LED wheelchair taillights :)

The_LED_Museum · #1 05-16-2001, 10:44 PM

Remember last new year's when I got stopped in my wheelchair for having "improper lighting"?

Well this should piss off a few cops...

I decided to butcher up my new wheelchair this evening by adding 18 of those blue-violet Kingbrights in the rear bumper. In this picture, the still half-disembowelled chair is lying on its side on the floor just after I soldered the last connection. Even off-axis like in this picture, they were enough to leave a large blue halo on the camera image.
In real life, they have a very distinct super deep blue-violet color, and when my red taillights come on, the wall is flooded in a brilliant purplish magenta color. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

The blue phosphor in your computer display just doesn't have a short enough emission wavelength to do this picture justice... they really are more purplish in real life.

I also reinstalled the original "offensive" red & blue PIC flasher module under the footrest of my chair, aiming at the ground just in front; and I added a super bright PIC flasher (80 ultra bright red LEDs with a programmed set of flashing patterns) to the undercarriage to illuminate the ground beneath. Both should be visible in this picture:

Guess that means I'm back... and I'm back with a vengeance!! No silly earthquake can stop this LED nut from making his appointed rounds! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]: [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Chris M. · #2 05-18-2001, 12:40 PM

Looks great! If anyone`s ever in Seattle, watch for the blue glow in the sky- that`ll probably be Craig!

I just got my deep blue Kingbright LEDs from Craig today and they have to be the most stunning colour of LED I have ever seen- even beating Nichia`s wonderful turquoise ones. OK so they aren`t the many-thousand-mcd blinding bright ones that flashlights use, but the very eyecatching deep blue/violet colour makes up for that. 10 of the little beauties are currently shone at my celing and cast a glow that I can only liken to the deep blue of UV black-lite reflected off white clothes or inkjet printer-paper. Use a few for a nightlight, indicator lamps, disinctive taillights [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] The most eye catching LED lamps you`ll find until they finally perfect true Violet ones.

[img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

The_LED_Museum · #3 05-19-2001, 05:47 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Chris M.:
Looks great! If anyone`s ever in Seattle, watch for the blue glow in the sky- that`ll probably be Craig!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I actually discovered I drilled too many holes [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] so I filled them with more of the blue Kingbrights. Let's see if I can get a picture of how they go with the red taillights that I put in last Thanksgiving...

snap! snap! snap!
Downloading... moving... etc... etc...

Off-axis, with flash.

Off-axis, with no flash.

More or less on-axis... this is how someone 10' or more away would see these. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Chris M.:
I just got my deep blue Kingbright LEDs from Craig today and they have to be the most stunning colour of LED I have ever seen- even beating Nichia`s wonderful turquoise ones. OK so they aren`t the many-thousand-mcd blinding bright ones that flashlights use, but the very eyecatching deep blue/violet colour makes up for that. 10 of the little beauties are currently shone at my celing <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm glad you like them. I saw this particular chip in a lab sample last fall, but only recently did I find any actually for sale on the commercial market.

snakebite · #4 05-30-2001, 04:04 PM

i am making a 60led headlamp for a rascal scooter i occasionaly use.running it off 24v right from the switch.will let you know how i did it when finished.
as for the cops f*** them if they cant take a joke!
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

KenB · #5 05-31-2001, 11:03 AM

Looks way neat Craig...just keep that handcuff key light handy.

**DONOTDELETE** · #6 06-05-2001, 07:16 PM

really cool, craig! how much for a ride? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] is that a wheelie-bar i see on the back? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

The_LED_Museum · #7 06-08-2001, 06:50 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by franken:
really cool, craig! how much for a ride? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] is that a wheelie-bar i see on the back? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yup that's a wheelie bar. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I endoed my old chair in the doorway of a nightclub last fall...they had this steep concrete threshold I had to traverse, and I gave it too much "gas", and over I went.
There was stuff flying everywhere and I had to crawl out of the wreckage of the upside-down heap of garbage, while everyone just stood around watching.

So I collected the pieces, made a couple of impromptu repairs, and limped home with half a motor mount holding the back section together. [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

A week later, I had the new chair delivered, complete with wheelie bar on the back, heavy duty gearbox, heavy duty motor mounts, and spring-loaded anti-tip things on the sides. [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

Marked · #8 06-22-2001, 05:31 PM

looks like close incounters of the 3rd kind in those pics.

Why did the cops stop you? Flashing red and blue lights? Maybe you should try yellow lights. I don't think anything is wrong with flashing yellow ones. I could be wrong tho.

MorrowA · #9 06-12-2006, 04:48 PM

I am new to the forums after researching for powerchair lighting and ran across this site a while back, its a cool setup I ordered their complete kit and they installed it since I was nearby, in fact those pictures on their website are of my chair as I was one of the first to do the entire kit on one chair. The headlights are hecka bright at night in fact I dim them quite regulary as they can be blinding in some situations. Anyways looking forward to learning some stuff on this site just thought I would point out a cool product.

cobb · #10 06-12-2006, 08:15 PM

Wow, you want to temp faith dont you?

I had a light kit from a wheelchair company on my wheelchair that had two standard side marker red lights in the back wired in series for 24 volts and a 24 volt wide angle flood light up front.

I late installed two 55 watt hallogen lights up front in place of the one and man, that was bright. I then installed two two lamp side markers for the rear in place of the single bulb ones. Then a roll bar with gun rack and 4 more 55 watt lamps. WOOHOO, I could turn night into day and see a battery bar go out on my battery meter til I turned them off. I would blink the roll bar in crowded areas or leave it on to magically get a patch clearned in front of me. Also worked well for reading chaulf boards and bullitin boards in the hallways at the college I attended.

My other wheelchair had 2 red rear led side markers and 2 amber front ones wired in series/parallel for 24 volt operation and hard wired to the electrical system so they are on 24/7 I left it on for 2 years and finally unhooked them when I stopped using a wheelchair.

I was tempted to wire the led lights to a strobe box, but didnt want the cops bothering me.

dirtie · #11 06-14-2006, 01:03 PM

holy sh****** what a invention.. never heard of such things..i have a pride celebrity scooter.. which i could find someone to help me do this to my scooter.. what a life saver this could be. im out at nite ofetn. my wife gets worried when im out on the road

thanks all
dirite

The_LED_Museum · #12 06-14-2006, 03:30 PM

I just got a Pride Celebrity X3 scooter yeterday, and was quite surprised that it came with three white LEDs in the front for running lights, and red LED taillights.

Ken_McE · #13 06-14-2006, 08:26 PM

Craig, I can only see one of the pics. The others come through as broken links. Got 'em posted anywhere?

cobb · #14 06-14-2006, 08:30 PM

You like it led? I was going to get one a few years ago when they speced to still offer a reclining seat and turbo mode. I was never able to get a direct answer on the reclining seat. Supposely it was discontinued for the 3 wheel, briefly offered on the 4 wheel model, then not offered at all on a scooter.

I had an invacare cat with the aviation tiller. Man, I opened up thespeed controller, turned the pot and got it to do wheelies and 7mph on level surface. I can hit 17 on down slopes. The only lighting and leds on it was the battery meter.

ACMarina · #15 06-14-2006, 08:47 PM

Ken, that's because this post is mega-old.. look at the post date on the first message..

I'd also like to see the pics, though, if they're still around someplace..

dirtie · #16 06-17-2006, 11:47 AM

hey led i had mine for 5 years.very little trouble. got new heavy duty batts, new tires and tubes, arm rest. and due to a malfunctioning handicapped door a new floor board[ damn thing would nt open when it did i hit the gas and the door slammed shut on my front end cracking the floor.

fortunatly the owners of the doctors clinic paid for this.. like @425.00.

[ i think it was too cold for the fiber glass ,-20 deg real feel... brrrr.

i hope ya like urs like i like mine.keep in touch all
regards,
bill

MorrowA · #17 06-26-2006, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobb

Wow, you want to temp faith dont you?

I had a light kit from a wheelchair company on my wheelchair that had two standard side marker red lights in the back wired in series for 24 volts and a 24 volt wide angle flood light up front.

I late installed two 55 watt hallogen lights up front in place of the one and man, that was bright. I then installed two two lamp side markers for the rear in place of the single bulb ones. Then a roll bar with gun rack and 4 more 55 watt lamps. WOOHOO, I could turn night into day and see a battery bar go out on my battery meter til I turned them off. I would blink the roll bar in crowded areas or leave it on to magically get a patch clearned in front of me. Also worked well for reading chaulf boards and bullitin boards in the hallways at the college I attended.

My other wheelchair had 2 red rear led side markers and 2 amber front ones wired in series/parallel for 24 volt operation and hard wired to the electrical system so they are on 24/7 I left it on for 2 years and finally unhooked them when I stopped using a wheelchair.

I was tempted to wire the led lights to a strobe box, but didnt want the cops bothering me.

The entire lighting system on my chair only draws about 2 amps average at 12vdc so I am not in the situation as you were with having probably close to 10 amps with the halogens and the markers it adds up quickly... I actually have recieved a lot of positive comment about the lights from law enforcment plenty of oportunities for them to give me problems so far so good, beside legally nothing I have on the chair is "against" the law as I am running amber strobes and white headlights with a non flashing red tail light. I cannot get over how bright the headlights are for as small as they are!

cobb · #18 06-27-2006, 05:03 PM

I had 35 and 25 watt lamps, but they seemed dim since they were running on 12 volts or less vs 14 volts or so when a car is running. The 55 watts really stuck out as being bright, so on they went.

Yeah, its closer to 15 amps with all 6 lamps on.

The_LED_Museum · #19 06-27-2006, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken_McE

Craig, I can only see one of the pics. The others come through as broken links. Got 'em posted anywhere?

As far as I can determine, all of the photographs in this thread are on this website:
http://ledlights.home.att.net/how.htm