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LED center tail light w/ reverse lights

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Old 03-17-2007 | 02:12 AM
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LED center tail light w/ reverse lights

I've always been disapointed with our tail lights....they should have been led stock I thought i'd give it a try myself. I used Eight 25000mcd red leds for the brake light and fourteen 30000mcd white leds for the reverse lights.







Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1902.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1906.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1909.jpg  
Old 03-17-2007 | 02:17 AM
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Started off with some blank pcb board.












Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1885.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1887.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1891.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1886.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1888.jpg  

Old 03-17-2007 | 02:20 AM
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Added the reverse leds.









Marking where to drill the wholes:




Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1889.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1892.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1893.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1895.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1896.jpg  

Old 03-17-2007 | 02:23 AM
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Running the reverse wire:



Soldered to the reverse light on the tail light:

Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1897.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1899.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1900.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1903.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1904.jpg  

Old 03-17-2007 | 02:24 AM
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Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1905.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1901.jpg  

Last edited by Rotary Rasp; 03-17-2007 at 02:39 AM.
Old 03-17-2007 | 02:54 AM
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Wow that is resourceful.

Only bad thing I could think I see with this is someone could mistake the white backup light for you still pressing on the brake and not yield if you are backing up in a parking lot. Since it is in the standard brake light spot when you put it in reverse.

It looks plenty bright though so maybe not.


You could mount some stealth LEDs into the lower section on the rear bumper as well.

Old 03-17-2007 | 02:56 AM
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lol, the person would have to be colorbind and a moron if they thought that.... the leds are brighter then hell.
Old 03-17-2007 | 03:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Rotary Rasp
lol, the person would have to be colorbind and a moron if they thought that.... the leds are brighter then hell.
That's true, if I was to see someone's backup lights on I pretty much yield regardless. (The majority of accidents occur in parking lots).
Old 03-17-2007 | 03:45 AM
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ok im next up in line for this mod! thank god rotary rasp lives mins away from me
Old 03-17-2007 | 04:00 AM
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I admire the attention to lighting you guys have.

It is inspiring.
Old 03-17-2007 | 05:27 AM
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Rodger's skills pwn j00 ........ pwn me too ^^;

Nice job Rodge!
Old 03-17-2007 | 10:17 AM
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Nice job RR! Good to see some down and dirty/electronic & soldering skills put to use. Perhaps you should add your schematic and parts list/source to make a real DYI out of it for others to follow!
Old 03-17-2007 | 10:48 AM
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That's nice. ahem...group buy! pretty please?
Old 03-17-2007 | 12:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Spin9k
Nice job RR! Good to see some down and dirty/electronic & soldering skills put to use. Perhaps you should add your schematic and parts list/source to make a real DYI out of it for others to follow!
This solution is for the red LEDS. 4 x 1 array uses 4 LEDs:

+----|>|----|>|----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 330 ohms (x2)

These leds have a foward voltage of 2.0 volts and a max current of 20 millamps.

Each 330 ohm resistor dissipates 132 mW. The code for 330 is orange orange brown. ¼W resistors within spec. The diodes dissipate 160 mW. Total power dissipated by the array is 292 mW and the array draws current of 20 mA from the source.

Last edited by Rotary Rasp; 03-17-2007 at 12:34 PM.
Old 03-17-2007 | 12:31 PM
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This solution is for the white LEDS.
+----|>|----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 270 ohms
+----|>|----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 270 ohms
+----|>|----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 270 ohms
+----|>|----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 270 ohms
+----|>|----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 470 ohms

Each 270 ohm resistor dissipates 108 mW and each 470 ohm resistor dissipates 188 mW. The color code for 270 is red violet brown and 470 is yellow violet brown. This array draws current of 20 mA from the source.
Old 03-17-2007 | 01:21 PM
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Attached Thumbnails LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1910.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1914.jpg   LED center tail light w/ reverse lights-img_1913.jpg  
Old 03-17-2007 | 03:01 PM
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Nice!
Old 03-18-2007 | 05:31 PM
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Looks great, Rotary Rasp. I've been thinking of ways to do something similar, except I want to get rid of the red lense all together. I happened on these pics from a French RX-8 forum and really want to do something like this. Unfortunately I don't speak French, so I don't know any details. Here are the pics though:





Another easy way to do this would be to use one of PIAAs rear LED fog lights. The Deno 3 has almost the exact same dimentions as our 3rd brake light. I'm hesitant to spend $70 on it though and find out it won't work for some reason.

Old 03-18-2007 | 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Aipex8
I happened on these pics from a French RX-8 forum and really want to do something like this. Unfortunately I don't speak French, so I don't know any details. Here are the pics though:



[
What's the URL, it can more than likely be figured out
Old 03-18-2007 | 08:52 PM
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http://www.rx8france.com/forum/setopic_6476-led.html

I ran it through google translator and it really didn't help much. I joined the site and sent the user a PM, I don't know if he speaks English or not. It looks like he might actually be selling them though.
Old 03-18-2007 | 09:53 PM
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Take a look at this thread. I know some people were searching for a way to even out this design as just one light in the center tends to fade out on the sides. Maybe some combo between yours and this one would work good.
All a matter of opinion I guess though.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-3rd-brake-light-rx-8-logo-mod-21092/

DT
Old 03-19-2007 | 12:42 AM
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some good stuff.
Old 03-19-2007 | 01:24 AM
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do you reckon if you used some super-small LED's you could write "RX-8" with the LED's on the circut board, so when you brake it lights up "RX-8"?
I know there is that cover for it, but this would be extra trick IMO. I guess it would look a little "blocky" and not as curvey as the RX-8 script is written in

Dave
Old 03-19-2007 | 05:56 AM
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Originally Posted by chickenwafer
do you reckon if you used some super-small LED's you could write "RX-8" with the LED's on the circut board, so when you brake it lights up "RX-8"?
I know there is that cover for it, but this would be extra trick IMO. I guess it would look a little "blocky" and not as curvey as the RX-8 script is written in

Dave
It could be done with some small 3mm leds. I don't think it would turn out that great. It would be very hard to make it look right (font wise)
Old 03-19-2007 | 05:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Aipex8
Looks great, Rotary Rasp. I've been thinking of ways to do something similar, except I want to get rid of the red lense all together. I happened on these pics from a French RX-8 forum and really want to do something like this. Unfortunately I don't speak French, so I don't know any details. Here are the pics though:








Another easy way to do this would be to use one of PIAAs rear LED fog lights. The Deno 3 has almost the exact same dimentions as our 3rd brake light. I'm hesitant to spend $70 on it though and find out it won't work for some reason.

That looks great! What don't you like about the red plastic? It would be very easy to paint another color if desired. I'd like to know what they are using as reflectors for the leds.


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