With the dark window tint on the rear of my car, the weak reverse lights do very little for me. Are there brighter replcement reverse lights available -- probably LEDs? CD
I used to use a 796 35W halogen bulb as a reverse light, about twice as bright as stock, but recently found a better, even brighter option. I also have tinting on the rear window as well as only one reverse bulb by design (2009 Clubman). Here’s my post from last April: Put a high power LED Bulb in the reverse light socket (only one on the right in my R55, so it needs all the help it can get). About 4-5 x as bright as a p21w and more than twice as bright as the 796 35w halogen bulb I usually use in that position. Manufacture claims 3600 lumen and 1800 mA draw per bulb, but I measure about 1800 lm and 850 mA. 6500K. I like 3.5-5K better but no one makes a bright one like that that I could find. https://www.amazon.com/Boodlied-20Watts-3600LM-Bright-Reverse/dp/B07DZS4TPT/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_1_sspa?keywords=boodlied+3600lm+1156&qid=1555852951&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1
No bulb out error, but I don’t think the reverse bulb gets checked by the system in an R55 like just about all the other bulbs do.
The 35W 796 halogen bulb does run hotter than the stock 21W bulb, but the reverse light is seldom on long enough for that to make a meaningful difference. (Increased heat is a valid concern as the MINI tail light assembly has been known to melt plastic and weld the bulbs into the holders with even stock bulbs in some cases). I can't guarantee that 35W won't stress the BC1 but I doubt it would. I never had a problem. The Boolied LED lights actually run cooler than stock - they draw 850ma at 13.5V which is about 11.5 W, so no worries there. I know they're listed as 20W, 1800ma and 3600 Lumens per bulb on the Amazon link, but all those numbers are about double what I measured with a Gossen light meter and Fluke multimeter. I'll bet the description is supposed to actually reflect specs for a pair of bulbs.
Usually, but most are increasing the brightness and associated heat. Look at most of the LED headlight conversions.......huge heat sinks are needed.
LEDs need more heat dissipation than incandescent bulbs because filaments are designed to work at extremely high temperatures and LED elements are not.
Well you learn something everyday. Keep that knowledge coming folks. It takes a while until it penetrates my thick skull & sinks in. I like that LED backup light you found Dave. In the olden days I'd justa slap a big Hella fog lamp on the rear bumper.
I thought of doing that to my truck. Not really for backing up, it has a great camera, but for the jerks that think they need 10 light bars on their trucks and run them all the time.
Make sure you hook that back up light to the reverse switch. Some night you may turn it on & light up a cop who then lights you up. LOL
Heat dissipation is important for LEDs that are constantly on for a long time, such as headlights and running lights, but not as important for brief usage such as reverse lights.
This sounds like what I am looking for. I just wonder if your Amazon link will be for the right replacement bulb for my R56 MCS? I did some searches, and could not come up with any kind of replacement guide. CD
It looks like the R56 uses 921 reverse bulbs rather than the 7506/1156/p21w type that my R55 does as well as my previous R50 did. Sorry if I led you down the wrong path.
Hey, no problem. At least I know there may be some options. I just need to search harder. I have two reverse lights, built into the taillights on my R56 MCS. I am thinking there has to be an LED replacement. Those reverse lights were not great, even without window tint. Thanks for your input. CD