enough.

[Huffer]

So something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-CAR-mo ... ccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-CAR-moto-S25-1156-Xenon-Bulb-3W-3-SMD-White-LED-LIGHT-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem483f5052dcQQitemZ310299874012QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

[rougeben83]

Well the harness is one thing, on the BE at least the wiring is like 18g...but what I'm more concerned with is the ballast. An HID ballast actually needs a few minutes to "warm up" so to speak, that is to say to fully charge and and stabilize the power its sending to the capsule (often called the bulb). This is why people often say to get bigger wires for HID's (unknowingly) because its not the overall wattage that's higher on HID's, its the amps during the first few minutes that a ballast requires to start the arc that lights up a capsule. Visually this can be seen by the slight change in color and light output after a few minutes. I'm afraid you may shorten the life of the ballast considerably by just turning it on and off for only a few seconds at a time.

As for LED lights, I have had some on the reverse lights for over a year now...LED bulbs, though they seem brighter from the change in color (the blue hue makes for a harsher contrast, which is often mistaken for more light) and because they project light in a narrower field (more light is concentrated in a smaller source), actually produce a lot less lumen than their equivalent incandescent. For example, my 3156 shape 21w rear lights are around 400 lumens incandescent, while the highest LED equivalents I've found (firing 68 SMD's) project about 220lumens. Also, take into account that with those bulbs you guys listed, you're not taking advantage of the reflector design thats in your reverse lights...which are meant to focus the 360 degrees of light that an incandescent puts out.

You should get better results with something like this if you're looking for LED options (firing 360 degrees):

There's different heights, depends on the depth of your reverse light housing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1156-HID ... 1c19f99ee0 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1156-HID-White-68-SMD-LED-Light-Bulb-Back-Reverse-7506-/120694873824?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c19f99ee0)

[Reason]

The link that Ben provided is the type a LED tower bulb in my reverse and JDM fogs. They are pretty brighter, even better than my last LED bulbs. But they aren't HID's so it depends on what kind of brightness you want. Mine are a clean white, I bet those have a blue tint to them. If you want me to post a link of what I have let me know.

[Huffer]

If you want me to post a link of what I have let me know.

Yep, that would be GREAT.

[Reason]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWNX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250746579665&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT)

[Huffer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250746579665&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

1156 WHITE 68-SMD LED
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/lbbw1156t20352868smdw-1.jpg

Do you have a pic of the output by any chance?

[Reason]

Currently no

[Benfolio]

Now that I got mine WORKING for the first time since I got my wagon (long story) I too want brighter bulbs. Although I may go with driving lights mounted to the rear of my roof basket. Ran some wiring today, will decide if I want to go though with it later..... but I will be running them off a dedicated circuit /switch for the few times they'll be needed.

[jewbaru]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/09/40219dd7-1.jpg

[LiCelsior]

sorry huff i still need to take pics of the wiring for u buddy.

before i went rear HIDs. i was thinking about these from v-leds. http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Lice ... 16915.html (http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/License-Plate-LED/White-LED/V-LEDS-HIGH-POWER-18W-p7516915.html)

[TGX4776]

Now that I got mine WORKING for the first time since I got my wagon (long story) I too want brighter bulbs. Although I may go with driving lights mounted to the rear of my roof basket. Ran some wiring today, will decide if I want to go though with it later..... but I will be running them off a dedicated circuit /switch for the few times they'll be needed.


Thats my plan when I get a roof rack. :grin:

[rougeben83]

Just an update to this: I took a page out of some EDM converted cars that used one backup light as the rear foglight, so now I have 3 reverse lamps and 1 rear fog light.

Third reverse lamp just uses a 27w bulb (from Japan!), factory reverse lamps use a 68 SMD LED white reverse bulbs. I was lazy so I just tapped the reverse wire for the positive lead on the third lamp. With the low amperage of the 2 LED's, the total amps is still half of what the stock system is fused at (10 amps).

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/04/P1100695-1.jpg

The 3rd lamp is aimed more upwards, I may adjust it later to be lower, but right now it serves as good fill-in lighting even further than the stock reflectors are aimed at.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/04/P1100703-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/04/P1100701-1.jpg

[Danny-G]

Added two days ago. I used a harness for driving lights which I had removed so the harness was free. I tapped itno the liscense plate light for power to the relay and I used the back-up light positive as the switch so the light only comes on with the back-up lights and only if the lights are on as well. I have a video and more pictures but they are on my laptop.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/05/rearfloodlight-1.jpg

[WingsofWar]

what kind of glass material are the taillights? Any of you guys thought of removing the diffusers from the reverse light section to get a brighter unmolested light diffusion?

[Huffer]

The taillights are plastic lenses with diffusers already molded in.

[WingsofWar]

The taillights are plastic lenses with diffusers already molded in.

If its plastic, why not bake the taillight take the lens apart to expose the back ribbed diffuser part.
Grab a dremel and remove the diffuser, sand down to even and smooth the plastic,
Wet Sand then polish for optimal transparency.

Unless the workspace is near impossible to do that, i don't see how it cant be done. You could potentially do it to the entire taillight for complete transparency. Although im sure that would be completely illegal and you could blind all the people behind you when you step on the brakes. It would be good for people doing Series LED retrofits.

[Huffer]

Back to this thread - thanks for the suggestion WingsofWar, but to bake the taillights and do all of that work is simply too much effort considering what I'm trying to do.

I think that I will be doing what Ben did though, and mount two external auxilliary lamps on the rear of the car:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/08/0908248-1.jpg

There's enough space on the rear hatch to mount two lights under the center tail garnish and next to the existing reverse lights. I'll just wire them up in series with the existing reverse lights so they kick on then.

[rougeben83]

Back to this thread - thanks for the suggestion WingsofWar, but to bake the taillights and do all of that work is simply too much effort considering what I'm trying to do.

I think that I will be doing what Ben did though, and mount two external auxilliary lamps on the rear of the car:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/08/0908248-1.jpg

There's enough space on the rear hatch to mount two lights under the center tail garnish and next to the existing reverse lights. I'll just wire them up in series with the existing reverse lights so they kick on then.

Hey Roger,
I didn't see this until now, this is the light I used on mine. It took me a while to find a light that has the right dimensions and mounting tab so maybe this will help you. If your rear center garnish has a flat surface under the license plate area, these should work. I just drilled into my center garnish and tucked the wiring...it beats drilling into metal and the lights are slim enough to not look out of place.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rear-uni ... 335644fcbc (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rear-universal-full-fog-light-kit-import-kit-car-/220490693820?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item335644fcbc)

You can order the housing without the wiring stuff, its about $12-14USD.

[Huffer]

^^ Thanks Ben! I appreciate the assist.