ww Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 That is AWSOME! The bleed over is very minimal from what I can tell in the pictures. You did an excellent job. Those look very bright even from the angles. I'm about to come into a pair of extra '82 ZX tail lights that I'm very seriously considering using trying this mod. A list of part's and their sources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and again great job! Cheers, WW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I plan to take photos every step of the way as I build the second one. I will put a page on my website about how to do it. I linked earlier in this thread to where i got the LED's from on Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Damn good! Much better than my attempts 3 years ago. I gave up on this until I saw your post on the cheap LEDs and immediately ordered a set. They will probably sit for another two years until I re-start the project..LOL. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I actually completed this portion of the work a few months ago. So I know exactly what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_daniel Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 look really nice, i'm going to rebuild mine during the winter and yours looks really nice =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I had been following this thread since it started and it's nice to see one almost complete. I am just wondering the specs of the leds you purchased, because the link to Ebay is nolonger good. Is this what type of leds you purchased? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3861445693&fromMakeTrack=true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 No, this is the exact seller I bought them from right here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4671&item=5739373701&rd=1 He always has several sets listed on Ebay. Just click "View Other Items For Sale" to see all the sets he is selling personally. Great guy to deal with, too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted December 30, 2004 Author Share Posted December 30, 2004 Cool! I bought a bunch of white LED's off eBay with the intention of using them to light my interior. My thought was that red LED's emit well through the red plastic brake light lens and they give it a blood-red color, in addition to being less than 1/2 the price of white ones (last time I checked). I'm glad someone is further along than I am on the project. It's actually been so long since I worked on it, I don't remember whether the LED's are still in place, or if I put the incandescent bulbs back in! How's that for lack of commitment to a project? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 AWESOME JOB!!! Man, I'm so glad to finally see a finished product! My offer still stands '180SX, I am totally inept at electrical tasks, and would happily pay for someone to do this conversion. They look perfect! I read this entire thread through many times. Never understood why people were looking for RED LEDs for their red lensed assemblies. It would be guaranteed to diminish the visible light (red bulb coating behind red plastic = double color/filter). It seems that the ONLY way to maximize the emitted light is to go with white LEDs. It may cost more; but, if you're going to do it, don't ya have to do it right?! It has been a while; but, I'm going to try to order the LEDs from that eBay source. How many total do you require for both light assemblies? I've been in touch with the seller from eBay. He doesn't have that particular deal anymore; but, he has 500 pcs of 10k mcd for $95 + shipping and 'handling' (hate that 'handling BS!). So, please advise ASAP how many lights it takes to do the entire tail light assembly. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Never understood why people were looking for RED LEDs for their red lensed assemblies. It would be guaranteed to diminish the visible light (red bulb coating behind red plastic = double color/filter). It seems that the ONLY way to maximize the emitted light is to go with white LEDs. It may cost more; but, if you're going to do it, don't ya have to do it right?! http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led.htm Maybe that will shed some light on it for you. (boo, hiss) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 Yeah, red LED's are the brightest. When you buy super bright LED's, they list the measurement of how bright they are. I just bought a bunch of white ones because they're bright enough (obviously) and its easier to mount them in any color lense I want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 I was wondering if white ones are really necessary for red tail lights, (or yellow turn signals, for that matter). I either remembered from my physics class or guessed what was going on with the tail light lense color correctly - after I googled a bit, I affirmed my suspision - the color of the lense acts as a bandpass filter, not necessarily severely attenuating the color of light that's in it's "band". (See the second paragraph under "Optical filters" : http://www.imagineeringezine.com/ttaoc/lightpro.html#8 ) What that means is that if the light coming out of the LED is red and the lense is a true bandpass filter with ideally zero attenuation for the same red color, then the light from a red LED of X mcd will shine just as brightly through the lense as a white LED of X mcd. Of course, in reality no lense will have zero attenuation, even a clear one that isn't acting to filter out certain visible wavelengths, by design. Of course the other issue is whether the bandpass wavelength of the Z's red taillight lense matches the wavelength of the typical Red LED (~590nm). It's probably close enough... Another issue that I found was a problem with using white LEDs in red lensed lights: http://www.iguanamotors.com/faq.cfm (search for "My incandescent bulb is clear, why do I need a colored LED?") In other words, white LEDs don't necessarily put out anything close to an "even" spectrum of visible light like incandescents do, so don't expect colored lenses to filter their output like they do for incandescent lights. Their response: "Previously, the lack of white-light LEDs has limited the integration of LEDs into a wide range of applications; however, now, the misconception exists that InGaN-white LEDs can illuminate a lens of any color thereby simplifying lighting requirements and designs. Wrong! Since the color red is not represented in the white LED, white LEDs can only be used behind a clear or milky white lens or panel. Place a white LED behind a red lens and the light produced is a pink color, a yellow lens turns a lemon-lime, green lens shifts to aqua and orange lens becomes yellow. To maintain accurate and brilliant colors, it is imperative to match the LED color with the lens color. In short, white LEDs made from a blue chip cannot be used as a general backlighting light source for different colored lenses and panels." This is backed up by a tech article on Sunbrite's site: http://www.sunbriteleds.com/articles/index.asp?file=Led_VS_Incandescent.htm " For signage applications it is important to match the color of the sign face with the color of the LED to optimize lighting performance and color." Now, that's interesting! I was noticing that the white LEDs through the red lense shown in this thread looked pink, but thought it was a computer graphics issue. Oh well, I guess my Yellow and Red $7/ea LED type 1157 replacements from Newark were a good way to go anyway, over the $19/ea White ones. (I have Euro 240Z tail lights I'm going to try them in.) They are 47000mcd-48500mcd in the bright mode, with a 30 degree viewing angle. As noted, I think that will be fine since the lense is a diffuser also. They're Sunbrite 11 LED jobs: http://www.sunbriteleds.com/product.asp?id=127 I'm hoping they'll be bright enough, but if not, I'll consider opening the housings to install arrays - of yellow and red LEDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 This is one of those times that I'm really glad to be corrected. It would have been a shame to invest in this type of conversion only to end up with distorted light because of my misconception that white LEDs would be best. Glad to learn the truth...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 The pictures posted don't look too distorted...to me anyway. I mean, the inside of the lens is textured to allow incandescent light to fill the whole assembly right? Modern cars (not all of them) using LEDs as OEM have lenses that appear to be flatter and clearer (they don't have that bumpy pyramid-shaped texture on the inside). So, for 30 year old lenses, that may have or have not been cleaned up, and using a different light focusing technique, the results don't look too bad. If I ever do follow thru with my tail lite project, I plan to make brand new lenses somehow. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 It's just a computer graphics issue. My lights don't look pink in person. If you look at the pics I took of the turn signal lit up, you can see it is plainly red and not shining pink. The problem with the photos is that my digital camera sucks, and I was taking pictures of a light that was lit up... Common sense says it ain't gonna look right. Don't be afraid of white LED's. These ones are showing through the red extremely bright and pure red. I assure you. I think I did say that the pics don't do the lights any justice... Another thing is you can adjust the distance at which you set the LED's behind the lense to adjust how clearly you can see each LED. If you put them back another half inch or so from where I have them in those pictures, they will be much harder to make out. EDIT: If I was starting over at this, I would use red LED's in the housings, though... just because the LED's themselves are brighter. I used all white to simplify ordering the things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLS30-08077 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 I took the time to reseach and build some thing you all can appreciate. Read the AD and follow the links. It's in the classifieds. http://classifieds.hybridz.org/showproduct.php?product=2187&cat=21 For info, follow the links or e-mail me at wolfin32z@yahoo.com Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAYHEM Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 Old news I know,but has anyone here used these bulbs on the Z ? http://www.spiderlite.com/ . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93TA Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 Yeah, red LED's are the brightest. When you buy super bright LED's, they list the measurement of how bright they are. I just bought a bunch of white ones because they're bright enough (obviously) and its easier to mount them in any color lense I want to. Lots of times you can actually buy brighter green LEDs than any other color, not that that is useful for THIS. And you should be able to find whites just as bright as reds... both around 10,000mcd can be found. Here are some bright ones. This site is a very good LED source.. used to use them for non-car projects... http://www.eled.com/%5CSearchResult.asp?wavelengthlogic=%3D&wavelength=&viewinganglelogic=%3D&viewingangle=&LuminousIntensitylogic=%3E&LuminousIntensity=2800&chk5mm=ON&Search=Search&CategoryName=Mega+Bright+LED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Check LSDIODES.com they have some ULTRA bright LEDS you can use there about 1$ a piece but get like 10-20 should be twice would you need.. and you can wire them up easy enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loy Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Here's a pic of the right side Back up lights in L.E.D. I got bored and came out with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.