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Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: FASTBACK340] #1717249
01/01/15 11:26 PM
01/01/15 11:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,937
GA
roadrunninMark Offline
master
roadrunninMark  Offline
master

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,937
GA
Cool...standing by.....

Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: FASTBACK340] #1717250
01/02/15 12:27 AM
01/02/15 12:27 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,533
Indiana
F
Fury Fan Offline
master
Fury Fan  Offline
master
F

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,533
Indiana
Quote:

Quote:

BTW, nice groundbreaking on this topic and and for sharing your homework.




Revisions..... Revisions.......

I'm thinking less is more. 42 LED's, spread out a bit.... might look and work better. Let me & the Dog run out to the garage and solder this up.

He helps me.....



FWIW -
Truck-Lite was one of the first companies to release LEDs for HD trucks, and their initial 4" round S/T/T light had, coincidentally, 42 LEDs. As the product matured/improved, they were able to drop that down to 6 LEDs via optics in the lens and mini-reflectors around each LED. They even had a single 'super LED' version for awhile but I think it went disco, possibly due to reliability issues (if that 1 LED goes out, the light is dead and a DOT issue) or because it looked just like a regular light so it had no bling. (although it reduced temptation of theft, and theft of LED lights was an issue when they first came out. They were pretty pricey - I remember LED STT were about $40 each and backing lights were about $80 and that was jobber-price.)

I agree that going to smaller LEDs and a higher qty will decrease the 'bulbiness' of your light. Plus if individual LEDs die (which was a problem with early trucking lites, as the soldering caused issues to the LEDs) you have less of a lighting drop.

It was pretty common in the early days of trucking lites to see lights with a handful of in-op LEDs, but reliability of all the brands (including the overseas stuff) appears to be much better. And cost is down tremendously.

Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: Fury Fan] #1717251
01/02/15 07:18 PM
01/02/15 07:18 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
FASTBACK340 Offline OP
super stock
FASTBACK340  Offline OP
super stock

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
Speaking of cost:

LED
Tail lights

200 red 3mm LED's : $28
50 white 3mm LED's: $10
ABS Plastic sheet-Enough for 6 pair of tail lights: $3.75
100 Diodes: $5
100 Resistors: .99 ....shipping was $3.23!
Bulb bases so it can "plug-in" to factory harness: $2.98 ea. for 10 1156 & 1157 bases $9.89 total shipped
Incidentals: Solder, 24 gauge wire, clear silicone, etc......
As you can see, it's not much to invest. As I experiment I'll learn more. Dakota gets close to $300 for some of their LED kits. If I burn through a $100 and succeed I'm a winner.


`68 Barracuda 340-S
Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: FASTBACK340] #1717252
01/02/15 08:15 PM
01/02/15 08:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
J
jcc Offline
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc  Offline
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
J

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
I see you have found your passon, you might be the next LED garage Bill Gates.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: jcc] #1717253
01/02/15 09:27 PM
01/02/15 09:27 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
FASTBACK340 Offline OP
super stock
FASTBACK340  Offline OP
super stock

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
Quote:

I see you have found your passon, you might be the next LED garage Bill Gates.




LOL! Believe me, if there was money in this I would have bought a set from someone else! And as for pass(i)on I'm just following through on a project. I do that ....


`68 Barracuda 340-S
Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: FASTBACK340] #1717254
01/02/15 11:26 PM
01/02/15 11:26 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,805
ky hills
thehemikid Offline
top fuel
thehemikid  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,805
ky hills
Fwiw, ...I bought these about 8&1/2 yrs ago.

http://www.hitechledproducts.com/product_info.php?products_id=339


Last edited by thehemikid; 01/02/15 11:34 PM.
Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: thehemikid] #1717255
01/03/15 01:25 AM
01/03/15 01:25 AM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
FASTBACK340 Offline OP
super stock
FASTBACK340  Offline OP
super stock

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
Quote:

Fwiw, ...I bought these about 8&1/2 yrs ago.

http://www.hitechledproducts.com/product_info.php?products_id=339






FWIW.... Although they advertise '68 Barracuda LED tail lights, they show a '67 tail light (no one will notice) and what looks like a Pep Boys LED strip attached to a bayonet base. For $179.

I'll pass thank you.


`68 Barracuda 340-S
Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: FASTBACK340] #1717256
01/03/15 01:50 AM
01/03/15 01:50 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,805
ky hills
thehemikid Offline
top fuel
thehemikid  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,805
ky hills
Sorry, didn't mean imply this as an option for you. Was just saying what I did, ...& how long ago.

I see it's listed at about $20+ less than when I bought them.

I complement you on your work, patience, attention to detail, self sufficient, & wanting to continually improve on a project till it reaches a level of satisfaction. Pride in your work.

Re: LED Tail Lights [Re: thehemikid] #1717257
01/03/15 02:25 AM
01/03/15 02:25 AM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
FASTBACK340 Offline OP
super stock
FASTBACK340  Offline OP
super stock

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 952
Queens, N. Y.
Quote:

Sorry, didn't mean imply this as an option for you. Was just saying what I did, ...& how long ago.

I see it's listed at about $20+ less than when I bought them.

I complement you on your work, patience, attention to detail, self sufficient, & wanting to continually improve on a project till it reaches a level of satisfaction. Pride in your work.




LED kits have been around for years for popular models. Digi-tails had a nice set of sweeping LED's for a '68 a few years ago. No sales .... No product ..... I contacted them several times and got promises and was told to check back. I got tired of waiting, I'll do it myself. I'm enjoying this challenge!


`68 Barracuda 340-S
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