Homemade LED light how-to

May 21, 2010
1,030
LKN, NC
So...on the "old board" there was a big thread on how to fab up your own LED light head using 5mm superflux LEDs (I think there was a 10mm version also). Can anyone revive that or re-create it?
 

psteele

Member
May 20, 2010
255
43.864776 -71.635851
May 21, 2010
1,030
LKN, NC
psteele said:
I did make a couple of lights using the directions. I made one with GenII Superflux LEDs, one with 5mm, and one with 10mm LEDs. It was fun to build something yourself... but... at the end of the day it's cheaper, easier, and brighter to buy Gen III lights.

See...that's good advice from someone who's been there. You may have just saved me alot of time and headache. Now I just need to find a light that I like.
 

tnems7

Member
May 21, 2010
407
USA Nashville Tennessee
Using homemade lights can also depend upon your jurisdiction. Many states have incorporated standards for the SAE approval of warning lights, and even where a state doesn't have such requirements, the matter might come up in a civil trial.


If you do plan on making your own lights, I'd recommend using them in addtion to approved lamps.
 

Coreyhudson2

Member
Aug 30, 2010
59
Eastern MA
Here is my Led bar, after a lot of work and patience and a flasher from Changchung, its up and running. Mind you this only cost about $120 and is as bright as a TIR6 Director.


And this is an email i sent to a guy to build it.


Ok, to start you will need:


Either 8 or 16 of these puppies (whichever you choose) Bulkrate is your friend, it is a wholesale discount, it depends on the amount of a piece you are going to buy, just remember "APPLY BULKRATE DISCOUNT"


http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2395 (White)


http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1776 (Red)


http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1775 (Blue)


Now we need to power the leds without OverVolting, thats where the drivers come in, you will need 8 regardless. Just Desolder the pegs and put wires on instead to your 12V (can power up to 3 leds in series)


http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13557


Finnaly, the most important part, Optics, if you use shitty eBay lenses the light output will be cut almost in half compared to my new ones. The best lenses i found were on ledsupply.com, i used the oval lenses for the Cree XP-E, they create a HUGE beam spread with an intense amount of light. I wouldn't use anything else!


Lens: http://ledsupply.com/10197.php


Holder: http://ledsupply.com/10736.php


Use a piece of angle iron to mount on 1/8-1/4" thickness for heat dissipation .


To build this product you need patience, first of all DealExtreme is a Hong Kong based company, which will mean it willl take 2 weeks before its at my door. If you want the quick/expensive route use ledsupply (7.49 per vs 2.80 on DX)


If thier is anything i missed just get back to me and ill help you as much as possible!
 

psteele

Member
May 20, 2010
255
43.864776 -71.635851
Coreyhudson2,


I would be interested in seeing the entire process if you have photos of it. I used GenII SuperFlux LEDs when I made mine and it looks like you're using GenIII LEDs in yours.
 

Coreyhudson2

Member
Aug 30, 2010
59
Eastern MA
Sure, ill take some pictures tommorow. I did use 3 watt Gen III leds on the lightbar. I mounted it on my car today, it CUTS through my factory 35% tint. So much so that at night i will have to dim the lights to make it not blinding.
 
Jul 11, 2010
9
Wisconsin
Coreyhudson2: I like your build very much and can see many different options with doing it that way. What I'm trying to work with is a 1992 Jeep Wrangler, so custom is the nameof the game. I hope to use it for a lot of offroad adventures, but as pointed out by another Jeeper, my current lightbar would probably get torn right off the first time I take it to the woods. So, I'm like to get something that is really thin like what the newer cop cars have and maybe something that is wided and brighter. Looking at what you built, I could easily build it so it would be nearly impossible to break. The main thing I could like is it be LED for its low power draw and that the flash pattern be randomized so that it is ever-changing. Those are my two biggest wants/needs for my lightbar. Why I thought building it myself would be best is becuse I'm currently going to college and in bout a year I will be getting married, so money is on short order for me. Like my Jeep, I would like to build it up little at a time as the money comes. Thanks for the info!
 

jt1562000

Member
Mar 13, 2012
24
Idaho
I have the old thread on the 5mm version archived on a hard drive somewhere around here. I would personally go with the newer LED's but if you want I can dig up the old one for you. Let me know.


Edit: I just noticed this thread was brought back from 2010.... my bad.
 
Mar 7, 2012
33
Wheeling,WV
I made my own 3MM LED light to put in my windshield that resembles the mini phantom. I also made my KC covers into LED strobes. I drilled out the covers. All I used was resistors on mine and never had a problem. This is all I have on my Dodge Ram and my Jeep Rubicon.
 

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