07-14-2008, 06:38 PM
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#1
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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Third Brake light
So I wanna make my own third brake light but I am not sure what would be easier 1) soldering resistors to all or 2) one larger resistor for all, and how big of a resistor for about 60 red leds
Let me know I want to do this soon, And also and suggestions or how to's, and tips would be great. Thanks
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07-14-2008, 07:17 PM
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#2
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Gone
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lockport Ny
Posts: 19,244
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well... each led will draw 0.020 amps of power, at full draw. and they will run on 2.6V (if red) which is 0.052W for each.
0.052Wx60= 3.12
so you'd need a 560ohm 3.5 (or 4) Watt resistor. plausible, yes. Chances of finding such a beast, highly unlikely.
You don't have to put the resistor on either power or ground side, specifically. just be consistant with what side its on, so you know for yourself, which is which. And they don't have to be connected RIGHT on the led, lead. they can be back further.
You also have the option of connecting about 5 of the red leds together, (+) on one to (-) on the other, in series, so you don't need a resistor at all. the downside there, is if ONE led in the string dies, the entire run of 5 will go out.
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07-14-2008, 07:30 PM
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#3
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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I saw something on line that said I could run 6 led to one resistor So then I would only need 10 resistors compared to 60 how good do you think that would work.
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07-14-2008, 07:31 PM
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#4
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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And i thought red leds were 1.7V but im not sure.
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07-14-2008, 10:20 PM
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#5
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Gone
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lockport Ny
Posts: 19,244
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depends on where you get them from. i'd just follow the specs, from where you order them.
if the elements on the resistor are really thin, (like fishing line thin) they are 1/8W. if they are thicker, slightly stiff to bend, they are 1/4W.
and the same math applies. all leds are 0.020A. just multiply that by how many volts it takes, and you should get your Wattage. So you can technically run more then one per, but keep in mind it'll cause the resistor to heat up more....
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07-14-2008, 10:26 PM
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#6
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GL Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 652
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bah, just get an impala break light and use that... simple enough, took 5 minutes to install
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07-14-2008, 11:10 PM
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#7
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on vacation
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: that way
Posts: 2,169
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ares89
bah, just get an impala break light and use that... simple enough, took 5 minutes to install
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HAH! i knew it! (i think-)
I was driving behind an impala on the way to work today, and noticed its LED 3rd brake light.. and thought "that looks exactly the size of mine"
does it just plug right up?
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07-15-2008, 12:14 AM
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#8
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Captain Funpark
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Vincennes, IN
Posts: 7,034
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I just bought an LED strip from Oznium and made my own mounting bracket and installed it inside the original housing.... Took all of 15 minutes to do.
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07-15-2008, 01:50 AM
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#9
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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cherrington do you recommend the 1/4w ressistor cause i think i will just run one to every led
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07-15-2008, 02:28 AM
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#10
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GL Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midgear
HAH! i knew it! (i think-)
I was driving behind an impala on the way to work today, and noticed its LED 3rd brake light.. and thought "that looks exactly the size of mine"
does it just plug right up?
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no, you gotta take out basically everythign from our housing, leave just the red lens and the grey housing. you slightly bend the LED strip from the impala in, and wire red to red and black to black
__________________
*GONE* 2001 2.4L Alero Sedan... Cleared Corners and 17" Sportmax rims
*New Daily* 2009 Ford Mustang 4.0L Convertible - Vista Blue with Silver Striping
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07-15-2008, 08:24 AM
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#11
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Gone
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lockport Ny
Posts: 19,244
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeenysrider07
cherrington do you recommend the 1/4w ressistor cause i think i will just run one to every led
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thats what i've always used, and have had no trouble w/ them at all.
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07-15-2008, 08:26 AM
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#12
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I drive a JEEP!
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Salisbury, Maryland
Posts: 6,388
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cavaliers60
I just bought an LED strip from Oznium and made my own mounting bracket and installed it inside the original housing.... Took all of 15 minutes to do.
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Show off...lol
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07-15-2008, 08:56 AM
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#13
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H&B Shipping Agent
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Waterbury Center, VT
Posts: 4,450
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cavaliers60
I just bought an LED strip from Oznium and made my own mounting bracket and installed it inside the original housing.... Took all of 15 minutes to do.
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You beat me to it as I was reading this I thought a LED strip would be way easy to install, just hook it up and go.
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07-16-2008, 12:30 PM
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#14
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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Wht do you guys think a good pattern wopuld be for a third brake light.
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07-28-2008, 06:21 PM
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#15
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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i was going to have about 30 leds in the third brake light , but i decided to only do one row of leds, it was alot easier. I left the stock housing and just dremeled it a bit. I soldered the leds to the stock plugin so it looks clean instead of having wires all over.
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Last edited by jeenysrider07 : 08-30-2008 at 03:03 AM.
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07-28-2008, 07:04 PM
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#16
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GL Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 608
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FINALLY GOT YOUR LEDS!
The third looks pretty good.
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07-29-2008, 08:07 PM
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#17
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V.I.P baby
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ashville, ny
Posts: 262
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Ya finally, at first I had three rows but when I put it in, it didnt look right so i just went with one row.I am happy with it and its not to bright. I was going to make a clear lens out of lexan but I like how it looks now. I also used blue LEDS in the car but i have not uploaded the pics yet. I will have to show you(bizarre) it sometime cause the pictures didnt come out to great.
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Not now CHIEF Im in the effING zone!!!
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