Newbe with some LED questions (yet another tail light thread)

[justDIY]

Actually I was thinking you would turn on the puk with the main power and driving it's modulation input with an oscillator running off of it's 5V reference.  The brake/turn switch just has to disable the oscillator to turn on full intensity.

some sort of simple logic will still be needed, for example when the brake and turn are both on, you want the light to alternate high/low, not remain high all the time.  the turn could interrupt the brake's override of the pwm, but on the same note, the turn would also have to supply its own interrupt of the pwm for times when the brake is not active.

[majorboost]

Actually I was thinking you would turn on the puk with the main power and driving it's modulation input with an oscillator running off of it's 5V reference.  The brake/turn switch just has to disable the oscillator to turn on full intensity.

some sort of simple logic will still be needed, for example when the brake and turn are both on, you want the light to alternate high/low, not remain high all the time.  the turn could interrupt the brake's override of the pwm, but on the same note, the turn would also have to supply its own interrupt of the pwm for times when the brake is not active.

From the factory, the brake circuit runs through the turn signal switch. The turn signal switch has two contacts in it. One for the strait through brake circuit, then when the turn signal in engaged it opens the brake circuit and completes the circuit for the turn signal flasher. Being from 1971 the car has no rear amber's, both the brake and turn are run off of the same bulbs. I don't know if that helps any with explanation if I were to keep the factory wiring set up.

These schematics are for a Jeep, but it is basically the same type of circuit.

[img http://www.alldatapro.com/alldata/PRO~V91114578~C27882~R0~OB0~P2R0X~N/0/34870051/56418387/56418402/56418404/34853741/34869956/34869958/42027608/42027642/41810575[/img]http://[img http://www.alldatapro.com/alldata/PRO~V91114578~C27882~R0~OB0~P2R0X~N/0/34870051/56418387/56418402/56418404/34853741/34869956/34869958/42027608/42027642/41810576[/img]

[cadstarsucks]

Still looks the same to me.   A diode OR from the lines power the puks and the brake/turn line disables the PWM to it's puk in addition.

That way the either the running lights or the brake/turn will power the lamps and if the brake/turn is on the will be bright.

[majorboost]

Sounds good. I am going to do some more reading on PWM on the site, then take it from there.

I placed my order from Ledsupply.com for 12 K2's and 2 1amp Buckpucks. Now I need to bug you guys on how to modify the Buckpucks to put out 1.3amp output

At least the project is OFFICIALLY on the way now

[justDIY]

you need the D-I version of the buck puck.   it has a little screw in the bottom which you can turn to trim the current output between a range.  Officially the range is 110% over, but mine went past that - even 500ma to your strings of k2's will be plenty bright - given their high temperature tolerance

[majorboost]

Good, the D-I 1000 is what I ordered. I should get to start playing in a few days!

[majorboost]

Hey guys. It's been a while since I last posted, I didn't forget about all of the help you gave me. I have just been taking it slow, and getting it right. I got one side of my tail lights done. I think it turned out pretty good. I still have to figure out how and how much I am going to dim the reds for tail lights, but that is latter after the other side is done. I just wanted to check in, post some pics, and say thanks again!



Reverse light (Chrysler Pentastar)

By majorboost, shot with E5400 at 2008-07-27

Brake light in bright daylight

By majorboost, shot with E5400 at 2008-07-27

Brake light in dark

By majorboost, shot with E5400 at 2008-07-27

[cadstarsucks]

Major, are you happy with the brightness?

Dan

[majorboost]

Major, are you happy with the brightness?

Dan

I'm not sure yet. I'll have to wait until I get the other side together, then make the call. I may end up adding more in each side, they look a little too spaced apart to me.

[majorboost]

The more I look at the tail light, the more I think I am going to redesign it. I am going to get rid of the Chrysler symbol back up light, add more superbrights to bring the LED's closer together (I can always tune down the ma if they are too bright), then add two strips of white LED's on the top and bottom as reverse lights. It's close, but not quite to my liking yet.

[justDIY]

I can't believe six ~45 lm leds isn't blindingly bright as a taillight.   typical led taillights combine a few dozen leds rated at 1-3 lm each, you are well past that.   I'm thinking your red plastic filter is to blame, it's probably only passing a narrow section of the led's output.

[majorboost]

I can't believe six ~45 lm leds isn't blindingly bright as a taillight.   typical led taillights combine a few dozen leds rated at 1-3 lm each, you are well past that.   I'm thinking your red plastic filter is to blame, it's probably only passing a narrow section of the led's output.

There are a couple of things playing role in why they are not that bright. #1 the lens I have over them is black smoked lexen, #2 the camera didn't do the lights justice they are brighter in person, and #3 the battery I was using for testing them to make sure they work (the same battery that I used for the pics) is a 12 volt camera battery It's not supplying the Buckpuck with the voltage it needs.

[cadstarsucks]

There are a couple of things playing role in why they are not that bright. #1 the lens I have over them is black smoked lexen, #2 the camera didn't do the lights justice they are brighter in person, and #3 the battery I was using for testing them to make sure they work (the same battery that I used for the pics) is a 12 volt camera battery It's not supplying the Buckpuck with the voltage it needs.

Let us know how they look on the car battery... Are you pleased with the effect of the advice?

Dan

[majorboost]

Let us know how they look on the car battery... Are you pleased with the effect of the advice?

Dan

They are about the same lm on the car battery. Just as you had warned me the smoked lens took away from a good amount of the lm. When I remove the lens the lm increases quite a bit. I am going to add 6 more K2 stars in each lens, and ramp down the ma on the Buckpucks if necessary (so I don't blind the poor guy behind me).

I am quite pleased with the advice you guys have given me. It is not the total effect of what I was going for, but I now know with the Buckpucks, and heat sunk K2's I will have given up some eye candy for longevity. I could have gone with full boards of pirhanas to get the "look" I wanted, but they would not have had the brightness after a some hours of use or the lifespan due to overheating. I gave up some form for dependable function. That is perfectly fine in my book. With a total of 12 k2's in each lens, I will get close to the "look I was going for, and they will look wicked at night races.

I will be in the process of redesigning them this weekend. I am getting rid of the Chrysler Pentastar white lights and replacing them with a combo of 5mm and 3mm in a rectangular arraignment. Then I will add the 6 extra K2's and see were that brings me.

I'll post my result pics when it is done...................... Again =) Custom work........... It's never "finished".

THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!!!

[cadstarsucks]

I will be in the process of redesigning them this weekend. I am getting rid of the Chrysler Pentastar white lights and replacing them with a combo of 5mm and 3mm in a rectangular arraignment. Then I will add the 6 extra K2's and see were that brings me.

I'll post my result pics when it is done...................... Again =) Custom work........... It's never "finished".

THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!!!

If you have the spare lens you could try sanding the LED side to diffuse it a bit for a more uniform glow.  You give up some intensity but you get closer to the look you want