LED fun

[SgtM]

This is my truck. There are many like it, but this one is mine. I must customise my truck as I customise my computers. My truck used to have a 12" blue neon inside, but it fell victim to time and lots of use. Well, in the process of moving and cleaning stuff up, I found an old nokia car charger from about 4 years ago. I started thinking.. "What can I do with this"?

Here's the answer.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3479.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3478.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3482.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3481.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3480.jpg

I'm not done yet either. More and better pics will be on their way tonight!

[Greco101]

without you, your truck is useless. Without your truck. You are useless. haha

[SgtM]

So.. Now we have some more fun with LED's. I put a blue and a UV LED under the drivers seat, and a blue LED under the passenger's seat. I would have put a UV under the pass seat too, but the damn post fell off.. I said a few choice words after that. I'm thinking of adding a green LED (I have a spare 3mm) under the pass seat. Since I suck at taking pictures, only 2 came out that I thought you guys would like to see. I used 3mm blues and 5mm UV.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3493.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSCF3494.jpg

**EDIT**
I should REALLY get the shopvac out and clean up the floor.

[AJ@PR]

This is my truck. There are many like it, but this one is mine. I must customise my truck as I customise my computers.


without you, your truck is useless. Without your truck. You are useless. haha

LoL! :up: :up:

Cool mod man!
How do they look at night? I mean, from a driver's point of view?
Are they 'friendly' to the eyes?
I've always wanted to install some red LEDs inside... to make my car kinda Red October-ish bridge.

Hell, now I'm thinking that maybe some blue LEDs under the car...
or maybe that's just plain too 'ricy'? :neutral:

w00t! :)

[Eclecticos]

Thats Preddy Kewl! +Rep I have a box full of old chargers collecting dust.
I'm going to have to try that myself. How about letting us know how you made it. . Please :D

[calumc]

LoL! :up: :up:

Cool mod man!
How do they look at night? I mean, from a driver's point of view?
Are they 'friendly' to the eyes?
I've always wanted to install some red LEDs inside... to make my car kinda Red October-ish bridge.

if you are planning on putting leds inside the car i think red is meant to be easier on the eye for driving than blue is

[SgtM]

The pictures really don't do it justice. It doesn't pick up the UV at all, which looks really cool on your shoes. The plug in was really simple. The charger already had a red LED in it. So, I just made the hole bigger to fit a 5mm LED and put the 2 blues in parallel. No resistor needed there. The other 3 I wired in from a 12v source with 1/4 watt resistors. They're mouned under the seats with electrical tape.

Cost:
Old cell phone charger - free
LED's - 45 cents each x 3: $1.35 (US) www.lsdiodes.com
Resistors - 5 cents each x 3: $0.15 (US) www.lsdiodes.com
Wire - free from old computer cases.
Tape - I bought for $1 from Harbor freight about a year ago
Total - $1.50

[rendermandan]

this is pretty cool

[SgtM]

LoL! :up: :up:

Cool mod man!
How do they look at night? I mean, from a driver's point of view?
Are they 'friendly' to the eyes?
I've always wanted to install some red LEDs inside... to make my car kinda Red October-ish bridge.

Hell, now I'm thinking that maybe some blue LEDs under the car...
or maybe that's just plain too 'ricy'? :neutral:

w00t! :)

Sorry AJ.. didn't mean to ignore you. It looks really good at night, and it's not distracting. It's amazing that such small LED's put out as much light as they do. I don't know how to take better pictures of it. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I'm thinking of replacing all of the dash lights with LED's now. Of course, that project will have to wait until after I move. I'll post a worklog if I do it.


this is pretty cool

Thanks!

[Short Modder]

I like the blue! My Dad has that same Marines plate!!

[Vexxx_2007]

nice work man!!! LEDs and lights can make anything cool. Even a toaster would look sweet with LEDs in it.

Note to self: stay away from the toaster.

[SgtM]

Thanks man. If I can get the truck running again, I have plans for lots more LED's.

[SgtM]

So, the truck is back on the road after 8 months, and completely ripping out the interior.

Here's what things looked like a few weeks ago.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC02190.jpg

And here's what it looks like now. I had single LED's under each seat lighting up the floor, but they died on me. So tomorrow I'll be wiring up 3 LED's under each seat which will be set in some clear (or maybe frosted) plexi.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03078.jpg

[OvRiDe]

Glad to see the truck is back on the road man!!! Also looking forward to seeing some more interior lighting. :D

[SgtM]

Brand new pics:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03080.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03081.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03082.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03083.jpg

[dfigravity]

haha...putting LED's and CCFL's in cars is FUN! Now you need to make a little switch plate and add a few different colors each on their own switch so you can totally change the mood in your truck with the flip of a few switches. :) Awesomeness.

[Drum Thumper]

So, inquiring minds want to know, did you end up sanding the plex?

[SgtM]

Actually, I didn't use any plexi yet. I started thinking about it, and decided that it would probably diffuse too much, and I wouldn't get the general glow that I was looking for. Here's what I was thinking about on my way to work tonight. We collect and recycle soda cans. A LOT of soda cans. I'm thinking about sacrificing a couple of them to make a reflective cone, not unlike what you would find in a flashlight. I figure cut them up, polish, and shape.

[luciusad2004]

How does this look from the outside? Is it supper noticeable? In alot of places this might be of questionable legality if its bright enough to be a "distraction".

[SgtM]

That's the cool thing about it. There is a very faint glow from the outside. Faint enough that if you were to pass me on the street, you wouldn't know the cab was lit up.

[SXRguyinMA]

neat idea! looks pretty sweet too

[mittelmeier]

That looks really nice.

[SgtM]

Thanks guys. I'm not done yet. Just haven't had time to get the soldering iron out.

[SgtM]

So here we go. More LED's added to the truck. I added 3 under the steering wheel, and 3 right under the stock dome light. I need to aim some of them a little better, but it's fun nonetheless. Enjoy.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03864.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03865.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/Truck_mods/DSC03866.jpg

[st8smn]

looks good ...to get those pics ,try to take a video (hi res) and then take single frames out with your pc.....
if you wanna go crazy with it have a look @ theledshoppe.com i got 100 5 mm uv led's for $9 (au) 100 3 mm uv for $8 (au) and 25 flashing red green and blue led's for $7.70(au) they have everything led (within reason ):whistler:

[SgtM]

That's where I got these ones. Haven't ordered in a while.. I have a lot left. Those are long exposure shots, though they could have been longer. The truck started running like crap on me shortly after these were taken. Haven't had the motivation to do anything with it since then. I'm really fed up with it. I am, however, scheming on where to put some LED's in the new car.