The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Anyone gone through the agony of LED bulb conversion? (not headlights)

Paul Bennett · 07-31-2017, 04:06 AM

I'd like to improve the visibility of my brake lights especially in daytime conditions. (3rd brake light project is later) So naturally, I am investigating switching to LEDs. I'd also like brighter gauge lights but less important.

However -

6 volt narrows availability down to very few LEDs,
Positive ground further reduces availability to almost nil.

Amazon has several decently priced 6volt LEDs but all are negative ground.
SuperBright has no customer service and a crap web site to search for 6v.

One distributor has 6v positive gnd LED bulbs but his $5 BA9 type 55 instrument bulb replacements while nice and bright are too long to fit in my gauges. His $20 1157 brake/tail parking bulb puts all light peripherally with no axial light straight out which makes it unacceptable as in place it is dimmer than the existing incandescent bulb. Just as well as his prices are double what I want to pay.

I'm about to try changing the tail light socket in my 50 Merc to use a single element $7 each 1156 style LED (see photo)

and use $5 plastic replacement automotive sockets. The bulb shell in the factory Mercury tail light 1157 socket contacts the car ground. In the replacement socket, there is a dedicated wire from the socket bulb shell and is insulated from chassis ground. This will allow me to reverse the bulb polarity myself by applying brake voltage to the bulb shell and car ground to the tip. I can then make use of the wide array of available LED bulbs. My only worry is how to insure future owners are aware of my change, perhaps a laminated card in the area.

As the tail lights presently uses the 2 element 1157 bulbs providing a less bright parking light, I plan to use a resistor and feed that voltage to the same element as the brake/turn LED uses.

Oh yes I've ordered a $15 brake light blinker which blinks the brake light 4 times before going solid. I just hope it will work on 6v. They make a more expensive model with accellerometer which detects panic stops to blink faster. Maybe I'll use that model on my future 3rd brake LED.

So, have any others of you felt the urge to go LED? What are your experiences?

07-31-2017, 04:06 AM	#1
Paul Bennett Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 628	Anyone gone through the agony of LED bulb conversion? (not headlights) I'd like to improve the visibility of my brake lights especially in daytime conditions. (3rd brake light project is later) So naturally, I am investigating switching to LEDs. I'd also like brighter gauge lights but less important. However - 6 volt narrows availability down to very few LEDs, Positive ground further reduces availability to almost nil. Amazon has several decently priced 6volt LEDs but all are negative ground. SuperBright has no customer service and a crap web site to search for 6v. One distributor has 6v positive gnd LED bulbs but his $5 BA9 type 55 instrument bulb replacements while nice and bright are too long to fit in my gauges. His $20 1157 brake/tail parking bulb puts all light peripherally with no axial light straight out which makes it unacceptable as in place it is dimmer than the existing incandescent bulb. Just as well as his prices are double what I want to pay. I'm about to try changing the tail light socket in my 50 Merc to use a single element $7 each 1156 style LED (see photo) and use $5 plastic replacement automotive sockets. The bulb shell in the factory Mercury tail light 1157 socket contacts the car ground. In the replacement socket, there is a dedicated wire from the socket bulb shell and is insulated from chassis ground. This will allow me to reverse the bulb polarity myself by applying brake voltage to the bulb shell and car ground to the tip. I can then make use of the wide array of available LED bulbs. My only worry is how to insure future owners are aware of my change, perhaps a laminated card in the area. As the tail lights presently uses the 2 element 1157 bulbs providing a less bright parking light, I plan to use a resistor and feed that voltage to the same element as the brake/turn LED uses. Oh yes I've ordered a $15 brake light blinker which blinks the brake light 4 times before going solid. I just hope it will work on 6v. They make a more expensive model with accellerometer which detects panic stops to blink faster. Maybe I'll use that model on my future 3rd brake LED. So, have any others of you felt the urge to go LED? What are your experiences?