LED lighting

az_max

1
Apr 22, 2005
7,463
2
I was in a LED lighting mood after building my Aquarium sunrise/sunset LED panel. I bought two 48 LED panels for the Rover. Ended up trimming the corners to fit the round dome light, then replacing both dome lights because the back one crumbled in my hand when I took it down.
before/during/after:
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It's like daylight in there now :)

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I bought two round panels which are winging themselves my way to see if I like them better than the rectangle.

Also bought 6 4" LED strips. Going to mount two of them on the inside of the upper tailgate. Should be plenty of light when in dark areas. I'll put them on their own switch so I can leave them off until needed. Pics coming soon.

And the fish tank with 6 CREE LEDS

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:seeya:
 
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Mike_Rupp

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
3,604
0
Mercer Island, WA
p m said:
Nice. I replaced the rear brake bulb last weekend, and noticed that the housing was already distorted from the heat produced by the bulbs. However I hate getting into these taillight housings, I will replace the bulbs with LED ones.

Here's a good source: http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/

Hmm, my brake light housing just had a melt down not that long ago. Maybe I need to consider the LEDs.
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
Mike_Rupp said:
Hmm, my brake light housing just had a melt down not that long ago. Maybe I need to consider the LEDs.
LED's aren't great for tail lights. LED's are directional and often need an optic to focus the beam. In other words they probably won't illuminate the entire tail light the way an incandescent bulb will.
 

paxton

Well-known member
Nov 13, 2006
1,246
2
Huntsville, AL
fishEH said:
LED's aren't great for tail lights. LED's are directional and often need an optic to focus the beam. In other words they probably won't illuminate the entire tail light the way an incandescent bulb will.

You have to buy the right one with SMDs that face in all directions.

Edit: Like the one Peter linked to :)
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,611
836
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
I ordered a multi-LED 1157 and 1156 bulbs; if they arrive before the end of the week, I'll pop them into one side, and take nighttime shots with incandescents and LEDs side by side.
If they don't show up before Friday, it'll happen after Thanksgiving.

On this subject - if any of y'all has a 3D printer, it _may_ make sense to invest into making a LED-specific taillight housing. This way, you/me/one could use multiple SMT LEDs mounted on a flat PCB.
 

az_max

1
Apr 22, 2005
7,463
2
p m said:
I ordered a multi-LED 1157 and 1156 bulbs; if they arrive before the end of the week, I'll pop them into one side, and take nighttime shots with incandescents and LEDs side by side.
If they don't show up before Friday, it'll happen after Thanksgiving.

On this subject - if any of y'all has a 3D printer, it _may_ make sense to invest into making a LED-specific taillight housing. This way, you/me/one could use multiple SMT LEDs mounted on a flat PCB.


Funny you should mention that....

Way back in the 80's, I was into r/c cars and VWs. I made basic head and tail lights for the r/c car and thought I was Tha Shit. I had the idea to make LED taillights for the VW. I got ~30 LEDs from Radio Shack (cleaned out two stores inventory of red LEDs). Wired them up with the proper resistors and stood back to admire my work. Barely brighter than the 5w tail light. No way I could use them for the stop light.

Fast forward 20 years and Dakota Digital had LED panels for hot rods and vintage ford/chevy trucks at the GoodGuys Car Show. If only the Rat shack LEDs were brighter, I could have designed/patented the idea and made a fortune! :banghead:

Now I just about gave myself laser eye surgery from the two royal blue moonlight LEDS for the tank, and 6 are as bright as a 27w florescent tube.
 

knewsom

Well-known member
Jul 10, 2008
5,262
0
La Mancha, CA
p m said:
I ordered a multi-LED 1157 and 1156 bulbs; if they arrive before the end of the week, I'll pop them into one side, and take nighttime shots with incandescents and LEDs side by side.
If they don't show up before Friday, it'll happen after Thanksgiving.

On this subject - if any of y'all has a 3D printer, it _may_ make sense to invest into making a LED-specific taillight housing. This way, you/me/one could use multiple SMT LEDs mounted on a flat PCB.

3D printing? Easy. 3D modeling? Ugh. Tell ya what - you make the model, I'll print you a set.
 

Nomar

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
6,078
13
Virginia
az_max said:
8122925207_6c1571a449.jpg


It's like daylight in there now :)

8186176383_68eca0c1bf.jpg


I bought two round panels which are winging themselves my way to see if I like them better than the rectangle.

What does the post-it note on the steering wheel say?

I dig the LED idea; let us see the round ones when you get them.
 

seventyfive

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
4,280
100
over there
fwiw, i would stay away from superbrightleds.com. in fact there are very very few companies making non festoon style led's that are worth the money....unless you're purely buying for aesthetics.

these guys are right up the road from me, i have the festoon/fuse and 194 style in the VDO gauges. good guys, great products.