nash542001 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I have decided I am tired of the old lights going out all of the time and not being all that bright, so I have decided to make my own LED lights for the rear with somewhat of a twist. I am going to use the brightest LEDs I can buy for a good price and mount them to a mirror plastic plate that I will fit into my original tail light assembly. I plan on using 70 LEDs for the stop and running lamps with the running lamps only powering a few LEDs and the brake turning on all of them. The turn lights will be 60 amber LEDs. The only problem I see is trying to mold my own clear plastic lenses so I will have a more euro style look and the LEDs can be seen when not on. The backup lights will be cool white LEDs with about 12 in each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 (edited) Here is the pics of some of the work that has been done. I can say drilling 400 holes for leds sucks and wiring them up sucks even more! Still working on the rest and hope to have it finished by the end of this week without the clear lenses. They have proven to be difficult to master molding them because the plastic I order I think is to thick for my purpose. I need to find a better frame to hold the plastic in while heating it. As for the turn signals the twist will be a circuit designed by a freind at work to have the lights light up progressivly from one side to the other in a cheveron formation. Edited April 26, 2010 by nash542001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Nice job. Â Two words: Wave Soldering. Â Send that out to a manufacturer and have them marketed. Â I think it would sell if it were priced right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 Nice job. Â Two words: Wave Soldering. Â Send that out to a manufacturer and have them marketed. Â I think it would sell if it were priced right. I might once I am finished and if it looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx240z Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 looks great so far.im planning on doing this myself soon.im interested in seeing your blinker setup once your done. keep up the good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted April 29, 2010 Author Share Posted April 29, 2010 The blinker setup sould be done by the end of next week at the latest. I will post pics once it is finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 (edited) Here are some more pics of the stop/running light without the covers on because I am waiting on Klearz to modify my existing one to be transparent. The running light will be LEDs spelling out DAT on the Left and SUN on the right. The brake light will be all of them lit up. I wonder if you can get a ticket for the running lights being too brite. If so I might be in trouble, hopefully the cover will dim them down a bit. Oh yeah there is also one of the back up light with LEDs and the cover on. It is a world of difference from the old light. Edited April 30, 2010 by nash542001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone028 Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Looks pretty slick! Got to be honest though...the DAT SUN idea is kinda cheesy...but to each his own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MREDDLE Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 I like were your heads at... I want to do this also. What are you using as a driver? What Watt LEDs are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted May 2, 2010 Author Share Posted May 2, 2010 I like were your heads at... I want to do this also. What are you using as a driver? What Watt LEDs are you using? For the brake/running lights I am using 2.1 volt @ 20ma that is 13,000 mcd. The back up light is 3.2 volt, 23,000mcd @ 20ma. The driver for the signal light is going to be a LM3914 dot/bar display driver circuit running in dot mode with a RC charge and discharge triger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UofA_ZCar Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 For the brake/running lights I am using 2.1 volt @ 20ma that is 13,000 mcd. The back up light is 3.2 volt, 23,000mcd @ 20ma. The driver for the signal light is going to be a LM3914 dot/bar display driver circuit running in dot mode with a RC charge and discharge triger. Nice work! I hope to convert to LEDs in the future as well. Maybe you could write up a how to when you are all finished for those of us less electical savy Z owners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 Well I have not finished my lights just yet, but the one of the turn signals is almost complete. Here is a video link of what it is going to look like for the turn signal. Once complete I will try and write up a basic and easy way of doing this modification, but no promises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VLEE Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 (edited) Well I have not finished my lights just yet, but the one of the turn signals is almost complete. Here is a video link of what it is going to look like for the turn signal. Once complete I will try and write up a basic and easy way of doing this modification, I promise. dude, this is so cool. oh, and I fixed your statement...this is what you really meant, right? Edited May 8, 2010 by VLEE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 (edited) Well the lights are pretty much finished and here is the link to watch the video of the signal light. There is still an issue with the flasher affecting the voltage supply to my circuit which causes the LED intensity to change. The pictures and video are not the best quality and so they look better in person then in the pictures and the brightness of them prevents me from getting a head on shot, overall I am satisfied with how they look and just need to fix the flasher issue. Edited July 21, 2010 by nash542001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest skimattybee Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 the LED tail lights are sick! great work...id be willing to pay someone to make a set of led tail lights for me... if you are interested in making some cash let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted August 11, 2010 Author Share Posted August 11, 2010 the LED tail lights are sick! great work...id be willing to pay someone to make a set of led tail lights for me... if you are interested in making some cash let me know How much and what do you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 I think I found the way to fix the voltage fluctuation and cycle disruption. I will post my findings when I try the fix out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihiryu Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Looks sharp! So you have an idea on what you're charging yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Nope, just making them for myself right now. If I get to where making them is less time consuming then I might decide to sell some. Will not be anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash542001 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) Well the fixed worked. I will be ordering and making some boards for this circuit. Also I am trying to make my own cast lenses like the ones on the car. If I get the process down with no problems I will make some extras to sell at a decent price. Edited March 27, 2013 by nash542001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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