Making LED taillights
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=77989
Printed Date: April 28, 2024 at 6:59 AM
Topic: Making LED taillights
Posted By: hakosuka
Subject: Making LED taillights
Date Posted: May 18, 2006 at 6:18 PM
thought it would be cool to make some led taillights for my bros skyline. i already took apart the headlights, and made fiberglass cutouts to hold the leds. im gonna put two sets of 8 for each bulb. one set for lights and another for brake lights. ive drilled holes for the leds in the blinkers and im waiting for the leds to arrive, not sure how long that will take. hope to have pics up soon. anyone see anything wrong with what im doing?
Replies:
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 18, 2006 at 6:20 PM
meant to say taillights not headlights..
Posted By: pyro_527
Date Posted: May 19, 2006 at 4:24 PM
I believe that there is a minimum amount of lumens required by regulations. At least there is for headlights (7000 I think). You may want to research that to make sure you meet the standards. Please someone correct me if I am wrong. ------------- Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come to you quicker....
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 20, 2006 at 9:09 AM
well heres my progress so far. the pic of the leds lit up was my prototype light...very bright 
the blinker 
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: May 22, 2006 at 1:59 PM
What size LEDs are you using? They look like high output 10mm's in the picture.
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 22, 2006 at 4:48 PM
theyre 5mm leds, but i think the stock lense might diffuse the light a little and make them look a little bigger
Posted By: mark111
Date Posted: May 22, 2006 at 10:15 PM
hakosuka,
Fantastic!Looks great!
Could you pls enlighten me the wiring diagram and other relevant to build similar lightings for my car pls.
Many thx.
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 23, 2006 at 7:34 AM
not really too good with led diagrams, but pretty much i just used simple addition, and it seemed to work. ex. i have 3v leds, so i wired 4 of those in series, which i geuss equals 12v. then i just added the clusters of 4 leds and wired them in parallel. not too sure if its the right way, but it seems to work the same. also i just wired one set to be lit up with the lights and a second set to come on when the brakes are on.
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: May 23, 2006 at 8:36 AM
hakosuka wrote:
not really too good with led diagrams, but pretty much i just used simple addition, and it seemed to work. ex. i have 3v leds, so i wired 4 of those in series, which i geuss equals 12v. then i just added the clusters of 4 leds and wired them in parallel. not too sure if its the right way, but it seems to work the same. also i just wired one set to be lit up with the lights and a second set to come on when the brakes are on.
You are on the right track in your 4 x 3volts = 12 volts theory. Two issues to consider:
1. the susceptibility of LED’s to inrush current and the resulting premature failure, and
2. the fact that cars really run on 13.5 -14.5 volts
Both of these facts, as you have it now will result in premature failure of the LED’s. There is a quick and easy cure for both problems. You have to add a resistor in series with EACH STRING OF 4 LED’s. Quick math puts that resistor in the 60 -100 ohm range and can be ¼ watt. This will help drop the voltage AND limit the current inrush.
Keep up the experimenting!
Posted By: mark111
Date Posted: May 24, 2006 at 1:30 AM
stealthone wrote:
hakosuka wrote:
not really too good with led diagrams, but pretty much i just used simple addition, and it seemed to work. ex. i have 3v leds, so i wired 4 of those in series, which i geuss equals 12v. then i just added the clusters of 4 leds and wired them in parallel. not too sure if its the right way, but it seems to work the same. also i just wired one set to be lit up with the lights and a second set to come on when the brakes are on.
You are on the right track in your 4 x 3volts = 12 volts theory. Two issues to consider:
1. the susceptibility of LED’s to inrush current and the resulting premature failure, and
2. the fact that cars really run on 13.5 -14.5 volts
Both of these facts, as you have it now will result in premature failure of the LED’s. There is a quick and easy cure for both problems. You have to add a resistor in series with EACH STRING OF 4 LED’s. Quick math puts that resistor in the 60 -100 ohm range and can be ¼ watt. This will help drop the voltage AND limit the current inrush.
Keep up the experimenting!
Thx for the great info and quick response hakosuka and stealtone.
stealthone,
You meant 1 resistor for each set of four leds in a series to the positive wire?
So for the case of hakosuka project as above,only need 2 resistors of 60-100ohm 1/4 watters?
Sorry not a pro just an amateur trying to learn stuff from you guys.
Many thx for inputs.
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 24, 2006 at 6:21 AM
thanks for the input everyone. i just got the leds in today, so i should be finished in a matter of days.
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: May 24, 2006 at 9:14 PM
[/QUOTE]You meant 1 resistor for each set of four leds in a series to the positive wire?
So for the case of hakosuka project as above,only need 2 resistors of 60-100ohm 1/4 watters?
Sorry not a pro just an amateur trying to learn stuff from you guys.
Many thx for inputs.[/QUOTE]
That is correct!
Posted By: 1998chevy1500
Date Posted: May 26, 2006 at 12:17 AM
I would go to this website and use the calculator to see what size resistor you need to use with the LEDs. https://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz
Posted By: mark111
Date Posted: May 26, 2006 at 10:54 PM
Thx Rookie,
Been most helpful.
Rgds.
Mark
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 27, 2006 at 2:29 AM
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: May 31, 2006 at 10:18 AM
i finally got one of the taillights wired up completely. i used 6 leds in series, each one is 1.8-2.4V, so i have a range of 10.8V-14.4V, and i also wired up the other two leds with resistors (not sure of the rating, they came with the leds and are supposed to be for 12v applications). i did the same with the second line of leds. i have 8 leds that come on with the headlights and another 8 for the brake lights. For the blinkers, i wired up 2 sets of 3 leds in series, each led with a rating of 3-3.8V. ive tested them out, and they work fine aside from the blinkers blinking fast (not enough resistance).
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: May 31, 2006 at 10:22 PM
hakosuka wrote:
ive tested them out, and they work fine aside from the blinkers blinking fast (not enough resistance).
Okay, do not add the resistor and replace the load, change the flasher electronic EL type. I have had good success with EL12 (two tab flasher) and EL13 (three tab flasher)
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: June 29, 2006 at 8:38 PM
i actually got some electrical tape and stopped being lazy, so i should be done by tomorrow or the day after. pics up soon
Posted By: kardain
Date Posted: July 22, 2006 at 2:45 AM
Looks good. Cant wait to see the final product :)
Here's what I'm working on for a Pontiac Sunfire:
Just used some preassembled boards (cause I don't really have the time or the extra $$$ for custom boards)
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: July 22, 2006 at 9:30 AM
nice! mines lookin very similar to yours, but mine doesnt have as many leds
Posted By: eazy-e
Date Posted: July 22, 2006 at 11:03 PM
Quick question, where are you guys getting your led's from? ive worked with leds before but never something like buildin a rear taillight seems like something i would love to try since i have a spare set laying around, im guessing 5mm is a good size, but how do i tell how intense the light is going to be? I know that the leds that come wit alarms are about 3v in terms of power but they are nowhere near as bright as those, maybe someone can point me in the right direction or kinda break it down for me while i go do a little research on my own.
Posted By: kardain
Date Posted: July 23, 2006 at 12:08 PM
Looks like the O/P is using loose LED's. I started that route, but ended up getting too complex as I was going with quantity over quality.
I decided to go with some preassembled LED lights. The amber one is a bullet marker from a big rig that I stripped the lens from, and the red one is a tail/brake, also from a big rig.
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: July 24, 2006 at 3:39 AM
eazy-e wrote:
Quick question, where are you guys getting your led's from? ive worked with leds before but never something like buildin a rear taillight seems like something i would love to try since i have a spare set laying around, im guessing 5mm is a good size, but how do i tell how intense the light is going to be? I know that the leds that come wit alarms are about 3v in terms of power but they are nowhere near as bright as those, maybe someone can point me in the right direction or kinda break it down for me while i go do a little research on my own.
ebay!! They have everything up to Lumiled III's on there.
Posted By: stealthone
Date Posted: July 24, 2006 at 4:08 AM
eazy-e wrote:
Quick question, where are you guys getting your led's from? ive worked with leds before but never something like buildin a rear taillight seems like something i would love to try since i have a spare set laying around, im guessing 5mm is a good size, but how do i tell how intense the light is going to be? I know that the leds that come wit alarms are about 3v in terms of power but they are nowhere near as bright as those, maybe someone can point me in the right direction or kinda break it down for me while i go do a little research on my own.
Eazy-E
The BASICS:
1. Match the LED color to the LENS color - that way there will be no illumination loss through changing color wavelengths
2. Yellow & Red LED's forward voltage drop is 1.8-2.4 volts giving you an average 2 volts per LED (6 in series equals 12volt (10.8-14.4v working range))
3. Blue & White LED's forward voltage drop is 2.4-3.5 volts giving you an average 3 volts per LED (4 in series equals 12 volt (9.6-14.0v working range))
4. Always put a current limiter (resistor) in each series of LED's in both of the above cases 60 ohm 1/4 watt works fine for car use
5. You can parallel as many of the above series as you like (or will fit the enclosure)
Hope that answers your questions
Posted By: hakosuka
Date Posted: August 01, 2006 at 10:30 PM
ya, make sure you use the resistors. i tested mine out and the ones i wired in series didnt have any resistors and burnt out. now i gotta pull the taillight apart again and put in new leds with a resistor this time. thought itd be easier to leave it out but it just made more work for me.
Posted By: rutcgr18
Date Posted: August 10, 2006 at 9:12 AM
here is the guy i have been using. Great LEDS i am a vol fireman and have building my own LED waring lights. Great product. I want to fully convert my 99 jeep cheroke to LED of cours not the headlights but everthing else. https://stores.ebay.com/Chi-Wing-LED-product-shop
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