BLKMGK Posted January 28, 2001 Share Posted January 28, 2001 Guys - another possible source. Try to find a copy of "Home Power" magazine. This is a really cool magazine for folks who produce their own electricity through hydro, solar, and wind power sources. Anyway, these guys use DC power in many instances and often replace their light bulbs and such with LED arrays. They use TONS of white bulbs and whatnot. Their advertisers would have sources for the LEDs that we're after. That mag has a WEB site somewhere but I've not been there in awhile and am too lazy to look it up right now Just thought I'd offer a possible lead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 28, 2001 Share Posted January 28, 2001 Oddly enough, the website name is: http://www.homepower.com/ (Yeah I'm lazy too, but when I post I open Altavista in a window as it keeps occasionally updating and doesn't allow my provider to time me out when I'm composing a message on HybridZ.(I HATE when that happens, damn dialup modems anyway..)) Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bayley Posted January 29, 2001 Share Posted January 29, 2001 Pete, It "should" be very simple to control 1 LED array with multi levels of intensity. Something as simple as this: "should" do the trick. Don't quote my resistor values, I just used a ballpark figure. I am getting more and more interested in the project. Keep me informed on which you LED's you guys decide to go with. -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 Wow, neat stuff guys I'll put it on my to do list as well.... One comment, I think all the lights on a Z need to be multidirectional. I'm not sure of the width/angle of an LED array but you want to see tailights ahead of you whether you're going straight or coming thru a series of S's in the mountains etc, same thing with brake lights. The reflector used has as much to do with this width of light beam as the bulbs does it not? I'd have a hunch you could solder them all in at most any angle you'd like unless you were drilling them in dead flat/flushmount on a second board....(just two long leads on each LED IMO, bend as you wish) Non-serious comment (I think), don't make the brake lights too bright or the cops will have one more iota of a chance of noticing me;^) Ross (stiff car and good brakes = minimal headlight dive to the coppers when tossing the anchor 2 days ago I was at an electronics wholesaler (returning a crappy silver pen, anyone use a good 'micro' one they can reccomend?) and they had a 'board' of 50+ LED"s and you hit one button and they all lit, I recall some were stinking bright and really surprised me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted January 30, 2001 Author Share Posted January 30, 2001 Last night I fiddled more with some of the 1" clusters from BG Micro. I drilled 5 holes in an aluminum bar, attached them 1 1/8 " apart, and wedged them inside the housing. I found that they're really sensitive to direction, and if they're not pointing straight out, light output is markedly reduced. I also determined that, at operational voltage, my 30 superbright LED's were as bright as the incandescent bulb, but the spot of light inside the lens was smaller. I think if I hogged out the backside of the reflector (it makes me sick to do that...) I can fit four more clusters in the row, and it will look good. I want BIG light and BIG coverage! Not blinding, just impossible to miss. It REALLY worked when the lens wasn't on the reflector, though. Tiny, intensely red star-shaped points of light really work to grab your attention like nothing else. Too bad I need the red outer lens to make it waterproof. My fabrication skills aren't mature enough to create a clear lens by myself. Too bad the Z market is too small to support the kind of clear marker lenses that Hondas and Acuras are running around with! That would solve all our problems, wouldn't it! Oh, Pilot and Petro are truckstops, and aren't likely to have anything interesting for you to look at over the net. But Iowa 80 (a trucker supply catalog) has a site that shows a 4" LED replacement lamp ($35.00 ea) that is too big to fit in the stock housing, but you could possibly use in a custom configuration. It looks like it has a BUNCH of LED's in it. http://www.iowa80catalog.com/iowa80/servlet/productdisplay?catid=FLAT-4 The thumbnail picture is broken, but if you click on it, you can see a larger picture of what I'm talking about. Iowa 80 carries much more than this single product. Order their catalog if you want to see more of this type of stuff. They also have those hard to find chrome nekked ladies for your mudflaps, too! Scott Ferguson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 I put a post to another list and here's a few comments that came back quick. "it is going to be very hard to get cost in line on even on a group buy. The best thing to do is get a bunch of third brake light bars from the junk yard and use the high brightness leds off of these. Most red Leds have a view angle of only 15 degrees or so. The new white Leds have a view angle of 135 degrees but are $2 each. You can bust out the glass of the old 1157 bulb and group 3 leds for running and 3 for brake light. The current limiting resistors control the brightness. To make matters worse the leds current requirements are temp dependent." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted January 30, 2001 Share Posted January 30, 2001 That 4" lamp is perfect. They have some "beehive" lights in red and amber that would be the right size to serve as running and directionals. Don't think I dig the look of those though - too pointy. Their website is really hosed. They list some 2" lights, but the pictures don't match up. Waiting for code to compile, I drew this up (with PaintBrush - no graphics tools at work): (edit: odd how sometimes the forum accepts html, sometimes not...) Each light would need it's own lens. The cover would be clear Lexan. Too geachy? [This message has been edited by jeromio (edited January 30, 2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted February 2, 2001 Author Share Posted February 2, 2001 Interesting job, Jeromio! I like it better than I thought I would. You're right about the beehives. They stick about 2" up off the surface, and it'd just look like you did a cheap-assed conversion. I think folks would laugh their asses off if they saw that. Although it's not as modern looking as clear lenses, I actually was thinking of putting two 4" lights on each side, kinda frenched in like Corvettes have. It's a classic look, with a modern twist. Fairly easy to fabricate, too. Just a flat (okay, it's a little bit curved) sheet to replace the tail lens/license plate panel. Smooooooth. Scott Ferguson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Andrew - I knew you'd chime in some day with some schematics - I LOVE IT! I've been stuck on a few circuits I've been developing for things on the Z in the past and now I know where to ask Ross, that's sage advice from that other list. The issue of view angle is important to me as well. It seems this might not be worth it to me in the long run, seeing the trade offs and money involved. Ain't NO WAY I'd put a ricey clear lense on my Z - just my opinion/taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Yeah I agree, clear is not happening on my car either. Now check out these aerodynamic babies, guarantee this would be different from everyone else: , Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Lone, you crack me up. No idea where you come up with this stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Purple240zt Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 LONE, nice choice but im not sure i want to put lights on my car that look that much like suppositories! LOL. HAHAH Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Purple240zt Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 LONE, nice choice but im not sure i want to put lights on my car that look that much like suppositories! LOL. HAHAH Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 17, 2001 Share Posted February 17, 2001 quote: Originally posted by BLKMGK: Don't look at cars - look at trucks! I'm seeing ALL sorts of LED signals on trucks aroundhere. They must be retrofitting them from somewhere - look to the trucking supply industry, surely there's a vendor or two out there. I'll look as I've got time out on the 'net but I'd bet that this would work fine... I would try the truck stops along a major freeway especially a " Pilot " truck stop as they seem to carry alot of truck accesories...only prob though would be what kind of volts do trucks put out??? Z ya later Mike K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 18, 2001 Share Posted February 18, 2001 Well, if you want BRIGHT, American Science & Surplus sells 80v 4a copier bulbs for $4. I also noticed that many of the high intensity LEds had vary small viewing angles (less than 20 degress). Gee, if you want high intensity you could just hook up a dozen or so laser diodes. Seriously, though, what about using a piece of glass or plexi in place of the lens and etching its surface? That might look pretty decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted February 18, 2001 Share Posted February 18, 2001 quote: Originally posted by lonehdrider: Now check out these aerodynamic babies, guarantee this would be different from everyone else: , Lone Lone, You are too funny. What are you building w/those...a Family Queen Truckster? Yea, we could use those. They'ld go well w/the Semi Truck Air Horns I put on top of my 280z & curb finders....Hey, I think I can use those. They definately would solve the Directional problem...Hey, speaking of directional-didnt Madonna wear those things on stage during her concerts? Kevin, [This message has been edited by Kevin Shasteen (edited February 18, 2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted February 20, 2001 Author Share Posted February 20, 2001 Kevin says: >They definately would solve the Directional >problem...Hey, speaking of directional-didnt >Madonna wear those things on stage during >her concerts? You're a riot, Kevin! I think, maybe if we had them lined up in a row, they'd give kind of a "Mad Max" look to the car, like they were spikes, or something. Mike K wrote: >I would try the truck stops along a major >freeway especially a " Pilot " truck stop as >they seem to carry a lot of truck >accesories...only prob though would be what >kind of volts do trucks put out??? Truckstops vary greatly in what they carry in the way of LED lights. Many only carry the incandescent bulb assemblies, but more and more are selling LED's too. And don't worry about voltage - Big rigs run 12V negative ground the same cars. The connectors are different, but it's no big deal to wire in a new set of plugs to fit. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted February 20, 2001 Share Posted February 20, 2001 My aim here is brighter taillights and indicator lights as a second priority. Naturally having better contact points so the bulbs don't go out after every bump would be nice too. What about using halogens in the taillites? And using something to decrease their output/heat so they don't melt the lenses? How can I clean the lenses to get them clearer? I found this LED mounted in a threaded cylinder at Pep Boys, in the dress-up section. I have it inserted into my side mirror's mounting hole, a mirror with turn signals! But not as big and ugly. ------------------ http://www.homestead.com/s30z/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 8, 2001 Share Posted April 8, 2001 oh oh oh! Check this out http://info.digikey.com/T011/V4/679-685.pdf Go to page 7 in the PDF (you need adobe acrobat to read it -- www.adobe.com) Some of these clusters are cheap, some not. Many of them are 2000mcd per LED, and contain 7 - (23? -- figure 5). Does that mean that the 2000mcd fig.5 red cluster would put out 23 * 2000? 46000mcd???? I'd buy that for five or ten bucks! The only additional 'hardware' needed would be a current limiting resistore so you don't cook your LEDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 8, 2001 Share Posted April 8, 2001 Also, check out this slashdot article about white leds overtaking the market for incandescent lamps. http://www.eet.com/story/technology/OEG20001212S0034 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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