Are there any 6 volt tail/brake bulbs with a 32cp major filament?

[Lark Hunter]

I'm fairly active in a few vintage car clubs, and occasionally work on or provide assistance regarding lighting on vehicles with 6 volt electrics. The 21/3cp 1154 and 1158 usually provide adequate performance if the wiring, switchgear, and grounds are up to snuff and lamps are clean and shiny or repainted inside, but there have been some instances where a bit more punch would be helpful for brakes and signals. I have used a 1680 bulb in place of an 1129 a couple times (paying mind to the significantly increased amperage), but have had zero luck finding a legitimate dual filament bulb with more than 21cp. All I've seen are those wretched bodges with two separate halogen burners, usually of obscenely high wattage, that render your lamp optically worthless; and then there's the parade of LED poop that is best suited to lighting up the bottom of a garbage can.

First choice would be an incandescent with the same L.C.L. as the original bulb (usually 1.250" for a standard S-8, right?), as it seems easier to advise a person to beef up their wiring, than it would be to ask them to evaluate an LED product and judge whether or not it will work with their given lamp's optics (and that's presuming that there's even a LED product on the market that doesn't suck).

 

[-Virgil-]

Yes, the bulbs you're seeking do exist: instead of 1154 use a 6-volt P21/5W. That is a European bulb type, fully compatible with the US types as far as all the geometry (filament placement, globe size, BAY15d base, etc). Instead of 1129 use a 6-volt P21W (ditto, but single filament and BA15s base). The P21/5W produces 440/35 lumens, that is 35/3 (rounded) candlepower. The P21W produces 460 lumens (37 cp). Other advantages of the European bulbs: nickel-plated bases and larger base contacts.

Try to get a good brand. For P21/5W you'd want an Osram 7517, Philips 6499, Narva 17904 or Lucas LLB384. For P21W you'd want Osram 7501, Philips Philips 6498, Narva 17622 or Lucas LLB317.

Where to get them is a whole 'nother matter; 6-volt bulbs are obsolete everywhere. You might ping Hartteveld and see if they can provide them in good quality, or go trawling on Ebay to find auctions like this and this.

There are no legitimate LED 6-volt car bulbs.

 

[Lark Hunter]

Thank you!

I thought there were European spec bulbs available in 6 volt, but my searches for P21/5W kept returning stuff like "21cp and 18 watts", which sounds closer to the specs for an 1154.

Last question on this subject is regarding the 1158, which only differs from 1154 in that it doesn't have the offset pins that prevent you from installing it backwards, so like a 94, 1004, 1176, etc. Are there any European bulbs to replace these?

-TC

 

[-Virgil-]

Ohboy...if anyone ever made that bulb you have in mind (BA15d base, 2 filaments, 6 volts, 21/5W), I've never heard of it! Sorry.