LED Brake / Running Light Controller Diagram

So if you're building custom LED brake lights, you'll want to have full intensity when the brake is pressed, and somewhere around half intensity when you're just cruising.

It is best to use a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) circuit that flashes the LEDs on and off really fast (faster than the human eye can detect). This gives the appearance of dimming.

Oznium.com offers a simple LED dimmer for $16.99 that can easily be used to control your LED brake light project.

Not just for brake lights though! You could easily adapt this method for dimming interior lights, headlight accents, whatever...

BUY AT OZNIUM.COM for $16.99: http://www.oznium.com/rotary-dimmer

And the relay: http://www.oznium.com/relay40

The cool thing about this LED dimmer is that you can simply "dial in" the best brightness level once, and then just leave it.









TWO WIRING METHODS

Is your control source a negative/ground switched wire?
Meaning, is the positive wire constantly connected,
and the negative/ground wire the one that is switched on and off...



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Is your control source a positive/power switched wire?
Meaning, is the negative/ground wire constantly connected,
and the positive/power wire the one that is switched on and off...



BUY AT OZNIUM.COM for $16.99: http://www.oznium.com/rotary-dimmer

And the relay: http://www.oznium.com/relay40

Couldnt you do this with a simple resistor and transistor?

I really doubt it, but could be wrong.

I think I will need something like this to see how bright the factory brake lights are, unless someone else has a better idea

Another diagram, for just using the LED dimmer in its most basic application:

Also, the dimmer will not work with the Spots or Floods.

I can understand the need in that it allows you to select the amount of brightness or dim you want. But what about an item like this:


Converts any Flexible Array into a dual intensity Running/Brake Light or Running/Turn Signal. Allows array to illuminate at 1/2 intensity for running lights and full intensity for brake lights. Application chart shows what circuit you need depending on 5-10, 15-25, 30-60, 65-100 LEDs.

Whelan wrote:

I can understand the need in that it allows you to select the amount of brightness or dim you want. But what about an item like this

If you don't want your lights to match your factory lights, then that would work. It allows the full brightness of the LED's for the brakes, and then cuts that brightness in half (which may or may not look good) for the parking lights.

For me it would work, I already have LEDs for a 3rd brake light that were custom made. The brake lamps would be full LED instead of the bulbs in there now. They do not make LED tail lights for the 03-08 Toyota Matrix (just every other Toyota ever made). So I'm SOL for this unless I do it myself. But I need dual intensity.

Unless of course I wire some into the stop and others into the park.

Whelan wrote:

I can understand the need in that it allows you to select the amount of brightness or dim you want. But what about an item like this: Converts any Flexible Array into a dual intensity Running/Brake Light or Running/Turn Signal. Allows array to illuminate at 1/2 intensity for running lights and full intensity for brake lights. Application chart shows what circuit you need depending on 5-10, 15-25, 30-60, 65-100 LEDs.

Yes, technically a simple resistor will work, but it is really a bad way to do it. You can choose between 5-10, 15,25, 30-60, and 65-100 LEDs. Well all LEDs are not the same. Some are brighter and draw a more power than others, thus screwing up the calculations. You're going to need a huge power resistor for any serious brake lamp application you're building. It seems that trying to use a resistor for this is just like taking shots in the dark.

The PWM circuit (LED dimmer) is a much better way to do it. Why would you want to use a resistor?

Phil wrote:

You're going to need a huge power resistor for any serious brake lamp application

I would think it would get rather hot too

It's a rediculously LARGE high wattage resistor ...
Also IF you have the taillight monitors LED's will LIKELY show you have a burnt out bulb , AND the turns will flash fast

Lucky for me I dont have that taillight out icon.

Phil wrote:

Whelan wrote: I can understand the need in that it allows you to select the amount of brightness or dim you want. But what about an item like this: Converts any Flexible Array into a dual intensity Running/Brake Light or Running/Turn Signal. Allows array to illuminate at 1/2 intensity for running lights and full intensity for brake lights. Application chart shows what circuit you need depending on 5-10, 15-25, 30-60, 65-100 LEDs. Yes, technically a simple resistor will work, but it is really a bad way to do it. You can choose between 5-10, 15,25, 30-60, and 65-100 LEDs. Well all LEDs are not the same. Some are brighter and draw a more power than others, thus screwing up the calculations. You're going to need a huge power resistor for any serious brake lamp application you're building. It seems that trying to use a resistor for this is just like taking shots in the dark. The PWM circuit (LED dimmer) is a much better way to do it. Why would you want to use a resistor?

If that is a resistor, why does it have 3 wires?

byte wrote:

If that is a resistor, why does it have 3 wires?

Because it's part of a circuit...