How to make LED tail lights? for Trans Am?
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Magee MS
How to make LED tail lights? for Trans Am? I was wondering how to make some LED tail lights. I was thinking I could take the stock tail light lenses and cut the stock type buld places out and make one big LED panel and wire em up somehow to flash like the stockers did. Anyone know how to make something like this work? I'm not big into eletronics but I think I could figure it out. I want something like the Cadillacs have(I think its the deville maybe), yanno is the big led panel.
Its a thaught and if you guys could lead me in the right direction to where I could pick up the stuff to do it with I might could get it started!
Josh S.
Its a thaught and if you guys could lead me in the right direction to where I could pick up the stuff to do it with I might could get it started!
Josh S.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: NY
That job is going to be a bitch.
Hundrens of LED lights, your going to need a circuit board to do the setup like the caddy Deville has. I do know the lights are expensive as the 2000 caddy deville my mother has, i'm sure it's over $200 per side.
Think about it, the caddy doesn't have an dim mode for twlight except for the outer edge of the rear light (no headlights on mode but sidemarkers and dim lights on) so techanically your dim lights won't brighten, it will go from OFF to ON when you hit the brakes unless you have an seperate circuit with low power LED's for twlight mode.
Each LED will need 1.5V to lumminate it...
I don't think it's worth the time doing this...
Hundrens of LED lights, your going to need a circuit board to do the setup like the caddy Deville has. I do know the lights are expensive as the 2000 caddy deville my mother has, i'm sure it's over $200 per side.
Think about it, the caddy doesn't have an dim mode for twlight except for the outer edge of the rear light (no headlights on mode but sidemarkers and dim lights on) so techanically your dim lights won't brighten, it will go from OFF to ON when you hit the brakes unless you have an seperate circuit with low power LED's for twlight mode.
Each LED will need 1.5V to lumminate it...
I don't think it's worth the time doing this...
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
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From: Eastern MA
It just takes time/patience and some knowledge. I have been thinking about this for a while now. Just check out some computer modding sites where people have worked with LEDs. Remember PCs have a 12v rail also, so you can test your work using an old PC power supply (Yellow = 12v, red = 5v, black = ground).
As for the "twilight mode"... LEDs can be dimmed, but only to a limited extent (not like an incandescent bulb). Another approach is to have some of the LEDs on in twilight and all on during braking. I was thinking of using one LED per hexagon in the taillight's pattern. This allows for some creativity in twilight mode and blink patterns.
The basic parts you will need are:
* a circuit board (for packaging)
* LEDS
* resistors (to lower the 12v to what the LEDs require -- there is a formula)
* wire
* heatshrink tubing
* rosin (sp?) core soder (sp?)
* sodering iron
* maybe an IC for patterns, etc.
* maybe a relay
* ?
Here are some sites to help you out:
(these sites are people working with LEDs in other situations)
http://www.twistedmods.com/modules.p...icle&artid=184
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/guide...us/index.shtml
http://www.metku.net/
LED Calculator:
http://www.metku.net/index.html?sect...calc/index_eng
(There are other -more intuitive- LED Calculators, but this is all I could find right now)
Those are just some sites. Check them out and some of their affiliates.
The only things that I am wondering about are the current draw from all those LEDS and the twilight mode.
The flasher will also have to be replaced with a digital one since the current thermal one will either not work at all or could damage your new light assembly.
I have not tried any of this yet, since I am still in the research phase.
I hope this helps.
--VIP1
As for the "twilight mode"... LEDs can be dimmed, but only to a limited extent (not like an incandescent bulb). Another approach is to have some of the LEDs on in twilight and all on during braking. I was thinking of using one LED per hexagon in the taillight's pattern. This allows for some creativity in twilight mode and blink patterns.
The basic parts you will need are:
* a circuit board (for packaging)
* LEDS
* resistors (to lower the 12v to what the LEDs require -- there is a formula)
* wire
* heatshrink tubing
* rosin (sp?) core soder (sp?)
* sodering iron
* maybe an IC for patterns, etc.
* maybe a relay
* ?
Here are some sites to help you out:
(these sites are people working with LEDs in other situations)
http://www.twistedmods.com/modules.p...icle&artid=184
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/guide...us/index.shtml
http://www.metku.net/
LED Calculator:
http://www.metku.net/index.html?sect...calc/index_eng
(There are other -more intuitive- LED Calculators, but this is all I could find right now)
Those are just some sites. Check them out and some of their affiliates.
The only things that I am wondering about are the current draw from all those LEDS and the twilight mode.
The flasher will also have to be replaced with a digital one since the current thermal one will either not work at all or could damage your new light assembly.
I have not tried any of this yet, since I am still in the research phase.
I hope this helps.
--VIP1
Last edited by VIP1; Jan 5, 2004 at 02:27 PM.
All, I can say about this is if you do end up doing this...(inwhich mosy probubly will) either two things will happen.
1- People will really like it and ask if they can buy one and wear can they get it at
or
2-People will make fun of you and still end up buying a product like yours in the long run
1- People will really like it and ask if they can buy one and wear can they get it at
or
2-People will make fun of you and still end up buying a product like yours in the long run
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From: Showing Italians the power of LS1
I had researched this a while ago, and calculated the cost with the proper viewing-angle, and brightness LED's As I remember the cost was somewhere in the $700-$800 range just for the LED's for both tailllights. (one LED per Hexagon) Hell, if you actually build a system that could be replicated for under $300, i'd be interested in buying the plans.
Last edited by Snootch; Jun 29, 2004 at 03:04 PM.
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From: Showing Italians the power of LS1
I forgot the source, but that many 5000+ mcd led's with a viewing angle of 40deg are not cheap. Remember, they've got to be damn bright to be seen even with bright sunlight shining on them.
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I was just looking on a site and they have 6000 mcd at 30deg viewing angle and 100 will run you $109. I haven't counted up the hexagons on the back of the tail lights, but I don't see how it would be more than 100. Add another $75 for the circuit boards to solder them on to and Maybe $75 for other miscellenous items. Realistically I can see it costing about $300 for the job...I should talk to my electrical engineer friend when I get a chance.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 93
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From: CT/AL
I think the toughest part of this job would be getting the circuit board mounted in the taillight.
the LED's you need would be around a buck a piece, maybe less. Resistors (you need 470 ohm for 12v) are pretty damn cheap, so even with 200 you're not looking at much money (compared to new taillights, or the 700 quoted above).
I made a "bar" of superwhite LEDs for my license plate. I used two cheap Radioshack perf boards and 12 leds. Fabbing it up was not hard. Besides, a perfboard has a regular pattern, so you can space everything perfrectly.
As far as the brake light, do what the guy above said. I don't have a 'bird, but you could make a small design to be on all the time, and then have ALL of htem be on when the brake is pressed. Really, the sky is the limit on this.
I'm currently making the side rear view mirror turn flashers (ala Mercedes, GM trucks, et) out of LEDs. If I had a bird, I would definately try to make new tailights.
-Dan
-99 SS #1673
the LED's you need would be around a buck a piece, maybe less. Resistors (you need 470 ohm for 12v) are pretty damn cheap, so even with 200 you're not looking at much money (compared to new taillights, or the 700 quoted above).
I made a "bar" of superwhite LEDs for my license plate. I used two cheap Radioshack perf boards and 12 leds. Fabbing it up was not hard. Besides, a perfboard has a regular pattern, so you can space everything perfrectly.
As far as the brake light, do what the guy above said. I don't have a 'bird, but you could make a small design to be on all the time, and then have ALL of htem be on when the brake is pressed. Really, the sky is the limit on this.
I'm currently making the side rear view mirror turn flashers (ala Mercedes, GM trucks, et) out of LEDs. If I had a bird, I would definately try to make new tailights.
-Dan
-99 SS #1673
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 32
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From: Charlotte, NC
Have you guys tried the Clear Alternatives (www.clearalternatives.com) 2" 40 LED assembly? It plugs right into the 1157 socket. They are $20 each and I'm not sure if 40 LEDs per "bulb" is bright enough but it would be worth a try for what you are thinking...Just FYI...
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
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From: Eastern MA
Originally Posted by 98BlackBird
One problem...The 2" diameter board may not fit through the bulb hole in the light housing...oh well, back to the drawing board...
I've seen LEDs on an auction site that starts with an "E" for under $80 for 1000 of them. Reds are the cheapest LEDs as well. I paid $43 shipped for 250 white LEDs 2 weeks ago. I also don't think that 100 LEDs total or even for one side would be near enough to compensate for regular lamps. Think about this, I have 196 LEDs behind my front plate and that's not even 1/2 the size of a taillight.
Not to mention it's not even full of LEDs, just a cluster of them for the bird, for circuit board pics, see:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v375/I...tedFrontPlate/
I'd consider somethign like this myself, but it'd be way too much time spent doing it.
Not to mention it's not even full of LEDs, just a cluster of them for the bird, for circuit board pics, see:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v375/I...tedFrontPlate/
I'd consider somethign like this myself, but it'd be way too much time spent doing it.
I did it for the camaro lights, and I'm about to start another pair in a week or so.
http://www.cardomain.com/id/ls1_ss
-Nathan
If that page doesnt work use this one..
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/733654/1
http://www.cardomain.com/id/ls1_ss
-Nathan
If that page doesnt work use this one..
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/733654/1
Last edited by LS1_SS; Jan 19, 2005 at 12:31 PM.