LEDs in headlights
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=85587
Printed Date: April 23, 2024 at 2:04 AM
Topic: LEDs in headlights
Posted By: silverado42000
Subject: LEDs in headlights
Date Posted: November 13, 2006 at 7:38 PM
hey, ive seen many cars and trucks with LED lights in the headlights at shows and on the net. im wanting to do the same for my truck but i dont know how i should go about doing it. i dont know if i should only put two or 4 and whether i should just drill the holes and mount them or take off the lens then drill and w/e else there might be that ive forgotten. So if anyone knows or has a way they do it or any suggestions please tell. Thanks in advance ------------- 
Replies:
Posted By: diablo666l
Date Posted: November 13, 2006 at 11:48 PM
I have done a decent amount of LED work in my car...are you looking just to light up the headlight mounting or do you want something worthy of emerfency response?
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"Keep On Rockin In The Free World"
Posted By: silverado42000
Date Posted: November 14, 2006 at 4:24 PM
just looking to light them up, for shows and such -------------
Posted By: music lover
Date Posted: November 19, 2006 at 6:54 PM
hiya i have done this on my car, best thing to do is goto www.oznium.com and goto the gallary and see what people have done if you go there look under - ford - escort - then look for chazz ford escort and you click on the link that says glow and it will come up with pictures of what i have started to do. If u want any help just email - coombeschr@hotmail.com
Posted By: music lover
Date Posted: November 19, 2006 at 7:00 PM
https://www.oznium.com/gallery/ford/escort/667/2022 while im thinking about it heres a link straight to the site where my car is, if u want more detailed photos just email me and i will send u some hope that helps
Posted By: diablo666l
Date Posted: December 07, 2006 at 10:49 AM
I recently just modified a set of fog lights to light up blue when active. Eventually they will indicate if my remote-starter has been activated (but they can still be switched). If you don't mind doing a little drilling into the headlight casings, i would do the following: 1. Search online for LED and RESISTOR packages. The greater the lumens or candela, the brighter the LED. Becarefull, if you only want to light them up slightly, you will either want more lower candela, or less greater candels LED's, my recommendation is go with a few brighter bulbs. 2. Tap a dent into the metal case with a screw driver, as to indicate where you want the LED to go. Most people hide them among the rims or behind the light itself if you have such a set up. I recommend putting them somewhere unobtrusive, and towards the grille of the car (so that the bulb points away from the grille). The dent also helps your drill bit from floating around and moving when you go to make the hole. 3. Put the LED in from the inside of the housing outwards, if your housings are sealred, do the exact opposite. Hot glue the led in place, making sure that the metal contacts of the LED are not touching the metal housing, as this will ground out the LED 4. solder on a resistor, run your wires to whatever switch you want, and roll. NOTE: if you want to test LED's, i recommend just touching them to a 9 volt battery, the current will usualy not burn the LED out, and its a good way to see how it will look before you finish fabrication ------------- "Keep On Rockin In The Free World"
Posted By: philaf
Date Posted: December 07, 2006 at 10:12 PM
actually a 9volt battery can easily burn out an led.. or at the very least discolor them. best thing to use is one of the watch cell batteries that most stereo remotes use. they are 3volt, which is what most leds are rated at. just lookin out..
Posted By: diablo666l
Date Posted: December 14, 2006 at 11:41 AM
your 100% right about the 3 volt thing - i meant to say a used 9 volt, the one i have (when put to a multimeter) puts out around 3.45 volts....but if you have a watch battery (or a 12 volt source, like a computer power supply, and then just wire in a standard resistor) then go for it
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"Keep On Rockin In The Free World"
Posted By: spawn12336
Date Posted: January 08, 2007 at 9:44 AM
I did this mod last year and love it still. I did a write up on the Santa Fe Forum and on my show team's board. Here's the link, https://p211.ezboard.com/fhyundaisantafemessageboardfrm52.showMessage?topicID=749.topic and a shot of the result  I just bought some LED's and resistors off of ebay (by the hundred for about $12). ------------- "the universe has a way of balancing itself"
Posted By: spawn12336
Date Posted: January 08, 2007 at 9:46 AM
sorry, forgot to mention that they are wired directly into the 12volt source with a toggle switch in the center console. ------------- "the universe has a way of balancing itself"
Posted By: adavila
Date Posted: January 21, 2007 at 9:43 PM
I was wondering.. do you guys have any suggestions.. i want to do the same to my 1999 cadillac seville. where should i make the holes.. and what colors should i get.. i want something that looks luxurious.. and not too tacky...
Posted By: compudude86
Date Posted: January 23, 2007 at 12:09 PM
im doing this project for a friend. im going to use 2-3 in each headlight, and it will be connected to the interior light circuit, which on a relay, the headlights will be normally closed, and the interiors normally open. my friends concern is battery usage. now, ive seen leds run for months, even up to a year, on a single button cell battery, let alone a car battery that holds 100's of times more than a button cell. in theory, how long would it take to drain the battery running these lights?
Posted By: silverado42000
Date Posted: January 23, 2007 at 5:37 PM
you can leave the leds on when the car is off and not have a problem, my friend has neons and leds all over his car, he left em on one night(about 9 hrs) and the car started as if nothing was ever on, leds themself hardly draw any power what so ever -------------
Posted By: firelizard
Date Posted: February 09, 2007 at 2:03 AM
Thank you very much for the info.
Will the heat from the headlamps damage LED bulbs sooner or later?
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