? About L.e.d.s

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I am thinking about orderin some l.e.d. taillights for my blazer,the ? i have is can i run clear taillight lens and still be legal....I know it all depends on the smokey behind the wheel but what has your experiance(sp) been with this set-up...Also is there any cutting with installing l.e.d.s

THANKS LUKE

[Longhorn Man]

In most states, clear tail lights are illegal period. no matter what light you have inside of it. This is why they have been selling the new clear lens with red/chrome innards.

[GMCPaul]

Actually longhornmail we have found in checking that every state we ever checked on does not have a law againest clear lenses. Every state we have checked so far uses the Federal goverments standards and these state nothing about the lens color only that they emit a light red in color visible from a certain distance for taillight and brake light. They give the distances for both daytime and nighttime on most state sites or BMV sites that list the various laws and codes for vehicles.
GMCPaul

[GMCPaul]

For those interested in Indiana here is a excerpt of the law on taillights
"IC 9-19-6-4
Tail lamps
Sec. 4. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section:
(1) a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer; and
(2) any other vehicle that is drawn at the end of a train of vehicles;


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must be equipped with at least one (1) tail lamp mounted on the rear that when lighted as required in this chapter, emits a red light plainly visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear.
(b) Only the tail lamp on the rear-most vehicle of a train of vehicles is required to be seen from the distance specified.
(c) A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, and any other vehicle drawn at the end of a train of vehicles, excluding a truck-tractor, that is:
(1) registered in Indiana; and
(2) manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1956;
must be equipped with at least two (2) tail lamps mounted on the rear that, when lighted, complies with this section.
(d) A tail lamp upon a vehicle shall be located at a height of not less than twenty (20) inches and not more than seventy-two (72) inches.
(e) Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp must be placed and constructed so as to illuminate the rear registration plate with a white light and make the plate clearly legible from a distance of fifty (50) feet to the rear. A tail lamp or tail lamps, together with a separate lamp for illuminating the rear registration plate, must be wired so as to be lighted whenever the head lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7. "
If you want further information all Indiana vehicle lighting laws can be found on this page link
http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/cod.../ar19/ch6.html
Indiana adopted the use of the Federal goverments SAE lighting regulations as have all states to my knowledge.
GMCPaul

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Sweet , Thanks guys looks like i'm gonna start gathering parts
LUKE

[XXL]

Massivetaxes... er... Massachusetts has this to say--

SECTION 1. Section 15 of chapter 85 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out lines 1 through 4 and inserting in place thereof the following:-

Section 15. Every vehicle, whether stationary or in motion, on any public way, shall have attached to it a light or lights (i.e., headlight(s) and taillight(s)) which shall be turned on by the vehicle operator so displayed as to be visible from the front and rear during the period of one half-hour after sunset to one half-hour before sunrise; provided, such lamps shall be turned on by the vehicle operator at all other times when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, visibility is reduced such that persons or vehicles on the roadway are not clearly discernible at a distance of five hundred feet, or the vehicle's windshield wipers are needed.

There are other sections that more generically describe that there should be 2 taillights, except on certain vehicles, and so on...

Kenneth

[GMCPaul]

Actually thats Ma. law for when they need be on and what lights need to be operating XXL you will find Ma. law on these is covered in Chapter 90: Section 7 where they state "Every motor vehicle and trailer so operated shall be equipped with two rear lights mounted one at each side of the rear of the vehicle so as to show two red lights from behind and a white light so arranged as to illuminate and not obscure the rear number plate and shall be equipped with two stop lights mounted and displayed in a like manner of a type complying with minimum standards for construction and performance as the registrar may prescribe," further in the page they state that lighting must meet the Federal standards which are the SAE standards.
GMCPaul

[ChevLoRay]

....just don't waste your time or money on the APC brand of LED light bulbs. I replied in another post that www.ledtronics.com is a sourde of excellent LED replacement bulbs. I have no doubts that theirs emit enough visible light to conform to federal lighting laws.

APC states that theirs are not legal for use on public roads, or something to that effect...oh, just for show or off-road only. Big whoop. You can barely see them when they're operating.

You may want to change your signal flashers to the electronic type that doesn't depend on the current draw of the bulbs to make the bi-metallic part work.

[Longhorn Man]

Proved wrong again.
I know here you'll get pulled over in a heart beat.
Same deal where I was at in Tx.

[Reumster]

I've been pulled over for having red rear license plate bolt lights, you know the bullet type. Cops can be rediculas at times.

But I word to the wise as long as you run clear tail lenses be sure you have LEDs and they're bright anough. Also is a good idea to drive with parking lights on all the time. Just to avoid conflict.

With are tail inserts during the day clear lenses still appear red from a car behind you. With other regular LED bulb replacements the redness is more toward the top of the lense.

But from what I've heard most states clearly say the light emitted must be red. Cops often missunderstand, or just tell you what ever.

[GMCPaul]

Longhornmail if you want heres a copy of Texas law covering the taillamps. Your legal in Texas with these LED inserts.
§ 547.322. Taillamps Required
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or vehicle that is towed at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with at least two taillamps.
(b) A passenger car or truck that was manufactured or assembled before the model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least one taillamp.
(c) Taillamps shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle:
(1) at a height from 15 to 72 inches; and
(2) at the same level and spaced as widely apart as practicable if a vehicle is equipped with more than one lamp.
(d) A taillamp shall emit a red light plainly visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear of the vehicle.
(e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the taillamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for the distance specified in Subsection (d).
(f) A taillamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and mounted to emit a white light that:
(1) illuminates the rear license plate; and
(2) makes the plate clearly legible at a distance of 50 feet from the rear.
(g) A taillamp, including a separate lamp used to illuminate a rear license plate, must emit a light when a headlamp or auxiliary driving lamp is lighted.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
§ 547.323. Stoplamps Required
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer shall be equipped with at least two stoplamps.
(b) A passenger car manufactured or assembled before the model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least one stoplamp.
(c) A stoplamp shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
(d) A stoplamp shall emit a red or amber light, or a color between red and amber, that is:
(1) visible in normal sunlight at a distance of at least 300 feet from the rear of the vehicle; and
(2) displayed when the vehicle service brake is applied.
(e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the stoplamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for the distance specified in Subsection (d).
(f) A stoplamp may be included as a part of another rear lamp.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Thats from CHAPTER 547. VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
of the Texas state statues on rear lighting on your truck. For all of the Texas vehicle statues you can go here
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statu...054700toc.html
GMCPaul