LED Tail Lights and Front turns

88YotaTurbo

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Feb 26, 2006
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I have been working on Led tail lights and front turn signals for about 2.5 weeks. I will be finishing them tomorrow but I would like to show you the componant layout that I have made. This design requires 244 leds just for the rear and a total of 848 Holes to drill not counting resistors. I will post finished pictures tomorrow, but I wanted to tease you.


p793899_1.jpg
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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what are you drilling? you couldnt find breadboard/pcb at radio shack to work with? i know ive seen them in the project section... thats what i had intended to use if i ever did the LED thing...
 

SilverSupraT

7M '78 Toyota Pickup
Oct 3, 2005
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Yeah man just get a PCB. If you can't find the right size at Radioshack check out Mouser.com. It's a good place for buying bulk LEDs, resistors, other diodes, etc. Now that the weather is getting shitty here I'll probably doing more inside projects like this one. If you're doing the tail lights I might work on the front signals :D

Good luck!
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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well... sometimes it can be too much. i saw a full panel LED conversion that this guy did for his CRX and it lit up the entire lens and it was practiclly blinding. but it was a better "effect" since it was very even.

i had planned to keep it simple by making a the running lights out of 10mm LED's and then a smaller cluster inside the ring, like G35 coupe tail lights. less work and kinda neat looking i think.
 

flubyux2

Madd Tyte JDM yo ®
Apr 2, 2005
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honestly, if i were after a full panel effect to illuminate the ENTIRE lens... i would invesnt in some EL film. its quite affordable in managable sheets on Ebay and various online vendors. it doesnt quite have the life expectancy of LED"s though.
 

88YotaTurbo

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Feb 26, 2006
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flubyux2 said:
what are you drilling? you couldnt find breadboard/pcb at radio shack to work with? i know ive seen them in the project section... thats what i had intended to use if i ever did the LED thing...
I made my own pc boards. It ended up saving me money. Pics coming tonight , I'm watching the ball game so when I get a free second I'll go out there and take pics. GO REDSOX
 

flubyux2

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Apr 2, 2005
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are your turn signals operating erratically because you need a different flasher relay?

those do look bright indeed, and quite even too. youre excessive LED usage has worked out as you expect.

how much were the pcb's compared to whatever you just used?
 

88YotaTurbo

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Feb 26, 2006
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flubyux2 said:
are your turn signals operating erratically because you need a different flasher relay?

those do look bright indeed, and quite even too. youre excessive LED usage has worked out as you expect.

how much were the pcb's compared to whatever you just used?
Flasher works about twice as fast as normal, I'm hoping it hold and not burn out.
The PC Board were bought off Ebay for like $10 for 8 sheets of 11x8 inch. I had to cut them down to fit and then design a pcb layout and etch them with ferric acid. The 3 different led's were purchased in three different ways. The brake leds were purchased with a PWM/Regulator (needed for brake feature) from azdave of hidplanet.com forums for $35 , Reverse leds ebay hongkong cheapers 15000mcd for $8 for 100 pcs. The Amber turns off of Quickar.com for 10cents ea.
Brake and Turn leds are Lumileds Superflux 70ma 2.3 volts i believe
The reverse leds are 3.2 volt running at 20 ma.
I had to go to three different Radioshacks for the amount of resistors needed. :)
Total investment about $60-70 :) compared to clearcorners.com led rears for 2000
Oh I also had to bypass and disable the tail lamp failure circuit.