LED bulb for NA 1990 bootlid stop light

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:06 pm

I would like me to be more visible to the less attentive who follow me. Is it possible to replace the stock globe in a 1990 NA boot lid brake light with something brighter? I was thinking an LED.

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:39 pm

YES!

I replaced mine with a red LED unit from someone on eBay. Works a treat.

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 11:11 am

Thanks LiteIsRight.
I'm having trouble finding the right product. I find what I think is one, like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-7443-7440-High-Power-54-SMD-Red-LED-Brake-Tail-High-Mount-Stop-Light-Bulb/170875553493?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49923%26meid%3Dddea14d1f9c94a3ba5c259babccf0d2c%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D171344815338%26itm%3D170875553493&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
And then it says that's its not compatible with my 1990: "This part is not compatible with 1990 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-Door 1.6L 1597CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated."
Can I ignore this?
You wouldn't have the name of the supplier you used would you?
Regards, Ted

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:43 pm

there is actually nothing wrong with a standard centre stop light. Literally millions of cars have them. They are designed to emit a certain light output- if too bright then they would not meet ADR- and annoy other drivers. If someone following does not see the brake light its because they are not looking not because its not visible. Exceptions- a centre mounted lamp that has a faulty bulb or a lenses thats is very dull- you can polish a lense. I would not even consider an led as a replacement. I also think that many of the old style incandescent turn sigs are better than some of the leds - again the lenses are properly designed albeit not like some older Holden's which sourced poor lamp makers in Korea.
If you are concerned with safety the one thing that is worthwhile are front mounted led daytime driving lamps- be seen by oncoming cars.

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:26 pm

Forgiven wrote:Thanks LiteIsRight.
I'm having trouble finding the right product. I find what I think is one, like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-7443-7440-High-Power-54-SMD-Red-LED-Brake-Tail-High-Mount-Stop-Light-Bulb/170875553493?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49923%26meid%3Dddea14d1f9c94a3ba5c259babccf0d2c%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D171344815338%26itm%3D170875553493&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
And then it says that's its not compatible with my 1990: "This part is not compatible with 1990 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-Door 1.6L 1597CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated."
Can I ignore this?
You wouldn't have the name of the supplier you used would you?
Regards, Ted

Hi Ted, mine was purchased over 18 months ago and the eBay listing is gone now, but here is something very similar -

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6x-Bright-RED-T10-7020-SMD-10LED-Car-Light-Wedge-Side-Tail-Park-Globe-Bulb-12V-/122652825092

While I agree with Mr. M’s comment about not having the bulb too bright, there are at least 2 good reasons to go LED: much longer life (you’ll likely never need to change it again), and quicker response time to full brightness. The second reason was my motivation. As stated above, though, nothing will protect you from the carelessness of other drivers

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:56 pm

While I am mulling over Mr Morlock's caution, nay stronger, rejection, can somebody please tell me whether my standard non-turbo, non-supercharged Australian edition 1990 MX5 is what they are describing here: "This part is not compatible with 1990 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-Door 1.6L 1597CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated. For this is what I got when I checked compatibility of the product on that site you have just sent me LiteIsRite. Or is it likely referring to some overseas variant, or maybe it's just plum wrong?

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:01 pm

Forgiven wrote:While I am mulling over Mr Morlock's caution, nay stronger, rejection, can somebody please tell me whether my standard non-turbo, non-supercharged Australian edition 1990 MX5 is what they are describing here: "This part is not compatible with 1990 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-Door 1.6L 1597CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated. For this is what I got when I checked compatibility of the product on that site you have just sent me LiteIsRite. Or is it likely referring to some overseas variant, or maybe it's just plum wrong?

I’ve just had a look at the bulb I bought. It looks exactly like, and has the same dimensions as, the ones in the item I linked to - which may well be by the same seller I bought from. As far as the compatibility message is concerned, I think you’ll find it’s because no vehicles prior to 1999 are in their list. Unless you have a non-standard socket, I assure you that this bulb will work - just be aware that you have a 50/50 chance of getting the polarity right on the first try.

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:04 pm

Mr Morlock wrote:there is actually nothing wrong with a standard centre stop light. Literally millions of cars have them. They are designed to emit a certain light output- if too bright then they would not meet ADR- and annoy other drivers. If someone following does not see the brake light its because they are not looking not because its not visible. Exceptions- a centre mounted lamp that has a faulty bulb or a lenses thats is very dull- you can polish a lense. I would not even consider an led as a replacement. I also think that many of the old style incandescent turn sigs are better than some of the leds - again the lenses are properly designed albeit not like some older Holden's which sourced poor lamp makers in Korea.
If you are concerned with safety the one thing that is worthwhile are front mounted led daytime driving lamps- be seen by oncoming cars.

Thanks for your thoughts Mr Morlock.
Yes, got the front right first: running light units from SkidNation in Europe. (Getting the orange off the lenses was time consuming.)

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:06 pm

LiteIsRite wrote:
Forgiven wrote:While I am mulling over Mr Morlock's caution, nay stronger, rejection, can somebody please tell me whether my standard non-turbo, non-supercharged Australian edition 1990 MX5 is what they are describing here: "This part is not compatible with 1990 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-Door 1.6L 1597CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated. For this is what I got when I checked compatibility of the product on that site you have just sent me LiteIsRite. Or is it likely referring to some overseas variant, or maybe it's just plum wrong?

I’ve just had a look at the bulb I bought. It looks exactly like, and has the same dimensions as, the ones in the item I linked to - which may well be by the same seller I bought from. As far as the compatibility message is concerned, I think you’ll find it’s because no vehicles prior to 1999 are in their list. Unless you have a non-standard socket, I assure you that this bulb will work - just be aware that you have a 50/50 chance of getting the polarity right on the first try.

Thanks for going to that trouble LiteIsRite. Now I'm confident if I decide to go with the LED. (I've got to get a globe anyway, so the standard one won't be wasted.)

Forgiven · Postby **Forgiven** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:05 am

Mr Morlock wrote:there is actually nothing wrong with a standard centre stop light. Literally millions of cars have them. They are designed to emit a certain light output- if too bright then they would not meet ADR- and annoy other drivers. If someone following does not see the brake light its because they are not looking not because its not visible. Exceptions- a centre mounted lamp that has a faulty bulb or a lenses thats is very dull- you can polish a lense. I would not even consider an led as a replacement. I also think that many of the old style incandescent turn sigs are better than some of the leds - again the lenses are properly designed albeit not like some older Holden's which sourced poor lamp makers in Korea.
If you are concerned with safety the one thing that is worthwhile are front mounted led daytime driving lamps- be seen by oncoming cars.

Being a law-abiding citizen - well, I try - I checked with the ACT Government registration authority. They said that because it is merely new technology that doesn't change the operation of the light, it is legal.

apsilon · Postby **apsilon** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:29 am

Do you require red LEDs? Surely the stock bulbs light up white and it's the red lens that changes the colour?

If they're just a T10 I'm sure I have some laying around at home that I might try.

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:48 pm

apsilon wrote:Do you require red LEDs? Surely the stock bulbs light up white and it's the red lens that changes the colour?

If they're just a T10 I'm sure I have some laying around at home that I might try.

Yeah, I thought the same thing until I actually tried a white LED bulb. Didn’t look right. At all. It might have been the colour temp of the bulb but, in the absence of proper research, I suspect that LED output doesn’t cover as wide a range of frequencies in the visible light spectrum as an incandescent bulb.

In any case, the red LED did the trick for me.