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Super Bright LEDs review

Jessie James

Jessie James

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I bought a set of the 1157 LED brake lights from Super Bright LEDs and found that they are very nice. I took some videos and photos, but of course they don't really show how bright they are. Anyway, I got them here:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-...tion=DispPage&Page2Disp=/tail-brake-turn.html

I picked up the "45-LED Tower Type 1156 & 1157 Bulbs".

I also tried the 18 LED ones, but they were not much brighter than stock so I am returning them.

Compared to my old 1157 bulbs these are amazing. They light up the reflectiveness of the stop sign a block from my house. They are also incredibly simple to install. Just remove the old bulb and screw these in. And at over half the price of LMC lights I'd say they are well worth it.

My buddy was behind me during the day and even commented, saying they were incredibly bright, before I told him I replaced them.

So for a cheap and easy upgrade, go get 'em. :D
 
Being an electronic engineer, I notice strange things. Or just have strange ideas......
I commented to my cousin that I liked the new LED brake/turn signal lights because they were so much faster than the regular bulbs.
He gave me a really strange look, and commented that they were both putting out light, how could one be faster?
Light speed was light speed.
I said of course the light traveled at the same speed, but the old style bulb took time for the filament to heat up enough to put out visible light.

We were driving in his car, otherwise I think he would have moved farther away from me.
He said the old bulbs were not fluorescent, they did not have to "warm up".

I pointed to a couple of cars in adjoining lanes in front of us. Told him that the one on the right was the old style, and the one on the left was LED. Told him to watch as we got to a red light.

Sure enough, when they hit the brakes, you could see the old ones come on gradually compared to the LEDs.

Couple of weeks later, he complained to me that now he saw that difference everywhere.
He could not help himself. Said he could not get it out of his head.

There are a few cars around here that have LED bulbs in the regular brake lights, and incandescent in the third center light.
Really obvious.
 
I've noticed the same thing.

So i bought a 3rd brake light for my Blazer that has LED's too. Gotta install it now that I have a kid on the way, and I told my wife I bought these for the safety of the baby! :D
 
I have heard claims that it actually is a safety item. In that it gives you more time to react, and that the faster turn on causes your brain to pay more attention to them and react faster.

Of course, most of the people making those claims are selling LEDs.........

Would be a cool thing for the Mythbusters to check. See if people react faster to LEDs than incandescents.
 
The actual difference in getting to full brightness is easily measurable, and is probably fairly small.
However, the difference in reaction time might be significant. We are hardwired to react faster to sudden threats than gradual ones.
I punched a friend of mine in the chest when he jumped out and yelled BOO at me one time so fast he never saw it coming, and I did not know I had done it until after he fell down.

I suspect that if there is a difference, it is not permanent. If you drive along behind regular brake lights for a while, when one of the new ones suddenly comes on, it gives you a jolt of adrenaline because its so faster and different from what you are used to.
But, if you drive behind LEDs for a while, they become normal.

Like I say, it would be an interesting experiment.
 
or, on the other side of it....

If you drive behind Led's long enough, does it slow your reaction to incandescents?
 
I have seen the difference in the lighinting up of the fixtures on a lot of cars, mainly the ones that have the LED third brake light, but still use the standard main taillight bulbs, if you're paying attention, you can see that third brake light illuminate a split second quicker and sharper than the regular taillights.
 
LOL I must argue!!

I hate the LEDs while in traffic. If cars had a big bright red light mounted to the dash, that came on each time you pressed to brake pedal.....I think traffic would go faster, tailgating caused accidents decrease, two footed brake scrubbers eliminated, and more respect for the guy behind you wondering if you are actually stopping, slowing, or just ancy.

LOL, I don't care how fast they come on. Around here, even doing 60+, you're lucky to get two car lengths space behind you.
:)
 
Superbrightleds.com is an awesome company made several purchases from them and always been happy with the quality!
 
yup... i was very impressed with the quality of their components too...
 
TheBeast_88K5 said:
or, on the other side of it....

If you drive behind Led's long enough, does it slow your reaction to incandescents?
Click to expand...


Inquiring minds want to know.........

As for LED brake lights in traffic at night, I have not noticed that much of a problem.
BUT, seriously, they need to be either outlawed or have an automatic dimmer on the emergency lights on cop cars.

Before any LEOs get antsy, hear me out. I have no problem with a LEO being well visible when making a stop.
All for it in fact. I don't want to hit one any more than he wants to be hit.
Even at my advanced age, I barely have detectable cataracts. During my eye exam last week, I especially asked about the state of them. My doctor told me that he had seen guys 15 years younger with worse ones. They barely showed up in the tests.

But, when I am coming up on a highway patrol car with full light bars at night, I am barely able to see the road.

About 3 months ago, I came up on an accident where there was a light bar running on both sides of the two lanes.
I could see that traffic was backed up, and figured that the road was blocked.

Nope, the drivers ahead of me had come to a stop because they could not see if the road was clear or not.

Finally one of the FHP guys turned his off, and we all moved over to his side of the highway and eased on by.

And not only are they getting brighter, they keep adding more of them.

Friend of mine was easing past a sheriff's car on a two lane road one night, when suddenly someone started banging on the hood of his car.

He slammed on the brakes, and a deputy came storming up to his window, demanding to know if he could not see him waving him to stop.

My friend said "stop?? Heck I didn't even see you, never mind what you wanted me to do...."
 
My buddy is a cop and I had this EXACT same conversation with him last week. I explained how I can't see squat once his blue lights are on, and if he's standing next to his car, or there is anything stopped in front of it, I sure as hell can't see it. I also explained that I am amazed more cops haven't gotten creamed because of this. Those lights are so bright I have to look away to be able to see where I am going.

Any wonder cops keep getting hit? Not to me.

The worst part - and most important IMO - is that unlike incandescent bulbs, when the LEDs are strobing I cannot physically place where they are. I have 20-20 vision, but those LED's are so bright that they could be 20 feet away or 200, but I can't tell. The incandescent bulbs are different - they don't blind me AND I can physically "place" where they are on the road.

I explained to him that when he stops a car, he should turn off his rear-facing super laser blue LED's and go down to a glow blue that he has, and also turn on his side and front white lights, AND put his spotlight on whatever it is that I need to see to avoid - like the car he has pulled over.

Instead of driving into a tunnel of darkness caused by his blue lights, which is always a crap shoot at night, then drivers can see what is going on and not kill someone.

Will he do it? Doubtful.

What do I know, I'm just a dumb driver.
 
Jessie James said:
My buddy is a cop and I had this EXACT same conversation with him last week. I explained how I can't see squat once his blue lights are on, and if he's standing next to his car, or there is anything stopped in front of it, I sure as hell can't see it. I also explained that I am amazed more cops haven't gotten creamed because of this. Those lights are so bright I have to look away to be able to see where I am going.

Any wonder cops keep getting hit? Not to me.

The worst part - and most important IMO - is that unlike incandescent bulbs, when the LEDs are strobing I cannot physically place where they are. I have 20-20 vision, but those LED's are so bright that they could be 20 feet away or 200, but I can't tell. The incandescent bulbs are different - they don't blind me AND I can physically "place" where they are on the road.

I explained to him that when he stops a car, he should turn off his rear-facing super laser blue LED's and go down to a glow blue that he has, and also turn on his side and front white lights, AND put his spotlight on whatever it is that I need to see to avoid - like the car he has pulled over.

Instead of driving into a tunnel of darkness caused by his blue lights, which is always a crap shoot at night, then drivers can see what is going on and not kill someone.

Will he do it? Doubtful.

What do I know, I'm just a dumb driver.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm only 25 with perfect vision and those rear facing light bars totally blind me too. I can't see where the officer is, or what I am stopping for because I can't even look at the cruiser without hurting my eyes
 
A cop blinding you with his lights is no different than him handcuffing you or punching you in the head; he's doing it for your safety, as well as his.
 
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