Okay all you lighting experts, that includes you too Rominl and PHML.
Have any of you used or heard anything about these LEDs for use in the locations calling for a 194/168 bulb? PIAA SUPER TERA BRIGHTEST LED 4500K bulb 194 168 bulbs.

Supposed to generate lots of light and only pull 1 watt. I wonder what kind of pattern of light they throw. Is there such a thing as being really bright but putting less useful light on the roadway?

 

the light pattern i think a lot of times depend on the housing cover lens. on my GS i only have led for the trunk, and it lights up very very well

pete (phml) has it inside his car everywhere (i just have it for foot well) so he can tell you more about the light pattern. for my foot well, it's very obvious. when i first put on the light, it's very widely light up. but as soon as i put back the cover lens, the pattern changed dramatically (narrower).

not sure what it is like if you put them in places like the high beam housing (wedge) or the side marker locations though

 

DetMich1, you didn't mention what type of car you have. The 194 bulb (aka 2825) you're thinking of replacing is used as the parking light on my LX - is this the one you are changing out? If so, you're not really concerned about putting light on the road to increase visibility from the parking light? If you're looking at the 4500K LED for your parking light you are probably more interested in getting your visible lights to "match", i.e. you have white-colored HIDs or have upgraded your other bulbs to a whiter color and now the parking lights look very yellowish in comparison.

In my experience PIAA is very reputable and makes good products, but almost always costlier than other options. Try Superbrightleds.com, they should have a 9-LED 194 type wedge bulb available for no more than $5 each.

 

DetMich....

I have NOT tried this one yet...but PIAA produces quality stuff....at a very high price. These things go for $40 per/pair + $10 to ship....on Ebay.....that's $50....WOW!!!!

From the looks of the pic....it looks more blue than 4500K. It can fit in the wedge area.....but probably NOT in the side markers cuz the LED is too long.....See pic.

 

Sorry if I forgot to say the car is a 1998 GS400 with OEM HID headlights. The 194 is a running light inside the hi beam enclosure which is illuminated with the low beams (HIDs). Currently the color is VERY yellow in comparison to the low beams. Yes, want a color and intensity to match the lo beams. I assume how much light these bulbs project and in what pattern is primarily influenced by the reflector in the high beam housing.

 

Color is easy to get so it matches, but I don't think you're going to get the intensity you want out of the 194 bulb, it's not made for that type of light-projecting application. The most intense light you will get will probably come from the LEDs but they may turn out to be too white against the stock HIDs.

IMO, the PIAAs you referenced in your first post (or any number of generic 194-bulb equivalents you could find on eBay) would be a good color match.

PS - prediction - if you are like me you will soon be upgrading your 9005 hi-beams as well to a whiter color... and then your turn signal... and then your backup light...

 

Yes, I fully intend to upgrade lights at those other locations as well. With my SC I just went with all Sylvania Silverstars. But, because of the OEM HIDs on the GS I want to try and match the color of the Highbeam and the 194 bulb (running light) with the lo beams. I have heard that high heat environments are bad for the LEDs. If that's so, then being mounted inside the high beam enclosure may have a detrimental effect on LEDs mounted so close to a source of heat when the high beam is in use. Perhaps for that reason among others an incandescent bulb like the Polarg or PIAA would be a better choice.