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Forum nameInterior/Exterior
Topic subjectMy LED Upgrade Thread!
Topic URLhttp://forums.2gnt.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=105984&mesg_id=105984
105984, My LED Upgrade Thread!
Posted by djraydiate, Dec-31-69 06:00 PM
I have been messing around with LEDs for a little while now trying to get my soldering technique down. I hope you enjoy!

For this retrofit I had a set of clear side markers on the car that I took off. I used 33 Cree P4 ambers and 6 no name 5 chip white LEDs per side for a total of 66 P4s and 12 nn whites. These side markers are going to have a switchback feature using some Mosfet transistors. The whites are going to be the running lights and when the turn signal is on, the white and amber LEDs will alternate back and forth. If I don't have the parking lights on, the ambers will be the only ones that flash. The ambers will be regulated at 9v and the whites will be regulated at 12v. The only time that the whites will come on is when the car is running so that's why I will regulate them at 12v vs. 9v

I first started out by cutting the lenses off with a razor knife. Once apart, I put the lenses into a plastic bag to keep dust from getting into them while I was working on the LEDs. I then took the housings and soaked them in bleach to eat the chrome off of them.
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_20140511_103057_zps21ee9336.jpg.html>

Once the backs were chrome free, cleaned and dried, I painted them with high temp black paint.
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_20140622_144101_zpsf49162b2.jpg.html>

I traced the inside of the housing on a sheet Lexan for me to mount the LEDs on. Once I cut the lexan boards out, I traced around the edge of it onto card stock to draw out my design. After many different designs, this is the one that I went with.
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_120140515_213509_zps4d0db6ef.jpg.html>

I used a copier to transfer the design onto a sticker sheet and placed it onto the lexan. I drilled the holes for the LEDs and soaked the boards to get the sticker paper and adhesive off. Once the boards were dry, out came the high temp paint. I installed and soldered the LEDs zipper style on the back of the lexan. When it was all said and done, I was left with this,
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_20140619_185713_zps8e6afd8a.jpg.html>

Ambers lit up.
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_20140621_214748_zpsbd95c4e5.jpg.html>

Whites lit up.
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/rsz_20140621_214830_zps63c26e4a.jpg.html>

I am waiting on some P-Chanel Mosfet transistors as we speak to give the side markers the switch back effect. Once they get here I will be able to finish the side marker instal and get a video of how they function. When the install is finished, the markers will function like so:

Turns/hazards = Amber

Arm/disarm alarm, Door open/close, Side marker = Whites.

A cool little feature that the whites will have is after the door closes, they will fade off just like the interior lights do!

With all of that said, I do have some teaser pics of them lit up on the car.

Whites (alarm,door,marker)
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/7cbb6dc5-5e34-4e3e-96e7-26db59809943_zpsa02f9f14.jpg.html>
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/d56d6dc9-1dda-489d-a480-41714cd473ba_zps4999466d.jpg.html>
Ambers (turn,hazard)
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/9367081b-9542-4bec-aa07-e02a9a06ab4d_zps594e539b.jpg.html>
http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/DJRaydiate/media/30698471-91ed-4abd-856b-51631760e804_zps681871e9.jpg.html>

I just started doing a wire/line tuck but once that is all done, I will take a video of how everything works. Stay tuned for more updates!
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