Attention all members!
Have a cool ride? Then show it off on our website! All vehicles welcome!

Time for more LEDs!!!

Post a reply

Confirmation code
Enter the code exactly as it appears. All letters are case insensitive.
Smilies
:awesome: :argh :ditto :inout :words :bow :cheers: :bigwink: :fing02: :sad017: :scorp: :o :D ;) :p :unwell028 :tongue017 :thumbsup :surprised :sm29: :angry011: :angry015: :angry012: :nono: :angry010: :nono :banghead :mad: :dif :angry :CRZ_13: :eek: :confused: :confused0 :confused :( :sad: :cool: :dance :mecry: :jesterlol :embarrass :flame: :doh :evil019: :evil001: :rolleyes: :sub:
View more smilies
BBCode is ON
[img] is ON
[url] is ON
Smilies are ON
Topic review
   

Expand view Topic review: Time for more LEDs!!!

by Chris from Washington » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:13 pm

Darthness wrote:I know someone from another forum that made all kinds of things with the etch boards.. he did several nice LED mods to his cars. i may have to try your way though, ie, i might want to do a green dome and trunk light or something. what kind of $$ do you pay to DIY a mod like that.
The bumper Lights cost me around $50 I would guess. Most of the cost is the LEDs. If you're going to do this, make sure and use Lumileds Superflux LEDs. They are made for automotive use, and are best suited for this.

The one I used is
HPWT-MD00-F4000

You can get them here
http://www.futureestore.com/eStore/Sear ... e=Keywords

With superflux you want to make sure that they all come from the same bin, otherwise there could be slight color/brightness differences. This site sell you a tube of 60, that are all from the same bin.

If you do a retro, post pictures!

Chris.

by Chris from Washington » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:08 pm

Ya there a couple ways to solve the blinker problem, if you can swap out your flash with a load independant one then that is the best option.

Otherwise you can do it with a resistor inline too.

What happens is, because LEDs use such little current, the car thinks the bulb is burned out, so it does that fast flash to let you know. '

by TechSys » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:43 pm

This topic gave me some ideas. I have been wondering if I could do a LED setup in the Beretta and now I think I can. That'd make things look so much better.

With the turn signals you may have a problem with the blinker. Not sure what blinker your vehicle has, but others have had to change them out to a differant one. Without it they LEds would 1) burn out, 2) not blink, 3) blink far too fast.

May want to check into that.

by Darthness » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:30 pm

Chris from Washington wrote:Oh if you really want to get fancy, you can etch your boards with traces. but that takes alot of planning and time.

But for this project I just used the preholed boards w/solder pads from radioshack.
If I were to start selling these, then I etching the boards might be a good idea, but just for me. The preholed, and wire jumpers were good enough.
I know someone from another forum that made all kinds of things with the etch boards.. he did several nice LED mods to his cars. i may have to try your way though, ie, i might want to do a green dome and trunk light or something. what kind of $$ do you pay to DIY a mod like that.

by smoker » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:10 pm

well i think its purty...

by Chris from Washington » Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:57 pm

Darthness wrote:dont you have to mix some chemicals or something to make the board?
Oh if you really want to get fancy, you can etch your boards with traces. but that takes alot of planning and time.

But for this project I just used the preholed boards w/solder pads from radioshack.
If I were to start selling these, then I etching the boards might be a good idea, but just for me. The preholed, and wire jumpers were good enough.

by Darthness » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:04 pm

dont you have to mix some chemicals or something to make the board?

by Chris from Washington » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:55 pm

I wish I would have taken some pics of the back.

I just soldered in little 'jumpers' using small pieces of stripped phone/networking wire. Just cut them really small and held them in place with tweezers then soldered it to one leg of one LED, then soldered it to the leg of the next LED.

It actually turned out pretty nice looking.

I cut the board to shape just using a pair of scissors.

by Darthness » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:49 pm

the only thing i majorly need help with is doing the circuit board.

by Chris from Washington » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:29 pm

veggie-man wrote:my friend and i just took a LED and blew it up because we put 3 times the recommend voltage to it... how do you control the flow of power to the lights, they seem very sensitive especially having THAT many lights.

Looks REAL good man!
You have to use a resistor, see the led calculator I posted. It will help you determine the resistor needed, depending on the # of LEDs.

If you are going to use them as a tail/brake light, you'll also need to have a couple diodes to stop current from backfeeding.

Top