Door lights

[Bitsyncmaster]

When I first bought my car the first thing I changed was installing LEDs into the door lights. That was over 12 years ago and I have always been thinking of updating them. This first design used 4 LEDs they were using in street lights at the time. That string with a constant current of 30 ma.

So I bought a set of NOS door lights to start playing.

It's been so long since I've seen an NOS bulb in a door light here are some photos. The bulb has no part number but is labeled "JAHN UK".
At 12.50 volts it draws 0.371 amps which is 4.64 watts.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Here are some photos of my old LEDs. I also painted the insides of the rubber cup with aluminum paint.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I've been looking at many different vendors red LED chips (size 0805 footprint) and they just do not seem very bright and when running the max current of 20 ma. the color seems to change more orange if looking directly at the chip. So I'm still buying more LEDs to test.

I also laid out a prototype circuit board which was suppose to arrive Friday but they shipped me another customers circuit boards by accident. That new board has 16 LEDs spaced in a circle which I plan to use as 4 strings of 10 ma. each. I could run each string up to the max of 20 ma. but then the 6 door lights would 0.48 amps which may be a little high draw for a long car show but that's just resistor value changes to set the current.

By the way, laying out that new circuit board is the first time I've used "sin and cos" since school. I had to get X/Y coordinates to place the LEDs in a circle. Calculators are great in that you can use degrees now instead or radians. Much better than a slide rule when I was in high school.

[ZLoftsgard]

I've been looking at many different vendors red LED chips (size 0805 footprint) and they just do not seem very bright and when running the max current of 20 ma. the color seems to change more orange if looking directly at the chip. So I'm still buying more LEDs to test.

I also laid out a prototype circuit board which was suppose to arrive Friday but they shipped me another customers circuit boards by accident. That new board has 16 LEDs spaced in a circle which I plan to use as 4 strings of 10 ma. each. I could run each string up to the max of 20 ma. but then the 6 door lights would 0.48 amps which may be a little high draw for a long car show but that's just resistor value changes to set the current.

By the way, laying out that new circuit board is the first time I've used "sin and cos" since school. I had to get X/Y coordinates to place the LEDs in a circle. Calculators are great in that you can use degrees now instead or radians. Much better than a slide rule when I was in high school.

Thanks for the information. I was curious how bright the new setup will be? Similar to your previous LED setup?

[Bitsyncmaster]

Thanks for the information. I was curious how bright the new setup will be? Similar to your previous LED setup?

When I get the circuit boards I will post photos. The problem with the LEDs that plug in is it puts the dots right next to the lens. My board will remove the socket and the board will be glued onto the bottom of the rubber housing. What can be done is you reuse the wires you cut off the socket but that would require you solder those two wire to my board or I can solder some short wires and you would join them to your old wires. The NOS configuration has a two pin connector on each light.

[Rhye]

The problem with the LEDs that plug in is it puts the dots right next to the lens. My board will remove the socket and the board will be glued onto the bottom of the rubber housing.

How about using a large, warm COB LED and running it with a very low current, like 5% of max or so?
20w-cob-led-500x500.jpg
It should give a fairly uniform pattern when placed close to the lens - you could still use a stock bulb socket. I'm only not sure what the efficiency would be at a very low power level.

[Bitsyncmaster]

How about using a large, warm COB LED and running it with a very low current, like 5% of max or so?
20w-cob-led-500x500.jpg
It should give a fairly uniform pattern when placed close to the lens - you could still use a stock bulb socket. I'm only not sure what the efficiency would be at a very low power level.

Ive found using more LEDs at less power is better when back-lighting. If you have a colored lens than you want to use the same color LED for best efficiency.

[Timeless]

Dave, I'm sure you know these:

http://deloreana.com/

[Mark D]

Dave, I'm sure you know these:

http://deloreana.com/

I've got those in my car and really like them. I have a thin piece of milk jug plastic behind the normal lens to help diffuse the LEDs.

Not the best photos, but you get the idea

The left photo has no lens and on the right I"m holding the diffuser plastic half on / half off the regular lens

[Jonathan]

Dave,

You ever look on any of the Pinball parts webstores for what they offer for LED bulbs? Usually lots of different shapes and sizes, bases, lens colours, dome styles, etc.

https://www.titanpinball.com/index.p...tegory&path=17