ziegs2020
04-30-2012, 02:40 PM
I've noticed wherever you go, the third brake lights are super expensive. Recently I came across "eagle eye leds" on ebay. They are surprising bright for their size, and seem to be fairly reliable.
Just to give you some background, I've got the 5/9/15/54 led third brake lights, so I've seen and compared them all.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=133929.msg2878123#msg2878123
http://www.thexenonstore.com/3rdledbrake.php
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-3-Axela-03-4D-Rear-Third-Brake-Light-15-LED-Smok-/110692390701?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19c5c7d72d&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-06-07-08-Mazda3-4D-Sedan-Smoke-3rd-9-LED-brake-light-/150507896698?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item230af83f7a&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-3-2004-2008-4dr-Sedan-Smoked-LED-3rd-Brake-Light-/251032711321?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a72b73099&vxp=mtr
My idea;
The leds, 2 for $10, $20 in total. On a related note, only buy 1 pair at a time. Most ebay sellers will try to dick you around if you buy more then 1, often sending crappy versions of the leds. Just my personal experience with most ebay sellers (though not these 2 sellers in particular). It's better to order 1 pair, wait 10 days, and then order another. Or buy a second pair from the second seller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-High-Power-1-5W-LED-Eagle-Eye-Rear-Back-Up-Reverse-Tail-Light-Red-Color-1-/350498092810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519b50770a
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-High-Power-1-5W-LED-Eagle-Eye-Rear-Back-Up-Reverse-Tail-Light-Red-Color-1-/180789701851?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a17e7ecdb
There is also a bolt version of it, but I've never tried it. I have one on order and I will comment on it when I receive it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-5-3W-LED-Ultra-thin-Lens-Daytime-Eagle-Eye-Backup-lamp-Reverse-Light-Red-E5-/290699474776?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43af09f758&vxp=mtr
Going back to the original leds.
4 of them mounted in there using the included 3m tape. I would recommend something stronger like; http://www.ebay.com/itm/EZ-PASS-I-PASS-HOLDER-VELCRO-TAPE-3M-DUAL-LOCK-ADHESIVE-MOUNTING-STRIPS-W-WIPE-/220968268332?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3372bc322c&vxp=mtr
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Lit up. They draw 440mA at 12.5v, or 110mA each.
http://s7.postimage.org/efeunuz1n/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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You can't see the leds. I don't know if this is true for the clear oem lens or not. Either way I would imagine it diffuses the leds in the same way.
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What it looks like lit up. It is BRIGHT. Very very bright. Like probably as bright as your tail lights bright.
http://s7.postimage.org/vwnjwpp7v/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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http://s7.postimage.org/6f55d47hn/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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I'm pretty sure you could fit more leds in there if you snipped out the plastic supports that hold up the oem inner diffuser. Speaking of diffusers, I'm not sure what it looks like with the incandescent bulb diffuser there. If I ever find that piece, I'll take some more pictures. Though I would recommend leaving the inner diffuser out as to keep the leds seated as far back as possible.
For $20, it's bright, looks pretty good, is instantaneous on and off, and it fills out the lens pretty nicely. The distinct appearance of the 4 leds is not as obvious as the pictures make it seem. Yes you can tell there are 4 sources of light inside the brake light, but the oem outer lens does a good job of blending everything.
As for the leds themselves, they are fairly reliable. It takes a 5 minutes at 15v before they begin to heat up, and don't seem to have any problems with voltage spikes. They use resistors, epoxied to a metal base to diffuse the heat generated by the resistors and higher voltages. I am torture testing one right now at 20v to see how long it will last.
I tested the leds and after 20 minutes at 20v, the led or resistor failed due to heat build up. While cars do have voltage spikes, the led will probably never see 20v for a consistent 20 minutes.
Just to give you some background, I've got the 5/9/15/54 led third brake lights, so I've seen and compared them all.
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=133929.msg2878123#msg2878123
http://www.thexenonstore.com/3rdledbrake.php
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-3-Axela-03-4D-Rear-Third-Brake-Light-15-LED-Smok-/110692390701?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19c5c7d72d&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-06-07-08-Mazda3-4D-Sedan-Smoke-3rd-9-LED-brake-light-/150507896698?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item230af83f7a&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-3-2004-2008-4dr-Sedan-Smoked-LED-3rd-Brake-Light-/251032711321?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a72b73099&vxp=mtr
My idea;
The leds, 2 for $10, $20 in total. On a related note, only buy 1 pair at a time. Most ebay sellers will try to dick you around if you buy more then 1, often sending crappy versions of the leds. Just my personal experience with most ebay sellers (though not these 2 sellers in particular). It's better to order 1 pair, wait 10 days, and then order another. Or buy a second pair from the second seller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-High-Power-1-5W-LED-Eagle-Eye-Rear-Back-Up-Reverse-Tail-Light-Red-Color-1-/350498092810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519b50770a
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-High-Power-1-5W-LED-Eagle-Eye-Rear-Back-Up-Reverse-Tail-Light-Red-Color-1-/180789701851?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a17e7ecdb
There is also a bolt version of it, but I've never tried it. I have one on order and I will comment on it when I receive it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-5-3W-LED-Ultra-thin-Lens-Daytime-Eagle-Eye-Backup-lamp-Reverse-Light-Red-E5-/290699474776?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43af09f758&vxp=mtr
Going back to the original leds.
4 of them mounted in there using the included 3m tape. I would recommend something stronger like; http://www.ebay.com/itm/EZ-PASS-I-PASS-HOLDER-VELCRO-TAPE-3M-DUAL-LOCK-ADHESIVE-MOUNTING-STRIPS-W-WIPE-/220968268332?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3372bc322c&vxp=mtr
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Lit up. They draw 440mA at 12.5v, or 110mA each.
http://s7.postimage.org/efeunuz1n/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
jpg upload (http://postimage.org/)
You can't see the leds. I don't know if this is true for the clear oem lens or not. Either way I would imagine it diffuses the leds in the same way.
http://s7.postimage.org/5lny6rc2z/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
free image hosting (http://postimage.org/)
http://s7.postimage.org/dsfxyc25n/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
upload images (http://postimage.org/)
What it looks like lit up. It is BRIGHT. Very very bright. Like probably as bright as your tail lights bright.
http://s7.postimage.org/vwnjwpp7v/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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http://s7.postimage.org/6f55d47hn/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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http://s7.postimage.org/5qwau68rv/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
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I'm pretty sure you could fit more leds in there if you snipped out the plastic supports that hold up the oem inner diffuser. Speaking of diffusers, I'm not sure what it looks like with the incandescent bulb diffuser there. If I ever find that piece, I'll take some more pictures. Though I would recommend leaving the inner diffuser out as to keep the leds seated as far back as possible.
For $20, it's bright, looks pretty good, is instantaneous on and off, and it fills out the lens pretty nicely. The distinct appearance of the 4 leds is not as obvious as the pictures make it seem. Yes you can tell there are 4 sources of light inside the brake light, but the oem outer lens does a good job of blending everything.
As for the leds themselves, they are fairly reliable. It takes a 5 minutes at 15v before they begin to heat up, and don't seem to have any problems with voltage spikes. They use resistors, epoxied to a metal base to diffuse the heat generated by the resistors and higher voltages. I am torture testing one right now at 20v to see how long it will last.
I tested the leds and after 20 minutes at 20v, the led or resistor failed due to heat build up. While cars do have voltage spikes, the led will probably never see 20v for a consistent 20 minutes.