7440 Reverse/Backup Light Upgrades

Any input/info/experience on options to increase light output from the reverse/backup lights with 7440 bulbs?

I see lots of hits on some PIAA blue coated 27 watt bulbs which I'd probably avoid like the plague (hate the blue bulb fad and PIAA always seems overpriced and marketing-oriented).

The other option I find is a 3 watt LED bulb at SuperBrightLEDs. With newer high-power LED's, output might be respectable on these, and from the photo, they look to actually have a decent heat sink (not that the reverse lights will be on for long periods anyway). With the LED, the stock reflector assembly wouldn't see much if any light, so the output would be basically dependent on the reverse light lens (basically clear) and the LED beam pattern (supposedly 130 degree... pretty floody).

Thanks in advance for any additional info.

Matt

You're up against a few different factors here that'll make it tough to get a big improvement in the performance of your reversing lights. The regulations worldwide don't require (and to a large degree don't even allow) the reversing lights to do much of anything more than just warn observers nearby that you're reversing. There's a limit of 300 candela above horizontal, and that's really nowhere near enough light to see by, especially thru tinted glass. There's no real incentive for automakers to provide reversing lights better than required, so mostly they don't. I previously posted the reversing lamp output requirements here. Combine this with the prevalence of darker and darker tinted "privacy" glass, and it's really hard to see rearward. There's no good brighter version of the glass wedge base bulbs (7440/W21W) as there is for the bayonet-base bulbs (1156/P21W). LEDs, even the high-intensity ones, will probably not get you very far in the direction you want to go; you will probably wind up with a more conspicuous reverse warning, but still without satisfactory illumination for backing. Give it a try if you like, but one thing that makes it especially difficult for this to work is that the angle of the socket in the optic is often something other than directly opposite the lens or 90° to it.

About the only way to get really usable levels of light for backing is to add one or two auxiliary reversing lamps. An H3 fog lamp, with optic upside down to cancel the cutoff, and equipped with a 35w H3 bulb, often works well. An H3 work lamp works even better. But there are now LED lamps that are probably a better pick, such as this one. It'd be nice if there were a reverse-lamp version of the export C5 Corvette red rear fog lamp, which is a flush-mount item that integrates well into many different aero plastic bumper covers, but there's no such version. There are various grommet- or flange-mount white LED work lights which might not be too hard to integrate into the rear of the car in a neat and attractive fashion. A line of these across the rear bumper, maybe, or a pair of these or these.

You're right to avoid the silly blue "super white" bulbs. Note that there's no difference between the "27 watt" and the "21 watt" bulbs in this form factor; they're the same bulb, just tested at the U.S. vs. Euro/rest-of-world test voltage (27w nominal @ 12.8v, 21w nominal @ 12.0v).

Thanks for the detailed reply and suggestions.

I'll soon have a Class 1 hitch on the car. I had thought about buying some square aluminum tubing/stock that would slip into the receiver and building a custom light with driver and a couple Cree Q5 or even P7 LED's. That would be capable of somewhere in the 200-300 lumen range. Of course I'd have to make sure it's completely sealed up, and it would have to be easily removable/unpluggable for times when I need to use the hitch. Don't know that I want to spend that much time to build something that gets so little use.

Eventually I imagine we'll start seeing some really flexible/useful auxiliary lights similar to the Dinotte bike light design (small cylindrical light containing one or more high-power LED's and associated electronics). My Dinotte is a sweet little battery-powered, multi-level light. Make it 12V input, lose the switch and associated multi-level electronics, maybe even downsize the case accordingly, and include a universal-mount bracket and you'd have a really versatile work light. Could use it as a reverse light, truck/rv work light, very low profile home flood/security light which could easily be paired with a small solar panel and 12V battery, etc: tons of uses.

txmatt said:

Thanks for the detailed reply and suggestions.

I'll soon have a Class 1 hitch on the car. I had thought about buying some square aluminum tubing/stock that would slip into the receiver and building a custom light with driver and a couple Cree Q5 or even P7 LED's. That would be capable of somewhere in the 200-300 lumen range. Of course I'd have to make sure it's completely sealed up, and it would have to be easily removable/unpluggable for times when I need to use the hitch. Don't know that I want to spend that much time to build something that gets so little use.

Eventually I imagine we'll start seeing some really flexible/useful auxiliary lights similar to the Dinotte bike light design (small cylindrical light containing one or more high-power LED's and associated electronics). My Dinotte is a sweet little battery-powered, multi-level light. Make it 12V input, lose the switch and associated multi-level electronics, maybe even downsize the case accordingly, and include a universal-mount bracket and you'd have a really versatile work light. Could use it as a reverse light, truck/rv work light, very low profile home flood/security light which could easily be paired with a small solar panel and 12V battery, etc: tons of uses.

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If you are going the external lights way, there are many options, from adding fog lights as suggested above to somewhat more specialized solutions:

Like This

I was thinking about upgrading from this http://vehiclelight.com/01911501.html to http://vehiclelight.com/xl801.html . The ouput on the first isn't bad but with extended cab with stand box and deep tint it could be better.

JakeGMCHD said:

I was thinking about upgrading from this http://vehiclelight.com/01911501.html to http://vehiclelight.com/xl801.html . The ouput on the first isn't bad but with extended cab with stand box and deep tint it could be better.

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In what application are you planning on using these?

Taliano said:

In what application are you planning on using these?

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As auxillary backup lights.

Taliano said:

Here is a comparison shot of LED (left) and PIAA Xtreme White (right).

As you can see, the PIAA is much much brighter than the LED. The PIAA will output light for vision.

If you want bright WHITE light, get PIAA.

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Again with the PIAA. And you wonder why people on here ask you if you are a PIAA sales rep. :shakehead Haha

LEDobsession said:

Again with the PIAA. And you wonder why people on here ask you if you are a PIAA sales rep. :shakehead Haha

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If you want to be arrogant, then I'll say that I don't work at all. You see, I don't have to get pizzed on by companies like salesman do. Not me... thank GOD for ME! Have fun at WORK tomorrow. I'll be having fun NOT at work. HAAAAAAAAAA...

It's all okay though... I already got my info on my footwell lights from this forum... so everything is cool now... for me.

yell at me for saying this all you want... i'm not reading anymore here, wasting my time... you know?

bye bye

Taliano said:

If you want to be arrogant, then I'll say that I don't work at all. You see, I don't have to get pizzed on by companies like salesman do. Not me... thank GOD for ME! Have fun at WORK tomorrow. I'll be having fun NOT at work. HAAAAAAAAAA...

It's all okay though... I already got my info on my footwell lights from this forum... so everything is cool now... for me.

yell at me for saying this all you want... i'm not reading anymore here, wasting my time... you know?

bye bye

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Im sorry you feel that way. I didnt mean to discourage, it was supposed to be a joke. I apologize.

Taliano said:

Anyway, if you don't like the idea of blue-coated bulbs, maybe give them a try first before deciding against them.

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I currently have one of those blue 7440's on one side and a regular 7440 on the other. They both suck.

Any updates on the best/better 7440 bulbs for reverse lamps (2012 Toyota Prius v wagon variant). I noticed the '92 Mercedes 190E seems to do a lot better on reverse visibility (1156 bulb I believe). (If there's a best/better 1156 upgrade that would be appreciated as well).

Thanks!

The good 1156 is this one. For 7440, the one worth trying out is this one. Because these (like all LED bulbs presently available) are fundamentally different in their light output distribution, be sure to carefully evaluate their compatibility with the lamps on your car.

-Virgil- said:

For 7440, the one worth trying out is this one. Because these (like all LED bulbs presently available) are fundamentally different in their light output distribution, be sure to carefully evaluate their compatibility with the lamps on your car.

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I did the evaluation on that very same 7440 on an RX300. And from outside the vehicle, it really appears to provide good *warning* to others (the primary function of reversing lamps, for those that don't know), from the driver's seat it's not as good as the filament bulbs they replaced for actually *seeing*, at least as far as I can tell. It may be a combination of the 6000K CCT and some incompatibility of the lamp assembly wherein the heatsink and rest of the bulb body blocks light from the reflector. You get the glare from the light tending towards blue and so being fooled into the lamp appearing bright when viewed directly, but then really not as much output overall.

Thank you both very much for the input!

I found this thread while looking to upgrade my Tahoe b/u lights. In my old age, I can't see in the dark very well, esp. with the tinted windows my wife had to have. The PIAA 7440 p/n 19225 appears to be the best choice, but it looks like PIAA has discontinued it. Has anything else come along recently to replace it beside LEDs?

Note to moderators: yes I know about how b/u lights are just supposed to warn others and all that, but I need to see where I'm going, even backward. It's dark out here in the sticks.

dbell54 said:

I found this thread while looking to upgrade my Tahoe b/u lights. In my old age, I can't see in the dark very well, esp. with the tinted windows my wife had to have. The PIAA 7440 p/n 19225 appears to be the best choice, but it looks like PIAA has discontinued it. Has anything else come along recently to replace it beside LEDs?

Note to moderators: yes I know about how b/u lights are just supposed to warn others and all that, but I need to see where I'm going, even backward. It's dark out here in the sticks.

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I'm with you. I've done the LED upgrade but I think an auxiliary light source attached to the trailer hitch and plugged in to the trailer wiring might be the way to go.

I think I might try one of these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OOMQDG/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Mr. Merk said:

I'm with you. I've done the LED upgrade but I think an auxiliary light source attached to the trailer hitch and plugged in to the trailer wiring might be the way to go.

I think I might try one of these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OOMQDG/?tag=cpf0b6-20

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Hey, that's pretty neat! On my old Tahoe I had 2 tiny driving lights mounted under the bumper on either side of the hitch with a relay tapped into the b/u wire and the trailer aux pwr. It worked really well, but the 2013's bumper isn't well suited to such.

Mr. Merk said:

I think an auxiliary light source attached to the trailer hitch and plugged in to the trailer wiring might be the way to go.

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A proper auxiliary reversing lamp (Peterson Manufacturing makes a few) for permanent installation is one thing, but that Blazer product would only be good for temporary use, away from other drivers (even in parking lots) because that can cause dangerous levels of glare. That could be useful in some conditions away from others, or when backing up a vehicle to a trailer or something, but not full-time.

Mr. Merk said:

I'm with you. I've done the LED upgrade but I think an auxiliary light source attached to the trailer hitch and plugged in to the trailer wiring might be the way to go.

I think I might try one of these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OOMQDG/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Click to expand...

While looking at that one, I found this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GJ9MHX5/?tag=cpf0b6-20