Homemade LED tail light

[XPBQN]

There are many LED tail light out there. I've tried them all and wasn't impressed with the light output. So I decided to make my own using factory housing.

I use this LED to make the LED tail light. The legs were cut to the needed length:


I bought the perfboard from RadioShack to cut them in this shape for the driving/brake light. And here is how I layout the LEDs:


Using the perfboard to cut the turn-signal light and layout the LEDs in this pic:


I first had the LEDs and registers soldered like this for the driving/brake light:


and like this for the turn-signal light:


But by doing like the above two pictures, if one LED goes out, the same line, which has that burned out LED will be out, so I improve them like this:


and I only have to use one register instead of several registers per board.
I sacrified the factory bulb-tail and inserted the wires so it'll plug into the factory plug without any modification:


It was time to test how they look and feel on the truck. The driving/brake light works flawlessly. The turn-signal works, too. But it blinks as fast as the factory bulb were out. Scratching my head thinking what I would want to do. I know that I could buy the LED flasher and it'll fix the problem. But it is costly (about $12 per flasher, and I need 2).

So, this came to my mind, also purchased from RadioShack:



This going to make the car knows there is a bulb still there. The bulb is 12V and 60mA, so it fits my application. And the bulb is so small that it won't shine the light thru the perfboard.
I soldered the mini-lamp bulb on the line like this:


or on the board like this:


OK, time to put it in the factory housing. I cut the side of the housing without damaging the bolts or cable clips since I will really need the tail lights to stay on the truck through the bumps or rocks on street:


I didn't take a picture of the driving/brake, but it's the same concept. Slide the LEDs board in and epoxi the cut part. After the glue dried, here is how it looks:



I don't have the pictures of them on the truck yet as I still need to make the passenger side (waiting for more LEDs). As soon as I finish them, more pictures will be posted.

[Irongrave]

those are cool my friend

[Glacier08]

Wow, good for you man. Can't wait to see them installed and on!

[IslandNismo]

You have some talent my friend... Can you do some shots with it on?

[devious1]

Pretty sweet! It's Thursday, hopefully that taillight made it?

[Mandangalo]

nice work man. looks great. cant wait to see em lit up

[XPBQN]

Originally Posted by devious1

Pretty sweet! It's Thursday, hopefully that taillight made it?

Yeah, one is hopefully it'll show up today. Another is those extra LEDS that I ordered still in the air. Even if yours doesn't make it in time, I will still use my factory if the LEDs make it first. I have a spare set either way.

Originally Posted by Mandangalo

nice work man. looks great. cant wait to see em lit up

Thanks. I can't wait, either.

[R.A.D]

Here is a few pics that I took at the meet and greet.

Left one is LED


LED


OEM

[bake]

That looks great! You need to do a writeup on the soldering so all us stupid guys can do it, lol. How did you affix the board inside the tail light?

[XPBQN]

Thank you Rick for posting the pictures of when it lits up.