New take on ERA taillight reflectors

[Dangerous Doug]

Putzing around in my shop last night I decided to hack together a reflector for the back of my ERA's taillight lenses. The idea is to reflect more light toward the taillight, instead of illuminating the trunk. I also wanted something I could pop onto the light, and pop off quickly, so changing bulbs didn't become an exercise in nut removal.

I just happened to have some mirror-like sheet metal, which I cut into three rectangles, then drilled eight holes and popped in four rivets.

The results clips onto the socket housing for the bulb, and forms a "parabolic" (I'm using that term loosely) reflector for the bulb. Here're pics:

[DanEC]

How did it work? I have the ERA reflectors in mine that I polished up a little but I suspect yours might even work better.

[Dangerous Doug]

I saw only a marginal increase in the running lights with the reflector. I went to test the brake light difference but found I didn't have brake lights. This may be a brake light switch failure, so I plan to fix that in the coming days. I'll post some before/after pictures of the brake lights once I get them working again---that is where I would expect to see a visible difference.

I also plan to upgrade my bulbs to the Eiko part Bob had recommended to me a while back. I used them before and they were much brighter than the standard 1157LL's, but they burnt out when my voltage regulator failed.

DD

[Dangerous Doug]

Eiko 50/15W bulbs on Amazon: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Eiko-Light-Bulbs-Halogen-H1157-BP/dp/B0022ZTJLW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1356107935&sr=8-3&keywords=eiko%201157%20bulb&tag=viglink22922-20"]Amazon.com: Eiko H1157-BP Halogen Lamp (Pack of 1): Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31wRjhARIkL.@@AMEPARAM@@31wRjhARIkL[/ame]

The original thread on the bulbs: Bright bulbs for rectangular tail lights

[Phill Pollard]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

I saw only a marginal increase in the running lights with the reflector. I went to test the brake light difference but found I didn't have brake lights. This may be a brake light switch failure, so I plan to fix that in the coming days. I'll post some before/after pictures of the brake lights once I get them working again---that is where I would expect to see a visible difference.

I also plan to upgrade my bulbs to the Eiko part Bob had recommended to me a while back. I used them before and they were much brighter than the standard 1157LL's, but they burnt out when my voltage regulator failed.

DD

Easy enough to make a direct comparison;

Put the reflector on one light and not the other. Go into a darkened garage and turn the lights on. You should be able to compare them apples to apples.

A digital camera will probably be able to pick up the difference, at least in a darkened garage. I'm not so sure about in the light of day though.


Good idea DD,

Phill

[Dangerous Doug]

I did test it left to right, but the difference on the running lights was small. I'd like to test it with the brake lights with the thinking being that a percent increase of a brighter source would provide a larger, more detectable difference.

For example, a 10% increase on "10" would be 1, but a 10% increase on 100 would be 10---a output difference that could be more readily observed.

DD

[Dangerous Doug]

Fuse good, bulb fine. Time to replace the pressure switch...

DD

[awfink55]

I received a set of reflectors from ERA, I also changed to LED bulbs in the rear only. It made a really big difference, much much brighter.

[Large Arbor]

I used the Superbright LEDs at $25 per pop that fit in the place of the 1157's. Cars kept coming close to the reared on bright days so I thought they weren't seeing the brake lights. The Superbright LED's are also me and worked well on my ERA. I think you can only used them in the rear lights though due to loading.

Phil

[JohnnyRay]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

I used the Superbright LEDs at $25 per pop that fit in the place of the 1157's. Cars kept coming close to the reared on bright days so I thought they weren't seeing the brake lights. The Superbright LED's are also me and worked well on my ERA. I think you can only used them in the rear lights though due to loading.

Phil

LEDs generally draw much less current than the equivalent incandescent lamp due to their much better luminous efficiency. I don't believe that there is a loading issue...

[strictlypersonl]

On the ERA (like the original cars), the brake and signal lights share the same filament, so a relay is necessary. We use a trailer relay that requires a minimum load to function. Some LED bulbs don't create the necessary load.

[bill37341]

Doug- you may want to open up the radius of your reflector. It seems that the reflector is focusing the light back on the filament, rather than out the taillight.

[kevins2]

I also used the Superbright LED's in the rear only. They are very bright, much more so than the 1157's. I have the double round taillights so not the same issue with the reflectors. Also, no problem with the loading since I just did the rear. There is a thread on this forum with more details about LEDs. I think the key is to make sure you get the "white light" LED. If you were to get red LEDs and put them behind a red taillight lens, the light gets absorbed...

[Dangerous Doug]

Originally Posted by bill37341

Doug- you may want to open up the radius of your reflector. It seems that the reflector is focusing the light back on the filament, rather than out the taillight.

Good point. I need to take some measurements and calculate a parabolic model in order to shape the reflector correctly.

DD

[Large Arbor]

I did the $25 LED bulbs and they worked great.

[url='http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/image10.jpeg']


Phil

[Dangerous Doug]

Retested my brake lights---with the ignition "on". Brake lights work fine, without extraordinary pressure. I checked the schematic, and yes, this is the case: the power to the brake lights comes from fuse 5, which is an ACC connection.

Doh! (Insert vague memory of Homer Simpson...) Lesson (re)learned. STML

Anyhow, I checked my lighting left to right, with and without the reflector. Really, no difference I can detect in terms of brightness. I changed my bulbs out for H1157 50/15W's, and they are plenty bright (Amazon: $7.89 each). I again tested the brightness left/right & with/without my reflector----no noticeable difference.

I calculated the parabolic shape required, but then neglected to mess with it in my haste to get on with other things, as well as a bout of general laziness.

However, with these 50W bulbs I am glad to have a heat shield covering the bulb.

Had the Cobra out today for a nice drive. It's all good.

DD

[ACademic]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

However, with these 50W bulbs I am glad to have a heat shield covering the bulb.

I'd be curious if a 50W bulb would generate enough heat to eventually melt the exterior plastic lens? Would be a shame to ruin a pair of original Lucas L542's and then good luck trying to find another matched pair.

[strictlypersonl]

Unless you ride the brakes or sit at lights interminably, I doubt whether you could damage a lens.