must admit, I do like this mod, show me how I can do it please 
My LED project
- Thread starter millatruse
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How about a step by step and parts list for us dumbies
Especially for the door modules!
I think I would have the door modules really bright
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- #24
The doors are very bright. You can tell by this pic, if you look down at the bottom of the seats by the doors.
I, too, missed out on George's product run, so I third the request for parts list / parts sources / directions. I've never really done any electrical work like this, but I'd like to give it a try. Thanks for anything you can offer on this...........I'm really tired of not being able to see anything when I open my doors at night.
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- #26
Sorry I have been away for a little while. As far as parts, You will need to get a blank pc board. You can see what it looks like in the pic.
Then I cut it down to fit. The one I got was big enough to do all 4 doors, the dome and the map light. The resistors are 1/2 watt 5% telerance 100-Ohm, they come in packs of 5 and you can get them at Radio Shack for 0.99 cents. Then the LED's. Get the "5mm- high brightness White LED". Get the 7,000mcd 30 degree. These are at Radio Shack there are 2 per pack and cost 1.99 per pack. So each dome light is less than $15 each. Then all that is left to do is soder them all together. You shouldnt need any wires because the LED, and resistor wires are long enough to reach each other. The pic shown the + is the side closest to the switch and the - is the one farthest away. They will not work if the ground is not connected, which is either of the 2 screws on the to of the pic.
Here is a diagram of how to put it all together.
I hope that helps out.
Let me know if you have any other questions. And tell me how it goes.
Those LED look great! When I bought my Cruiser the previous owner had LED domes in but one is broke. have been searching for a replacement but haven't found anything that even looks close to what I have. They look alot different that the one listed here. They are on a green circuit board with only one LED & a brass pointer at each end to contact and fit it the stock light location. Any ideas who makes them? I'll try and post a picture of it tomorrow.
View attachment 282297
Looking at this diagram shows that the 4 LEDs get the entire 12v according to the formula. Is that correct? If so what does the resistor do?
Looking at this diagram shows that the 4 LEDs get the entire 12v according to the formula. Is that correct? If so what does the resistor do?
The LEDs, like most diodes, will only allow a .7V drop across each. 4 in series represent 2.8 volts. That means approximately 10 volts will run across the resistor. The current will be the same through each device in a series circuit and, in this case, is controlled by the resistor. It is calculated by I=V/R or in this case 10V/100 ohms or .1A. A larger resistor means less current and a smaller one more current. This circuit does not protect against voltage spikes as I believe George's modules did.
Taking a deeper look at it I see that the drop on the diodes is actually 3.3 volts - 4 makes 13.2V if you assume 13.8V for the electrical system - that is .6V across the resistor. .6V/100Ohm=.006Amps the LED is rated for .025 Amps. It is well within the margin - not a bad design.
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Voltage spikes will destroy LEDs in short order. Since most of the time, domes are only on while the car is off (i.e. doors open etc), these simple resistor/LED setups work for quite a while. It is when you have domes on and start the vehicle, or jump start or dirty connections to the battery that you end up with large short duration spikes. These will either destroy the LED(s) in short order or damage them so that some will light and others won't etc etc etc.
A resistor to limit current to the LEDs is a GOOD idea.
Wire 3 white LEDs per string for nominal 12V.
Then wire a 1/2W zener rated at say ~11V in parallel with the 3 LED string to limit/clip any short duration spikes.
Then wire a resistor in series with the LED/Zener string.
Make as many of these LED/Zener + Resistor strings as you want and wire them in parallel.
Use wide angle LEDs if you can find them.
That's the beauty of the 1W LEDs I used in my dome modules, they are wide angle (essentially 180 deg) and combined with one of my drivers provided reverse polarity and surge protection and work from 5V to 30V.
cheers,
george.
A resistor to limit current to the LEDs is a GOOD idea.
Wire 3 white LEDs per string for nominal 12V.
Then wire a 1/2W zener rated at say ~11V in parallel with the 3 LED string to limit/clip any short duration spikes.
Then wire a resistor in series with the LED/Zener string.
Make as many of these LED/Zener + Resistor strings as you want and wire them in parallel.
Use wide angle LEDs if you can find them.
That's the beauty of the 1W LEDs I used in my dome modules, they are wide angle (essentially 180 deg) and combined with one of my drivers provided reverse polarity and surge protection and work from 5V to 30V.
cheers,
george.
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- #32
This is good information George. I wasnt sure how yours were put together. Mine are quite primative, so I will keep my fingers crossed! I had a hard time finding wide angled LED's..so I ended up with 30 degree, and had to angle them to get the broadcast that I wanted.
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Mine are "quite" different.... With a 1W LED you can't use a resistor from 12V without a huge amount of heat in the resistor, since it would need to drop 14.4 - 3.3 = 11.1V at 350mA which would be >3W of heat just in the resistor...
So, mine have a custom driver I designed that steps the voltage down (DC/DC converter) and regulates the current to a constant 350mA:
and then a 1W Luxeon (in the old days) and now are 1W Seoul lambertian pattern LED thermally epoxied to the back of the driver and then tabs and wires soldered on to finish up the dome so it would be a direct drop in replacement.
cheers,
george.
With an apparently high demand, why did you choose to stop offering these units for sale? I, for one, missed the notification that you were canceling the product run, so I'm still out there trying to figure out the best way to light up my LC interiorMine are "quite" different.... With a 1W LED you can't use a resistor from 12V without a huge amount of heat in the resistor, since it would need to drop 14.4 - 3.3 = 11.1V at 350mA which would be >3W of heat just in the resistor...
So, mine have a custom driver I designed that steps the voltage down (DC/DC converter) and regulates the current to a constant 350mA:
and then a 1W Luxeon (in the old days) and now are 1W Seoul lambertian pattern LED thermally epoxied to the back of the driver and then tabs and wires soldered on to finish up the dome so it would be a direct drop in replacement.
cheers,
george.
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Thread hijack...
Well, the demand had actually trickled down to a dome module or two per week or more. So, I wouldn't call it high demand... The 'demand' only erupted after I posted I was going to stop making them. Procrastinators came running out from the forest
I don't mind making them in decent sized batches, but making them in lots of 5 or 10 was just not worth all the effort and then I it would take months to sell them off. Worse, I'd have to buy the LEDs in decent volume to get the pricing down and it would take a year or more to make/sell them off.
cheers,
george.
George, I got mine in the mail from "The Ferg" last week. I love the difference. Thank you very much.
George, I certainly can understand your position on this. Accordingly, how many pre-committed orders would it take to be worth your while to consider running periodic "group buys?" I'm sure many of us would be willing to sign up if we knew they would be available again in a reasonable amount of time. Please advise, and I'm sure others will chime in too..............Thanks!
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Well, let me start a new thread rather than continue the hijack of this one and see what the interest is. Runs of 100 at a time make sense in terms of ordering LEDs, components and sequestering my kids to cut/strip wires and glue LEDs to driver and help with packing etc
** end of thread hijack **
cheers,
george.
I (and, I'm sure, others) look forward to the new threadWell, let me start a new thread rather than continue the hijack of this one and see what the interest is. Runs of 100 at a time make sense in terms of ordering LEDs, components and sequestering my kids to cut/strip wires and glue LEDs to driver and help with packing etc
** end of thread hijack **
cheers,
george.
