LEDs for tail lights; red or white?

[Samckitt]

I am thinking of trying to make some LED tail lights for the Monte, I was wondering which LEDs are better to use, red ones or white ones. Of course I am using the factory red lens on the car. So either way the lens will make the light red. But will the white be too overpowering & make it look abnormal?

Thanks,
Scot

[CAMAROBOY69]

If all else fails do an experiment with one of each behind the red lense material. Check it in the dark. Great question.

[zbugger]

I swapped from a white normal bulb to a red LED bulb on my Camaro. The light changed from a pinkish light to a solid red. I say go with the red LED's. I hate pink brake lights.

[Samckitt]

The other thing I thought of was using LEDs with a flat end instead of the round dome. This will spread out the light more instead of the dot you usually see. I don't know. On one hand I like all the individual dots & on the other hand it would be cool for the whole lens to light up without seeing the bulbs.

Thanks,
Scot

[zbugger]

That's how the AAW lights illuminate. You can't see the individual LED's. I'd do it that way if I were to do it myself as well.

[Samckitt]

Oh no! I have to figure out how to wire it so some of them light as running lights, then all of them light when the brakes or turns are lit up. And a voltage limiting resistor on every LED to drop from 12v to ~4V. Man that will be a lot of resistors.

Aye Caramba



Scot

[gen3bu]

use the red ones. the ast bike taillight i made looked better with a red lense and red leds. plus, the red leds were brighter that the whites that i bought, and they were both rated @ 6000 mcd. that motorcycle brakelight had 242 leds when i was done.

the tail/brake lighting is easy. pm me for more details.

kevin

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

You always should use the same color LED as the lens it will shine through. Here is a prtty good site for leds and led info. I got all the leds for my 97 GTP from here.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/