my homemade taillights

I can't wait till spring break

The park brake function can be done using either using a big resistor to dimthe LED or the better way which is using a Pulse Width Modulator(PWM) which is what OEM manufacturers use, not sure if you remember learning about these but what they essentially do is flash the LEDs at a extremely quick rate depending on a adjustable duty cycle. By slowing down the duty/flashing rate to about 100pulse/sec (Hz) your eyes and brain is tricked into seeing the LEDs as being dim.

JspeXAE102 added 8 Minutes and 48 Seconds later...

here are some PWM's I recommend

http://cgi.ebay.com/PWM-Regulator-f...ryZ66954QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.able2products.com/Update/11_1005.htm#Next
11.1005STT LED Flasher - Stop / Turn / Tail

That what I did to my first set. Cut a big fat opening in the rear to put the LEDs for the brake and turn signal. I'm also thinking of redoing my current set on Spring Break. This time around everything is superflux LED brake, turn signal, back up lights and license plate lights.

hmm speaking of spring break..going to tweak's during that time...

wish i knew all this circuitry stuff...wouldnt mind having LED brake lights. im gonna try with the third brake light since its the simplest, i think.

lol Ive got 1200 lumileds sitting around. I just need a way to open the damn housing safely.

you brought 20 tubes of LEDs?

JspeXAE102 added 4 Minutes and 35 Seconds later...

just do it, its pretty simple.

The PWMs are really expensive. I guess this project will end up being an extended project or maybe won't happen at all. Or I can avoid using PWMs by dedicating separate sections to low and high LED intensities, kind of like how Mercedes taillights do it. In their case, new the new taillights have the lower section as the low intensity and the upper section for high intensity braking only.

lol yes. You might know who I got them from. There was an ebay seller who used to sell batches of 1200 and 120. I bought 1200 for some reason over a year ago lol. All the tubes are bin matched too except for one lol. One is an odd ball for some reason.

I don't think you would have enough space to do that, dual stage taillights usually compose of a upper and lower section, The corolla only have a small area for the brake LEDs. The entire project costed me about $100 at the end, it wasn't too bad.

I have an idea that might be able to make some more room. I'm hoping not to go over 100 bucks as well.

Yea I think the guys at HID planet went in and split a batch of those. I only brought 3 tubes and I still have a tube and a half left over.. I also have about a tube of ambers.. I want to get rid of them and start experimenting on Snap LEDs (150mA/piece) for a 98 Camry since their taillights don't give me a lot of area to populate.

Yeah I only have red-orange leds. Once I figure out a way to do mine safely, Ill buy amber ones. Where'd you get your amber ones from? I only know of ledcar that sells them.

This place has everything you need.
http://www.besthongkong.com/index.php?cPath=75

If you use the ones on that site make sure you get the 80mA ones, the 20mA is no where near bright enough for anything but license plate lights or parking lights.

http://www.besthongkong.com/index.php?cPath=19_36

It would actually be cheaper to buy authentic Lumiled Superflux LEDs from agilent technologies.

JspeXAE102 added 3 Minutes and 52 Seconds later...

Contact azdave from hidplanet. He's actually the guy selling the PWM on ebay on the link i posted a couple posts up. I don't see a problem using red/amber LEDs for turns tho but I would recommend getting some Snap LEDs in the turn signals for uber brightness.

The ones I'm look at are 10 mm 100mA, so I think that will be bright enough.

They will not be consistent. Trust me and JspeXAE102 when we say buy the lumileds. With those hong kong craps, some wont be as bright as others, the degree in which the light is emitted wont be good for tails. Your better off getting real lumileds. If you want I can sell you a couple of my tubes but the thing is that I cant get them to you before spring break lol. I can only ship them during spring break when Im at home.

looking very nice!! Keep up the Good Work man!!

looking foward for more ..hehe

Thats correct, viewing angle sucks on those LED's. If you drive behind a car with non-SF LEDs tailight one side would tend to look dimmer than the other depending on which lane you're in. Also they would be harder to mount flat on a PCB and have them all pointed uniformly since they don't have 4 legs like SF LEDs. Super Flux are the choice for OEM manufacturers for a reason.

I see. Well, I'm going to do a little more research on it.

It doesn't look like I'll have much time to work on it during break, so I may just take you up on your offer... How many would I need. I have no idea how bright they really are.

The Lumileds are what OEMs use so it's pretty much the only way to go lol. How many tubes you want? JspeXAE102 can tell you how many tubes he used because he has actually finished his. Ive only been messing around with 3rd brake lights on our camry.

I'm planning to do both taillights, the third brake light, and maybe a few extra just in case.

2 tubes should be enough unless you're this guy, you could get 3 for good measure.



he did it with 1243, Mauyr.. I think you have just enough LOL

But seriously, my taillights consists of 44 red/amber, 24 amber, and 15 white. I believe the 98-02 has smaller housings so you probably don't need that many unless you pack the tight.

BTW I'm thinking of switching up my 3rd brake light array, I did 4 dots to mimic OEM equipment on Toyota's and scions but then I notice Lexus has a thin line of LEDs from left to right. Anyone want my old one???

I would like to fill out the brake light area like he did, but I'm guessing that would be hundreds of dollars. I guess 2 tubes would be perfect then. Would anyone like to do it for me? LOL I'd supply the cores and pay of course for labor.

lol i do have enough lol

That is exactly how Im setting up our camry, a thin strip of 12 leds. Im still developing the prototype with some perf boards. Actually working on it right now lol. Almost done. After I get it just the way I want, Im gonna make me some custom PCBs out of copper clad boards. Im hoping to have it wired up and maybe I can have pics by tomorrow night if you want to take a look?

Mayur added 32 Minutes and 41 Seconds later...

Alrighty Ive finished my prototype 3rd brake light. Just gotta find some time tonight to wire it up in the car, hopefully it won't get too cold. Chicago winters suck!

even then I think 3 tubes are the most you'll need. It's hard to completely populate a board unless you are really good at soldering with the pins being so close together. I think I can do it but then again I been soldering since the 7th grade.

JspeXAE102 added 2 Minutes and 8 Seconds later...

I'd like to start using copper clad but my thoughts are I wouldn't be doing it enough for me to learn to use the software to design the arrays.

Didnt that one guy on hidplanet use photoshop to design his array? Thats what I plan on doing.

i wonder how it'd look like on 8th gen corolla taillights

Pretty much LED slants.