Brighter 1156?

Hamilton Felix

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I was replacing tail lights on my 1986 F250. I went ahead and replaced the bulbs. Like my old 1978 Saab 99 Turbo, this truck uses 1157 tail/brake and 1156 backup.

Even with new dust-free lenses, the F250's backup lights are not that great. I wanted something brighter, and I recalled using the 1195 bulb in the Saab (50cp is better than 32cp) and I still had a couple of them on the shelf. I soon learned that the Saab, like most older vehicles, separated the lens and reflector when changing bulbs so I had plenty of space, but the one piece F250 tail light uses pop-in twistlock sockets and the hole on the reflector will not permit physically larger bulbs.

Not counting the 50+ watt halogen "melt your wires and socket" bulbs on the bayonet base, is there a better alternative to the 1156 bulb?
 
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Hamilton Felix

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Good point. Doesn't hurt to look. I know there are about a zillion LED versions out there, with some very creative ad copy. I know Philips makes, and I think Sylvania makes, a line of legal for exterior use LED bulbs. No, I don't expect performance like a 50W halogen, was just hoping for something a bit better that still looks like a backup light. I can use LEDs with no problem; this is an older rig with no CANBUS issues or a LCM (like my Crown Vic) keeping track of lighting loads.

I suppose I should take the time to install and wire in a couple of auxiliary floods in as protected a location as I can find on the rear bumper. In the past, I've mounted tractor floods and used a push-pull control switch and indicator light mounted on the floor shifter, much like the control switch for a two speed axle (in case anyone here remembers that). But I was hoping for a significant improvement before going to that effort.

Years of fooling around in the woods of Western Washington have taught me there are times when it would be nice to have headlights on both ends. ;)
 

Alaric Darconville

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I was replacing tail lights on my 1986 F250. I went ahead and replaced the bulbs. This truck uses 1157 tail/brake and 1156 backup.

The 62cp 796 would be the best incandescent. You MIGHT get good results from the Philips X-Treme Vision LED (there's a potential for it to just not work right depending on the bulb/reflector relationship, but for a no-doubt-about-it (or extremely LITTLE doubt anyway), the 796 is the way to go.
 
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Alaric Darconville

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I don't think you can find anything bright as 50W halogen but less heat.
I suggest search on Ebay for 1156 base

There's a metric butt-tonne of crap out there on eBay, though. Big promises and terrible performance from the LEDs (which you'll get the most matches on until you add "halogen" to the search string). Eiko has some 50W halogen bulbs out there, and there's Grote's 73140-5 that seems to promise annoying the driver while not letting them see very well. That'd be more in keeping with a reverse lamp serving as a warning light, not a vision light, but then they state "◦Alarm does not meet OSHA or SAE J994 requirements for commercial back-up alarms", so that's still iffy.
 
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Hamilton Felix

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Thanks, Alaric. I'll keep that X-treme Vision LED in mind (though 6000K is not my thing), but the 796 makes sense. It's 21W like the 1156, but 64cp instead of 32cp.

I know I can get 50W halogen in that SC bayonet base, probably still have one or two around from past projects. But 50W halogen in a small plastic backup light sounds like trouble if it's on for more than a few seconds - not to mention that the circuit is designed for 21W X 2, not 50W x 2. In fact, with the voltage drop from overloading the 30 year old factory circuit, I'd probably get no more light than from the 796 bulbs.

I will pass on the Grote "beeper bulb." I can sometimes see a use for backup alarms, but I want them loud and switchable. My work truck has a backup alarm that I cannot switch off. 🙄

Thanks again for the suggestions. 👍
 

Hamilton Felix

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Hey, an afterthought here: I just went out to look at the backup light bulbs in my old 2000 Crown Vic. One has the marking faded out, but I'll call it 3156 because it has only the one filament. The other is marked 3457K and has two filaments but apparently uses only the major filament in this application.

Does anyone make a 796 equivalent on the newer flat base? I can probably find some dangerously overwattage halogen and hordes of LED versions, but a 21W halogen version would be nice.
 

-Virgil-

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There is no wedge-base version of the 796, or anything close to it. :-(
 

Hamilton Felix

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Well, thanks. I guess my memory is faulty. I don't know where I got 21W & 32cp, maybe old numbers for 1157 or whatever was in my car back in the day. At least I have some 796 bulbs on the way. 🙄
 

Alaric Darconville

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the 796 makes sense. It's 21W like the 1156, but 64cp instead of 32cp.
It's 35W.

I know I can get 50W halogen in that SC bayonet base, probably still have one or two around from past projects. But 50W halogen in a small plastic backup light sounds like trouble if it's on for more than a few seconds
I was going to mention that 50W in a reversing lamp is a bad idea. Going to 70W total on the circuit is one thing, but 100W is another.

I will pass on the Grote "beeper bulb."
I sure would! It looks almost like a toy to me, but I haven't measured it to see if they're at least getting close to the LCL of the 1156, let alone really being centered on the base. One pic shows they've got the bulb stuck in place with caulk or something like that!
 
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vadimax

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Have you got anyone drive into your rear end "because they didn't notice you"? If not why did you decide that blinding people into the face is a good idea?
 

Alaric Darconville

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Have you got anyone drive into your rear end "because they didn't notice you"? If not why did you decide that blinding people into the face is a good idea?
There are certain angles where certain cars could use some brightness in their reversing lamps where the lens is visible but the light isn't, and you might not notice them backing out of a parking spot.

And there's room in many reversing lamps for additional light which shouldn't cause problematic glare. We're not suggesting people mount a set of auxiliary high beams on the rear of their car, we're suggesting upgrades within safety limits. It's what we do. If using the 796 in an F250's reversing lamps was a bad idea, creating a hazard and "blinding people into the face", we wouldn't suggest it.
 

TheIntruder

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The 62cp 796 would be the best incandescent. You MIGHT get good results from the Philips X-Treme Vision LED (there's a potential for it to just not work right depending on the bulb/reflector relationship, but for a no-doubt-about-it (or extremely LITTLE doubt anyway), the 796 is the way to go.

I can vouch for the Philips LED, provided the housing is compatible. More light than the P21W in my experience. I don't care for, or about the color, but it's more noticeable.

But it has always been cheaper to buy them in Vision LED packaging, even when the XTV were available. Also a U.S. guarantee that the import lacked.

25% off coupon currently, too.
 
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Hamilton Felix

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Hey, those 796 bulbs showed up. :D Big improvement. First, the new lights have clear lenses and fresh reflectors. I looked at the 30 year old tail lights last night, before throwing them away. Between the dust and dirt inside and the cloudy plastic, I'm amazed they worked. That vintage of Ford pickup has small backup lights, so they need all the help they can get.

I had fresh 1156 bulbs and one of those claimed 50 watt halogen "melt your socket" bulbs (left over from a project in the 90's involving metal aftermarket fixtures with glass lenses) to play with and compare. I honestly think the 796 put out more useful light than the 50 watt hotrod bulb, possibly because the high wattage bulb caused voltage drop. Also, the 796 makes an effort to preserve the focal length of the 1156. The hotrod bulb looks like someone took the short glass capsule from a cheap H3 and stuck it to the bayonet base of the 1156, so the filament is much closer to the base.

I changed the bulbs at night, and I just had to fire up the truck and back around to a part of the property with no yard lights. This is the first time that truck has had useful backup lights. :grin2: I will remember this combination.
 

-Virgil-

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The 796 has the same LCL (focal length) as the 1156, it's not just "making an effort". And you're right, the 50w melters don't even make an effort.
 

NovA ProspekT

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If you want/need more light you should consider installing a pair of grommet mounted 7" oval lights in the rear bumper. Simple, inexpensive and effective. You could also add a three-position switch for ON-OFF-ON(w/reverse lights). Grote even makes a combination STT/backup lamp.
 
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