My LED tails [Archive] - VIPStyleCars.com

11-14-2007, 01:49 PM

*edit* oops! wrong section. meant to be in electronics. mods please move.

i have been working on these for a while and they are finally assembled. these are just the prototypes. they are for '97-'99 nissan maximas.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LEDproto.jpg

i am putting together a general write up on another forum, which i will transfer over here when it is complete. i will be taking some powered pics this evening since i had some issues with a defective power supply.

Brandicus

11-14-2007, 02:07 PM

Not a problem, it looks pretty clean let me know when you do the writeup I love to sticky stuff!

PANCAKES!

11-14-2007, 02:21 PM

NICE! I'm axious for the write up! :runcoold:

I would have started on mine but the DIYs in the VIPmags are in Japanese and I can't read that Shiet! :saiyancrunks:

MAX_POWERS

11-14-2007, 03:07 PM

How much have you spent on leds and what type?

11-14-2007, 03:23 PM

i have spent a LOT on materials (over $1000) but i'm doing this on a production level. there are over 200 leds per side so you could probably get it done for $150 for both if you went as full as i did. the red-orange and amber are lumiled superflux, the white are an sf knock-off from hong kong.

jqnguyen8

11-14-2007, 04:43 PM

This is badass. I have to see the final product. :biggthumpup:

urmyhero4now

11-14-2007, 04:47 PM

lets see them puppies lit up.

11-14-2007, 04:51 PM

bout to go to the store in a min. i'm not sure what a 9v battery is gonna do, but we'll see.

11-14-2007, 07:50 PM

as promised:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LEDmarker.jpg

running light

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LEDbrake.jpg

brake light

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LEDreverse.jpg

running and reverse lights

i ended up jumping a car battery so these are at a full 12v.

gohkal

11-14-2007, 11:24 PM

I didn't think it would be that bright but you proved me wrong. I can't wait to see the final install inside of the tail light housings.

FCdrifter

11-14-2007, 11:43 PM

Wow! Those are some great lookin tails! Awesome job, I can't wait to see them on your car.

renman

11-15-2007, 10:43 AM

Nice job! Let's see them inside the tails on your ride.

golfkid777

11-15-2007, 02:29 PM

Really want to see a write up! Was driving around yesterday with my old Lexus and god I never knew how sexy LED tails looked lit up. I now must have them for the Q.

urmyhero4now

11-15-2007, 04:42 PM

wow we need a writeup for sure

XXXL

11-15-2007, 06:01 PM

wow that looks so nice.

TLontheDL

11-15-2007, 08:36 PM

GOOD HEAVENS!!! that looks ridiculously good! If you ever want to make a little extra money, how much would you charge to do that for my TL tails? I'm in houston and i can hand you my tails for the work.

VIP-UCF

11-15-2007, 11:51 PM

holy brightness batman...mad props...looks great...way to knock two birds with one stone...a great mod and make a few dollars on the side...

rideDTM

11-16-2007, 05:29 AM

Looks awesome. I've been wanting to do this with my car for a while. There's a place called Clearcorners.com that converts cars to LED like this.

Can't wait for the write-up

11-16-2007, 06:52 AM

thanks everyone.

GOOD HEAVENS!!! that looks ridiculously good! If you ever want to make a little extra money, how much would you charge to do that for my TL tails? I'm in houston and i can hand you my tails for the work.

i'm gonna be busy with these for a while, as i am making them on a production level for the guys at maxima.org. to do it like i did these would be insanely exspensive for one set, but there are other ways that are less exspensive. i would say wait for the write up and give it a shot. i'd definitely be willing to help anyone out (unless you have a maxima, then you have to pay!). :biggthumpup:

XCELMotorsports

11-16-2007, 10:20 AM

Looks awesome. I've been wanting to do this iwht my car for a while. There's a place called Clearcorners.com that converts cars to LED like this.

Can't wait for the write-up

Yeah, clear corners has some baller shit. For baller prices. haha

11-16-2007, 10:25 AM

i forgot about them. they were doing the cleared out s14 tailights back in 99 when i had one. looks like they switched up to leds. prices seem on par, maybe a little high.

Delvin

11-16-2007, 03:20 PM

Those are lookin real good!!! I saw your thread about you starting these on the org. You know how cheap folks are on that board. Any ideas on pricing yet? I know they are still in the prototype phases but I've quoted anywhere from $380-$560 to have mine retro'd and thats with me providing my own housings. What part of Houston you live in??

11-16-2007, 07:55 PM

JN.FYC

11-18-2007, 08:09 PM

Props for some D.I.Y work, those LEDs look awesome & really bright. :biggthumpup:

Delvin

11-19-2007, 12:45 AM

i'm in uptown, right by the galleria. i know how cheap folks are but i figure a few people here and there will pay up. i'm lookin at the running/brake being in the $300-350 range, with the reverse lights and trun signals available as options down the road. it will also be a complete plug and play8 kit eventually.

Thats awsome. Can't wait until you get them ready for production. Good thing is that I can probably pick mine up since I'm local to you. Lookin good cant wait to see the finished product.

11-19-2007, 06:38 AM

Thats awsome. Can't wait until you get them ready for production. Good thing is that I can probably pick mine up since I'm local to you. Lookin good cant wait to see the finished product.
Yeah man, bring a couple stacks cause i'm going to have a lot of stuff for you real soon.

And thanks to everybody else for the kind words.

Liquorice

12-04-2007, 04:53 AM

Looks badass, I`m making something similar for my car.
What did you do to make the leds shine brighter when they operate as brakelights.
I`m having a hard time figuring that out as my car uses the same bulb for both driving and brakelight. Hope you can help me out :)

12-04-2007, 04:41 PM

Dominik

12-04-2007, 05:33 PM

Liquorice

12-05-2007, 01:22 AM

you use a pwm, it actually dims (pulses) it when acting as a running light rather than making it brighter. look on ebay for an opti-drive pwm. seller will be slickraft (sp?). theres also some info on hidplanet.com.

Did you just use a PWM to dim the lights and a relay to break the cirquit with the PMW to get full on light?
Could you post up a link to the PWM you bought on ebay? I couldn`t find the seller you referred to.

Edit: found the seller and the kit, looks like a good deal:)

12-05-2007, 08:30 AM

Are you using the same types of Superfluxes that the guys on HIDPlanet are using? Because they seem to be getting away with 10-20 per side, yet still look bright enough?

Even the OEM LED tails (such as the new Oddyssey here) only have 8 per side

Just curious, cos if 8 are enough, then 100+ might be too bright?

yeah, i'm using the same ones and yeah it is really bright. i'm finally going to get them in some housings this week, so we'll see if they are too bright. if they are i will do some modifications to dim them down.

Did you just use a PWM to dim the lights and a relay to break the cirquit with the PMW to get full on light?
Could you post up a link to the PWM you bought on ebay? I couldn`t find the seller you referred to.

Edit: found the seller and the kit, looks like a good deal:)

the pwm takes care of everything. no relays are needed.

Dominik

12-05-2007, 01:29 PM

When you said in the other thread that you bought 2000 LEDs i thought you mistyped! Now i see why you needed so many!

NisAznMonk

12-08-2007, 02:25 PM

How hard would it be to acquire the materials for other cars?

12-08-2007, 03:45 PM

what exactly do you need?

gizm08o8

12-08-2007, 11:36 PM

sick DIY project! cant wait to see the whole thing.
you gonna do it for your car too?

12-09-2007, 07:53 AM

yeah, they'll be on my car... eventually.

VIPWannabe

12-09-2007, 04:16 PM

Are you using the stock light bulb harness and plug to power these or are they getting hard wired in?

12-09-2007, 04:30 PM

since i am doing this on a production level, i am making a plug and play kit. the harnes will plug into the factory bulb sockets for power.

VIPWannabe

12-09-2007, 04:53 PM

I wonder this because I am going to do a similar project with my LS. May I ask where you get the harnesses from? I've searched everywhere. Also, do you have individual resistors for each LED or what?

12-09-2007, 05:10 PM

i'm running a pwm/voltage regulator so there is only 1 resistor per series of leds. i am still trying to source the connectors (wholesale) but i have used conduct-tite! before. i will be makin the harnesses myself (wire+connectors).

VIPWannabe

12-09-2007, 05:21 PM

Well, awesome, make sure you have a diagram when you make the write up

Liquorice

01-16-2008, 01:34 AM

Could you post up a picture of the backside of the lights? I want to see how you connected all the leds together.

speedaddict

01-16-2008, 07:50 AM

that's pretty sick man...nice work

01-16-2008, 09:06 AM

Well, awesome, make sure you have a diagram when you make the write up

no diagrams... or else nobody will buy miine.

Could you post up a picture of the backside of the lights? I want to see how you connected all the leds together.

these are printed boards, rather than perf board. i design them with all the connections, have them made, and then solder directly to the boards.

heres a pic of another (bad) design:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LEDtails.jpg

and the newest deign in progress:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/LED.gif

PANCAKES!

01-16-2008, 10:24 AM

SWEET! :biggthumpup:

Delvin

01-17-2008, 10:45 AM

I was thinking when looking at your old design that the top brakelight half should have another row in them since it is taller than the lower half. I see people all the time on the .ORG that have 2 rows of LEDs for the brakelight section and it just doesn't look right with two strips going across that big area. New design looks promising just let me know when its all ready to go. I want to have the second set made!

PANCAKES!--------I hate you for your quote in the sig!!!! I dont remember the movie but I know it was MC Eiht with that line and he was getting into his bucket taking everyone somewhere. Was it Menace II Society??

01-17-2008, 10:54 AM

most people on the org have the 3 line style like the green boards. its ok but i'm not big on the sporty look of it. you know how they are though. the new 4 row style is a better look imo, kind of like the new accord lights. even spacing rather than lines. i gotta make some money back on these prototypes though... i've waisted way to much money on this project.

PANCAKES!

01-17-2008, 10:59 AM

PANCAKES!--------I hate you for your quote in the sig!!!! I dont remember the movie but I know it was MC Eiht with that line and he was getting into his bucket taking everyone somewhere. Was it Menace II Society??

Hahahahhahaa! ROFL! YEA! You my N***!
I got that line stuck in my head!!!! I say it ALL THE TIME now!

LUV DAT MOVIE! :biggthumpup:

Delvin

01-18-2008, 12:39 AM

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/marksmind/nextfriday_jones.jpg

"Put some hot sauce on my bu-rri-to Baybeh!"

I actually go around work yelling that sometime when the mood strikes........like a crack head loud as hell. Used to have that under my sig on another forum

Liquorice

01-18-2008, 01:10 AM

Hahahahhahaa! ROFL! YEA! You my N***!
I got that line stuck in my head!!!! I say it ALL THE TIME now!

LUV DAT MOVIE! :biggthumpup:

If you want the quote right it`s "Who got some snaps on the petrol?" =)

Who got some snaps on the petrol?
I got shit.
My motherfuckin' pocket is hurting.
and y'all ain't got no motherfuckin' money.
We'll get you back.
Fuck. Pump my shit.

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/m/menace-ii-society-script-transcript-2.html

Anyways, I like the work you do on those led`s blackonblack, looks real nice :)

02-02-2008, 01:14 PM

update:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/Complete.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/PowerL.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/PowerR.jpg

i'm goig to prototype another style soon.

phrosttz0

02-02-2008, 01:24 PM

lookin good

ap716

02-02-2008, 01:46 PM

any pointers on how to take apart the taillights? tried to do it like headlights, but broke a piece off my tails. so, i just didn't do it.

firelizard

02-02-2008, 01:53 PM

Good job man, those look sick

02-02-2008, 01:57 PM

you can heat the oven to 300, turn it off, and put them in for 10 min. make sure to remove any screws. if it doesn't feel like its budging don't force it, just heat it some more. also, resist the urge to pull at pices that hang off. find a spot near a corner where the edge is very close to where the adhesive is.

i used a heat gun for these.

02-02-2008, 02:00 PM

Good job man, those look sick
thanks bro, for some reason i like them too. a lot of other maximas have done a very similar/exact same style and i never liked them a whole lot. maybe its just cause i made them or something. i almost decidided just to run with this design, but i figured i might as well try the other one (which i think should look better).

elpresidente

02-02-2008, 04:41 PM

coming along nicely. Curious to see how the other ones fair.

TLontheDL

02-03-2008, 06:47 AM

nichael: how much would you charge to do to my tails? I have a spare i can ride on as you work on my jdm tails. holla back

02-03-2008, 10:20 AM

i dont really do 1 offs (could, just haven't... i prefer the quality of printed boards rather than perf boards). i forget what you are driving but if its something that a couple people are interested in i could whip something up for you guys.

Caoboy

02-03-2008, 11:46 AM

(psst, his user name is TLontheDL)

02-03-2008, 11:59 AM

i know that, but i remeber seeing a tread where he was talking about having switched cars. i think...

Delvin

02-05-2008, 01:49 AM

Those are lookin pretty good. You got any other pics with the brake lights lit?

02-05-2008, 07:44 AM

i'm going to be putting the on chris's car sometime this week. pics to follow...

Delvin

02-05-2008, 10:25 PM

You can turn my car into your demo/prototype bytch if you'd like!!! On the real I'd like to see the pics when you get them on there.

dvsmeth0dz

02-05-2008, 11:09 PM

thats looks real good!!! good job:biggthumpup:

solini

02-06-2008, 06:54 AM

If you want the quote right it`s "Who got some snaps on the petrol?" =)

Who got some snaps on the petrol?
I got shit.
My motherfuckin' pocket is hurting.
and y'all ain't got no motherfuckin' money.
We'll get you back.
Fuck. Pump my shit.

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/m/menace-ii-society-script-transcript-2.html

Anyways, I like the work you do on those led`s blackonblack, looks real nice :)

I know this is late, but that site doesn't give you everything MC Eiht said... Just from memory when you said so "Who got some snaps on the petro? And everyone was like they didn't have anything he then responded "All that shit yall slang in the hood and ni**as ain't got no money? Fuck, Well pump my shit."

02-20-2008, 06:53 PM

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/Tails3.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/Chillin4.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/Chillin3.jpg

PANCAKES!

02-20-2008, 07:02 PM

WOW! GOOD STUFF! :biggthumpup:

HAhahaha! Taillights look better than the whole car!

02-20-2008, 07:05 PM

hes a performance guy, but hes cool and he did me a favor once so i hooked him up.

firelizard

02-20-2008, 07:37 PM

Sick bro, sick.

I noticed the LEDs in the outer assemblies look bigger than the ones in the inners. Is that because they're brighter, or because they're actually bigger?

02-20-2008, 08:07 PM

its because of the spacing of the board from the lens. i am confused as to why it came out dimmer in my new design (i just assembled the first set).

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/4power6.jpg

i like these MUCH better.

solini

02-21-2008, 07:56 AM

Yeah I like the newer design better. Not sure if the max lens allows this but if you can clear out the tails and run led turn signal this would be perfecto!!!!

Caoboy

02-21-2008, 12:22 PM

I like your new design better. More like the onestar cars you are going after.

LED turn signals would be the icing on the cake...

02-21-2008, 12:26 PM

heh... i've actually been working on these longer than my fascination with onestar but yeah...

i'm doing reverse, but not the turns because theres just no way to do it right/safe. however the amber will be cleared in my personal set.