My tail lights guts (version 3.0)

The lights on my car were the prototype for just about everything Halo-related I've done. Back in September of 08 when I had just the basic halo-modded blackouts, I was pulled over 3 times in one night for lack of tail light/brake light visibility. I fixed the Halo "ring" by replacing it with an LED strip and replaced the inner section LEds with 5-chip superflux LEDs.

The original replacement of the center section used .060" ABS plastic with holes drilled for mountign and wiring. This was a proof of concept for the most part and while it worked, I wasn't too satisfied with it. After nearly 6 months of designing, I finally got some real PCBs built. These boards are custom built to my specs and will also work on the sequencing design I did.

Originally the guts looked like this:


Now they look like this:




The only anoying part is that the resistor mounts ont he PCBs were designed for 1/2w resistor leads. The huge 1W resistors i'm using requrie larger holes and had to be drilled out, and extra contacts sanded.

The output is the same, just a little more reliable than the original and will easily fit behind the back of the halo cap.....if i still had mine

Wow!
I almost afraid to ask, almost, but do you have pictures of them lit?
...better keep it indoors tho,
wouldn't want aircraft or ships at sea mistaking it for a nav beacon...

Looking good! Very nice! Sequencing eh?


Is the company that you used for making your PCBs affordable? Curious for a project at hand to make a prototype.

I can blueprint it, but would hate to build it... rather let someone else so it can be 'perfect'

The boards are designed for sequencing, but I didn't use that feature on mine.

The company i'm using is retro-solutions. I did most of the bluprinting/designing. The price was fair for the qty i ordered (enough boards for 15 cars) since I sell this mod.

I have found it very tough to find decent mounting materials for LEDs. Those PCB boards are great. I do not see them on their website, will they be for sale from them or you?

byte you can get project board at radio shack you know that right?

the PCB board is for a printed layout or design. Just makes things easier and less soldering.

byte wrote:

I have found it very tough to find decent mounting materials for LEDs. Those PCB boards are great. I do not see them on their website, will they be for sale from them or you?

the boards they make are custom. You send them a design and they'll quote you a price.

RF, do those superflux's fit the openings in the Halo reflector, or do you have the mod/enlarge the reflector for them to fit???

mtndv8 wrote:

RF, do those superflux's fit the openings in the Halo reflector, or do you have the mod/enlarge the reflector for them to fit???

they fit in the same openings.

Radioflyer wrote:

The boards are designed for sequencing, but I didn't use that feature on mine.

I'm very curious.

Radioflyer wrote:

...since I sell this mod.

...about this, too.

see these vids:

(testing a customer's smoked tail lights)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiK4QGfVkxc

(Mounted on the Demo car)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfSewheUjZw

Very neat. I wish I was tech savy. I want to make my 3rd brake light led and scan from inside to outside when brake is applied. I saw it on a Stratus (possibly on here?) and now I want it lol

Completed pics:

I inserted a 3/8" x 1/4" piece of foam between the LED strip and the inside of the halo. This seperates the output of the Halo from the rest of the optics. The effect is really cool looking. (I'll have brake light pics tomorrow night when I have a second person in the shop to help.



LED strip lens off


Lens on:

Radioflyer wrote:

(I'll have brake light pics tomorrow night when I have a second person in the shop to help.

I found a hammer (or just about anything) can be pushed against brake petal and front of seat to test brake lights when you are alone...

Lights look great!

byte wrote:

Radioflyer wrote: (I'll have brake light pics tomorrow night when I have a second person in the shop to help. I found a hammer (or just about anything) can be pushed against brake petal and front of seat to test brake lights when you are alone... Lights look great!

That's what I do,but I use my California car duster in that spot.


Oh and yeah,those tail lights look much better. As usual,nicely done.