Paging Daniel Stern - re: amber turn signals

And so I have. Please check your email.

Reply to
Hugo Schmeisser
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There used to be a material for stage lighting that you dipped bulbs in to change color.

fairly durable unless scratched.

Reply to
marks542004

Rosco Colorine. Its formula had to be changed dramatically (as it were) in the 1990s to comply with VOC regulations. The old stuff dried hard and was quite durable. The new stuff stays gummy/sticky and can only be used on bulbs of less than 15 watts otherwise it bubbles and smokes. It's also available now in only a fraction of the range of colors it used to come in, none of which is suitable for car bulbs. Unfortunately, this option no longer exists.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Probably not legal. For some strange reason, the front turn signals bulbs in my car are clear behind an amber lens (in the headlight assembly). The rears are amber bulbs in a clear lens. The assemblies are made by different manufacturers.

I've seen some "color covers". I know - "halfassed shit". Might even burn?

Well - I did get some clear (Sylvania packaged) 7440 and 7443 bulbs as spares. I can't quite figure out why they're not packaged (in pairs) in a way to keep the bulbs from banging into each other. I took them out and covered them in bubble wrap. The 7443s are different. The base is darkened like smoked glass. They say "12W21/5W" and "E11" (in a rounded box), with no country of origin. They package says they're made in Japan. I still have to contact DS about the amber bulbs and some H1 bulbs I need.

Reply to
y_p_w

I've seen aerosol cans of "light bulb paint" on certain Web sites that cater to the rice-rocket crowd. It's very expensive. You use it to turn your clear bulbs blue or whatnot.

Not that I would consider using it (much too old for that sort of thing), but is this stuff considered a bodge as well?

Reply to
Hugo Schmeisser

...and it fades to a nice brownish-clear after about 6 minutes' worth of bulb "on" time, hence the "half pink, half brownish-white" appearance of the clear taillamps with red-painted bulbs.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Actually, it is. LOL, overengineered..?

BTW, saw a new Saab wagon with white taillight lenses today driving home in the rain. The light was weird, kind of blurry, like it was filtered somehow. The side markers were red LEDs though...

Possibly. It will make the bulb dimmer in either case, although maybe not enough to make a difference.

Good luck.

Ulf

Reply to
Ulf

Not to be argumentative, but what's the difference? It's a 5W bulb in the same form factor as a 194... curious why there would be a need for a bulb almost the same, but different...

But you reminded me of another question I wanted to ask. Do you have any experience with LED lights either in a 194-like wedge base or else as a replacement for a #55? Reason I ask is, a Porsche 944 uses a wedge base bulb for the dash lights, I have W3Ws in there now, and they're really freaking dim. I've been warned not to go any higher wattage. Am thinking LEDs might be a reasonable solution to the problem? Also thinking that red LEDs would be cool in an old Studebaker (uses #55 or 57 bulb) instead of the old paint-dipped 57Rs which are just as expensive as the LEDs.

thanks,

nate

Reply to
N8N

There are lots and lots of variants on this theme.

168, W5W, W5W-10X, W5W-6K, W5W-4A, 3652, 2886X, 70715...

All of these are about 5 watts. Some of them put out more light than others. Some of them last longer than others. Some have different filament shapes. Of this list:

One's halogen Three are Xenon filled One is Krypton filled One is Argon filled Two are vacuum bulbs

Yes, both.

You can try it...whether it will work or not depends on the positioning of the bulb with respect to the instruments themselves. Sometimes these "LED bulbs" work OK in dash illumination situations. Sometimes they don't work at all. And they never work in exterior lighting/signalling.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Works very well on lenses, probably works OK on low-heat bulbs.

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Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

White parking lamps are legal. White DRLs are legal. White turn signals Federally aren't. Some states' vehicle codes are decades out of date and haven't been changed from "white or amber" to "amber" on the front turn signals to reflect the Federal requirement for amber enacted in the mid '60s.

Makes it harder for ricer types to substitute blue.

Yep, and they don't let through enough light.

We've run into that a lot with Osram/Sylvania stuff in the last few years.

Operators are standing by!

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Would an 1157 or similar qualify do you think? I used to have a friend who was a POR-15 dealer, I can see if he has a little I can borrow to experiment with.

I *don't* want to color the lenses, those are also rare and expensive (and plastic to boot.)

nate

Reply to
N8N

Can't say for sure.

Half-and-half "14K Gold" and "Afterburner Orange" ought to produce a half-decent amber.

Still ain't seen e-mail from you...if one comes in, I'll respond with other suggestions that don't involve painting anything.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

FMVSS section 108:

"TABLE IV-LOCATION OF REQUIRED EQUIPMENT [All Passenger Cars and Motorcycles, and Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks, Trailers, and Buses of Less than 80 (2032) Inches (MM) Overall Width]

**Turn signal lamps - Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, trailers, and buses: At or near the front-1 amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height, and as far apart as practicable. On the rear-1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height, and as far apart as practicable."

Table III says the following, but says nothing about location per se:

"Turn signal lamps 2 red or amber; 2 amber"

My reading of European regulations is that currently, rear turn signals must be amber.

Saw a Saab 9-2X - nicknamed the "Saabaru". Had a combination of white openings through a mostly red lens. Didn't see it on though.

Reply to
y_p_w

Make me wonder why not the same for the rear.....

The bulbs were slightly scratched. Should be OK I think.

Reply to
y_p_w

That Table III is, like much of FMVSS108, tough to read. "2 red or amber" applies to the rear, "2 amber" applies to the front.

All regulations worldwide except North American ones require amber turn signals at all four corners. Have for decades. ECE R48, ADR, JIS, etc.

Amber.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Oh...I wasn't saying that's necessarily why they did it, just that is one of the effects of that type of construction.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Honestly, I haven't been home in several days so I haven't had access to my pictures. The girlie lives a lot closer to my new office than I do; I've been known to impose on her when I have an early AM meeting.

nate

Reply to
N8N

Okay, but I can legally have white or amber front, and red or amber rear, turn signals.

It was the 9-3 wagon I saw.

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Ulf

Reply to
Ulf

Nice, that's exactly what I was planning to do!

Ulf

Reply to
Ulf

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