| Author | Message | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: |
Luxeon Star LEDS are so frikking bright that they specify the output in watts instead of Mcd. These are kind of pricey, but will reduce the act of changing your 12 or 24 volt tail lights and brake lights into the simple step of changing a bulb. And they just might cure a lot of headaches for you guys trying to figure out 12/24 volt headaches, as they have internal regulators and don't care which voltage you give them!! $25 bucks though... but in some cases, worth every penny!! Click here for Luxeon site BTW, if you ever want to purchase LEDs of any kind and end up at a site known as "Quickar Electronics" in Portland, DON'T waste your time or money with the guy. He has no hesitation at calling would-be customers by many various and colorful 4 letter words, and he doesn't listen to your requests. Actually he's got an attitude toward customers such as I've NEVER seen in my entire history. Not worth dealing with for sure!! | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Rating: N/A |
I've seen quite a few LED replacements available. Some stores have them. I suspect many of the ones in retail stores will work. This site indicates that his work from 8vdc to 30vdc. http://www.ledshoponline.com/automotive_leds1157.htm You may need to change your flasher unit to handle the reduced load. In cars, there is a solid state flasher unit that's a direct replacement, I don't know if the same one works in buses. Mine's still living at the shop, so I can't check it. I was looking at LED bulbs when I did the Thundercat sequencing taillight kit on my Firebird. Unfortunately, none of the local stores had them in stock, and I wanted to get it done in one night, not half do it, and then do the bulbs later. He ran my instructions for the Firebird installation in his tech support section. http://www.foxthundercats.com/electronixx/index.htm I just sent an Email to him, to see if it will work on a 24v system. I was thinking of making custom taillights on my RTS, with LED lights and sequencers. I did the sequencing taillights and flashing 3rd brake light in my car for higher visibility. I damned well want someone to know I'm stopping, even if it makes the back of my car look like a christmas tree.  Mine isn't obnoxious, but... After moving to California, I had several near misses, with people failing to see that I was braking. Now, when I brake, the third brakelight flashes, and both taillights sequence out once, lighting all 6 bulbs. I haven't had any near misses in almost 3 years. | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Rating: N/A |
I just got an answer back from Thundercats. Their box doesn't work on a 24v system. I may convert my signals over to 12v, just so I can use it. | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
JW, if you wanted to use that 3 light sequencer, I'd be willing to bet it draws much less than an amp, in which case you could use a very simple linear regulator to drop your 24 volts down to 12. (This assumes also that you'd replace the lightbulbs with LEDs which draw much less than an amp) It'd be a 7812 part, avaliable from even radio shack, a tiny heatsink and two .1mfd capacitors. Since the mounting tab of the regulator is the ground connection for it as well as the middle pin, bolting it directly to almost any metal surface on your bus would easily suffice for the heatsink in this application... There's a circuit in the archives, here again for your reference (I drew it for bus cameras but it would work for this just fine): http://www.heartmagic.com/7812.jpg | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Rating: N/A |
That'd probably be easier than what I was contemplating. I guess I should ask the other question. I was a bit surprised when I drove my RTS home, and found out where the signals are. It has two signal buttons on the floor, that I have to stand on. While it seemed like a good idea to leave the driver hands free to steer, it was distracting for me to keep pressure on the signal button while wanting to signal. I didn't notice if the MCI's are like this or not. Does anyone have suggestions on converting this to something a bit more conventional. My immediate thought was to put a DPDT switch on the dash somewhere. Being that I was going to bother do that, I didn't think it would be that much more work to switch it over to 12v, but really I should know better. | ||
| Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Rating: N/A |
If you're purchasing the Luxeon I, III, V or K2 (the newest one) I'd recommend that you go to www.lumiledsfuture.com (authorized reseller - and actually cheaper that buying from third parties) this is a collaborative venture between Lumileds (the company that created and manufactures Luxeon LEDs) and Future Electronics Canada (the only listed direct component reseller of Luxeon LEDs). I've been running these LEDs in my tail-lights for about two years now (the first gen), and they haven't let me down yet. Voltage regulation is farily easy and cheap - doesn't even need a PCB (printed circuit board) if you lay it out correctly. One word of warning about the other "drop-in LED replacements" - they are not a good thing to pop in your rig or your car or motorcycle. They don't have the light 360x360 distribution of a standard 1157/1156 bulb - thus you may be reducing the visble light output of the fixture to only a 15-30 degree cone (it looks like a hot-spot in the fixture). Doing an LED replacement requires math and testing to determine suitability. Now that the Luxeon K2 has come out, I'm about the redo the taillights on my truck (for the last time) - but this will still require several LEDs to overcome light loss through the lens and off the reflector. Before you start hammering me about how the "drop-in LEDs are better or "your way", consider the testamonial I left for this company (testamonial "4") back in 2001. I've since learned the error of my ways - and the former turn signal LED parts are now lighting the engine compartment of my Gillig. Cheers! -Tim P.S. I don't think that $300 dollars was well spent now... | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
You can get turn signal switches that clamp-on to your steering column for reasonable ($40 ish) made by signet something like that. I think Ackland Grangers stocks them and Princess Auto often sold them too. |
