Can anyone remember the manufacturer that made those impressive LED replacement bulbs that they claimed were brighter than incandescent bulbs? I think in practice they were still not as bright, but were still decent.

I remember they had two models, one with a reflector painted on the end to bounce light back into the housing. I also remember there being a loooong thread in another forum where people were chatting with a rep from the company. I can't for the life of me remember (or find via Google) the name of the manufacturer/company that was selling these.

Anyone know? Does this ring a bell at all?

 

Probably here:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...sp=%2F1157.htm

 

Thanks, but no that wasn't it. The one I'm thinking of made just 3 or 4 different models, and I think they all used just one 1.5w or 3w LED. I think their name started with an E?

(in case it helps, it for sure wasn't: autolumination, azn-optics, or superbrightleds)

 

Ah, finally found them! For anyone else that's interested:

http://www.elef-usa.com/

 

these for brake lights?

 

They say they can be, though I would be skeptical until seeing for myself. In my case, I'm planning to use some for my turn signals.

 

I've known about them for a few years. They are highly praised in the hobbyist LED forum: http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/foru...y.php?13-LED-s

The problem is that they aren't plug and play replacement bulbs (i.e., cannot just swap out a stock bulb with one of those). They need to fit into place like a complete bulb holder socket. They might work well in the front turn signals, but the MINI tail lights don't have separate bulb holders -- the bulb holders are part of a circuit board panel. The tail lights would require major modification to use them.

 

Thinking about it a bit more, I would change my statement about "major" modification for the tail light to "moderate". I would approach it like this.

1. Remove the circuit panel from the tail light and find a place to secure it nearby.
2. Insert/attach the Elef bulb in the tail light bulb opening. You may need to enlarge the hole.
3. Connect the wiring of the Elef to a bare bulb base. So you'll have some length of wire (long enough to reach the circuit panel) running from the Elef to the bulb base. 1156 base for the turn bulb or 1157 base for the brake/running bulb
   
4. Insert the bulb base in the circuit panel where the bulb would normally go.
5. If you don't convert both the turn and brake bulbs, you'll have to put the original bulb in a bulb holder, attach it to the tail light and run wires to the circuit panel.
   
   

They are available in amber and red. Use the red version for brake lights.