led taillight idea
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09-02-12, 05:14 PM
#9
For the turn signal I was thinking of putting another line of amber leds on the inside edge of the red. Also to give it a little flair they will be segmented in about 4 parts and sequence. Kind of hard to explain but I will make a drawing. I will have to change the lens like my blue car in my sig.
09-12-12, 12:10 AM
#11
I just bought one of these so i can make my lights sequential. I also bought diffuser material from lowes it is the frosted type for ceiling lights hopefully it will work.
http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430g2
http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430g2
11-30-13, 06:05 AM
#18
HitechledProducts.com | Welcome
Or you might just replace the entire amber and red with one cut piece of the above. Either way, it has a clear prismatic section that you glue to the outer red section. I've also read (but not seen) that you can go to Home Depot and use a clear poly material (they have a bunch of different thicknesses), spray paint it candy red, and then glue on the inside a sheet of the stuff you use to cover fluorescent lights as it is prismatic as well.
Some options for you.
On another note, I've been working on a set of continuous glow LED DRLs inset into my 99 spec turn signals. I've come up with something that looks pretty good but I'd like them to be a bit brighter. I now work at a University that has a rapid prototype development lab that includes several high end 3D printers. So, I am going to take my design to them and see if they can replicate the LED DRL "rod" that I made and turn it into a piece that is notched in the back so I can inset a row of LEDs into it to be used to backlight the LED rod which will then be sandblasted so it is opaque. Should look just like the Audi style DRLs of today. The point is if you'd like, I could inquire for you as well. Maybe they could design and build an opaque unit for you that might work some way. Food for thought.
12-15-13, 12:40 AM
#19
I think you could replace the amber section with red prismatic lens material:
HitechledProducts.com | Welcome
Or you might just replace the entire amber and red with one cut piece of the above. Either way, it has a clear prismatic section that you glue to the outer red section. I've also read (but not seen) that you can go to Home Depot and use a clear poly material (they have a bunch of different thicknesses), spray paint it candy red, and then glue on the inside a sheet of the stuff you use to cover fluorescent lights as it is prismatic as well.
Some options for you.
On another note, I've been working on a set of continuous glow LED DRLs inset into my 99 spec turn signals. I've come up with something that looks pretty good but I'd like them to be a bit brighter. I now work at a University that has a rapid prototype development lab that includes several high end 3D printers. So, I am going to take my design to them and see if they can replicate the LED DRL "rod" that I made and turn it into a piece that is notched in the back so I can inset a row of LEDs into it to be used to backlight the LED rod which will then be sandblasted so it is opaque. Should look just like the Audi style DRLs of today. The point is if you'd like, I could inquire for you as well. Maybe they could design and build an opaque unit for you that might work some way. Food for thought.
HitechledProducts.com | Welcome
Or you might just replace the entire amber and red with one cut piece of the above. Either way, it has a clear prismatic section that you glue to the outer red section. I've also read (but not seen) that you can go to Home Depot and use a clear poly material (they have a bunch of different thicknesses), spray paint it candy red, and then glue on the inside a sheet of the stuff you use to cover fluorescent lights as it is prismatic as well.
Some options for you.
On another note, I've been working on a set of continuous glow LED DRLs inset into my 99 spec turn signals. I've come up with something that looks pretty good but I'd like them to be a bit brighter. I now work at a University that has a rapid prototype development lab that includes several high end 3D printers. So, I am going to take my design to them and see if they can replicate the LED DRL "rod" that I made and turn it into a piece that is notched in the back so I can inset a row of LEDs into it to be used to backlight the LED rod which will then be sandblasted so it is opaque. Should look just like the Audi style DRLs of today. The point is if you'd like, I could inquire for you as well. Maybe they could design and build an opaque unit for you that might work some way. Food for thought.
12-16-13, 06:49 PM
#20
^ Probably but I think I can get the brightness I am after with what I have proposed. Here is what I would like the end result to look like:
So, I am after the "opaque" look of how they are doing the DRLs nowadays. My side emitting fiber optics rod works well but is not bright enough for my taste. I've done a new set in clear with a mirrored backing (and with line cut into the back to disperse the light) but this design is hampered by the bends I have to put into the side emitting rod ends to get the new units to fit into the bumper. In other words, I have to bend the rod ends too much and this limits the amount of light that makes it through the "bends", thus cutting down on the brightness. So, my 3X as bright LED emitters are no brighter than the originals.
One solution to this is to reduce the bends but I'd then need to take the bumper off to fit in the new turn signals. I can do this as the car is at the body shop now but I'd like to do something that would just slide right in so I can remove the units easily if I need to.
So, my current thought is to use an opaque rod and backlight it with a row of LEDs. This would eliminate the need to use "end cap" LED emitters, or the part that currently hinders sliding in the unit. As the LEDs I use are damn bright, I think I can get the brightness I need, even with the opaque acrylic rod.
I've heard back from the rapid prototype lab and they want to do this so I'll play around and see what I can come up with. Have always wanted to see how 3D printers work so it should be fun regardless.
So, I am after the "opaque" look of how they are doing the DRLs nowadays. My side emitting fiber optics rod works well but is not bright enough for my taste. I've done a new set in clear with a mirrored backing (and with line cut into the back to disperse the light) but this design is hampered by the bends I have to put into the side emitting rod ends to get the new units to fit into the bumper. In other words, I have to bend the rod ends too much and this limits the amount of light that makes it through the "bends", thus cutting down on the brightness. So, my 3X as bright LED emitters are no brighter than the originals.
One solution to this is to reduce the bends but I'd then need to take the bumper off to fit in the new turn signals. I can do this as the car is at the body shop now but I'd like to do something that would just slide right in so I can remove the units easily if I need to.
So, my current thought is to use an opaque rod and backlight it with a row of LEDs. This would eliminate the need to use "end cap" LED emitters, or the part that currently hinders sliding in the unit. As the LEDs I use are damn bright, I think I can get the brightness I need, even with the opaque acrylic rod.
I've heard back from the rapid prototype lab and they want to do this so I'll play around and see what I can come up with. Have always wanted to see how 3D printers work so it should be fun regardless.
