The angeleye project- plz help

Hey guys,
I'm doing a "bmw angeleye" conversion to my escort GT /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif and I need a type of LED suitable for the job. The brighter, the better, and I'm looking for a slightly blue tint to the light, while still being very bright, and a normal domed shape and size. The finished project on my photo edited escort gt should look like this, only less blue: click here

I'm not sure of the exact size of the leds, but they're "standard" looking, and according to the owner of the angeleye rings, they are:
"a little under 1/8inch wide, and a little more than a 1/8 inch tall, the bulb part alone."

here is what COLOR I want the leds. Notice how they're mainly white, but they have a hint of bluish-grey in them. Very sexy if you ask me.


And here are what the rings themselves look like. The 2 leds go in the openings of the tubes up at the top.
http://home.twcny.rr.com/rensguns/rings.jpg
And here are what the leds themselves look like, they look like they're around 4-6mm leds, but I'm not sure what the "standard" size is:
http://home.twcny.rr.com/rensguns/leds.jpg

I'd like these to be as bright as possible, I know that superbrightleds.com sells white ones that rank in at 10,000mcds, and I'd like something on that order, only more bluish tint.
Thanks in advance!
-greg
[email protected]

those are 5mm leds shown.

if you overdrive the leds, you will get both increased brightness, and a bluer color /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

The LEDs shown in the photo appear to be 5mm Nichia, though I don't know if Superbrightleds.com sells them or not.

Overdriving any white LED will give you a bluer color and higher brightness, though the LEDs will have a signicantly shorter life.

<font color="red">WOW!!</font>, can you resize the pics? (a "little" - ok.."alot" smaller?)

I have some LEDs whose beam looks exactly that colour. Have a look over in B/S/T:

Superbright LEDs: colours, Nichia, UVs, etc.

The ones I'm referring to are the superwhites I have listed there. (NOT the Nichias). The superwhites have almost exactly the colour you are showing here. I have some shots of the beam colour in that link.

Thanks!

A.

sigman:
I'd resize the pics, but it wont let me use html, and I don't know how to use UBBCode. If anybody wants to throw me a bone on how to do it i'd be more than happy to resize.

ab:
What are the sizes of the "superwhites" you're talking about? The color is exactly what I want.
Also, what is the foward voltage of each led? How much for 8 leds with shipping to upstate NY (zip 13676)?

Thanks guys.

After experience with both the Nichia's and the ones on superbrightleds.com, I would recommend the ones on superbrightleds.com because they have a MUCH more bluish tint than most LEDs at this brightness level. These should be about what you are looking for. They don't quite produce 10,000mcd, but I wouldn't be suprised if they were around 8,500mcd with the blusih tint you desire. One question though... WHY an escort??? uggghhhh... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
sorry for the editorial, but I hate escorts!

[ QUOTE ]
LEDmodMan said:
WHY an escort??? uggghhhh... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
sorry for the editorial, but I hate escorts!

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't say I disagree, the ford escort isn't my favorite car in the world, but because I'm 18, in college, have a shitty job, I can't afford anything better. HOWEVER, it's an escort GT, so it's got a nice 1.8L mazda BP engine (not the 1.9L ford SEFI in the LX's) in it (I'd turbo it if I had the money) and it's built with the protege racing geomery. Full set of discs and macpherson suspension with a 3 piece spoiler make it a snappy, fun ride. And for 800 bucks I couldn't go wrong. What do you drive?
If I could I'd get a lotus elise exige, but not on my payroll...

Anyway, what size are the "superbrightleds.com" white leds? 5mm?
According to the seller, the ones that come with the rings (in the pic) are:

"The luminous intensity of the LEDs are 2600 MCD at 20 MA, 3.7 volt. "

He doesnt know what brand they are, but according to craig, god of all things diodic, they're nichias.

should I go with the superbrightleds.com white leds?

[ QUOTE ]
greg-o said:
sigman:
I'd resize the pics, but it wont let me use html, and I don't know how to use UBBCode. If anybody wants to throw me a bone on how to do it i'd be more than happy to resize.

[/ QUOTE ]
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Seems some resolution gets lost in the Image Station process (and actually I am partly at fault also as I reduced the amount of pixels) . I took the originals into one of my 89 or so photo editing programs, applied magic sprinkles to shrink it up, reloaded it to Image Station (courtesy of Bart (?) - who is also probably the "expert" at this image stuff)...not meaning to mess with your post, but if you edit your post, delete those HUGE pics and copy the applicable URLs from my post using the "Instant UBB Code" feature...done! Everyone could now read this thread without having to scroll west to east...

I'd welcome some "easy instructions" on how to do to this little task from anyone who has a better way. I hate losing resolution in Image Station. Saaby came up with some easy to follow "URL/Linking" instructions for someone the other night...this would be another good "instructional" to add to the "list" that doesn't exist anywhere, eh?
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Hi Greg-O, sorry I missed your question about my posting here. The superwhites I have are the common 5mm size (standard for LEDs). 8 of them would be $US 12 including airmail to you in NY. Vf is 3.6V (common to most white LEDs you'll find)

Drop me a PM if you'd like to discuss further!

Thanks,

A.

The first new car I bought was an Escort GT, back in '91. Excellent car, far better than anything Ford has built recently. (That generation of Escort is, like the Probe, more Mazda than anything else, with a Ford body/skin. Aside from owning Mazda, Ford hasn't done much impressive/quality in a while...) Tight chassis, good handling, pretty competitive in autocross.

But if I still had mine I don't think I'd rice it out like that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

ab - urm... I'm interested, but I'm also interested in the ones from superbrightleds.com. I don't know if they're 5mm or not, but I'm just looking for a steely gray blue tint, and apparently the ones from superbrightleds.com were the ones used in the pic that I put up in the first place /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So I think I may be going with the superbrightleds.com route, but I dont know if they're 5mm also...

and highlandsun-
I really don't think I'm ricing it out... it's more go than show right now... the previous owners really didn't take great care of it, so it's got a good deal of rust everywhere, the trim is kinda peeling, and I needed a new set of headlights anyway. I personally wouldnt mind a better set of lights just because the ones that come stock really suck anyways, and the stock ones were kinda broken when I got the car anyways.
I'm not putting neon lights under it, or those silly spoilers, or anything like that. And it's not a bolt-on mod.

I am going to sign up for the CNY soloII novice division this summer and I'll see how I can tough it out in competition.

I'm glad you liked your EGT! Mine is also a 91, in black. I wouldn't have purchased a normal escort LX cause they are slower than all hell, I probably would have gone with a single turbo 1st gen RX-7 but I couldn't afford it.

5mm is the most common "standard" size. Don't worry about it, those are what you want.

re: bad headlights - yeah, a common problem on US cars. Lexan lenses that get all yellow with age, etc... I'm glad my current car (Probe GTS) has standard rectangular headlamps, so it was trivial to replace 'em with Euro-Spec H4s, and go from there to HIDs. I looked at (drooled at) the RX-7s too, but cost of ownership is just too high in terms of maintenance... The EGT was totally a no-hassle car - aside from regular oil changes I hardly did anything. (It was totalled when I let a friend drive it. bad story... I'd had it for 7 years, 140,000 miles, still driving as strong as when it was brand new.)

Just joking with ya anyway, I think your AngelEye project will look pretty cool when you finish it.

highland:
I'm talking about the FIRST gen RX-7's... not the 2nd or 3rd, which no doubt look a LOT nicer.

I got to drive a non-turbo first gen once and I loved the quick snappy feel of it. I always read about how the guys with the single turbo RX-7 first gens just totally sodomized the competition at the autocrossing events, and I really really like the sporty compact, lightweight, quick little cars.

My next car will either be a mr 2 or an RX-7 single turbo, or something along those lines...

but for now, I am forced to work on my GT.

Just today, I was flyin through the the backroads in a turn marked for 25mph (doing 60mph /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif) and I just popped out of second and launched off in 3rd gear and right when I hit 4K rpms on my way out of the turn, getting a little bit of wheel wobble - my fav ... the resonator blows off the exhaust line... LOL.

So I'm replacing the resonator with a straight through pipe tommorrow morning and seeing how it works out. I'll get a 450 dollar custom mandrel bent SS exhaust with magnaflow dual tips in about half a year when I can afford them, but right now I'm ghettofixing it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've got a non-turbo "B style" RX-7 VAF and K&N FIPK cone filter on the car, and other than that it's bone stock, engine-wise.

I've got parts of the car sanded down in rust repairs and it looks pretty hideous, but I love driving it... it's so swell.
----</cartalk>----

Anyway, should I go with ab's leds or the superbrightleds.com leds? If somebody would point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

Also, what resistors and such would I need to hook these leds up to the 12V DC line in my car? Should I hook 2 LEDs up in series, and have each headlight with 2 leds in series, and 2 sets of those in parallel? I'm not sure exactly what I should do, electronics wise.

Take a browse thru the Electronics Forum here, this sort of question is more suited there and has probably already been answered.

Typical forward voltage for a white LED is 3.6V, typical operating voltage in a car is 13.8V, more or less depending on the age and quality of your wiring. On my car I measured 14.2V at the lights with the alternator running.

I would first try 4 in series and see if it looks bright enough. It very likely will be fine. If it's too dim then you can go to two in series with a resistor.

You should get yourself a multimeter if you don't already have one, and take measurements to verify the voltage on the car, and the voltage and current driving each arrangement of LEDs. I.e., try the 4 in series on the car, measure the current and voltage. This will give you a point of reference as to how close you are to the LED's maximum current rating, and how much resistance you'll need if you step down to 2 in series.

jeez... you know, aced the physics exam on kirchoffs rules, RC circuits, and capacitance, but I still don't know jack about real life stuff.

How do I limit the current to an LED? I hook up resistors in parallel?

Even with classes with an accompanying lab, you seldom get enough hands-on experience to meaningfully apply the concepts taught in a lecture. If you aced that physics exam then you already know the relevant formulas. If you don't know how to apply them here, that shows that school has only taught you how to memorize things, not understand them. Sorry state of affairs in our education system. sigh...

Kirchoff's rules are even more advanced than we're talking about here. It's just Ohm's law, very basic - V=IR. You have a 13.8V power supply and two 3.6V LEDs in series, and a resistor of unknown value. Obviously you want to solve for its value. The other unknown in the scenario is current; let's assume you want 25mA.

So, the two LEDs in series will be 7.2V. Subtracting from 13.8V means you want 6.6V across your mystery resistor. Plug this into Ohm's law, with I=25mA and you have the answer.

Just substitute in the real values based on your LED specs and actual measured voltage on the car and you're good to go.

The Nichia's and the LEDs over at superbright are both 5mm. The Nichia's are much purer white, and the superbright brand are quite blue, maybe (probably) more than you're looking for. I think I'd go with the Nichia's available here. They're way brighter than the white ones you got. As for the Escort, I understand your dilemma, I was there not too long ago (less than 10 years), but I bought a used CRX. Anyway, have fun with your project.

Also, how are the LEDs that come with the light kit hooked up? They appear to be standard 5mm, so I would think if you hooked up the new replacement LEDs exactly the same way, you shouldn't have any problem. Judging from the wiring harness shown in your picture, they are laid out with 2 parallel sets of 2 LEDs in series. I don't think you'd need anything else to limit the LEDs if you do it the same way.