A Little More Tail Light Info.

[grey beard]

My origijnal Dodge tail lights used non-indexed sockets - those with the bulb locating pins across from each other. My new LED bulbs have indexed pins, so I needed new sockets. Old ones were shot anyhow. Went to NAPA and found nice weatherproof double contact types that I ordered. New sockets were 1/8-inch larger in diameter than the originals - had to drill out the lamp housing to install.

Here's whar I learned in the process. Some past threads on this subject mentioned problems using LED bulbs behind the dark glass of the script DODGE tail lamp lenses. While installing these sockets, it hecame clear to me that the distance between the bulb and the lens is critical - the bulb needs to be very close to the lens. If you do not do this, the lens is too dark to allow much light to pass through it. This was true in spite of the fact that my lamp buckets are painted white inside - which I now believe does not help LED bvulbs like it would normal incandescent bulbs.

Fortunately, when you install new sockets in these bucikets, it is easy to slide them in as far as you need them to be. Once you have them posiioned where you want them, just seal them in place with 3M drip-check sealer. This seems to fix the dark lens probldem for me - and now the LED pinpoints are nicely visible, just like all the newer semis on the road.

[Don Coatney]

Dave;

Do your new LED lights emit red or white light?

[Rich Gengo]

Good question Dave. I put the red ones behind my Red glass lens and it wasn't as bright as I thought it would be. I never checked how close it was to the lens. I did see they had red ,amber, and clear LEDs. Hmmmmm

[grey beard]

My LED's are white. Haven't seen or tried red, but I would imagine they would cut down on available light. The trick is to get the bulb close to the lens, and you won't be disappointed with the results. Please remeember that I am still running six volts . . . . . .

[Don Coatney]

I agree Dave that red LED's under a red lens would not produce much light. The white ones should do much better. A 6 volt LED should put out as much light as a 12 volt or a 120 volt LED.

[oldmopar]

To add to the color question the site where Dave purchased the bulbs recommends red for a red lens link below

Ed

https://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm