LI in the Tail Lights

**Ozone** · 07-17-2011, 05:32 PM

After a few suggestions I decided to go with the LI's in the tail lights. Here's a couple of pics what they look like from up close and from a distance.

Now I just have to get them tested. They fire when I use a T.V. remote so I know they activate when in the presence of laser, but how well they work is the question.

Comments? Suggestions?

**RobInAlbany** · 07-17-2011, 06:56 PM

i would be interested to see the test results. I feel its more important to stealth the install of the rear heads, because thats the direction the LEO will approach your car and those are the heads they will notice.

**Andrew21** · 07-17-2011, 07:39 PM

Interesting indeed. Where are you located? Gets those things tested!

Also, I see that the bubble are out. Correct me if I am wrong. But if they are, turn them around so the bubbles are in.

**Ozone** · 07-17-2011, 07:42 PM

Any reason why the front of the car would have bubble out while the back has bubble in? I assume better performance?

**904nm** · 07-17-2011, 07:50 PM

The heads are behind they tail light lenses??? I can't imagine that would work because the lens on the tail light is designed to defuse the light from the bullbs. So while I'd expect the heads to be able to detect very well from behind the lens, I would imagine they won't be able to block any laser gun as the beam from the heads going out will be defused and the range severely limited.

**Ozone** · 07-17-2011, 07:55 PM

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...tml#post865975

I figure its worth a shot. I wont be able to get them tested for a while because the one person I know of lives a $160 ferry ride away.

**904nm** · 07-17-2011, 08:11 PM

The plastic tail lens typically has moulded in it little pyramid shaped protrusions that defuse the light. I've read that it is very important to mount the heads straight and level. Those little pyramids in the lens will act like prisms and bend the beam from your head in various directions. Therefore I think it will act to bend your beam so that only a fraction of the beam will be going straight and most will be going in various other directions. So while it looks great, I would not count on it working.

I think if the lens was smooth, like the lens on a tv remote control, then you'd have a chance of it working. You could cut out a section of the tail lens plastic and splice into the tail lens something like the plastic used in remote control covers. However, that would be a lot of work and may still not work.

If you were about 3000 miles closer I'd let you use my laser gun to test it!

**Ozone** · 07-17-2011, 08:17 PM

Thank you for your input, it might just be too much work to get it working. Next time I go over to Vancouver I might attempt to get it tested and see what the results are.

I may take off the tail lights and see what I can do about the diffusion. Possibly even cut out a section big enough for the LI's so they can clearly see outside of the car and find some sort of plastic to replace the section I cut out. Should be easy enough seeing as the plastic is white.

**904nm** · 07-17-2011, 09:22 PM

I happened to have a tail lamp in the garage that was easy to get to. I put in a fairly powerful green laser to see what it would do to the light pattern. The prisms in your lens look more pronounced than the ones in the light I have. So I expect yours will scatted even more than this one. Anyhow, for the fun of it here are the results. What was a bright 1/4" beam turned into about a 1' x 3' scattered beam. This was at only about 25' away. So I image at a few hundred feet out the beam would be scattered over a VERY wide area rendering it impotent. Nothing scientific here but just an example of how much distortion the lens will cause to the IR beams from the heads.

If I had a Rabbit I'd probably cut into the filler plate under the tail lamps (where the GTI badge is) and mount them through there. Or perhaps in the hatch if deep enough. But that would require some body and paint work so would get expensive unless you could do it yourself.

On my Fusion I got lazy and only put in one head in the rear. Getting a new Fusion in a couple more moths and on that one I will do the same on the rear as shown below except that I will cut two slots out in the rear and mount them on the very edge of the black trim piece I fabricated to hold and disguise the heads.

If you think outside the box, and are willing to spend some time tinkering, you can find some creative ways to hide your heads without blocking the lens.

I think in mine if a LEO were to notice it it looks stock enough to pass as a parking sensor or something like that.