LED defusing?

[CG]

I love the brightness of LED's in the rear of our trucks, but I really really dislike the look of LED lighting. Does anyone know of a way to "defuse" the lighting so you get nearly all the brightness but none of being able to see the individual LED's?

I swear I saw a thread on the HAMB about it but it got deleted too quickly for me to check in to it.

[scooterpimp]

Using the same color led as lense helps.

[toolboxchev]

Interesting that you thought of this. I am wishing to do a complete change over and the leds available are bright to the point of looking odd in our trucks.

I have seen they are too bright for the lenses and do not diffuse properly. I am of thought they make a ton of film plastics for this.

They real reason they are so bright is most burn with a different spectrum of white light that really captures your attention.

Check this out: https://www.curbellplastics.com/Rese...rkets/Lighting

I would be interested in some samples for sure!

[CG]

Interesting site, guess Im not the only one that likes the brightness but hates seeing the individual LED's. Definitely going to have to dig in to this deeper.

[davepl]

Part of the solution is to get "warm" color LEDs that will look closer to Edison bulbs in color, but significantly brighter.

Other option is to use LED only on the indirectly lit parts, like the backs of gauges. And use bulbs for things like turn signals that shine directly through the bulb.

You might wish to check out these "diffuser" 194 bulbs I found:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/t1...ser-51518.html

"acrylic lenses on the tip of each bulb help distribute light evenly through the face of the bulb. Compared to other options like the Acme "X" T10's or the side-firing Morimoto's, the ACME Diffuser produces a very smooth evenly distributed beam of light. They're most like the Osram LEDriving T10's - which are one of our most popular sellers!"

[James the III]

I'd think the led "bulbs" that pop into the oem connector.. that has 40 legs on it. would not have that multi led look of the replacement lights that are a circuit board with led's on it..
I'd think leds used in flood type lights would do it..
but they get mighty hot..

[n33k0]

I've been thinking about the same thing a lot lately. I really don't like the look of current LED offerings for our trucks, wishing that instead of individual points of light it was a diffused single "bar" of light.

There are many opinions online about using 1157 LED bulbs, but the majority of reviews say they don't look right. Either too dim during the day, not enough difference between dim and bright modes for brakes and turn signals, or they "wash out" the lights and desaturate the reds and ambers of the lenses.

I stumbled across this youtube video a few weeks ago talking about "plasma LED" bulbs, looks interesting, but I haven't committed the money to buy a pair and test them myself. It might just be a marketing gimmick, but the video seems pretty honest.

[AJC]

I have sanded the 5mm leds to defuse them before. Used the highest grit from a headlight polishing kit. Think it was 1000.

[James the III]

I'm sure the led's used on the circuit boards are very narrow angle view/beam leds as the light has to go straight back..
I'd think the wider beam angle would make them "blend" into one brightness..
But would require much brighter leds to keep the brightness with the light beam being projected wider beam

Also look at how leg flash lights go from narrow beam to wider beam.. maybe adding a lens between the led's and the outer lens. would help.. when used with wider bean angle leds' to start with