LED Foglights?

InfiniteReality

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I was thinking of taking off the housing in lieu of some circuit boards holding about 200, 13000mcd white LEDs. I know as far focus goes, there will be none. But the stock fogs aren't useful anyways, and this will allow me to leave my fog light covers without melting the tint on them plus will match my illuminated front plate (196, 6K white LEDs). Mounting the boards, covering them up (using my fog covers) and wiring I have figured out. Just trying to figure out if it'll look good when lit up, so I figured I'd ask the experts! :)

Thanks!
- Del
 

zespectre

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If it's for show, it'll probably look neat. In terms of function I don't think you'd be happy.

1) White LED lights seem to suffer from a "bounce" effect where the light bounces on the water vapor (fog) and just illuminates the cloud bank into one white mass that is impossible to see through. There has been a lot of conjecture as to why this happens but no (to my knowledge) scientific answers yet.

2) The LED bank will probably not produce enough heat to defog (or in colder weather defrost) the lens of the lights. Audi is experimenting with LEDs as main lights but they have little defroster strips in them (like your rear window) because there isn't enough heat.
 

cratz2

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Maybe not as 'fog lights' but as driving lights... I think with a proper reflector, they could be effective. I know the beams of my Lux III Mag mods will cut right through my Silver Star headlights or the very decent OEM headlights of my father in law's new F150. I think that Using an IMS or McLux reflector of some sort, with the lens epoxied in place and the rear heatsinken and epoxied... Then just figure a way to mount them to keep them rigidly aimed.
 

InfiniteReality

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Honestly, it doesn't matter if my fogs are useful or not. As it sits now they're not anyways and I've upgraded them. Basically the only purpose is to just have light there. I plan on just cutting a 5" circle on a board and stuffing as many LEDs in there as I can. On the T/A I can wedge the board in the bumper hole (has been tested and good up to 120mph) and wire. The fog light covers will slide over the board to hide it until I turn them on. Since LEDs produce very little heat I can run my LED fogs at the sametime my covers are on (unlike now without melting the covers). Another thing they will be mounted at least 8" into the bumper so maybe the bumper will direct the light a little?

Guess my question now is that if I build it, do you think they'll look okay coming down the road or will it look like a blob of light?

Thanks!
 

cratz2

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Well, if the primary goal is for them to look good to other people, my guess is you'd want as many people as possible to see them so again, I think Luxeons would be the way to go rather than a cluster of 30 or 40 5mm LEDs.
 

InfiniteReality

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cratz2 said:
Well, if the primary goal is for them to look good to other people, my guess is you'd want as many people as possible to see them so again, I think Luxeons would be the way to go rather than a cluster of 30 or 40 5mm LEDs.

I believe I can fit around 200 5mm white 13K LEDs on a 5" circle. Not sure what the total number will be, but I will fit as many as possible. The place I've been buying LEDs from, I can get 200 for $30 shipped from China. So assuming I do that, would it be better to put Luxeons? What's the price on them run? Good place to buy them? Just trying to be cost effective, yet get the look I want out of them.
 

James S

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aren't some fog lights tinted amber to get around that throw problem in the fog? It might be interesting to experiment with an array of spider or luxeon amber LED's. They could be very bright and much less expensive too :)
 

InfiniteReality

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James S said:
aren't some fog lights tinted amber to get around that throw problem in the fog? It might be interesting to experiment with an array of spider or luxeon amber LED's. They could be very bright and much less expensive too :)

Yep, I know some Lexus cars have had yellow fogs for years just for that reason. I've thought of doing that with my fogs, but I don't want to stand out. I've also thought of having yellow bulbs in my fogs and get a HID kit for my headlights, but didn't for the same reason above. I do plan on doing my DRLs/signals on the front with orange 5mm LEDs. I have everything to do it, just gotta remove the signal for a day or 2 while I put it all together and seal it up.
 

IsaacHayes

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An amber LuxIII in each one would be cool. You'd have 2 large amber driving lights that were like parking lights.

Nice ride btw. Mods? Year? MT or AT? :wave:
 

Mark_van_Gorkom

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I used to have a Lupine light on my bike with 26 5mms, and at night in heavy fog it was simply amazing. Turned night into day. Not much use in clear weather however; lots of light but no throw at all. I'm thinking of mounting it on my trike specifically as foglight but it'd need a seperate batt.
 

cratz2

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You can get Luxeon stars here for $12 each for the TX1Ls, assuming you want stars rather than bare emitters. That's what I'd personally go for.

Actually, I've been kicking around the idea of doing something just like that on my car. I think the hardest part would be ensuring the housing was both completely waterproof rigidly in place so they wouldn't migrate to where they were pointing up to people's eyes.

I know you said you don't really care much for functionality, but I'd have to think the Luxeons would do a much better job of cutting through fog. I'm more concerned with distance they can throw the light and I have ZERO doubt that the Luxeons will be radically better than the 5mm LEDs for that purpose though I'm sure that 100 or so 5mms will put out for flood light for, say within 15 feet or so but I think the Luxeons will throw further than the high beams on your car with a cut down Mag reflector.
 
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zespectre

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James S said:
aren't some fog lights tinted amber to get around that throw problem in the fog? It might be interesting to experiment with an array of spider or luxeon amber LED's. They could be very bright and much less expensive too :)

My experience with fog lights is that the lower you can get them to the road the more effective they tend to be regardless of color. Amber fog lights don't really cut through any better than white lights (this has been scientifically proven) but what they do is illuminate anything they hit with a yellowish color that gets your attention.

Where I grew up (rural upstate NY) it was very common for us young guys to mount yellow fog lights down low, and then aim the passengers side one slightly towards the shoulder of the road. You couldn't specifically see that it was a deer off to the side, but you would see a yellow lit blob moving towards the road so you were at least a little more aware that the deer were present.

Neat trick, it worked pretty well actually.
 

tsask

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GREAT POST! Ive been thinking about doing the same thing with Lux amber LEDs!!:naughty:

watertight seals are a concern. i am also concerned about the proper resistor because the current can vary from the alternator. dont LEDS like a constant flow of juice, not spikes?

One prob with fog lamps is blowing out/replacing bulbs. properly installed LEDS would eliminate this problem.
 

cratz2

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But you can use a regulator rather than just a simple resistor. The downboy works from 3.5-16V, I think... Seems like it would be just the ticket... Or at least it's what I'll use if I ever do something similar.
 

IsaacHayes

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The CC circuit from taskled.com would work best I think, as it's bigger to work with (not tiny) and is made for auto applications. A CC5W at 700 or 1000ma with 2 series connected Amber LuxeonIII leds would do very well with proper heatsinks on them of course. You could leave them bare for a "parking light" effect, or put some optics on them, perhaps even wide angle optics to help spread the light out more behind the lens.
 

Ras_Thavas

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Check your local laws before you spend money doing this. Generally using any non DOT approved lighting on the vehicle is grounds for an unauthorized equipment fine.
 

tsask

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Ras_Thavas said:
Check your local laws before you spend money doing this. Generally using any non DOT approved lighting on the vehicle is grounds for an unauthorized equipment fine.
sad but true. ive been hassled for green fog lamps 35watt & 100watt and LEDS
if i MUST have "Amber" why not blast 5 watts?? heh heh heh:rock:
 

InfiniteReality

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Definitely need to use a regulator. I don't have one on my illuminated front plate or 105 LED license plate and you can see them dim/bright a little bit. No biggie, but if I do my fogs then I'll use a regulator on those.

Housings isn't a problem, if I cut it out the same size as my fog cover it'll slide in the opening and wedge into place just like the covers. I plan on wiring it the same way as I did all other outisde boards. I'll just cover teh back really good with liquid electrical tape. 1 1/2 years later on the front illuminated plate and every single one of the 196 LEDs still work. I may grind the heads flat for a little more light dispursion, think I should?

Cops will definitely hassle anyone with fog colored anything but white or amber. I've had no problems with my front plate, license plate light or my rear filler panel (366 red LEDs). I think I may have problems with the fogs mainly due cause you can see the LEDs. If I could diffuse them so it looks like one big light then I could get away with it with no problems.
 

InfiniteReality

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Okay, after seeing the LEDBeam.Com flashlights output I'd DEFINITELY going to use 2 or 4 Luxeon 3w (or 5w, depending on price) per fog!!!

After looking at the Sandwich Shoppe's site, there's LOTS of LEDs to choose from! Can someone point me in the right direction for which LEDs I need to buy?

Also wiring of a 3watt LED, is this any different than a typical 5mm LED? Anything special I need or need to know??

MANY THANKS!!!!
 
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