Installing LED's into wagon

[Charon]

I have a Subaru station wagon. I would like to setup LED's in key area's around the interior back and interior front of the car.
Ex: The rear corners of the wagon to shine forward into the cargo area, some on the rear hatch to light the ground when rear hatch is open, under the dash etc...

The wiring and the LED's are not my problem. What I am having trouble finding is a lens, dome, or cover for the led's. I want them to be flush with the mounting surface. But do not want the LED's exposed to anything that may damage them in the cargo area.

Anyone know where I can find some sort of clear flush mount housing for cree's ? Clear or some sort of diffuser lens is fine. I really want it to be flush mount or very close to flush, 1/8th on an inch out.

 

[irsa76]

http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=2863
Hella LED cargo light.

http://www.narva.com.au/Narva_Catalogue.html
A few choices there.

 

[Charon]

Daym...
Thanks that is pretty much exactly what I am looking for. Would be nice to get in a square shape. But that is close enough

*edit* Urk I just noticed that it is 18cm in diameter... that is rather huge.

Now I need to figure out a way to add a fade timer into the mix. So the light turns off on a delay.

Ex: Close cargo area... light remains on for 4-5 seconds.

But thats another addition once these are wired.

*edit2* Large, but I cannot find anywhere online to actually buy this ?

 

[Lynx_Arc]

one way that might work for a delay switch is a relay and a capacitor on the relay power leads that drains down till it lets go. otherwise you may need a 555 timer circuit.
figuring the capacitor size would take doing though.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Not cute or techie but falling-out-of-bed easy........

Older Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth vehicles used a time delay relay to do exactly this. Looks like a silver can ~5/8" in diameter and ~1 1/4" long, with three spade terminals on one end. Should be available at any auto parts store or I've found several just strolling around a junk yard. If you get desperate shoot me a PM and I'll send you a couple.

:buddies:

 

[jasonck08]

cool stuff.!

 

[Ken_McE]

What I am having trouble finding is a lens, dome, or cover for the led's. I want them to be flush with the mounting surface. But do not want the LED's exposed to anything that may damage them in the cargo area.

Anyone know where I can find some sort of clear flush mount housing for cree's ? Clear or some sort of diffuser lens is fine. I really want it to be flush mount or very close to flush, 1/8th on an inch out.

I'm having the same issue upgrading the lights in my car. I'm really not looking forwards to snaking wires all around under the ceiling liner. The Oznium people ~ http://www.oznium.com/led-modules ~ have some ready made units that look pretty low profile. This eBay vendor ~ http://cgi.ebay.com/WHITE-LED-Decor...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262 ~ says that their light is .2 inches tall. In the pics it looks like it is reasonably robust.

Another way you could go if you cared to is to get thin LED light strips and mount them in protected corners of the ceiling. Having a more diffuse source makes the light less blinding if you glance at it. This would also relieve you of the need for a heat sink.

I have some Striplytes from:

http://www.acolyteled.com/products/stl21dccon.html

In the cool white color. They are encased in resin and are both bright and sturdy. You could probably drive over one and not hurt it.

If you do find a good low profile surface mount plese link to it in this thread. I'd like to know about it too.