Led Dome light

[lilws6]

A couple guys at work wanted me to build them a dome light and i had already done two dodge rams and an integra(by far the worst one so far.) Now today i had some spare time i thought i would photograph the assembly of a 2000 chevy 2500 classic dome light. By far the easiest i've done.

I start with a blank board.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01318.jpg
Then it gets cut to size to fit perfectly snug where ever i need it. I also painted these.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01319.jpg
then the lights go in and get soldered on the back.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01323.jpg
install in housing and test.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01317.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01322.jpg
repeat for the other two i built and whola led dome light.
Keep in mind i left alot of space in there and probably could have added more leds if wanted but the cost would go up and he wanted $25 worth :thumbsup
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01321.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01324.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01325.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01326.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC01327.jpg

[Goat Roper]

That is pretty damn neat! Bet finding shit in the cab isn't much of a problem with that thing on.

[Flicktitty]

awesome!

where do you kit the bored and the led lights? i want to try something.

and how is it wired? stock?

[A B4C Z]

pretty neat.
I bought the SMD ones and had them in my truck for over a year and everytime they turn on everyone asks about them.
Have you used the SMD ones at all?

[WilliamZ]

awesome!

where do you kit the bored and the led lights? i want to try something.

and how is it wired? stock?


http://www.digikey.com/

[lilws6]

i ge the boards and leds from ebay seller hongkong super seller usually has some good deals bulk is def. your best bet.

I've never used smd lights what are they?

They get wired to the factory harness. Usually i shave a little bit of coating off of wires and solder them in line and just take the factory bulbs out.

[lilws6]

They light up alot my blazer had 25 in the dome light and 24 in the maps and 12 in the hatch light. you could see the entire inside of the truck through the tint with them on. heres the maps i had taken a picture of.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/lilws6/DSC00328.jpg

[03CVLX]

That turned out awesome!! You wouldn't be interested in helping me convert my Dome lights in my Crown Vic over to LED would you? I Have also thought about doing the Third Brake light.

[lasttimearound]

could you do that for say the cargo light that over looks the bed?

[lilws6]

I've thought about my third as well problem being it either has to be cut up to fit the board in or some how pulled apart and reglued.

as for the cargo light i should be able to do that. is comes apart in two pieces right? Also is it sealed from the elements. these arn't exactly water proof altho they might work under water i haven't tried that yet

[GRAMPS SS]

^^^^^^^^^waiting for mine...you got them done yet....kids :rolf:rolf

[lilws6]

fussy fussy get in line i still gata order more supplies i'm running low

[GRAMPS SS]

i'm in line...patiently i might add.....just let me know when your ready...

[PonyKiller87]

Lights look good.

If your interested I can show you how to do printed circuit boards with a regular printer so you don't have to bridge across them with all that lead, lol. Its actualy really easy to do.

[lilws6]

ive been having a hard time finding the boards to do that with if you could hook me up i wouldn't waste so much solder.

i'm off next wed thurs. and friday wayne you let me know

[PonyKiller87]

Ill post up some links tomorrow, I have them on my computer at work.

[lilws6]

sweet thanks

[GRAMPS SS]

ive been having a hard time finding the boards to do that with if you could hook me up i wouldn't waste so much solder.

i'm off next wed thurs. and friday wayne you let me know

WHEN YOU HAVE THE TIME...i'll drive over for you to measure the lights..and then you can get to it when YOU have time...:thumbsup

the QUEER will be glowing inside ..factory lighting i can find crap at night...shine on me...:D

[lilws6]

well if i can get them in ever light in the queer then you'll be able to find stuff even the dealership didn't know was in there :rolf

[PonyKiller87]

Sorry it took so long.

Here is a link for doing some really cool stuff, you can print out a circuit board that looks like anything you can draw on a computer in paint or CAD or MS word if you wanted.
http://www.bcae1.com/circuitboardetch.htm

You can also buy paint markers ment for making boards and just draw it on and then do the etch.

There is also a UV light way of doing it but that is more for making alot of the same thing over and over.


This is where I buy LED's from, they carry just about everything and the prices are decent.
http://www.theledlight.com/

This one is good for LED's too
http://webtronics.stores.yahoo.net/bagolspec100.html


As for buying blank boards, some of the better radio shack's carry them, and the etching chemicals.
Ebay seems to be the cheepest place to get blank boards though. Usualy you can find someone selling a lot of 12" x X" boards and most of them do free shipping.

[WhatsADSM]

Looks pretty cool!

What LEDs did you use? I don't see a single bias resistor in there :confused

Looks really bright, although many LEDs have a pretty narrow angle light path especially if they aren't diffused (like in the map light pic). So for a dome light I would imagine it lights the shit out of a certain area but not sure about the whole cabin (again it mostly would depend on how much the housing diffuses the light).

Personally, since you are doing them as one-off things for friends, I would just continue doing the boards like you are. You *could* etch a board but it would probably be more effort than it is worth.. Otherwise if you are serious about wanting a nice board for few bucks I could just spin you a real board, in whatever configuration you wanted.

[Holeshot]

Really interesting.