LED replacements for 3rd brake light bar?
Thread Starter
CF "Young" Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 26
From: Cupertino CA
St. Jude Donor '12
LED replacements for 3rd brake light bar?
One of the four lights in my 3rd brake light bar on my '86 is out, and it appears to be the bar itself no longer works on that plug. One of the other plugs is starting to burn bulbs every couple of months, while the other two seem to work fine. 
I'll be at a parts yard in the next week or two, so I'll try to find a replacement bar then, but has anyone seen LED bars for sale? would save me a few buckaroos in the long haul and would probably serve make that 'safety light' more useful.
thanks as always, guys
I'll be at a parts yard in the next week or two, so I'll try to find a replacement bar then, but has anyone seen LED bars for sale? would save me a few buckaroos in the long haul and would probably serve make that 'safety light' more useful.
thanks as always, guys
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,531
Likes: 35
From: Lecanto Florida
I add a CHMSL bar to my PT Cruiser rear wing. Don't know if it will help you or not but here's the web site.
http://www.hamsar.com/chmsl.htm
Try putting CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop Lite) in a search engine and you'll see loads of places that sell and make them.
http://www.hamsar.com/chmsl.htm
Try putting CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop Lite) in a search engine and you'll see loads of places that sell and make them.
Last edited by CREWZIN; Mar 15, 2005 at 03:06 PM.
Thread Starter
CF "Young" Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 26
From: Cupertino CA
St. Jude Donor '12
Figured I'd bump this back into the spotlight for a short bit..
How hard (what materials) would be needed to solder together a board with a row of *bright* LED's that could be used to replace the brake light bar.
Biggest problem I could see would be whether the power coming for the light bar currently would fry the LED's if it came in directly.
I won't do this myself just yet, but if another one of the light sockets on my light bar goes perma-dead, I'm probably going to want to do this.
How hard (what materials) would be needed to solder together a board with a row of *bright* LED's that could be used to replace the brake light bar.
Biggest problem I could see would be whether the power coming for the light bar currently would fry the LED's if it came in directly.
I won't do this myself just yet, but if another one of the light sockets on my light bar goes perma-dead, I'm probably going to want to do this.
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 1
From: Levittown NY
Originally Posted by flaagan
Figured I'd bump this back into the spotlight for a short bit..
How hard (what materials) would be needed to solder together a board with a row of *bright* LED's that could be used to replace the brake light bar.
Biggest problem I could see would be whether the power coming for the light bar currently would fry the LED's if it came in directly.
I won't do this myself just yet, but if another one of the light sockets on my light bar goes perma-dead, I'm probably going to want to do this.
How hard (what materials) would be needed to solder together a board with a row of *bright* LED's that could be used to replace the brake light bar.
Biggest problem I could see would be whether the power coming for the light bar currently would fry the LED's if it came in directly.
I won't do this myself just yet, but if another one of the light sockets on my light bar goes perma-dead, I'm probably going to want to do this.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You can replace the incandescent lamps in the third brake light with red superbright LED's. Each LED requires a 600 ohm 1 watt resistor in series with the LED to the two wires that go to the incandescent lamps. Proper polarity is required to make the LED's light. Reverse polarity won't hurt the LED's. Radio Shack doesn't sell 1 watt resistors any longer, but two 1200 ohm 1/2 watt resistors in parallel equal a 600 ohm 1 watt resistor. You can mount the LED's on a piece of perf board also available from Radio Shack, 1/2 x 11 inches. The perf board will slide in front of the lens and two pieces of double sided adhesive foam on each end of the perf board will hold the perf board in place. If you want to replace the lamps (they are expensive) and can't find the superbright red LED's, I have some and can mail them for $1 each, you need 4.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 20,122
Likes: 1
From: Correlation does not imply causation
Wow, that post hurt my head 
Simple question, and this isn't worth a new thread, how does one get to these bulbs (I assume it is open the rear hatch and undo those two hex bolts?)
What sort of bulb do I need to get? I don't want to open it up once to get the bulb out, then put it back, go get the bul and reopen it agian to replace....
Simple question, and this isn't worth a new thread, how does one get to these bulbs (I assume it is open the rear hatch and undo those two hex bolts?)
What sort of bulb do I need to get? I don't want to open it up once to get the bulb out, then put it back, go get the bul and reopen it agian to replace....
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Two bolts takes the third brake light assembly off the car, then three I think more screws takes the assembly apart to gain access to the lamps which are #881. When you find out their cost, you too will want to install red LED's which will last longer than you will.
Thread Starter
CF "Young" Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 26
From: Cupertino CA
St. Jude Donor '12
Originally Posted by jfb
When you find out their cost, you too will want to install red LED's which will last longer than you will.
As far as mounting the setup, i would imagine you could take advantage of the mounting screws to hold it in place.. probably could do the whole setup on a piece of 'junk pile' plastic from Tap or some other sturdy material that can handle drilling and mounting.
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,581
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From: Bartlett Illinois
Originally Posted by jfb
You can replace the incandescent lamps in the third brake light with red superbright LED's. Each LED requires a 600 ohm 1 watt resistor in series with the LED to the two wires that go to the incandescent lamps. Proper polarity is required to make the LED's light. Reverse polarity won't hurt the LED's. Radio Shack doesn't sell 1 watt resistors any longer, but two 1200 ohm 1/2 watt resistors in parallel equal a 600 ohm 1 watt resistor. You can mount the LED's on a piece of perf board also available from Radio Shack, 1/2 x 11 inches. The perf board will slide in front of the lens and two pieces of double sided adhesive foam on each end of the perf board will hold the perf board in place. If you want to replace the lamps (they are expensive) and can't find the superbright red LED's, I have some and can mail them for $1 each, you need 4.
What Size LED are you using the typical size found at Radio Shack or the Jumbo LEDs?
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by flaagan
One of the four lights in my 3rd brake light bar on my '86 is out, and it appears to be the bar itself no longer works on that plug. One of the other plugs is starting to burn bulbs every couple of months, while the other two seem to work fine.
I'll be at a parts yard in the next week or two, so I'll try to find a replacement bar then, but has anyone seen LED bars for sale? would save me a few buckaroos in the long haul and would probably serve make that 'safety light' more useful.
thanks as always, guys
I'll be at a parts yard in the next week or two, so I'll try to find a replacement bar then, but has anyone seen LED bars for sale? would save me a few buckaroos in the long haul and would probably serve make that 'safety light' more useful.
thanks as always, guys
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by ozvette
Wow, that post hurt my head
Simple question, and this isn't worth a new thread, how does one get to these bulbs (I assume it is open the rear hatch and undo those two hex bolts?)
What sort of bulb do I need to get? I don't want to open it up once to get the bulb out, then put it back, go get the bul and reopen it agian to replace....
Simple question, and this isn't worth a new thread, how does one get to these bulbs (I assume it is open the rear hatch and undo those two hex bolts?)
What sort of bulb do I need to get? I don't want to open it up once to get the bulb out, then put it back, go get the bul and reopen it agian to replace....
Once you remove the two hex bolts, lift up the unit and underneath - I think there are two more screws - when you remove the last two screws the top, bottom and lense come apart.
Years ago, I had to pay between $8 - $10 for each bulb, now I think they are under $2 each
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,770
Likes: 0
From: Construction Sucks! MI
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Contributor '03 & '05
i thought someone on here took a strip out of their blazer and put it in their corvette. not sure if it is LED, but it worked. you could probably find one at a parts yard.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Jeff, I bought some T1 3/4 7000 mcd red LED's from Unitech Systems. They only sell in quantities of 35. You can buy similar superbright red LED's from www.hosfelt.com in small quantities. I still have most of the LED's I bought and will sell them for $1 each.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
I was just looking at the TLSH180P on the above site at $0.79 each. It has 8,000 mcd and will drop 2Vdc at 20mA.
Assuming the electrical system puts out no more than 15Vdc, you could use a 1/4 W 800 (P=V**2/R=13**2/800=0.21W) Ohm resistor in series with each LED and have close to max illumination with inexpensive parts.
Since I now have two bulbs out maybe this requires a trip to Radio Shack. Thanks for the leads.
Assuming the electrical system puts out no more than 15Vdc, you could use a 1/4 W 800 (P=V**2/R=13**2/800=0.21W) Ohm resistor in series with each LED and have close to max illumination with inexpensive parts.
Since I now have two bulbs out maybe this requires a trip to Radio Shack. Thanks for the leads.
