Fred,
I was surprised with the results and your question is absolutely good.
I used a LED white-light small globe bulb that nicely fit into the Bargman
Trail-Lite #4 vintage fixture with the clear round glass lens and the red
end-cap lens. This light is also often marked as Bargman Trail-lite #14 and
sometimes with no number 4 or 14, just blank. There are replica's in plastic
of the vintage red lens at VTS.
I know each LED lamp must be color matched to the color of the lens. The
white LED should have shown a brilliant Blue-White thru the clear, but
brownish thru the red glass. It did not! It shines a brilliant red thru the
red glass, and a brilliant Blue-White thru the clear that is so bright it
causes a bluish glow off the aluminum, ultra white off the white license
plate, and pure white glow illuminating the ground in back of the trailer
enough so to be able to look at my keys for the rear hatch lock.
I will always wonder if the antique red glass somehow does not alter the
color spectrum I was so concerned about. I guess I could put on one of the
two VTS plastic reproductions I have to find out, but I doubt I will bother.
It really is pretty and I'm happy, and surprised.
My goal was to be able to leave on every light inside, outside, trailer,
truck, all night at a rest stop or truck stop, etc., not run my engine,
sleep, and be able to crank up in the morning. Well it turned out better
than that. I left every light on for 48 hours. With the lights still on, I
checked the one and only yellow Wal-Mart battery and it was at 98.4%. I
forgot my interior lights, left on for two weeks. The battery was still at
97.5%. This is on a digital meter. I still have not charged that battery.
I calculate I can run 27 to 32 LED replacement bulbs and the load is about
that of one 1156 interior bulb and no heat. I did connect my LED converted
truck to the trailer to actually test. I left all lights on park, with the
trailer interior lights all on too, from 8 AM to 8 AM the next day. I did
not check the percentage of voltage before or after. I purposely
disconnected the trailer battery. The truck started up after at least this
24 hours as if the lights had not been on. The alternator did not show any
initial heavy charging different than normal daily use. I did not change out
my instrument panel lights, could have dimmed to off but did not. I had to
know if the truck would start. I doubled the needed time.
I searched long and hard on the net before buying LED bulbs. I thoroughly
educated myself about the bases, voltages, and array sizes to fit.
SuperBrightLEDs was significantly less expensive than all I found and had
the greatest selection. There is a lot to consider. I ultimately spent over
$400 in a conversion and goal I was able to complete. The company is also
continually adding new products I have requested. The company has stood
behind their products for three defective bulbs without hesitations or
problems.
It's not for everybody, and I cannot justify the expense. But you know
sometimes you just get stuck on a quest that maybe makes little sense. There
is a side benefit. No more failed bulbs and since I like to run with my
lights on, the truck alternator system has little of the previous load
demands. The wires and fixtures run cool to touch. The lenses are relieved
of heat. It's also kind'a pretty. I like it.
-Eddie-
Houston, TX