3 Watt LED in Puddle lamps!!!!

so i decided i wanted my puddle lights to be brighter, i already had 6 10mm led in each, well i found this "instructable" for a high power led driver that was really simple to do http://www.instructables.com/id/Super-simple-high-power-LED-driver/ . With high power led you need a "driver" you can buy some for about $5.

So i got some 3 watt leds (110 lumens @ 700mA) so i got a LM317 and a 1.8 ohm 1W resistor. now the resistor will change depending on how many leds you want to hook up and what mA you want to give them

things you'll need
LM317
Resistor
Aluminum (for the heat sink)
High Power LED's
Solder and some wire
Thermal compound


here what some of the parts look like

Connected the resistor to the regulator

Use thermal compound and screw to heat sink (aluminum) Regulator to Heat sink

Use thermal compound and screw to heat sink (aluminum), LED to Heat sink

This gets pretty warm, might need more heat sink, i was able to fit this in the puddle light housing without having to cut it.

this is easily 10X brighter and it brighten up the ground (has a wider angle 120 degree. where as the 10mm were like 20 degree), alot more surface area.
its too late to go get pictures outside but i'll get some tomorrow.

 

[jad2411]

If your gonna use a cpu heatsink couldn't you also attach a cpu fan to it?

Won't fit in the mirror assy

 

[damagexinc]

this is true, but someone on here asked about mounting it under the hood. which if you really think about it depending on where it's mounted it shouldn't need much to keep cool

 

[shortstack]

yes you would use a cpu heat sink, you could also use a fan but what about when the fan dies?

Now that i ahve played with high power leds for a while know i wouldn't use the LM317 and resistor, the LM317 puts out too much heat i would use an actual 12vdc led driver like these ones
not sure if theis one would fit
http://www.besthongkong.com/index.php?cPath=19_51&osCsid=35a015cdad906dba8aa4212f6a4d1f2e
this one should fit ok
http://ledsupply.com/bucktoot.php

 

[Super_Swamper_98]

WOW! Those things are mega bright.

 

[Super_Swamper_98]

WOW! Those things are mega bright. That would be cool to make some rock lights with those style led's.

 

[XLTmodifire]

Damn it, damn it, damn it.

Looks as though I will have a new project. If there is any further information regarding this that others may want to input, it would be highly appreciated.

I only ask due to the last few posts suggesting other materials.

 

[Ratical2]

yes you would use a cpu heat sink, you could also use a fan but what about when the fan dies?

Now that i ahve played with high power leds for a while know i wouldn't use the LM317 and resistor, the LM317 puts out too much heat i would use an actual 12vdc led driver like these ones
not sure if theis one would fit
http://www.besthongkong.com/index.php?cPath=19_51&osCsid=35a015cdad906dba8aa4212f6a4d1f2e
this one should fit ok
http://ledsupply.com/bucktoot.php

Shortstack, the products from LEDSupply are good stuff. The drivers are very efficiently designed. An oversimplification is that they only pull the power needed.

An LM317 is a quick an easy way to power a circuit. It can be configured as fixed or variable voltage regulator, fixed or variable currrent regulator. The negative is that it is a linear device. All of the power that is not used by the LED is converted to heat by the regulator.

Another thing that should be considered when creating automotive applications. Always include a reverse protection diode such as a 1N4007.

The automotive electrical environment is a very hostile place. The diode does alot to prevent damage to your project. It also helps to lower supply voltage by .8 volts.

Also the size heatsink you are using should not be pushed past about 1.5 watts. It is too small to sink 3watts of heat by itself. If do run it a 3 watts it will still light but the LED will not last as long because it is being thermally stressed. In AK you may be okay, but in the southern states it would be a problem.

 

[dmathews]

I was wondering if you could do this same thing but use a 5w led from best hong kong and one of the 5w led drivers. If the driver is what causes most of the heat then you could always just run the wires into the door and place it in there somewhere. I was wanting to try this but wasnt sure if it would work.

 

[Ratical2]

The heat sink and thermal path is the limiting factor. Whether or not you mount the driver remotely, the heat sink has to remove the electrical power away from an led.

LED's convert ~ 20-30% of the energy used into light. The remaining power is converted into heat. Since LED's do not radiate energy in the form of Ir or UV, all of this heat must be extracted thru the back of the led and sunk into the heat sink.

Incandescents convert 5-10% of the energy consumed into visible light. 80-85% of power is converted to non visible light / power that comes out front of lamp. The remaining 10% is then absorbed thru the socket.

This is the major difference between the two lamp sources and why the thermal path is so critical for LED applications.

 

[dmathews]

Well what was said before was the LM317 that put out most of the heat. So if I made a heat sink and stuff for the led should I be pretty good. I know all the other leds I have dont put out any heat that I can tell. I know this is alot stronger led but 5w shouldnt put out enough to melt the housing or anything should it. Basically Im just wanting to know if I do it the way I want is there any risk of **** melting and that kinda stuff, thanks.

 

[Ratical2]

Moving the LM317 from heat sink is a good thing. It only helps. For the heat sink shown in post #30, I would not push more than 1.5 watts thru. If you put 5 watts thru it, you will most likely be melting stuff.

-A rule of thumb is that you need 9 square inches of surface area per watt of power dissappated to see a baseplate temperature of 10 degrees C above ambient. For a 5 W LED, you will need a heatsink that has 45 square inches of surface area in open air to keep the LED junction temperature below its max of 120 -150C at a max ambient temperature of 70degrees C.
These numbers are approximations based on generalities, but you get the idea. For 5 watts the heat sink is going to take up a large portion of the side mirror.

- Just because an LED is rated for 5Watts does not mean that it works efficiently at that power level. There is a sweet spot for max efficiency around 50-60% of max drive current. After that you begin producing more heat and less light with increase of power.

The name of the game is keeping the LED cool as possible for maximum light output and efficiency.

I hope that this helps!

 

[dmathews]

Yeah it helps, Im not wanting to mess anything up, lol. I didnt plan on using the lm317 but instead using this.
http://www.besthongkong.com/product...d=448&osCsid=35a015cdad906dba8aa4212f6a4d1f2e
and here is the led I was planning on using
http://www.besthongkong.com/product...d=170&osCsid=35a015cdad906dba8aa4212f6a4d1f2e
But I guess I can always step it down

 

[xxxploader]

SHORTSTACK .... WhiteLimited and BlackSheep Josh said it best (about puddle lamps) ... I would like to try that ... one problem, my mirrors don't have puddle lamps BUT I believe that the wires are already there (in the mirror harness) I'm gonna investigate and let you guys know later!! THANKS for the info/mods ... you guys are DOING the things I always thought of doing - just didn't know how

I'll post some pics later but for the meantime and between time you can see my truck at www.cardomain.com/id/projectgnx ... I also have a project regal (hence the name)

- XXXploader

 

[R1dd1cK]

Bump

 

[RIcArDO1697]

Mirror

Hey guys my driver's side mirror doesn't works!!
how can i make it works again????

 

[YBCold]

i made one of those regulators but its an RGB LED. so it has 3 drivers. that give out 350 mah at 1 watt. then i put a 2k ohm dimming pot inline so now i can do color mixing. i made it for a bicycle though.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Hey guys my driver's side mirror doesn't works!!
how can i make it works again????

Probably need a new switch. The one you push to turn the mirrors.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

Wow those are bright as hell.