Forums/Z31P/z31-basics basic-modifications-basic-questions-aka-the-newbie-forum/LED tail lights
Imported from Z31Performance.com Forums{{#if:Tempast| — original post by Tempast}}{{#if:2014-01-27 23:12:06|, posted 2014-01-27 23:12:06}}{{#if:16| · 16 post{{#ifeq:16|1||s}}}}{{#if:/Z31performance_archive/forum/z31-basics/basic-modifications-basic-questions-aka-the-newbie-forum/23260-led-tail-lights.html|
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Tempast: (2014-01-27 23:12:06)
Has anyone ever done LED tail lights on a Z? I was planning to do them on my MR2 before I got my Z,
just like this thread: http://www.mr2.com/forums/threads/76…Led-taillights
I think it'd be a neat design.
Z_Karma: (2014-01-28 00:22:25)
There is a groupbuy going on
http://z31performance.com/forum/mark…ht-kouki-87-89
But i do like the LED ring idea.
Tempast: (2014-01-28 00:31:50)
I've seen the groupbuy but I don't exactly like the $250 price point, and honestly I think they look a little tacky.
For $8 per ring, and an hour or two of fiddling around in the hatch these rings would look pretty good. Probably would look best on Zenki tails too.
Maybe a cheap alternative to the groupbuy LED's. I think I might buy a few of the rings and see about wiring them in.
Should be just like in the MR2 thread I'd assume. Find which wire does what on the plug and wire the power for that and then a common ground.
Think I'd have to wire in resisters or anything? Normal bulbs are something like 1.5 amp and the LED's are something like 0.002 amps
Z_Karma: (2014-01-28 00:46:03)
If you're talking about duping the "bulb out" warning system, I would think so, I see a few 50W 60ohm load resistors on amazon for this purpose.
I've temporarily mounted 5mm lensed LED strips in a zenki housing and didn't like the way the outer lens pattern made them look. I tried with and without the internal fresnel type diffuser.
I was going for the Dodge Challenger outline look.
Having unlensed SMD LED's right up against the outer lens might look better, at least they didn't look bad on the MR2.
Tempast: (2014-01-28 00:51:26)
I forgot about that warning light >_> Oh well I can always try and then see what happens.
862sik: (2014-01-28 04:56:31)
I have been toying with a nice way to put LEDs into our tails. I personally don't like the circles. I thought of a design to look more like this \\ //////// But there are many ways to do it. I also adored the look of the BMW solid lined accent for the brake lights. I think that would be clean for an accent on the rear of our cars. After this led retrofit im doing on my buddies lexus, I may start moving on to the z if I can find some cheap as hell parts. Im really waiting to see those group buy ones to see how bright they really are.
Ven: (2014-01-28 05:53:24)
Don't like the the circles. Looks kinda meh. Much better if the whole assembly is filled with LEDs. Like so
[archived image: comp_park1.jpg]
edwin86z: (2014-01-31 09:45:43)
Here are a couple I've personally done. I wasn't trying to make it perfect, just messing around, so it kinda looks like crap… The first one shows 2 separate units in the housing. I din;t really like it, so I ended up making another setup with it covering the full housing. It wasn't curved with the housing, and just looks like a long rectangle…
I'm working on a new one (I mentioned it in the group buy thread as well, as someone brought up the zenki style). The new one has a fully regulated power supply, better leds, and will all be on a drop-in pcb. It will just be simple off, low, high (no sequential), but it will be affordable. I'll post up details later on in this topic to keep all the info together. Not trying to sound like I'm making money or anything off this, just for fun, and to help out the community. Attached files
Butter: (2014-01-31 20:15:55)
I did a homemade job with crib board and LED's.
http://youtu.be/TQ_fsIwC1Ho?t=2m2s
les_joey_paul: (2014-01-31 21:50:17)
I'd be interested in a zenki set if you go through with it
Ven: (2014-02-15 16:51:27)
There is a groupbuy going on
http://z31performance.com/forum/mark…ht-kouki-87-89
But i do like the LED ring idea.
Did this thread get deleted or something?
michaelp: (2014-02-15 17:15:21)
Did this thread get deleted or something?
No, vb4 uses different URL layouts than VB5…so once again, dozens of links are broken.
Ven: (2014-02-15 23:04:39)
No, vb4 uses different URL layouts than VB5…so once again, dozens of links are broken.
Can't even find it via search.
jazztrumpet439: (2014-02-16 01:48:08)
Yeah, I havent been able to find it either…
KuroZ31SS: (2014-02-17 02:25:21)
your link is no longer valid. do you have a working link or some more info on how you wired your setup?
Butter: (2014-02-17 17:29:06)
Fixed.
It's super simple. Just cut the interior side of the tail light out so you can rip out all the guts. You can get the board from Frys or Radio Shack maybe. Cut it to shape. Each LED has to have a dropping resistor, or else they will fry. You can see the center ground wire on the left, with the red TAIL and BRAKE circuit wires. For the brake lights, I just stripped a long section of solid wire, and ran it along the outer edge in a loop to supply power for those LED's. Basically a hundred parallel circuits. The center area is for the tail lights. It looks more complex than it really is. Everything is soldered and then encapsulated in hot glue.
Use red LED's, or else you will get orange tails.
You can use current regulating diodes and run several LED's off of it, instead of resistors for each one. They cost more though. Usually when you buy the LED's on Ebay, they come with the resistors for free, so I just used those. For testing, you can use an old AC adapter for something that outputs 12v-14.5V DC.
Make sure you take care of any water leaks in the lights first. Mine leaked and killed a bunch of LED's.