LED Tail Lamps

Hi,
Since I'm new here please forgive me if you have beaten this subject to death/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif but has anyone tried building a 5w star into a standard tail light bulb?/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Tnx,
RobD

Re: Tail lamps

I want to know too, and didn't want to start a new thread.

back from the dead...

Re: Tail lamps

Never seen a 5W star used, though once I find the right car, I'm intending to use a cluster of 1W's to replace everything apart from the brake lights and turn signals, though this is a car with flat light clusters, so is a lot easier than most.

Re: Tail lamps

[ QUOTE ]
RobD said:
Hi,
Since I'm new here please forgive me if you have beaten this subject to death/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif but has anyone tried building a 5w star into a standard tail light bulb?/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Tnx,
RobD

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't tried that (yet), but I did locate a LED
taillight replacement from Digi-Key that sports
24 LEDs, p/n 441-1029-ND, ~$10.00.

I haven't compared it to an incandescent yet, but
I fired it up with a bench supply and pointed it
at my face (a dumb idea!) and this thing is bright!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Re: Tail lamps

Main thing if I remember rightly isn't overall brightness so much, but directivity. LEDs are really bright in line, but have a relatively narrow beam. (Well, 5mm's or LS using an optic)

While for me, that isn't quite so much of an issue as all of the light's going in more or less one direction anyway, might be more of a problem for vehicles with wrap-around taillights that can be viewed from the sides. There's also the obvious legal side of things to be considered.

When I eventually get my grubby paws on the vehicle in question and start the project, I will of course post pics. Will do the same as well if I come across a set of taillights for one, will do that as a seperate project and just bolt them on when I get the car! Was thinking about using amber LS for the front turn signals...but they're built into the headlamps themselves...and I don't know how hard to get into those suckers are (and more to the point how hard to seal again afterwards).

Re: Tail lamps

[ QUOTE ]
Zelandeth said:
but they're built into the headlamps themselves...and I don't know how hard to get into those suckers are (and more to the point how hard to seal again afterwards).

[/ QUOTE ]
I (and many others) have taken our WRX one piece headlights apart by putting them in the oven. 225 degrees for about 20 minutes and the glue that holds the clear outer lens to the rest of the light becomes very soft and you take the headlights apart. I have done 4 sets at my house already. I don't know if it the same for other makes.

Re: Tail lamps

[ QUOTE ]
DBrier said:
I (and many others) have taken our WRX one piece headlights apart by putting them in the oven. 225 degrees for about 20 minutes and the glue that holds the clear outer lens to the rest of the light becomes very soft and you take the headlights apart. I have done 4 sets at my house already. I don't know if it the same for other makes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cool idea. Does this produce a lot of smelly
vapors in the kitchen? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Re: Tail lamps

Hey, I found a site that makes retrofit LED boards for classic cars. (Me being a car nut, and all)

www.cool-leds.com

Let me know what you think of my find...

Re: Tail lamps

Hmm, might have to think about that one...not sure how the plastic indicator lens inside would take to being that hot though, nor how my mother would take to me using her oven in that way...

Re: Tail lamps

Not sure which 5W you would use for the red tail lamp. There is no red 5W yet, and a white will be VERY reduced in brightness with a red filter - very little red in white LEDs to pass through. I know... I've tried.

As for NOT using them in the brake lights - why NOT? That is in fact the ONLY place I've used LEDs in my cars so far. Quicker to come on and can be brighter if done correctly. I use a combination of LS/O and 5mm for a bright light straight back, and some diffused light for off-axis.

I think I'll move this to the LED forum since that's what we're talking about here...

Re: Tail lamps

If you look at the

i)new Mercedes tail lights, SL55 and S series etc
ii) new BMW 5 series deco lights
iii) new BMW 7 series tail lights, front deco lights
iv) most cars slim type 3rd brake lights are also LEDs

They are all very bright LED. What sort of LED I am not sure but I know that Lumileds Superflux is a good candidate for these applications. Check it out... There are also chinese made superflux which are quite good in quality and cheap if you are looking in to bulk.

I think it will look better if you have an array of these rather than one or two 5watts.

Re: Tail lamps

Here is a nice write up on seperating the WRX headlights.
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=91392944219223fdd6a7362cf4d6fcca&threadid=1261
Your model may vary.
This will only work if you have a rubbery substance holding the two halves together. If they are glued or epoxyed together, you are out of luck.

Re: Tail lamps

http://www.jmtools.com/details.asp?Itemid=19-5008

Was recommended on hidforum.com as a source of a good array of LEDs for retrofitting into your own tail lamps. Reportedly, the 60 LED array is significantly smaller than the external housing. How small is significantly? Dunno, but for $20 it won't cost that much to find out.

Re: Tail lamps

I was thinking for the running/brake lights, probably a number of 1Wers...or now looking at that link, that might even fit inside that part of the cluster...gah, wish I had one of them handy to measure.

Re: Tail lamps

Any sources for those Chinese diodes?

Re: Tail lamps

I did a 1w red SE wedge type bulb conversion. It works good, but I can't get it centered, so only like 75% of the reflector is used. I haven't played with it since, so it's not being used...