My LED license lamp solution

[phat_focus_zx3]

When can I get some? I sent a PM awhile back and was waiting for word on when I can have a pair. Let me know I have cash in my paypal. Please shoot me a PM Thanks!

[xerofall]

The ones I got as a test are BRIGHT, they light up the ground behind my car and don't have that "yellow" color regular bulbs have.

I heart covert1!

[CrUziN4L]

The ones I got as a test are BRIGHT, they light up the ground behind my car and don't have that "yellow" color regular bulbs have.

I heart covert1!

yeh same with me...its good if i drop something lol

but the new ones he is working on then everyone will have a halo behind there focus
-chris

[racer_x_svt]

Hey I know your in testing but I was a iddiot and put aftermarket hyperwhite bulbs, the blew and melted the housing and now I have no tag lights. As soon as you can get some of the for sale let me know.

PS: I have already checked the wiring, luckly it's not messed up. I just need new housing really bad.

[dheath]

I was a iddiot

irony

[covert1]

Almost there!





IF you saw my previous demos and compared them to these new ones, you'd laugh at how badly the demos stack up. (OK, you might chuckle at the generous solder, but, still...) The only steps remaining are soldering the leads to the tinned connectors and submerging everything in sealant.

Things went almost without hassle this time around. I had to get some extra epoxy because the last one I used started to turn yellow. Thank goodness I tested it out first. So I bought some new epoxy, but it dries surprisingly clear and with only fine, coursely spread air bubbles.

I have a few more sets to construct. Of the ones constructed, a few pairs have sanded LEDs. The sanding did appear to spread the light wider, but to what extent won't be known until I plug a pair into my car. One trick I might employ, is to take the dusty powder from the sanding, and mix that with the epoxy to make a slightly more opague lamp, but without harming the actual LED color very much.

Speaking of my car, the first prototype with the ugly wires is still going strong two months later.

My experience with the circuit boards has been pleasant. I also took the other guy's comment about resistors into consideration. After spending a few hours reading about LEDs and resistors, I decided to make a series circuit with a single resistor. Technically, the resistor might not be required, as the LEDs are rated to take upto 3.8v a piece (allowing for the car to spike to 15V without killing the lamps) but I put a 10 Ohm resistor in there, just in case.

Having done this, I could probably construct a really nice dome light mod, too. While someone else (not focus specific) has kinda beat me to the punch on this, I have a set of the same wide angle LEDs on the way.

Provided the weather is fine tomorrow evening, I will take more license plate pics. Hopefully the cool blue/white will appear better than I think it will be. Hope to have more tomorrow.

[mikeyboy]

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.

you didn't have to go through all that trouble, you just had to use the flat screwdriver to pry them sideways and pull them out. unless you needed access to the harness?

i changed these on both a ZX3 and a sedan, didn't have to pull off anything on the inside (or remove the trunk or hatch trim). in fact, i only opened the trunk up to bring the lights up to eye level

[edit]: hah, found my old ford focus license plate lamp howto thread on FF.

[focusonfocus]

looks good..not difficult to make..
i have made led under dash bar using same prepunched perfboard from radioshack.

this is out of topic but want to show the led..
only 6"

[xerofall]

you didn't have to go through all that trouble, you just had to use the flat screwdriver to pry them sideways and pull them out. unless you needed access to the harness?

i changed these on both a ZX3 and a sedan, didn't have to pull off anything on the inside (or remove the trunk or hatch trim). in fact, i only opened the trunk up to bring the lights up to eye level

[edit]: hah, found my old ford focus license plate lamp howto thread on FF.

Yes I realize that now... I couldn't bend to get a look at how the lenses were held into the strip. So instead of fumbling and pehaps breaking it, I opted to remove the strip. It wasn't really all that hard to do, just a lot of steps.

[covert1]

Latest pics...

Here's the new 'pure white' LED lamp. Unfortunately, the camera could not tone down the exposure enough to get it quite right. In the next pic, the pattern is slightly misleading. The camera is overwhelmed by the light source...



But this pic sort of makes it better:


However, to be frank, the contrast level should be just between those two pics. There is a slight grey area between the lights, but not as dull as the first pic but not quite as bright as the 2nd one.

Then, the 'cool blue/white' LEDs. I have never truly liked these LEDs, as I bought them expecting to have more of a pure white, like the former pics. They are also not nearly as powerful. This picture actually came out quite accurately:



They give off a cold florescent appearance. While not as bright as the pure white LEDs, though, the blue tint to the light makes them a little bit more appealing to the eye.

I had forgotten how the lamps were oriented up there, but now that I got to see it again, I can make one more adjustment to the individual LEDs to help conquer the middle of the plate. Of course, adding the LED filings to the epoxy might help even more. Until next time (damn work tomorrow )

[OneHigh_focus]

Sign me up....I'm in for a set whenever they're done

Sooper dooper bright white pleez

[CrUziN4L]

Alright, new design(1.0 and a half)...improvement = 100%

cleaner design, all LED's in working condition..


and im loving how it lights up the ground behind the car, nice lil affect, look at my dark garage!(alot darker in the pic cuz of the camera phone sry)


can't wait to see the ones with the new circuit board and design!

-chris

[xerofall]

you didn't have to go through all that trouble, you just had to use the flat screwdriver to pry them sideways and pull them out. unless you needed access to the harness?

i changed these on both a ZX3 and a sedan, didn't have to pull off anything on the inside (or remove the trunk or hatch trim). in fact, i only opened the trunk up to bring the lights up to eye level

[edit]: hah, found my old ford focus license plate lamp howto thread on FF.

Yes your way worked perfectly, thanks. That was much easier now that I knew how to get them out, lol.

[xerofall]

Here is the new set covert1 sent me using the circuit board and clear epoxy...







While they are not as bright, they are aimed better at the plate and look a little more appropriate, not having that "headlights look" shinning down on the ground behind the car.

(Also I had my finger over the camera's flash so the exposure might be off... they are brighter than they look in that pic.)

[Rally Man]

(Also I had my finger over the camera's flash so the exposure might be off... they are brighter than they look in that pic.)

I sure hope so, cuase I can't see squat in the first pic! So, can I have mine all ready?

[CrUziN4L]

yeh i got mine too, try and take a pic of em when its dark tonight, like 10pm, ahh i love summer

-chris

[mikeyboy]

and im loving how it lights up the ground behind the car, nice lil affect

be careful that these lights do not cause glare to blind the driver behind you. that may get you pulled over. the goal is to illuminate the plate so it can be read from a specified distance, not to put a white spotlight pointing backwards on your car.

[CrUziN4L]

yeh we aren't some ricers for affect here...purpose is more like it, clean look..

its not that bright, and more likely to get a thanks from the cop than a ticket, better visibility for him

-chris

[CrUziN4L]

aright finally dark...here's mine, and i love em
semi-close

real-close

far-away


better light dispersion, and softer also which is a good thing, but as u can see its far from dim...don't think any cops would hassle me, and if they do i can't wait for the arguement

-chris

[CrUziN4L]

well the new circuit board seem to burn out on mine...first the right side stopped working and now the left did

i switched back to the older pair and they are still glowin

-chris

[covert1]

Well, I'll be back on top of this once I get back from my trip to FOTB. I got to see Xerofall's set up close and didn't notice anything awry. However, it seems that the prototypes with the parallel LEDs/resistors are the better route to go, despite the minor bit of aggravation in putting it all together.

Anyway, as I told some people at FOTB, my intent is to get sponsorship here and have these available soon.

[covert1]

Good news - this new set of LEDs on the breadboard feature a greater viewing angle and are nearly as bright as the original concept's LEDs. Better yet, I was able to find this type of LED in a cool blue and 'close-to-pure-white' style.

Here's a pic of the works in progress:



The other style of LEDs are included in the pic (not lit) for comparison. Also, EE's at my job suggested I utilize the parallel LED/resistor set as they will be less sensitive to what they believe is a current overdraw in the series circuit. That would explain a lot, because the lamps on the first page - which are also parallel, have never died, whereas testing has shown the series circuits (which have resistors to handle up to 16V) to die prematurely.

More to come later

[CrUziN4L]

well definitly keep me posted on the production of those in PURE WHITE...

and i'll try and get those burnt ones out to u

-chris

[covert1]

Ok, I do not like the square LEDs. The first problem is that they take too much space on the board. The second problem is that since they're not as tall as the 5mm LEDs, I have to push them farther down in order to adhere them with epoxy.

I made some batches this weekend, and each test fit had issues because the components ended up forcing me to mount the circuit boards slightly off-center. The excess circuit board material prevented me from mounting these cleanly, so I had to try to file down the excess board to something more manageable.

Also, despite the obvious improvement in viewing angle (45 degrees versus 15 degrees for the 5mm LED) they did not appear any different when I tested them on the car.

The 5mm leds are certainly more flexible for this application. However, the square LEDs might make a GREAT dome light substitute!

The other news I had been holding out on, is that I can take pre-orders now. I just didn't have a spot on my website yet, but in my sig I finally have a place to present the lamps.

I'll be working with a few individuals who have priority, then getting to a handful of older PMs, but in the meantime I will continue to take PMs and handle requests in the order received.

Thanks, everyone; your interest in these made me decide to become a sponsor.

[CrUziN4L]

im gonna hold out with the ones i have till i see these on the car...but u kno i am down if they are even better