Custom LED manufacturing?

Jim · 11-06-2010, 06:06 PM

Just thought I'd put it out and see if anyone had any ideas...

I'm trying to see who to contact about custom led tail light manufacturing... I know a lot of collector cars out there are getting replica led lighting now, so there must be people willing to manufacture custom led lights...

What I want isn't so specific, I want a 2.5inch round led marker like you would find on a commercial vehicle, but I want it to be a marker/signal, not just a marker, I don't think they are available... Trying to see if I can find someone to build them.

waynev · 11-06-2010, 08:09 PM

Have you considered making them yourself? Get some of these http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=8941 then just cut and mount them inside the light fixture of your choice, they work great on 12V and can be cut in sets of 3 led's ( every 5cm ), this way you could have 3 led's on for marker and maybe 12 for signal. To make them totally water proof i would build what you want, test them. and then encapsulate in epoxy resin. Would be an easy project and these LED's are quite bright.

The LED's in the link are shown on backorder but they are usually back in stock within a few weeks, i do have some white, yellow and blue ones here, i could layout a pattern for you if you like.

Jim · 11-06-2010, 08:28 PM

I had considered it but not sure where to start... The lenses are all sealed so I can't use an existing one...

This is the idea, http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...=/specs/m4.htm the only addition I am looking for is a "bright" setting, or I guess a low setting if the existing is to be used as a bright...

Hmm, I wonder if I could wire something into the line that would cut the power when it is supposed to be on dim...

waynev · 11-06-2010, 09:15 PM

LED brightness can be controlled by limiting the current to it, so let's say full bright is 100ma, then you could add a resistor to say limit it to 30ma, then just find a good way to switch between the two settings, i'll see if i can find a schematic for doing that.

waynev · 11-06-2010, 09:36 PM

Yep, found some info that is exactly the same thing i was thinking about, a resistor to limit the current for marker and then straight through for full bright, the diodes are needed to prevent the voltage from reverse feeding between the two settings, here a link with a diagram of how easy it is to wire this up.

http://www.pioneer4wheelers.org/foru...wire-TJ-wiring

Jim · 11-06-2010, 09:47 PM

Cool thanks

I will read through that...

I had one other thought, if going this route, it would seem better to leave them on bright, and cut the for the signal... That way they are full bright for marker purposes, but still give the same blinking effect when set to signal... of course this would have to be wired differently. Thanks for the link I'm going to do some reading.

Edit

Thought I should add this...

I already have something going on with similar lights on the steps... They are only a 2 wire light, meant as a marker. I don't know exactly how we wired this as it was 5 years ago or so, but we didn't add any resistors or diodes... They don't however have 2 stages of brightness. They work as a marker light. With the markers on, when the signal is turned on the turn off (and on) opposite the normal signal lights. With the markers off, they signal the same as the other signals.

Weldangrind · 11-07-2010, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynev

Yep, found some info that is exactly the same thing i was thinking about, a resistor to limit the current for marker and then straight through for full bright, the diodes are needed to prevent the voltage from reverse feeding between the two settings, here a link with a diagram of how easy it is to wire this up.

http://www.pioneer4wheelers.org/foru...wire-TJ-wiring

That's funny. Diodes are needed to prevent reverse feeding to diodes.

waynev · 11-07-2010, 09:17 AM

It would be nice if they made a high bright bi-color led, this way you could feed it normally for red/marker and if fed reverse polarity it would light up amber/signal, i guess that would be too easy though.

Jim · 11-07-2010, 12:28 PM

It's ok to light up bright amber and low amber as well, but they only do that in 4 inch size, not 2.5, which is why I was considering contacting a manufacturer (in china probably). Though I may be able to make the dim setting controlled externally as you were suggesting

edit

Quote:

This may sound strange, but try it and and you will see.
Use one wire for the marker light function. Use the ground wire as a "hot" for the turn signal. If there is no ground wire use the metal on the back side of the fixture that grounds the light via the mounting screws. You may have to figure out how to re-mount the light so the screws don't ground to the trailer.

You won't get the brighter effect of a true turn signal, but it will blink.

I believe this is the same sort of idea as to how we got the step lights to blink.

11-06-2010, 06:06 PM	#1
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Custom LED manufacturing? Just thought I'd put it out and see if anyone had any ideas... I'm trying to see who to contact about custom led tail light manufacturing... I know a lot of collector cars out there are getting replica led lighting now, so there must be people willing to manufacture custom led lights... What I want isn't so specific, I want a 2.5inch round led marker like you would find on a commercial vehicle, but I want it to be a marker/signal, not just a marker, I don't think they are available... Trying to see if I can find someone to build them. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

11-06-2010, 08:28 PM	#3
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	I had considered it but not sure where to start... The lenses are all sealed so I can't use an existing one... This is the idea, http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...=/specs/m4.htm the only addition I am looking for is a "bright" setting, or I guess a low setting if the existing is to be used as a bright... Hmm, I wonder if I could wire something into the line that would cut the power when it is supposed to be on dim... __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

11-06-2010, 09:47 PM	#6
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Cool thanks I will read through that... I had one other thought, if going this route, it would seem better to leave them on bright, and cut the for the signal... That way they are full bright for marker purposes, but still give the same blinking effect when set to signal... of course this would have to be wired differently. Thanks for the link I'm going to do some reading. Edit Thought I should add this... I already have something going on with similar lights on the steps... They are only a 2 wire light, meant as a marker. I don't know exactly how we wired this as it was 5 years ago or so, but we didn't add any resistors or diodes... They don't however have 2 stages of brightness. They work as a marker light. With the markers on, when the signal is turned on the turn off (and on) opposite the normal signal lights. With the markers off, they signal the same as the other signals. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

11-06-2010, 08:09 PM	#2
waynev Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 1,097	Have you considered making them yourself? Get some of these http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=8941 then just cut and mount them inside the light fixture of your choice, they work great on 12V and can be cut in sets of 3 led's ( every 5cm ), this way you could have 3 led's on for marker and maybe 12 for signal. To make them totally water proof i would build what you want, test them. and then encapsulate in epoxy resin. Would be an easy project and these LED's are quite bright. The LED's in the link are shown on backorder but they are usually back in stock within a few weeks, i do have some white, yellow and blue ones here, i could layout a pattern for you if you like.
	0

11-06-2010, 09:15 PM	#4
waynev Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 1,097	LED brightness can be controlled by limiting the current to it, so let's say full bright is 100ma, then you could add a resistor to say limit it to 30ma, then just find a good way to switch between the two settings, i'll see if i can find a schematic for doing that.
	0

11-06-2010, 09:36 PM	#5
waynev Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 1,097	Yep, found some info that is exactly the same thing i was thinking about, a resistor to limit the current for marker and then straight through for full bright, the diodes are needed to prevent the voltage from reverse feeding between the two settings, here a link with a diagram of how easy it is to wire this up. http://www.pioneer4wheelers.org/foru...wire-TJ-wiring
	0

11-07-2010, 09:17 AM	#8
waynev Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 1,097	It would be nice if they made a high bright bi-color led, this way you could feed it normally for red/marker and if fed reverse polarity it would light up amber/signal, i guess that would be too easy though.
	0