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how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics) #14190
01/26/05 05:26 PM
01/26/05 05:26 PM
Joined: May 2003
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germany
440sat72 Offline OP
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okay, as promised in a thread about fender turn signal bulbs a few days ago, here is what i did to fabricate a custom LED bulb setup.

first of all, let me say that what i do here has nothing to do with stock appearance or whatever. my bulbs were shot, my signal housings' chrome was shot, and i did not want to pay 75 or so bucks for a set of bulbs.

second, i have to say that i'm neither a professional mechanic nor a professional electrician, so the results are not very beautiful, but they work.

third: english is not my native language, but i'll try as good as i can

and last but not least: i'm no professional photografer either. i apologize for the poor quality of the pics.

anyway, here is what you need:

- your old turn signal housing, painted, or chromed
- an old or broken turn signal from another car, to cut out the lens (note that i cut it out in the exact shape of the inside of the housing)
- 2 wires
- LED's
- a resistor

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14191
01/26/05 05:27 PM
01/26/05 05:27 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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well, here's the pic:

1447530-anfang.jpg (265 downloads)
Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14192
01/26/05 05:30 PM
01/26/05 05:30 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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in my first try, i used a smaller, yellow LED. but i was not happy with the results and went with a bigger, white LED. allthough they are much more expensive (2,5$ instead of 0,5$ for the yellow one) they are much brighter and have a wider "beam"

1447538-vergleich-LED.jpg (222 downloads)
Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14193
01/26/05 05:33 PM
01/26/05 05:33 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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the next thing to do is glueing in the small yellow turn signal lens into the housing. i used a little bit of 5 minute epoxi, just to seal the gaps. don't use to much because otherwise you will see the glue on the inside of the lens. the picture (poor quality) shows the housing standing on the side that faces the driver. sorry again

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14194
01/26/05 05:37 PM
01/26/05 05:37 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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then it's soldering time. first i soldered the wire that will be the ground later to the negative (short wire of the LED)

1447556-drahtmodell_1.jpg (191 downloads)
Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14195
01/26/05 05:41 PM
01/26/05 05:41 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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then, i soldered the resistor to the positive wire of the LED, and soldered another wire (positive) on the other side of the resistor. i took me quite some time to figure out a wire layout. there is only limited space inside the houding, and the wires mustn't touch each other. i came up with some kind of "loop", i hope you can see it on the picture. almost forgot: it is crucial that the LED points towards the lens. otherwise you will not have a bright signal. and, also very important: you have to test the setup now. if it does not work, fix it before you glue everything in.

1447567-drahtmodell.jpg (176 downloads)
Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14196
01/26/05 05:45 PM
01/26/05 05:45 PM
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440sat72 Offline OP
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than i glued in the whole shebang, but again, only with a little 5 minute epoxi. i just wanted to have the setup fixed, so that i can fill the housing with real epoxi later without having the LED and the wire tumbling around in the glue. i used a drop of 5 min in the back of the housing, where the screw goes in, so that the glues doesn't touch the lens.

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14197
01/26/05 05:50 PM
01/26/05 05:50 PM
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Löffingen, Germany
The_Mean_Machine Offline
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Hey Michail, thats cool! Can you do tail lights as well?

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14198
01/26/05 05:50 PM
01/26/05 05:50 PM
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Posts: 1,603
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440sat72 Offline OP
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okay, the last move. i filled the housing with 24 hour epoxi. it is not so prone to keep bubbles inside like the 5 min epoxi, and has a more neutral color. now it''s time to wait, i'll show you a pic with a shining turn signal in a few ours!

1447589-ausgegossen.jpg (184 downloads)
Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: The_Mean_Machine] #14199
01/26/05 05:55 PM
01/26/05 05:55 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,603
germany
440sat72 Offline OP
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i'm thinking about it. my taillights are rotten away, too!

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: 440sat72] #14200
01/26/05 10:01 PM
01/26/05 10:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,930
Waynesboro PA 17268
R
RODHALL Offline
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RODHALL  Offline
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Waynesboro PA 17268
That is a good job you did on that lens

Re: how to fabricate LED fender turn signals (pics [Re: RODHALL] #14201
01/27/05 11:01 AM
01/27/05 11:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,913
Brunswick, Jawgia
Snailpower Offline
Infinitely Fast Snail
Snailpower  Offline
Infinitely Fast Snail

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Brunswick, Jawgia
Great job! I have been thinking about trying to setup tailights with LEDs similar to the new Cadillacs, where the entire tailight is LEDs. I don't think my electrical knowledge will let me do it though...


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