Most liked posts in thread: Brighter Reverse Lights

I have been looking this.
https://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/lp-reverse-light-system.html

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Do you get a bulb out error using that LED? Or does it have a resister built in?

 

I would be worried about the heat.

 

I'm pretty sure LED lights have less heat than incandescent bulbs.

 

Usually, but most are increasing the brightness and associated heat. Look at most of the LED headlight conversions.......huge heat sinks are needed.

 

Nice find Dave.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.