Luxeon Dome/Map Light Upgrade ...

[wquiles]

I agree with you, if you're going to drive the lux at 700mA or higher then you would want to make sure you take care of the heat somehow, I dont need that much light from my dome, my lux is getting somewhere between 300mA-400mA
and it's plenty bright, better then stock (i wanted the lux for the color mostly, i like white better then yellow), the Nflex is a very nice driver and mod a mag did a nice job, but for my needs the $1 resistor worked pretty well.

Well said. If done right, as you have, there is nothing wrong with a simple resistor

This DeWalt 18V LED modification was completed on July of last year and it works awesome. Because of being LONG running and becuase of having a flexible neck, it is my most used work/project light. And yes, it is simply using resistors

Will

 

[Alexis]

stock bulbs are already 10watts

You could use a resistor, but the resistor itself will be dissipating 6 watts if you are driving the LED at 3 watts. Thats 9 watts of heat to get rid of inside a plastic enclosed dome light space - be careful!

 

[wasBlinded]

stock bulbs are already 10watts

Thats a good point. But a lot of that energy is emitted directly as infrared - out the 'lens' and more evenly throughout the compartment. The care one takes will be directed toward placing that 6 watt dissipating resistor somewhere that it won't contact and melt plastic housing or wire insulation.