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2ES Project Thread: Custom LED Lighting

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Old Jun 23, 2009 | 11:35 PM
  #31  
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This is an update I should have done a while back since it was working perfectly for a 12v battery lol....


Stock halogen bulbs in housings powered by 12v battery and the output in a somewhat bright room...







Custom LED board designed for a 12v battery (grrrrrrr ) and its output in the same amount of light...







How it looked put together in good lighting. I like the split pattern instead of the cyclops mode you see every day




Anyway, that was it then, version 2.0 has been redesigned in terms of resistors and wiring but the positions of the LEDs are in relatively the same areas. I'll have to have about 6 resistors for each group of 4 LEDs this time around. They will work this time. I'm going to take a Volt Meter to my brake light tomorrow and measure the output with lights off/on to get an accurate reading. In terms of soldering, the new board is roughly 20% finished so stay tuned!


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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 04:02 AM
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Holy sheet that light output looks massive compared to the halogen ones lol...
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 12:57 PM
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Yeah, its pretty much enough to require a filter of some sort. For the new board, I'll probably use a more powerful resistor to tone it down a bit

With this I'll definitely never have a tailgater again hahaha
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Old Jun 26, 2009 | 10:33 AM
  #34  
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So...in my less-than-enough amount of sleep, I may have gone overboard with the LEDs. Picked up some Lumiled's off ebay for a decent price (I think). 1,200 of them to be more accurate. Project Tails is off to a slow start before I leave for Hong Kong. Project Brake Light is nearing completion though

New LEDs
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Old Jun 27, 2009 | 01:06 AM
  #35  
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Nice job man, makes me want to do it, so lucky you get to go off to hong kong ahahah have fun on your trip.
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Old Jun 27, 2009 | 07:00 PM
  #36  
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Haha, thanks Dixon. I originally made this thread to help you guys along if you decide to do it. Its fairly easy once you get the basics down

HK will be an opportunity thats for sure. Got a couple more things planned as I PM'd a couple ebay sellers over there
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Old Jun 29, 2009 | 05:29 PM
  #37  
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Update!

Finished the board and just need to install them. Hopefully this is the last time I'll do this, but if not thats ok too. I can throw some higher quality LEDs in if thats the case

Pretty much its the same layout as before. 2x24 LED. Resistor used was 330ohm per 4 LEDs.





Finished board look. Decided against the bar supplying power from the last version due to the amount of space on that bar needed would be greater so I just went with straight wiring this time around...





"Mock" braking for you guys. Didn't want to install until the next local CL meet on thursday







Added the finishing touches with black electrical tape. Now all you'll see are the LEDs once they're inside the housing just like before





Random Thoughts:
-Using a new board helped speed things up since I was too lazy to desolder version 1.0
-soldering was much more faster this time around
-LEDs do not seem dimmer at all compared to the first board
-LEDs should be able to take up to 15v perfectly with NO problems *fingers crossed*
-I've rehashed my love for making things again
-Thinking of putting together a kit for you guys in case you want to do it in the future to solve potential headaches I went through

Thats it for now. More updates later this week then its off to Hong Kong on the 8th
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Old Jul 1, 2009 | 06:11 PM
  #38  
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Far out, the tail lights will be tedious work man. The soldering of 48 LED's alone takes some time, what about the other 1000 LED's you purchased haha.
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Old Jul 1, 2009 | 08:11 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by eyezack87

-Thinking of putting together a kit for you guys in case you want to do it in the future to solve potential headaches I went through
This! Oh please, if anything, this! I'd love to do this myself but I see how much of a pain this has been for you and would like to avoid it myself.
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Old Jul 1, 2009 | 10:41 PM
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I agree with BadViper, please, please, please...
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Old Jul 1, 2009 | 11:35 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Parker Gen
Far out, the tail lights will be tedious work man. The soldering of 48 LED's alone takes some time, what about the other 1000 LED's you purchased haha.
Haha, most definitely, but I found that once I'm in the "zone" it passes by pretty fast. If I actually mounted them and secured them with tape (instead of putting one on at a time), it would have been a lot faster. I just wanted to go slow and steady as it was v2.0
Originally Posted by BadViper22
This! Oh please, if anything, this! I'd love to do this myself but I see how much of a pain this has been for you and would like to avoid it myself.
Haha. All everyone would need is a soldering iron and a steady hand. Its fairly easy but figuring out the resistor needed for the car. Once that done, if the outcry is big enough and I'm allowed to, I'll put one up for you all. I'm thinking precut PCB, good LEDs, and resistors in the pack
Originally Posted by tomstep2
I agree with BadViper, please, please, please...
Stay tuned. Gotta see if these will last. If they don't, I'll know for sure that everyone here should avoid 5mm LEDs and stick to the LumiLEDs I just received
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Old Jul 2, 2009 | 12:01 AM
  #42  
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wow Isaac!!! great work man. damn if i had some spare LS taillights laying around....
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Old Jul 2, 2009 | 12:30 AM
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...i DO have some spare LS tails layin around.....hit me up isaac
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Old Jul 2, 2009 | 03:15 PM
  #44  
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you beat me to it... i was in the process of getting to this for a long time... LOL.. nice work!
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Old Jul 3, 2009 | 11:37 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by LiCelsior
wow Isaac!!! great work man. damn if i had some spare LS taillights laying around....
Haha, thanks Joe. I'm fairly happy with them so far. Tested all night last night with lots of braking and they didn't burn out yet. Today is the real test as heat was the factor I was hugely afraid of...
Originally Posted by PureDrifter
...i DO have some spare LS tails layin around.....hit me up isaac
Lol, as long as Dave and whoever is cool with it I'll help you with your request . Either way, I'll have to contact you after I get back from Hong Kong anyway since I leave on Weds
Originally Posted by swifty562
you beat me to it... i was in the process of getting to this for a long time... LOL.. nice work!
I'm glad I wasn't the first to do it. You should still make your own man
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