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Old 11-04-2018, 06:11 PM   #1
mfirth
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Default Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Seems to me, that i read somewhere that Harley Davidson has a 6 v bulb that can be used in 52/53 ford tail lights that has a brighter stop/turn filament.
Anyone know anything about that ? Tried the ones from Mac's, along with 2 other guys & they worked backwards....more China j---K. Thanks in advance!!!
m
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Old 11-04-2018, 06:13 PM   #2
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Snyder,s has them ....
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Old 11-04-2018, 06:19 PM   #3
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Which part numbers did you try from ecklers mac's? Jack E/NJ
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Old 11-05-2018, 10:42 AM   #4
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Hi Jack, Mac's #13466-1154hp. Thats what they said was correct, and as i said 2 other guys had the same results i did. ???? m
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Old 11-05-2018, 10:45 AM   #5
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Thanks for the info, Step Down. And i am with you about....HE is risen ! mike
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Old 11-05-2018, 01:53 PM   #6
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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This seems to be a standard #1154 dual filament 6v bulb that is made by many name brand manufacturers like Sylvania. You can probably pick them up at NAPA or Amazon but I'm not sure they'll be any brighter. You can get much brighter 6V LED replacements that fit the standard 1154 base but I'm not sure you want to go that route. Jack E/NJ
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Old 11-05-2018, 02:02 PM   #7
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

had the same problem with those from ecklers , junk
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Old 11-05-2018, 02:23 PM   #8
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

It's getting harder and harder to find a GE1154 or 1154 bulb that is manufactured in the US (mostly NOS stuff). Even GE has them made outside the USA but they seem to be good quality still. HD hasn't used a 6-volt bulb since the early 60s so I doubt that they have anything manufactured for them in that voltage any longer. The 1154 was the standard tail & front turn signal bulb for 6-volt cars for many years. The GE catalog might have a higher candle power bulb but I haven't looked. Most were set by DOT regulations. No more and no less candle power in the years used. The later LED ones are likely too large to fit in most lamp housings.
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Old 11-05-2018, 06:12 PM   #9
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

I bought 6 volt LED's for my '49 Ford taillight/turn/brake lights. Replaced 1154's with 6 volt red Led's. Bright enough on tailight to be backup lights and super on high filament. Well worth $6.00 each


1157 (BAY15D) LED Brake Light, Turn Light and Tail Light Bulbs | LED Car Light Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs
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Old 11-05-2018, 06:52 PM   #10
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

The link is for 1157 bulbs, not 1154. Do the 1157 LEDs come in 6 volt? All the ones I checked required 10+ volts (one is 9+).
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Old 11-05-2018, 07:00 PM   #11
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

There you go. My LEDs are 12volt but still fit the same 1154/1157 base. Superbright compared to the old dim 1154 or 1157 incandescent bulbs. Maybe so bright that anybody who is anybody in the period correct antique world will know that you're not using period correct incandescent bulbs. 8^) Jack E/NJ
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Old 11-05-2018, 07:02 PM   #12
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

12-volt 1157 bulbs/leds and 6-volt 1154 bulbs/leds fit in the same base. Jack E/NJ
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Old 11-05-2018, 07:26 PM   #13
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ View Post
12-volt 1157 bulbs/leds and 6-volt 1154 bulbs/leds fit in the same base. Jack E/NJ
Yep, but the minimum voltages listed are 9-10 volts. I'm sure they would light up on less, but not what I would consider a "bright" bulb.
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Old 11-05-2018, 07:35 PM   #14
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

This is listed as a 6v bulb. https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...car-bulbs/508/
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Old 11-05-2018, 08:18 PM   #15
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Check to see what Ron Francis offers. I believe they had a better 12 volt bulb. They might have your answer in a 6 volt. Good Luck
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Old 11-05-2018, 09:07 PM   #16
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Sacramento Vintage Ford sells a Super Brite Bulb, 14/50CP for tail lights that I have used on three Fords to date. Part# 06143-6SB under 32-48 catagory. They're 6V used up through 1955.
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Old 11-05-2018, 09:22 PM   #17
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

The bag my 6 volt red LED 1157 came in says on the label - 1157-R19-6V Volts 6 Viewangle 15 degree RED Polarized superbrightleds.com sku is 847781016918.
When these are on in turn or brake they don't dip my ammeter. I put white ones in front but they draw so little current they don't heat the bimetal in the flasher can So I put the 1154's back in the front park/turn socket and am running the LED's on rear only. You'll be amazed.
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Old 11-05-2018, 10:47 PM   #18
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Do they work with positive earth?
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Old 11-05-2018, 11:30 PM   #19
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Hi all; Chev's of the Forties [Vancouver, WA] lists 1154 [6V] Halogen bulbs also 1157 [12v] Halogen, these are not LED. I expect to try some in the future. Newc
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Old 11-06-2018, 07:35 AM   #20
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

WOW, and thanks everyone for the info !!! Very much appreciated !
Be blessed guys, and have a GR8 day ! mike
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Old 11-06-2018, 10:17 AM   #21
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

fortyonerag, yes, they do work with positive earth (ground).
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Old 11-06-2018, 01:55 PM   #22
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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Do they work with positive earth?
Be careful , The 6 volt LED's I bought would only work with negative ground. The seller claimed they work either way and they didn't
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:07 PM   #23
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

My friend bought a Packard, it came with several "bright" bulbs for the tail/ brake lights,halogen, led in several types,none were bright, I found there was only 4 volts at the tail/ brake lights, traced the loss to the ammeter, it had rusty nuts , changed the nuts and any of the bulbs were bright ---- the moral is check what voltage you have at the bulb with the bulb on --- with no load on the wire it can show full voltage
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:31 PM   #24
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

An LED is a diode and should be directional. Worse case, reverse the wires on the socket.

Correction: This would be wrong, brain freeze!! You can NOT just reverse the wires on an LED bulb/socket.

Last edited by JSeery; 11-08-2018 at 08:47 AM.
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Old 11-06-2018, 06:33 PM   #25
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

I trying to find around a 50/20 rear brake/tail light bulb. I had bought 2 a couple of years but now need 2 more and can't remember where I bought them
They were a lot brighter than the originals. Moe
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Old 11-06-2018, 07:59 PM   #26
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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Quote:
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An LED is a diode and should be directional. Worse case, reverse the wires on the socket.
I went directly to the battery and put the bulbs in a new socket with just the 6" leads coming out of it to double check and see if they were bad bulbs. They only lit up with the socket grounded to the negative terminal. With the socket grounded to the positive and leads to the negative I got nothing.
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Old 11-06-2018, 09:50 PM   #27
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Yep. Reversing the LED wires won't do anything on a dual function bulb cuz one wire goes to the hot brake switch, the other to the hot light switch. If hot is the wrong polarity, LEDs won't work cuz the outside of the base is always to ground, not another wire and not isolated. The LED bulb itself must be internally set up for either positive or negative ground not both. Jack e/NJ
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Old 11-06-2018, 11:32 PM   #28
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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Yep. Reversing the LED wires won't do anything on a dual function bulb cuz one wire goes to the hot brake switch, the other to the hot light switch. If hot is the wrong polarity, LEDs won't work cuz the outside of the base is always to ground, not another wire and not isolated. The LED bulb itself must be internally set up for either positive or negative ground not both. Jack e/NJ
Good point!! I was thinking a bit wrong there. The LED is a diode, but as you stated can't reverse the ground through the case!
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Old 11-07-2018, 02:21 PM   #29
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

American Made 1154 Bulbs have Larger Filaments than the bulbs made in another country.
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Old 11-08-2018, 08:32 AM   #30
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ View Post
This seems to be a standard #1154 dual filament 6v bulb that is made by many name brand manufacturers like Sylvania. You can probably pick them up at NAPA or Amazon but I'm not sure they'll be any brighter. You can get much brighter 6V LED replacements that fit the standard 1154 base but I'm not sure you want to go that route. Jack E/NJ
The last time I was in my local NAPA buying a 6 volt bulb, the counter guy told me to stock up because NAPA was phasing out 6 volt stuff. The local Advanced Auto down the street said they didn't carry 6 volt bulbs, didn't question just walked out.
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Old 11-08-2018, 09:19 AM   #31
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

what ever bulb is used paint the inside of the taillight white every little bit helps
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Old 11-08-2018, 05:02 PM   #32
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

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The last time I was in my local NAPA buying a 6 volt bulb, the counter guy told me to stock up because NAPA was phasing out 6 volt stuff.
That is not true. That particular store might phase them out but not all of the NAPA stores.
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Old 11-25-2018, 05:56 AM   #33
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Be careful , The 6 volt LED's I bought would only work with negative ground. The seller claimed they work either way and they didn't
Yes, diodes (even light emitters - LED) are supposed to be directional and won't work on +ve ground unless specifically designed for it.
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Old 11-25-2018, 06:00 AM   #34
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

The universal LEDīs have a bridge rectifier built into them allowing you to use either Pos. or Neg. Ground.
I used to gut a lightbuld socket and solder in what i needed myself...but its a lot of work.
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Old 11-26-2018, 02:35 AM   #35
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^^^^Thanks
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Old 11-27-2018, 04:27 PM   #36
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

There is a way of building the LED bulbs to be duel polarity using 6 diodes. But most bulbs on the market only have a resistor or crude regulator.
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Old 11-29-2018, 03:39 AM   #37
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Bottom line is there are LEDS that will work with +ve earth and ones that won't. It all depends on how they are constructed.
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Old 08-30-2019, 11:01 AM   #38
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Default Re: Brighter 6v bulbs for early fords

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolcoupe View Post
I trying to find around a 50/20 rear brake/tail light bulb. I had bought 2 a couple of years but now need 2 more and can't remember where I bought them
They were a lot brighter than the originals. Moe
https://www.octanelighting.com/produ...6v-box-of-10-1

I have these in my 53' Merc for turn signal/brake lights and they work great. I also have plastic lenses and no issues after 5 years. No they haven't melted the lenses!

Octane Lighting
675 Cochran St. Simi Valley,
CA 93065

Toll Free855) 962-8263
International: (818) 932-9522
Email: [email protected]
Open: 24hrs

As to LED positive ground bulbs:

https://www.ledlight.com/g18-s25-2_6...-polarity.aspx

Go into the web site, then click on automotive, then scroll down to 6 volt positive ground - three pages of bulbs.

"1154 led bulb for 6 Volt. The led bulb works for both positive ground chassis or negative ground chassis. 1154 LED bulb is a 6v led bulb. Up to 320 Lumen for brake light and up to 240 Lumen for tail light. This bulb is same as 1157 bulb that has two brightness levels or two filaments one is for the tail light and the other is for the brake light. This bulb works great for non polarity 6 volt positive or negative ground."

"After installation of these led bulbs your flasher circuit may hyper flash. Please order part number 84787 which is a 6 volt positive chassis flasher will fix the fast flashing. Please see recommend items for a 6 ohm load equalizer for more information to fix the hyper flashing using load equalizer. This 6 volt led bulb works great for brake lights, tail lights and turn signals."
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