I've been addicted to LEDs as of late so I'm working on a few various of projects. I have a set of RX300 Tail Lights that were on my car and some may have seen pics of them on my car months ago. These tail lights I took off, took them apart and will become LED brake lights. This thread will serve as updates with my project. Here they are unmolested on my car: Here is one of them taken apart (both are taken apart), thus beginning this project: Plans are to paint the housing all black, keep the reflectors intact. It will be a total of 50 leds, 25 in each housing. Will update this thread as the project continues until completion.
LED shrouds have been cut and drilled. Awaiting to be painted. The housings have been painted and the reflectors have been put back in place. Oh, btw these will be plug-n-play!
Nope. That is the most common way. The shroud I made is what the leds will be placed and held in. The leds will be ran (wired) in parallel. The only problem I'm seeing and running into is the way the Neon's are wired from the factory. (3) wires: black/yellow line brown/red line black Ground/Tail/Stop, the solid black is ground but I've yet to dicipher which is tail and which is stop with the other two colored wires. The brake and signal is on the same circuit on these cars. There was a company that used to make an LED board for the tail lights for these cars and this is what they did: The 3157 bulb base is the base on the left with the (3) wires from their LED circuit board red/white/black. Using the 3157 bulb base and wiring the wires into it makes it plug and play. I just need to determined which factory wires control what which at this time I'm lost on that. This is how the company that made these LED boards looked... Parking light (tail): Brake light: Video of the performance, they tied in their 3rd brake light for the turn signals: http://www.srt-4store.com/images/Tails.wmv My pattern is a bit different since I'm doing it on aftermarket tail lights. So I'm wanting my top rows to be the Parking Light (Tail/Running Lights) while the bottom rows to be the Brake Light.
Good ol Matt (srt-4store). Ya know Jesus, you can figure out which wire is which by doing a simple ohm test. lol But I am sure you figured that one out already?
Yup I just did the testing a few minutes ago. I had an circuit tester still in the package from a project I was doing months ago and never had to use it. Test results: The wire with the yellow line (middle connector on the plug) is the running lights. The wire with the red line is the turn signal and brake. Now that I have that out the way it will be wiring the leds (which I ordered and waiting for them to show up). Figuring out the resistors between the two connections. Seperating the two connections on the leds for the running lights and turn/brake. This project is a bit time consuming but I'm hoping the end result was well worth it.
Tested the LEDs last night to make sure none are burnt out. Should be putting (1) tail light together by Sunday hopefully. I think I may have figured out a way to run all LEDs on a joined circuit. That way the LEDs dim when the running lights are on but are bright when the brake is applied. Originally I was going to run 2 rows to be the running lights and 2 rows to be the brake/turn. Both lighting up the same amount of brightness which is how that silver SRT-4 in one of my posts above is setup. So there is no confusion, no I'm not using LED strips.
Top two rows are the running lights. Bottom two rows are turn signal and brakes. I tried putting them on a joined circuit but didn't work so I had to keep them seperated. Since I only made one so far I plugged it in but didn't install it on the car. Looks good during the day. Going to plug it in again tonight to see how it looks at night. I should have the other one done this week and both on the car next weekend hopefully. I will have more pics then and will try to have a video of how they operate.
I typically HATE those housings... but Jesus, as with everything else you make that shit look good... Well your wife makes you look good, but you make everything else look good LOL
Here's a vid... (not the best quality since I took the vid with a point & shoot camera) http://www.torquewonders.com/misc/j/RX300LED.wmv The running lights are dimmer then the brake and turn signal. Notice the fast flashing of the blinker. That is caused because of the lower voltage LEDs use. I'm going to modify the flash relay to slow it down. Another way is to use a load equalizer but its not the best option.
Alright so I wasn't happy on how it originally turned out... the two seperate circuits seen in the first window above. So I pryed open the tail light today and with trial and error I was able to get them on a joined circuit so it operates like factory. Here's how they are now: http://www.torquewonders.com/misc/j/RX300LEDS2.wmv Still have to do the relay mod to slow down the fast flashing.
Little update! I ordered the flash relay from Dodge yesterday. Picked it up today and modified it. Will install it when I finish the other tail light. I'm hoping to have everything done Saturday but we shall see. Pics of them installed on the car will come shortly after install.
Figs looks great bud there is a guy working on an LED rear fog light setup for me that will function as running, turn and braking.
Thanks Jason!!! Now if only my order for the LEDs get here by tomorrow I should be able to have the other one done by Saturday. Thanks buddy! Thats sweet! Please post up pics when you get it, I like seeing others work with LEDs.
