My LED license lamp solution

[dheath]

whats the current status on these lamps?

[phat_focus_zx3]

whats the current status on these lamps?

What he said...

[covert1]

Damn! Looks like I'm getting called out!

First off, this is the first NICE WEEKEND DAY in a while - it's neither cold nor rainy, for once. Just the kind of day I needed, so I could catch up on a few things.

Since I last posted, I've gone about and constructed lamp sets, using some cardboard as a "ghetto" circuitboard, with a conductive silver pen to do the traces. These boards, with the LEDs + resistors, have been encapsulated within the RTV from the last set of pics. Starting with the original demos from above, I added RTV to those to fill up empty space. Then I constructed the remaining 3 pairs I had this morning.





At the time of this posting, the lamps with RTV are baking in direct sunlight. This, I hope, will cause the RTV to cure faster than just sitting around in my basement. At the end of the day, I'll check them each out, then put them outside tomorrow, if necessary. After that, I'll be soldering the leads to the tinplated copper terminals. Finally, I will be attending to some month-old PM's!

Also in the meantime, I've acquired some extra colors... to see how they all appeared, I put samples into my little test board and took pics:

(L to R: Red, Yellow, "Cool Blue/White", "REALLY bright white")




FYI: The lamps I've made, so far, are all of the "REALLY bright white" type. Also, in the pics, the RED and YELLOW respectively "orange eachother out" from their glare.

The next batch, whenever I get around to that, will involve these perforated boards:


Until next time...

[siasmaster]

How much are you going to charge for these. I want some.

[dheath]

You have become quite popular with this mod. Dont let anyone down

[Honda Hunter]

That's pretty neat...

I'll take one if you can make strobing rainbow.

[RacerAV]

ill take one also , lol, sounds cool, guessing this will all happen through pm, so ill be waitin
Adamo

[dinoadventures]

i'll take a pair in orange if you're gonna sell

[DeadFroggg]

Why don't you just use 1 resistor as all of the lamps a running in parallel anyway?

[David Anderson]

pm me when these are ready in bright ass white

[Sting2324]

Same here..when the bright white that your showed in the first picture is ready, PM me. I currently got one of my lights out and im patiently waiting for thisto go up for sale...

---Randy

[LornesBored]

do you make brake lights too? shotty a pair

[boostedzx3]

my whole thing is keep it as dim as you can so they can barely read it but not enough so they can pull you over

[02LGZX5]

I would like the Cool Blue ones i love that color!! I'm gonna wait to PM you cause i'm sure your close to burning up your keyboard. But thats about the best mod i have seen yet...great job.

[CrUziN4L]

my whole thing is keep it as dim as you can so they can barely read it but not enough so they can pull you over

well if thats ur thing, then ur guilty of something

[PCP_TwilightZX3]

welp i'm in for a set of cool blue do i smell group buy... Pm me with price and i shall paypall very soon

[xerofall]

Just got mine installed today...

I had to remove the carpet lining to my trunk.(Sedan) I also had to remove my license plate and frame in order for the chrome strip to come loose. Unplugged the connectors. Then unscrewed the chrome strip. Four 10mm bolts. Took out the chrome strip containing the lights.

A flat head screwdriver lightly pressed on the metal side will pop the housing out. Then replace with the covert1 LED set.

I'll get pics at night, but here's what I have so far...

[CrUziN4L]

ah see one of ur LEDs aren't working either...i got mine but on one of my lamps only one LED is working...

he is working on a new design with a new circuit board that should be more durable, also he is lookin to spread the light more evenly by modifing the LEDs

-chris

[covert1]

Yep; and I appreciate all the feedback from the three test subjects - LOTS of lessons learned. Not to mention their patience in dealing with the defects that turned up

Also, I didn't realize how much trouble a sedan owner has to go through

The good news is that I ordered a ton of lamps from a sponsor and with the three day weekend coming up, I can't wait to get the next batch brewing.

Revisions to be made:
- File down the LED tops a tad to unfocus the light a bit and spread it
- Mount the LEDs to the circuit board with a 1mm or less gap, so I can fan them out, also to help spread light
- Use the same epoxy that I used in the franken-lamp on the first page, because it spreads light the most and gives the 'whitest' appearance
- Employ the rigid circuit board to ensure that conductive paths don't get mucked up in shipping, and
- Coat the boards/resistors in this Aeroplate conformal coating.

[xerofall]

Here are some night shots...






I wish I took night shots of the lights before this mod, so I could compare them with the stock, but I'm sure these are brighter, whiter and won't burn out or corrode.

[xerofall]

Good God, that's corroded!

My stock ones were not that bad and I'll be sending them to you for core so you can make more of these wonderful little guys.

My stock one...

[covert1]

Wow, your originals are pretty crisp.

Why don't you just use 1 resistor as all of the lamps a running in parallel anyway?

Well, I had redundancy in mind (which turned out to be a very good thing for the testers) and, besides, when I buy the LEDs by the 100's, I get a resistor for each LED free or very cheap, so I might as well use them.

do you make brake lights too? shotty a pair

I'm flattered, but I don't think I'm talented enough. That was the real reason I acquired all these LEDs in the first place - because I wanted to make some LED tails for my wagon. NOW, I know I can make a board with LEDs, but I just cannot take the taillamp assembly apart gracefully

[CrUziN4L]

sounds good!

-chris

[Rally Man]

So, uhm, when can I get one?

[CrUziN4L]

there not in "production form" yet...us few are the test customers (first few to show interest) to see how they work and write up reveiws on them...

after the next set, im sure you'll be a lot closer to gettin urself a pair, he'll let u kno

-chris