Leds For Centre Brake Light

[GeeDog]

2 of the Lumiled LEDs in my centre brake light are dead. Because of the way the LEDs are wired, this means that the centre brake light didn't work at all.

I've tried a few places to see if I can buy replacement LEDs, and the best I can find are tri-coloured LEDs from Jaycar. These have 4 legs - one being a common, and the other 3 being for the 3 different colours. I've cut off the blue & green legs, and soldered the LEDs to the board, and they work. The problem is that they just aren't as bright as the original ones, so I've got a dull bit in the middle of the light.

Has anyone managed to find a supplier of suitable LEDs in oz? Or does anyone have a broken centre brake light they don't want?

[port3s]

I replaced the centre rear break light on my 33 a few months back... I went out to autobahn and got some SMD LED lights and replaced the old panel with them. I found that because the plastic housing is red, buying white SMDs gave me the required brightness. SMDs are basically super bright LEDs... give them a try if your up for it... worked of me xD

[The Max]

SMDs are basically super bright LEDs... give them a try if your up for it... worked of me xD

Not necessarily. SMD stands for Surface Mount Device and makes no reference to the performance characteristics of the LED in question.

Therefore, be sure to pick out LEDs which have the appropriate brightness, measured typically in candela (cd) in luminance terms (intensity) or otherwise lumens, in illuminance terms (flux). The difference between the two measurements is the luminance is the perceived light from the LED whereas the illuminance is the perceived incident light on the surface of the object that the LED is shining on. That's why you typically find luminance measurements for LEDs intended as indicators as opposed to illuminance measurements for LEDs intended for light globes and torches.

Obviously, the higher the number, the brighter the LED.

You'll probably find that port3s' recommendation might be the more cost effective way to go. Not having seen these tail lights myself, I don't know what the direct replacement is for these things so I can't make any recommendations but if I were to start looking for bits, I'd look to the auto parts guys first too. Failing that, I usually look at guys like RS Components and Element14 as they generally have what I'm looking for, though at a premium.

Edited September 9, 2012 by The Max

[GeeDog]

The LEDs I got from Jaycar are SMD, just not as bright as the originals. I'll try Autobahn. Did you buy a complete light panel from them? Note that my lens is clear, not red, and the existing LEDs are definately red - this is the centre light (the one on the rear parcel shelf), not the combo taillights or a spoiler mounted light. I don't have a spoiler (unfortunatly).

[The Max]

The other suggestion I forgot to make as well is that if you are unsure what the luminance characteristics are of the existing LEDs, you would be best advised to replace them all so that you don't wind up with any hot/dim spots in your LED array when they're active. Do you have the Jaycar catalogue number of the dimmer LEDs you bought?

Edited September 9, 2012 by The Max

[GeeDog]

ZD0010 - http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZD0010

$4.95 each, so not expensive.

[The Max]

Looking at the specs, they're 200mcd, which is not all that bright. Also, they're tri-colour which means you've paid for two other colours which you don't need in your brakelight since it's a clear lens. Had it been a red lens, you could then use all three colours to achieve white.

Nevertheless, you'll need more than 200mcd luminance, it seems. The perceived brightness is logarithmic so for double the brightness, you'll need around 450mcd, quadruple brightness is around 670mcd and so on.

[sonicii]

Listen to Tony.. what is says is correct.. there should be plenty of high intensity red LEDs available, you just might need to look further than Jaycar.

I also suggest you replace all of them while you am there, even if you can get the same spec LEDs, the older LEDs will have lost some of their intensity, and you could end up with a 'hot spot'.

Does the center brake light really use SMD LEDs? I expected they would be normal 5mm LEDs.

[t5iv]

Listen to Tony.. what is says is correct.. there should be plenty of high intensity red LEDs available, you just might need to look further than Jaycar.

I also suggest you replace all of them while you am there, even if you can get the same spec LEDs, the older LEDs will have lost some of their intensity, and you could end up with a 'hot spot'.

Does the center brake light really use SMD LEDs? I expected they would be normal 5mm LEDs.

Im stealing that part of the quote

[sonicii]

too many tonys.. also my particularly bad grammer.. should have been 'what is said is correct'..

[GeeDog]

Definitely surface mount - there are 6 LEDs arranged as 3 pairs (each pair in parallel), then each pair in series with the other 2. There is also a diode (for rev polarity protection probably, not sure why though as the LEDs will do that) and a pair of current limiting resistors. I've got the old ones here somewhere, but physically they are the same size & shape as the Jaycar tri-colours, but only 2 legs (obviously - 1 colour).

It's in & working now, I'll keep my eye out for more suitable LEDs & change them if I find some.

[Tommy Kaira RL]

Try Aztronics they have a great selection of high intensity leds and other leds

[GeeDog]

I tried Aztronics before I went to Jaycar, but all they could offer was LED strips.