LED Spot Lights

[Mash]

Well, while we were away in Gromit to Crail at the weekend Matt got hit buy lighting, or not as the case may be. He wants to change the lights in the van to LED units and put in a couple of spot lights at the front as he can't read is mags in the light of the existing. Anyone done this? Recomemnd where to buy?

[kevtherev]

Try here I've fitted some of this stuff it's good....


http://www.superbrightleds.com/

[futurecut]

I bought some led's like the ones off that site and a few bits and bobs from maplin and am making my own. Looks dead easy and cheaper too. Will need to wait and see for final result but at least if i'm doing things like this it means i'm not buggering around with the engine when there's nothing wrong with it.....

[Mash]

Thanks guys

Let me know how you get on an post a pic when you're all finished so we can see the end results

Mrs Mash

[slamdunk]

Hi peeps, the only problem with LEDs is that the light is of a narrow wavelength, and the eye likes a broad spectrum of light to read with (like daylight or light from an incandescent bulb). That said, I find LEDs ok to read with personally. I mounted the interior light module out of a Mondeo in the bottom of the cupboard over our bed as it had swiven eyes in the map reading lights, these were brilliant for reading in bed and only pulled 5W each. It would be fairly easy to put a cluster of white LEDs into each eye to reduce the power. If there is a poundland near you they are selling some little LED torches, 2 for a pound with some very bright LEDs. Ebay might offer some cheaper ones.....

Slam

[citydreams]

These don't look so bad..
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-x-24-LED-INDICA ... dZViewItem
..though don't know how many you'd need..

[djsalt]

Ok, I am glad I'm not the only person who has eulogising about LED lights. Perhaps I can cut back on the amount of research some of you guys will have to do 
I have to confess since I was a kid I've been fascinated with torches. So you can probably understand that the first thing I did when I got my van was work out interior lighting!

My primary concern - battery life / power consumption

1st idea was to use clusters of LED's (5mm) (light emitting diodes)

- B&Q stock a small range of LED lights, the only one of interest being a small stainless steel item containing about 10 5mm LED's. Its 12v and can run straight from a 12v 90Ah battery no problem. Resistor is built in (warning never try and run an LED without a resister in the circuit, it WILL blow - furthermore be aware that if running from your starter battery the voltage can peak at around 14v when the alternator has kicked in, so basically no LED lights when the engine is running unless necessary precautions have been made.
- If you want very funky spot lighting try 10mm LEDs with small chrome surrounds, they look the biz but the lights quite harsh (narrow throw)

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Goodwill-Leds-Sales supplied me with a lot of my needs + cheap is good

2nd idea was one huge cluster

- Ok LEDs don't emit much light, and what light they do omit is pretty awful/ stark/ harsh/ white and very “flat"| - yes this is because it has a narrow bandwidth...etc.
- x30 10000mcd 5mm LEDs later and a lot of soldering I had one huge cluster, I enclosed the back in a fibreglass surround and stuck it at the back of my van. Firstly I couldn't look at it whilst on - even with shades! secondly... well even with a diffuser it was a waste of time, the light emitted is simply rubbish on the eyes.

3rd and final design.

- I now use a combination of LED's for functional lighting, a 20w halogen unit from a modern desk lamp and these:
- www.ebuyer.com - search for 42959 or cold cathode

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products ... _uid=42959

wow - very bright, a far pleasanter light and low current draw + no need for extra resistors, soldering and no risk of setting fire to your van from the heat emitted. Why don't you try a few - make up some downlighters or uplighters and voila.

I know this is a stupidly long post, but I spent so long on the topic I thought I might as well share my knowledge/ opinion. If you see any products your interested in post 'em up and I'll take a look... you never know perhaps I bought one to try already lol

[lbyford]

me personally I am installing CCFL. More efficient that Flourescent and brighter than any LEDs I have seen. So not to hijack i started a seperate post on this. LEDs are the most efficent on power AFAIK.
rgds

[djsalt]

ccfl - yeh if you look at the bottom of my last post theres a link some some very cheap ccfl's on ebuyer.com + these same devices are stocked by many other companies (not relating to computers). but for about 3-4 times the price.

[Didge]

I have had a look at the link above and to be honest it's all a bit double dutch to me (no offence the the Dutch)(or doubles! )

Any chance of a step by step guide?

Go on, you know you wanna show off your know how...

[djsalt]

yup dont mind doing a little guide. What for though the LED or Cathode link?

[jed the spread]

Try here I've fitted some of this stuff it's good....


http://www.superbrightleds.com/

i bought one of those changey colour type ones (£15 for one bulb) from bus types shepster tells me you have one kev.like to look at it drunk while makeing crumpets at raftfest as the story goes.and you said it was match of the day

jed

[kevtherev]

It sent me all giddy mate I can tell you,it's fascinating when you're bladdered.. I thought there was a rave going on..and wondered how my daughter got in....


I'm never gonna hear the last of this....am I?

[CovKid]

I'm in the process (with the exception of headlamps) of replacing all bulbs with LEDs. Sure you can buy these bulbs but once you tot it all up, it comes to a fair wedge (excuse the pun).

DIY is very easy to do. I figure the 10mm high brightness LEDs will be fine for sidelights (ie smash bulb and solder the LED and resistor in) but I've yet to find out how the flasher relay will cope with such a low current draw.

What set me on this trail was last year I added a 'lights on' LED to the dash lights (theres at least two unused slots) as I was forever leaving my lights on. I now have a yellow led to remind me. Most of the lights in there are LEDS anyway but when most T25s were built, blue LEDS were still unavailable, hence the high beam panel indicator being a bulb instead of an LED - likewise the clock lights as white LEDS were out of reach too back then. Initially I replaced the high beam indicator with a blue LED but man when you switched to high beam you were almost blinded so I had to literally dip it in black paint to tone it down.

Certainly the clock lights are better with LEDs. As are the interior bulbs (although you're actually better off buying festoon bulbs ready made). They come in a variety of colours. For under seat lighting I used neons.

I must point out, I'm NOT a boy racer but there are definate advantages in improving the lighting on T25s. For instance, with some ingenuity you can add a glovebox light (hate scrabbling around in that in the dark) and you do reduce power consumption as a whole. In fact it has been said that if most street furniture was changed from bulbs to LEDs, we'd make MASSIVE energy savings in this country - traffic lights are already being replaced with them. I'm no scientist but if you reduce current demand there has to be some reduction in petrol consumption - however small.

[Dan Wood]

I wonder if a simple fliament lamp uses less energy to manufacture than a modern fangled LED? Maybe they do draw less current, but they might cost a whole planet to build...?