Bargeman taillight

[Keith V]

jim Bounds shows putting the Bargeman LED module. Like this



They do fit behind the new style lenses, but just barely.
It seems to me it would be better to remove the red lense and just use the LEDs and the reflector.
Has any opened one of them?
at $50 I don't want to experiment more than necessary!

 

[RF_Burns]

Keith,
I did some experimenting last winter with both the old style and new style tail lamp assemblies with several different LED lamp assemblies. I tried them both with and without the LED lens. In all cases the LED light came through the tail lens in an uneven pattern. In the end I went with the new style tail assembly with the parabolic reflector still in place and Red 1157 LED bulbs. This gave a very bright tail and stop with an even brightness across the lens. I also put bright white 1156 bulb in the backup position which is much brighter than before.

Note that I had already changed to the new style tail lamps a number of years ago and had cut out the SMC to accommodate the parabolic reflector on the rear of the assembly.

JWID

 

[Keith V]

Thanks Bruce,
Yeah LEDs behind a faceted lense has a definite mottled effect. I noticed the LED marker lights so the same thing.
so you did cut open the Bargeman lights? my concern is the LEDs depend on the assembly being intact

I already cut off the parabolic reflector, So I'm committed to using the LEDs one way or another!

 

[RF_Burns]

I picked up several truck/trailer tail lamps at a couple local surplus stores, so not Bargeman that JimB showed. I tried them with the LED lens and without. Both ways had the mottled effect. Maybe a flat red plexiglass panel would correct it?

 

[gerryg]

By ‘new style tail lamps’ do you mean those that came standard in later model GMC motorhomes?

 

[pvfjr]

I played around with some new style and old style lenses on the bench, and some COB LEDs. And I mean it when I say "lens". They really do have a focal length, and you can find it when playing around with a point-ish light source. I found a distance where the COB LED actually filled out the GM lenses and made them look pretty good. The results encouraged me enough to put it on my "to do" list for the coach. It hasn't made its way to the top of the list yet, but it's still something I plan on doing someday. I planned on mounting the COB LEDs onto an aluminum plate and getting them mounted the right distance behind the lenses.

 

[Keith V]

Here is a stock taillight and a bargeman LED taillight. I definitely like the bargeman better.


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