Improved reversing camera view with LED plate number light mod

[veew]

Has anyone else felt the lighting behind the car (provided by the brake lights, reversing lights and fog lights) whilst using the reverse camera is insufficient in poorly lit streets/driveways? Although the rear fog light helps, I wonder if the rear plate number LED light mod would assist further.

For those of you who have done the mod, have you noticed if there is improvement in the rear camera view?
Where did you guys get your LEDs from and did they throw up any errors on your MFD?

Am I right in assuming the number of LEDs would be proportional to the amount of lumens produced?

6 LED:
Bold-Sport.com :: LED License Plate Lights

18 LED:
Bold-Sport.com :: LED License Plate lights for VW

Unknown amount of LEDs:
Pack LED license plate for Volkswagen Golf 7

[kamold]

The LED licence plate lights will unlikely make much difference to rear visibility.
You might be better off replacing the reversing globes with an LED version.
I've done that with reasonable results. Plus they are much whiter which looks nice.

[The_Hawk]

I wonder if it's a crappier camera than what was used before?

The Pioneer reversing cam we have in the van is terrible at night, bloody terrible. The (supposedly) stock unit I imported and installed myself seems brilliant at night even though it doesn't seem to have any IR to help it along.

[DV52]

Has anyone else felt the lighting behind the car (provided by the brake lights, reversing lights and fog lights) whilst using the reverse camera is insufficient in poorly lit streets/driveways? Although the rear fog light helps, I wonder if the rear plate number LED light mod would assist further.

For those of you who have done the mod, have you noticed if there is improvement in the rear camera view?
Where did you guys get your LEDs from and did they throw up any errors on your MFD?

Am I right in assuming the number of LEDs would be proportional to the amount of lumens produced?

Veew: In answer to your question, it's true that (in general) more LED means more lumens, But this is really only true if the different lamps have the same LED. Where you are comparing lights with different LEDs, the lumen ouput is determined by lots of factors including the efficiency of the diode. LEDS are a current device (they are not a voltage device), so another important factor is how hard the diode is driven. When you buy a diode pack that is integrated into the reflector, even more factors that come into play.

I agree with Kamold that any additional. useful illumination from changing the number plate light will be marginal at best. The optics of the reflector in number plate light, plus its orientation means that it will do little to help the camera image (I think). If you get any additional light, it will most probably come from relections off the number plate itself.

Changing the backing lights to LED type seems a more viable option, but have you tried changing the sensitivity of the camera. I recall that there are some adjustments that can be made in the "set-up" facility for the rear camera. I think colour saturation can be changed and maybe even contrast. Might be worth a try before you spend money buying new lights.

[AdamD]

When I fitted LED license plate lights I noticed a substantial improvement in the quality of night vision from the rear view camera in my Mk6.

Those who suggest the benefits are marginal have just not tried it, or have fitted dull LEDs. I initially installed RDash units (these were very bright and made a dramatic difference), and now use genuine VW items, which - whilst less bright - still constitute a big improvement over stock.

[DV52]

When I fitted LED license plate lights I noticed a substantial improvement in the quality of night vision from the rear view camera in my Mk6.

Those who suggest the benefits are marginal have just not tried it, or have fitted dull LEDs. I initially installed RDash units (these were very bright and made a dramatic difference), and now use genuine VW items, which - whilst less bright - still constitute a big improvement over stock.

AdamD: OK. I hear what your saying, I would have thought that the prime role of the number plate llight would have been to direct the illumination onto the the verticle surface of the number plate. Not to illuminate the area at the back of the vehicle. I'm surprised that the "Spill" light was so effective. It's been a great many years since I studied lighting, but one of the first things that we were taught was the difference between illumination of things to be seen (like a number plate) and illumination for actually seeing (like backing lights). But I'm the first to admit that experience trumps theory every time!

Notwithstanding the success of the number plate LEDS in your case, if you had the choice of replacing a set of lamps with LEDs (with the objective of increasing the illumination at the rear of the car). would you still opt for changing the number plate light, or the reversing lights?

Incidentally, did you try adjusting the sensitivity of the camera before you fitted the LEDS and if so, what was the effect?

[kamold]

I've got leds everywhere. Proper projector led P21W globes for reverse lights will make a much bigger difference than incidental illumination from license plate led reflection but each to their own.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[veew]

Cheers for the responses so far, I have not found any options to adjust for rear camera sensitivity over the past few weeks but will recheck once I finish work tonight.

I'll look into what LED lights are required for the reversing lights in the Golf 7 and document my experiences with the different configurations (plate number light vs reversing light and both)

[Eaglehawk]

The important question for AdamD to answer, what sort of number plate have you got? Perhaps they have something more "white" and that ambient reflection off it would help the rear view.

I'll post a picture of the rear camera with LED when I remember to...

[DV52]

The important question for AdamD to answer, what sort of number plate have you got? Perhaps they have something more "white" and that ambient reflection off it would help the rear view.

I'll post a picture of the rear camera with LED when I remember to...

Eglehawk: I assume that AdamD has a normal SA plate which is white-isn't it? Anyhow,the spill light from the number plate fitting would contribute to rear lighting, but not much (I would have thought). Most of the effect must come from the reflection off the number plate itself (plus from the paint work area around the number plate- does he have a light coloured car?). Together, all these relections (called the "luminaire" of the installation) must be sufficient to significantly improve the rear lighting. It must have been a very bright LED but it has to be a very inefficent way of achieving this outcome. Anyway, I have learnt something today and that's always a good thing

Cheers for the responses so far, I have not found any options to adjust for rear camera sensitivity over the past few weeks but will recheck once I finish work tonight.

Veew: The adjustment panel for the rear camera can be found on the actual screen. Put the car into reverse and the setting is on the bottom right-hand side of the screen (the panel has a bunch of circles in it). Once you select the set-up screen you can alter the brightness, contrast and colour saturation. Good luck

[veew]

Veew: The adjustment panel for the rear camera can be found on the actual screen. Put the car into reverse and the setting is on the bottom right-hand side of the screen (the panel has a bunch of circles in it). Once you select the set-up screen you can alter the brightness, contrast and colour saturation. Good luck

I know what you're talking about, glad you just pointed it out as I would've gone through the other menu screens again and failed to find it. Still suck at work so will sus it out in 2 hrs or so

[Eaglehawk]

does he have a light coloured car?)

A very good point! All the more reason to test it on my black Golf with black plates (Yes, I've got the VW LED installed at the dealer)

[veew]

Ok, so got around to changing the brightness and contrast of the reversing camera screen. It certainly helps, I'll see how I go over the next few weeks and see if I still want to change the reversing/plate number lights.

[AdamD]

I'm surprised that the "Spill" light was so effective. It's been a great many years since I studied lighting, but one of the first things that we were taught was the difference between illumination of things to be seen (like a number plate) and illumination for actually seeing (like backing lights). But I'm the first to admit that experience trumps theory every time!

Just to emphasise this important point up front - I have a Mk6, not a Mk7, so the LEDs I used are likely incompatible with the Mk7 application.

The LEDs I used initially were these RDash lights (see the link below for some great photos showing the improvement in indirect lighting):

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f112/led-number-plate-lights-59337-8.html#post686084

As you can see, each of these light units contains 18 individual LEDs, and the light cast is both bright and fairly non-directional.

Here's an image comparing the RDash LEDs to standard bulbs; this does make the LEDs look too bright, but in reality they don't look anything like as bright:



I had some issues with the heatsinks that came with my RDash lights, so I wired up my own better-quality resistors to do the job instead. After about a year or so of use, one of the wires into one of the light units split, in an inaccessible area. Rather than break open the unit and go to the trouble of gluing it all back together, I replaced them with OEM VW units, which are significantly dimmer than the RDash units. The main difference between OEM incandescent and LED is the colour of the light, not the brightness or throw pattern.

At any rate, a point I should have made more clearly earlier is that not all LEDs are created equal, so it's not right to generalise that LEDs won't significantly improve the visibility through a rear view camera - because it comes down to what lights you're fitting.

Notwithstanding the success of the number plate LEDS in your case, if you had the choice of replacing a set of lamps with LEDs (with the objective of increasing the illumination at the rear of the car). would you still opt for changing the number plate light, or the reversing lights?

I have R LED tail lights in my car, although the single reversing light is still a standard bulb IIRC. A single super-bright reversing light would certainly outperform bright license plate lights for illumination at a distance, but it all depends on what you're looking at when reversing, and how quickly you are reversing. If you want to see objects that are several feet away, then an appropriately directional reversing light is what you need. If you want to see objects that are within a couple of feet of your bumper, and are at the height of the rear bumper or lower, then license plate lights can make a significant improvement. Given that I'm usually reversing very slowly, and want to make sure I don't hit any obstructions, they do a great job. They also illuminate cars well at ~2-3 feet.

Incidentally, did you try adjusting the sensitivity of the camera before you fitted the LEDS and if so, what was the effect?

I don't have that adjustment on the Mk6.

The important question for AdamD to answer, what sort of number plate have you got? Perhaps they have something more "white" and that ambient reflection off it would help the rear view.

I have SA "Premium Slim" plates (black lettering on white background) with Kingpin clear covers:

[Alex31]

Just had a look at mine . No LED! Paid $2000 for the bi-xenon lights and no license plate LED. Not happy, will be going to the dealer and they better come to the table.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk