When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm considering ordering a set of replacement LED taillight bulbs from DD, but I haven't been able to find pics or video of the different brightness options. I'm tempted to go with the brightest option, because I want to be seen, but I don't want to blind everyone behind me. Anyone have any experience, or better yet, photos/video of the 205, 310, or 510 lumen options on these?
I’ve tried those and I had two issues. One, they didn’t fill the reflector housing as good as I’d hoped and two, the difference in output between the running lights and the brake wasn’t distinguishable enough.
I still like like the Sylvania Zevo leds best. They fire back at the the reflector and not forward so they fill the housing with light. Their running light / brake light is very distinguishable.
I have have nothing to do with sylvania, I just found them to be better suited to what I was looking for. Not to mention less than half the price.
3.5 years ago I was one of the early adopters of the XP80 tail lights bulbs and I still love them. They are still as bright as day one, and have never given me trouble (unlike bulbs sourced elsewhere). It's true that the brake light and running light have less of an intensity difference than the stock bulb, but I attribute most of that to a much brighter running light (which I think is safer anyway). But when I hit the brakes, they definitely light up 4 lanes of traffic behind me, so no complaints there either. I have followed my truck before, and they are not blinding--just pure solid red light with that crisp LED transition between modes.
Here are some pictures that show the stock bulb in the upper part of the housing and the Diode Dynamic XP80 in the lower part of the housing. First picture shows the much brighter running light, and the 2nd picture shows the brake light comparison.
3.5 years ago I was one of the early adopters of the XP80 tail lights bulbs and I still love them. They are still as bright as day one, and have never given me trouble (unlike bulbs sourced elsewhere). It's true that the brake light and running light have less of an intensity difference than the stock bulb, but I attribute most of that to a much brighter running light (which I think is safer anyway). But when I hit the brakes, they definitely light up 4 lanes of traffic behind me, so no complaints there either. I have followed my truck before, and they are not blinding--just pure solid red light with that crisp LED transition between modes.
Here are some pictures that show the stock bulb in the upper part of the housing and the Diode Dynamic XP80 in the lower part of the housing. First picture shows the much brighter running light, and the 2nd picture shows the brake light comparison.
Thanks, that is helpful. I was actually considering the middle option (HP11), but now you've got me thinking XP80 again. I've been pretty happy with my SL1 low beams, and I'm waiting for my highs, switchbacks, and yellow fogs to be delivered, so I might as well do the back end, too. In your 2nd pic, it looks like there's not much difference between the stock and LED brake lights. Is that accurate, or just how they photographed?
Thanks, that is helpful. I was actually considering the middle option (HP11), but now you've got me thinking XP80 again. In your 2nd pic, it looks like there's not much difference between the stock and LED brake lights. Is that accurate, or just how they photographed?
My poor photography in the 2nd photo suggests that there is not much difference between the stock and XP80 brake light bulb "brightness" for lack of the right technical term. In real life, the XP80 brake light may only be marginally brighter than stock and there may not be much difference in total lumens or whatever, but I still think the subjective quality of the light is better because there's more of it to fill the area behind your truck (even if not much brighter). It's hard to describe, but I'm referring to the even-ness of the light (consistent dispersion with solid illumination everywhere vs. a concentrated hot spot in the middle that tapers off quickly and becomes dimmer around the edges).
My first set of pictures have wacky exposure because I was trying to convey the view from directly behind the vehicle, but here is a different set of pictures showing the running light and brake light bulb comparisons from the side angle (top bulb in housing = stock, lower bulb = XP80).
Running light:
Brake Light:
Bottom Line: I'm very happy with my XP80s, and can't imagine them needing to be any brighter (because maybe then they might actually blind people like lasers). Let me tell you about one other unexpected benefit. It's easier to back up the truck! You know how a lot of people complain about the poor (dim) stock reverse light bulbs (with very narrow projection pattern) on these trucks? There is so much light thrown by these XP80s, that even though it's mostly in the red color spectrum, it's still brighter overall in your reverse camera screen and more detail is illuminated behind the truck.
3.5 years ago I was one of the early adopters of the XP80 tail lights bulbs and I still love them. They are still as bright as day one, and have never given me trouble (unlike bulbs sourced elsewhere). It's true that the brake light and running light have less of an intensity difference than the stock bulb, but I attribute most of that to a much brighter running light (which I think is safer anyway). But when I hit the brakes, they definitely light up 4 lanes of traffic behind me, so no complaints there either. I have followed my truck before, and they are not blinding--just pure solid red light with that crisp LED transition between modes.
Here are some pictures that show the stock bulb in the upper part of the housing and the Diode Dynamic XP80 in the lower part of the housing. First picture shows the much brighter running light, and the 2nd picture shows the brake light comparison.
in the second pic, is the top the stock incandescent and the bottom the xp80?
I stand by what I said about the running light / brake not having enough of difference in intensity.
The running light shouldnt be and doesn’t need to be brighter. I’d rather have a brighter brake.
These lights look like they just have a brighter running light and a brake light that’s about equal to stock.
If if they have a brighter running light, they should also have a brighter brake light.
My poor photography in the 2nd photo suggests that there is not much difference between the stock and XP80 brake light bulb "brightness" for lack of the right technical term. In real life, the XP80 brake light may only be marginally brighter than stock and there may not be much difference in total lumens or whatever, but I still think the subjective quality of the light is better because there's more of it to fill the area behind your truck (even if not much brighter). It's hard to describe, but I'm referring to the even-ness of the light (consistent dispersion with solid illumination everywhere vs. a concentrated hot spot in the middle that tapers off quickly and becomes dimmer around the edges).
My first set of pictures have wacky exposure because I was trying to convey the view from directly behind the vehicle, but here is a different set of pictures showing the running light and brake light bulb comparisons from the side angle (top bulb in housing = stock, lower bulb = XP80).
Running light:
Brake Light:
Bottom Line: I'm very happy with my XP80s, and can't imagine them needing to be any brighter (because maybe then they might actually blind people like lasers). Let me tell you about one other unexpected benefit. It's easier to back up the truck! You know how a lot of people complain about the poor (dim) stock reverse light bulbs (with very narrow projection pattern) on these trucks? There is so much light thrown by these XP80s, that even though it's mostly in the red color spectrum, it's still brighter overall in your reverse camera screen and more detail is illuminated behind the truck.
I'm planning on upgrading the reverse lights as well.
11-28-2018, 05:54 PM
Diode Dynamics tail light bulbs
Let me tell you about one other unexpected benefit. It's easier to back up the truck! You know how a lot of people complain about the poor (dim) stock reverse light bulbs (with very narrow projection pattern) on these trucks? There is so much light thrown by these XP80s, that even though it's mostly in the red color spectrum, it's still brighter overall in your reverse camera screen and more detail is illuminated behind the truck.
