DIY LED Sidemarkers... not for the novices...
12-14-2002, 10:55 PM
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DIY LED Sidemarkers... not for the novices...
I finished my LED sidemarkers today. The main things about my DIY kit is that the LED does not go out of the reflector side, and more light is dispersed in the housing itself. Also, my sidemarkers now blink with the turn signals.
My total money spent?
6 LEDs = $3.25 + $5.00 shipping (you can save by buying in bulk!)
5 resistors = $1.00 (you only need 2.. but sold in packs of 5)
2 relays (optional) = $3.00
Misc shop items (wire, solder, heatshrink) = $3.00
So a total of $15.25.
Also, I think a pair of stock sidemarkers are about $20-25, if you are not gung-ho about messing with your only pair.
Anyways, on to the good stuff...
The LEDs are 5mm, water clear, 4000mcd, 30deg viewable, and 605nm (orange) output.
I got these from www.superbrightleds.com
The model is: RL5-O4030
Here is the link to the specs:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/o_specs.htm
The LEDs are 2volts and 20mA each, so when you run them in series, you need atleast 420ohm resistor. How did I get this?
Well, you take the source voltage (14.4v in our case), and subtract the voltage of the LEDs (3*2v), and you get 8.4v. That means you need to drop 8.4v from the source, otherwise the LEDs are goners. Next, you take this voltage and divide it by the current draw of the LEDs (.020). This gives you volts/amps, which is ohms. and 8.4/.02 = 420ohms.
I ended up using a 470ohm resistor, since it is the most common ohmage next up. You want to get the 1/2W rated ones, since they are the same price as 1/4W.
Here is the link to the part at Radio Shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...Fid=271%2D1115
For the rest of the electrical work, all you need is some 16 gauge wire, solder, and some heatshrink. (add in terminal connectors if you are using the relays)
If you want to have the LEDs blink in opposite of the turn signals, you will also need a 12v relay. This is how I did mine. NOTE: they will only blink when the parking lights are on, and the turn signal is activated. They will not blink when the parking lights are off.
Here are the wiring diagrams when using the relay for blinking (if you dont want them to blink, then just run the negative side of the LEDs to common ground, instead of into the relay.):
OK, next comes the assembly, etc...
First thing you want to do is use a grinder or a dremel and remove the 2 inner ribs of the sidemarker. they are in the way of drilling for the LED holes. (see pic below)
I am pretty good with judging things by eye... I got my LED holes lined up with the front squares on the first try. Another way to do it is to take your best guess and then SLOWLY drill a hole through the back of the sidemarker with a 1/16" drill bit. Be careful not to go too far and through the orange lens. Once you break through the backing, hold the sidemarker up to the light, and see how close you were... if you were right on, switch to a 13/64" bit. This is the closest to 5mm diameter of the LED. If you missed, dont worry, the small hole can be covered up and unnoticable with a tiny piece of duct tape. The tape is close in color to the backing, and it will make the mistake invisible from the front side.
Once you got all 6 holes drilled with the 13/64" bit, you will need a spacer so that the LED can mount flush, since the depth of the reflector is less than the LED. I used a rubber grommet that happened to have a 5mm opening. It also is the prefect height to lift the LED. (If you really need some, I can send some to you for $1.50.)
Next glue the spacers so they line up over the holes. I used a professional strength glue, but superglue should work fine. next glue in the LEDs. NOTE: You need to orient them all in the same direction. I did them with the anodes (the longer wire) towards the top of the reflector. This is important since LEDs are diodes, and diodes only flow current 1 way.
do the rest to both sidemarkers: once everything is glued, solder the resistor to the anode of the first LED. (actually it doesnt matter where the resistor is, or which direction it is in.) Heat shrink the solder and resistor. next use the wire, solder and heatshrink to connect the cathode (shorter wire) of one LED to the anode of the next. when you get to the last cathode, solder and heatshrink your ground wire.
from here just follow the wiring diagrams to get your connections right. i would suggest soldering and heatshrinking all connections, but T-taps will also work...
here are some pics from my finished markers. i have not installed them, since my new bumper will be installed this coming week. i did not take a pic from the front side, as it looks no different from stock.
again, i hope someone finds this useful, or gets inspired to do their own rendition. i will answer any technical questions, but not any hypothetical. (in other words.. i will not go into details on what resistor you need if you are running 3v LEDs, or if you want to run 5 LEDs on each side)
thanks for looking!
m
My total money spent?
6 LEDs = $3.25 + $5.00 shipping (you can save by buying in bulk!)
5 resistors = $1.00 (you only need 2.. but sold in packs of 5)
2 relays (optional) = $3.00
Misc shop items (wire, solder, heatshrink) = $3.00
So a total of $15.25.
Also, I think a pair of stock sidemarkers are about $20-25, if you are not gung-ho about messing with your only pair.
Anyways, on to the good stuff...
The LEDs are 5mm, water clear, 4000mcd, 30deg viewable, and 605nm (orange) output.
I got these from www.superbrightleds.com
The model is: RL5-O4030
Here is the link to the specs:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/o_specs.htm
The LEDs are 2volts and 20mA each, so when you run them in series, you need atleast 420ohm resistor. How did I get this?
Well, you take the source voltage (14.4v in our case), and subtract the voltage of the LEDs (3*2v), and you get 8.4v. That means you need to drop 8.4v from the source, otherwise the LEDs are goners. Next, you take this voltage and divide it by the current draw of the LEDs (.020). This gives you volts/amps, which is ohms. and 8.4/.02 = 420ohms.
I ended up using a 470ohm resistor, since it is the most common ohmage next up. You want to get the 1/2W rated ones, since they are the same price as 1/4W.
Here is the link to the part at Radio Shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...Fid=271%2D1115
For the rest of the electrical work, all you need is some 16 gauge wire, solder, and some heatshrink. (add in terminal connectors if you are using the relays)
If you want to have the LEDs blink in opposite of the turn signals, you will also need a 12v relay. This is how I did mine. NOTE: they will only blink when the parking lights are on, and the turn signal is activated. They will not blink when the parking lights are off.
Here are the wiring diagrams when using the relay for blinking (if you dont want them to blink, then just run the negative side of the LEDs to common ground, instead of into the relay.):
OK, next comes the assembly, etc...
First thing you want to do is use a grinder or a dremel and remove the 2 inner ribs of the sidemarker. they are in the way of drilling for the LED holes. (see pic below)
I am pretty good with judging things by eye... I got my LED holes lined up with the front squares on the first try. Another way to do it is to take your best guess and then SLOWLY drill a hole through the back of the sidemarker with a 1/16" drill bit. Be careful not to go too far and through the orange lens. Once you break through the backing, hold the sidemarker up to the light, and see how close you were... if you were right on, switch to a 13/64" bit. This is the closest to 5mm diameter of the LED. If you missed, dont worry, the small hole can be covered up and unnoticable with a tiny piece of duct tape. The tape is close in color to the backing, and it will make the mistake invisible from the front side.
Once you got all 6 holes drilled with the 13/64" bit, you will need a spacer so that the LED can mount flush, since the depth of the reflector is less than the LED. I used a rubber grommet that happened to have a 5mm opening. It also is the prefect height to lift the LED. (If you really need some, I can send some to you for $1.50.)
Next glue the spacers so they line up over the holes. I used a professional strength glue, but superglue should work fine. next glue in the LEDs. NOTE: You need to orient them all in the same direction. I did them with the anodes (the longer wire) towards the top of the reflector. This is important since LEDs are diodes, and diodes only flow current 1 way.
do the rest to both sidemarkers: once everything is glued, solder the resistor to the anode of the first LED. (actually it doesnt matter where the resistor is, or which direction it is in.) Heat shrink the solder and resistor. next use the wire, solder and heatshrink to connect the cathode (shorter wire) of one LED to the anode of the next. when you get to the last cathode, solder and heatshrink your ground wire.
from here just follow the wiring diagrams to get your connections right. i would suggest soldering and heatshrinking all connections, but T-taps will also work...
here are some pics from my finished markers. i have not installed them, since my new bumper will be installed this coming week. i did not take a pic from the front side, as it looks no different from stock.
again, i hope someone finds this useful, or gets inspired to do their own rendition. i will answer any technical questions, but not any hypothetical. (in other words.. i will not go into details on what resistor you need if you are running 3v LEDs, or if you want to run 5 LEDs on each side)
thanks for looking!
m
Last edited by SKiDaZZLe; 12-14-2002 at 11:17 PM.
12-15-2002, 06:25 AM
#3
Looks great Michael. Couple of questions:
1. do they flash in sync with the turn signals or opposite them?
If opposite, is there any way to get them to flash in sync?
2. Can I add this flasher relay to the LED sidemarkers I bought from StrictlyZ.com and follow the same wiring diagram? If so, what is the part number for the relay and where can I get it?
Thanks,
-Steve
1. do they flash in sync with the turn signals or opposite them?
If opposite, is there any way to get them to flash in sync?
2. Can I add this flasher relay to the LED sidemarkers I bought from StrictlyZ.com and follow the same wiring diagram? If so, what is the part number for the relay and where can I get it?
Thanks,
-Steve
12-15-2002, 06:51 AM
#4
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OMG Michael.. you rock so ****ing hard.
That is exactly what I wanted out of the lit LEDs.. wanted more diffused then just the LED through the marker. The relay for the turn signal is the icing on the cake..
The leads you are tapping to get the source power.. are they hard to locate at all? Or are they right near the marker location?
I wish it wasn't such a major undertaking to get into this part of the car to snoop around... in my tiny garage, with no jacks of my own, and I don't feel like living my car in bits during the week
That is exactly what I wanted out of the lit LEDs.. wanted more diffused then just the LED through the marker. The relay for the turn signal is the icing on the cake..
The leads you are tapping to get the source power.. are they hard to locate at all? Or are they right near the marker location?
I wish it wasn't such a major undertaking to get into this part of the car to snoop around... in my tiny garage, with no jacks of my own, and I don't feel like living my car in bits during the week
12-15-2002, 07:34 AM
#5
My question as well. Can we wire our lights from StrictlyZ to make them blink too? Also, I assume they are ON all the time (when your parking lights and/or headlights are on) and they blink with your turnsignals? In other words, it's not like they are OFF unless you use the turnsignal right?
12-15-2002, 08:41 AM
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right now this is how they work:
if your parking lights are off, your LEDs are off
if your parking lights are off, and you use your turn signals, the LEDs will not blink, they stay off
if your parking lights are on, your LEDs are on
if your parking lights are on, and you use your turn signals, the LEDs blink in opposite of the turn signals.
this was the easiest way to wire them.
you would need 2 sets of LEDs, and 2 relays to make them do the following:
if your parking lights are off, both sets of your LEDs are off
if your parking lights are off, and you use your turn signals, one set of LEDs will blink in sync with turn signals
if your parking lights are on, the other set of LEDs are on
if your parking lights are on, and you use your turn signals, one set of LEDs stay on the whole time, while the other blinks in sync with the turn signal.
to me, you dont gain much for the effort.
and yes, you can wire the strictly Z leds to do what I did. just get the relay and wire the terminals exactly like the diagram shows. (although Bonz, i thought you are afraid of the bumper removal.. this be keeping you up at night
)
the relay you need is a common automotive relay... SPST, and it needs to have 5 terminals (since you need 87a... which is normally closed.) here is the one from radio shack, but it seems too expensive to me:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=275%2D226
i just noticed the radio shack one does not have 5 terminals.. it is missing 87a. DO NOT buy this one. you need one with all 5 terminals (85,86,87,87a,30), even though you will not use 87 (normally open).
m
if your parking lights are off, your LEDs are off
if your parking lights are off, and you use your turn signals, the LEDs will not blink, they stay off
if your parking lights are on, your LEDs are on
if your parking lights are on, and you use your turn signals, the LEDs blink in opposite of the turn signals.
this was the easiest way to wire them.
you would need 2 sets of LEDs, and 2 relays to make them do the following:
if your parking lights are off, both sets of your LEDs are off
if your parking lights are off, and you use your turn signals, one set of LEDs will blink in sync with turn signals
if your parking lights are on, the other set of LEDs are on
if your parking lights are on, and you use your turn signals, one set of LEDs stay on the whole time, while the other blinks in sync with the turn signal.
to me, you dont gain much for the effort.
and yes, you can wire the strictly Z leds to do what I did. just get the relay and wire the terminals exactly like the diagram shows. (although Bonz, i thought you are afraid of the bumper removal.. this be keeping you up at night
)the relay you need is a common automotive relay... SPST, and it needs to have 5 terminals (since you need 87a... which is normally closed.) here is the one from radio shack, but it seems too expensive to me:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=275%2D226
i just noticed the radio shack one does not have 5 terminals.. it is missing 87a. DO NOT buy this one. you need one with all 5 terminals (85,86,87,87a,30), even though you will not use 87 (normally open).
m
Last edited by SKiDaZZLe; 12-15-2002 at 08:44 AM.
12-15-2002, 11:07 AM
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Originally posted by VQracer
Great write-up Michael.
Pictures always help.
Victor
Great write-up Michael.
Pictures always help.
Victor
m
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12-22-2002, 06:21 PM
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Hey Skis, are you going to post pics of that sweet marker job you did? Are you going to make extras and sell them? What up, man?
I mean installed pics, please...
I mean installed pics, please...
01-07-2003, 02:31 PM
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One question...if you don't want your led's to blink at all, and you just would want them on with the parking lights...you would leave out the relays...right? That shouldn't hopefully do no damage to anything? Also I was thinking...do they have amber LED's? I wanted to have the clear sidemarkers with the amber LED's.
02-07-2003, 04:09 PM
#14
my understanding is that the LEDS he told us about are amber, "605nm (orange) output"
my question... tho I suppose youve already answered it, there is no way to have them blink in unison with the signals? including when headlights are off? perhaps a better way of considering it would be to wire the power through the same wire as the turn signal power. that would make them blink in unison at all times. but having them on constantly when headlights are on would be good too...
Im not sure which Id rather tho...
anywhere else I can get LEDS than online? it seems so wasteful to buy 4$ in stuff and pay 5$ in shipping... actually I know of a huge electronics supply store around here, maybe Ill call em up and see if they sell em. itd be worth the trip if they can save me 5$. Im guessing grommets can be had at home depot?
my question... tho I suppose youve already answered it, there is no way to have them blink in unison with the signals? including when headlights are off? perhaps a better way of considering it would be to wire the power through the same wire as the turn signal power. that would make them blink in unison at all times. but having them on constantly when headlights are on would be good too...
Im not sure which Id rather tho...
anywhere else I can get LEDS than online? it seems so wasteful to buy 4$ in stuff and pay 5$ in shipping... actually I know of a huge electronics supply store around here, maybe Ill call em up and see if they sell em. itd be worth the trip if they can save me 5$. Im guessing grommets can be had at home depot?
05-22-2003, 02:45 PM
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OK, if I wanted to use 5 LED's instead of 3... would that affect the type of relay to get? I would just need to calculate for a different resistor, right?
And where can I pick up this type of relay?
And where can I pick up this type of relay?
Last edited by afr0puff; 05-22-2003 at 03:00 PM.
05-22-2003, 03:05 PM
#16
any relay will do it, I have not been able to find a 5 prong relay tho as he calls for. Ive asked around, havent found anyone thats even heard of them.... but the same relay that he calls for would work for you.
you can put 5amber leds in a series, you will need a different strength resistor.
you can put 5amber leds in a series, you will need a different strength resistor.
05-22-2003, 05:00 PM
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Originally posted by ares
any relay will do it, I have not been able to find a 5 prong relay tho as he calls for. Ive asked around, havent found anyone thats even heard of them.... but the same relay that he calls for would work for you.
any relay will do it, I have not been able to find a 5 prong relay tho as he calls for. Ive asked around, havent found anyone thats even heard of them.... but the same relay that he calls for would work for you.
05-22-2003, 05:03 PM
#18
he says it wont, Im actually not sure... I tried to find it, but couldnt find it before I just installed them, so mine dont blink. he says one is left open, so in my mind that open would be open anyway just not exposed...
but dont quote me on that, but I asked at radioshack, and home depot, both looked at me funny.
but dont quote me on that, but I asked at radioshack, and home depot, both looked at me funny.
05-22-2003, 05:43 PM
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Arrgghh.. this relay thing is frustrating. Where is skiddazle?
I don't know that much about circuits and currents. Ares, you seem to know a lot more about this than me. I work for a university. I'm going to head over to the Electrical Engineering department tomorrow. Are there any questions you think that I should ask them? If I just bring them a print out of the circuit diagram, will they understand it?
I don't know that much about circuits and currents. Ares, you seem to know a lot more about this than me. I work for a university. I'm going to head over to the Electrical Engineering department tomorrow. Are there any questions you think that I should ask them? If I just bring them a print out of the circuit diagram, will they understand it?
05-22-2003, 06:01 PM
#20
they should, I could figure out what kind of resistor you need for you, but Im headin out right now, but if no one answered when I get back, Ill work it out. it does depend if your using amber or white tho. with white, things get much more complicated. as they require a different input, and thus they can only be put into a relay of 4, but with some finesse you could do a run of 2 and 3 to accomplish the task. but it becomes much more difficult physicly, as your now working with series and parralels.
what youd want to bring them would be both that schematic as well as a print out of this
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/o_specs.htm for amber or this
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/w_specs.htm
or http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/w6_specs.htm depending which brightness white you wanted. but as far as the info they need to know, both whites are the same, they both take the same foward voltage, 3.4 while amber take 2.0.
what youd want to bring them would be both that schematic as well as a print out of this
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/o_specs.htm for amber or this
http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/w_specs.htm
or http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds/w6_specs.htm depending which brightness white you wanted. but as far as the info they need to know, both whites are the same, they both take the same foward voltage, 3.4 while amber take 2.0.