make LED taillight brighter?
- Thread starter doc_rot
- Start date
Not usually, but there are a few things to try.
LED lights will come in one of three varieties.
1.) The cheapest will use a configuration of LED lights will "component" LEDs which look like the attached picture. These LEDs require around 3V each to operate and so they'll be wired in series of four LEDs per circuit so that the total adds up to 12V. Sometimes as extra precaution to avoid what is essentially an unregulated configuration, the manufacturer will opt to use five LEDs per circuit. This causes the LED light to be dimmer, but less likely to become damaged if the voltage spikes in your electrical system. Modification of this style of LED light is technically possible, but not usually feasible. It would involve identifying the individual circuits and either removing an LED to decrease the voltage drop across each circuit, or replacement of the component LEDs with a higher candle power variety.
2.) The next configuration option could also involve component LEDs or might be surface mount diodes (SMDs). It will generally use one or more resistors of some kind to ensure that the current it kept in check and you don't cook anything. If you can locate this resistor, you can swap it out for a lower Ohm variety. Don't go too much lower, though; it's there for a reason.
3.) The most expensive variety of LED light will contain an internal driver or ballast to handle the voltage regulation and ensure it's kept at a steady and safe level. This type of LED is not easily modified, but also doesn't usually suffer from a lack of brightness. If anything, these type are usually too bright.
Anyway... the short version of this post is that I recommend you just buy a new light.
LED lights will come in one of three varieties.
1.) The cheapest will use a configuration of LED lights will "component" LEDs which look like the attached picture. These LEDs require around 3V each to operate and so they'll be wired in series of four LEDs per circuit so that the total adds up to 12V. Sometimes as extra precaution to avoid what is essentially an unregulated configuration, the manufacturer will opt to use five LEDs per circuit. This causes the LED light to be dimmer, but less likely to become damaged if the voltage spikes in your electrical system. Modification of this style of LED light is technically possible, but not usually feasible. It would involve identifying the individual circuits and either removing an LED to decrease the voltage drop across each circuit, or replacement of the component LEDs with a higher candle power variety.
2.) The next configuration option could also involve component LEDs or might be surface mount diodes (SMDs). It will generally use one or more resistors of some kind to ensure that the current it kept in check and you don't cook anything. If you can locate this resistor, you can swap it out for a lower Ohm variety. Don't go too much lower, though; it's there for a reason.
3.) The most expensive variety of LED light will contain an internal driver or ballast to handle the voltage regulation and ensure it's kept at a steady and safe level. This type of LED is not easily modified, but also doesn't usually suffer from a lack of brightness. If anything, these type are usually too bright.
Anyway... the short version of this post is that I recommend you just buy a new light.
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There is one more option. You can use a DC-DC step up converter to bump the voltage from 12V to something like 16V. That will definitely make things brighter, but I'm not sure how much extra room was built into the lights. That much voltage could allow the magic smoke to escape.
