LED Mirror/Courtesy Puddle Lamps & License Plate Lights | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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LED Mirror/Courtesy Puddle Lamps & License Plate Lights

Before:
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After:

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The camera doesn't seem to take pictures of LEDs too well (except the night shots, looks below).

Justin146 sold me some LED panels already fabbed up with 8 - 10mm 10000 mcd hyper white LEDs that he imported in on each board (2). He did a very nice job on the work. Good quality stuff.

Anyway here is a picture of them

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picture by justin146

Main thing for this set up is that LEDs are polarity set. LED (Light Emitting Diode); it is still a diode (which allows current to only flow in one way). So basically if you hook them up backwards you will think you got screwed over cause they won't light up. What I did was take my test light and found out which post was positive. After I figured that out I marked the side that was ground with a dot of white out. For these boards, the white wires were ground.

To get started you need to get the housings out. The screws are Torx bits so make sure you have a size 15 to get the screws out. After you have the housings out, basically "break" the clear cover off the black housing. This will give you access to where you can lay the LEDs in. They are just "jammed" in there, but that's the way it has to be so that they'll re-seal correctly.

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I used clear silicone to reseal the housing. It looks nasty/messy (atleast for my likings - I'm a clean freak) -- but it gets the job done and it allows light to pass through it and hey, I had some left over from my rear differential cover install.

I am very happy with outcome of the project. But, the night time shots are the best. Take a look:

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They are very nice. Very bright (like everyone always says, pictures can't do it justice). Thanks for the great stuff Justin!

Notes:

LED Puddle Light Project - by Justin146


-Drew



UPDATE 2-19-2006


Justin and I got together again and he shared with me some license plate and a map light LED board. I don't have any before shots, but you get the idea (the night pictures don't do it justice, they are BRIGHT!)

The Licesense Plate Board:

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Justin's LED License Plate Project

they are very cool and bright!
 

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Those look so good, I am realllly hoping he starts making them and selling them... I would definitely buy some.
 






newc5188 said:
Those look so good, I am realllly hoping he starts making them and selling them... I would definitely buy some.

Same here. Looks great ExplorerDMB!!!
 






Well, I've spent a few days with them now - and they are defilently cool. The look a whole lot nicer than the "yellow".

-Drew
 












how much would it cost for a pair roughly?
 






They are $45 shipped. Since I am not an "ExplorerForum Vendor", I can't talk about sales of them on here. Email me if you are interested. Thanks.
 






They are awesome and worth every penny. I have the same ones and I love the look and how much more useful they are. Very easy to install as well.
 






Thanks for giving me a price anyways! I will be contacting you later this year about them. :)
 






Who else has done this mod? I know some people have done interior.

-Drew
 






I did it on my '99 Limited. Now I gotta figure out a way to put some on my '03 Supercrew.
 






I guess I can show off my license light a little more:).....
 

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I like LED's also. I had my license plate lights done too. I also had all my interior lights, a glove box light, re-did all power lock and window switch lights, running board lights, and even installed a few in my cup holders :thumbsup: Now I gotta do it all again in my Supercrew :thumbdwn: Takes too long though. Where did you get your big LED's from?
 






Updated the origional post with some pictures of my license plate lights and map light. They are extremely bright and more blue than the mirror lights. Very cool upgrade! :thumbsup:

-Drew
 






bump - no one is seeing the license plate lights :(
 






I see them!! lol I'm going to do those as well.

I am having a problem with my drivers side puddle light. There are times when it flickers with the "beat" of the motor. I'm not real sure whats going on. But I will look into the connection and such whenever I'm home on break.
 






IAmTodd said:
I see them!! lol I'm going to do those as well.

I am having a problem with my drivers side puddle light. There are times when it flickers with the "beat" of the motor. I'm not real sure whats going on. But I will look into the connection and such whenever I'm home on break.
The only thing it could be is a loose connector. They are wired in parallel, so if say one LED would die, it wouldnt affect the others....and there are no switching components on them. Go to Radio Shack and buy some contact cleaner..it should clean the connector/plug easily. If your 5.0 is anything like mine(and every other one I have seen), it can shake the truck pretty good.
 






whats happs with the snaps. cool ass mods man, cool cool. How many leds are in the maplight setup? That looks freakin tight, and plenty bright. I need to do that conversion. Also need to find the really small leds for my door lock and window switches. grrr, time time time time time. your ride looks sik man for sure...
 






StaTTiKK said:
whats happs with the snaps. cool ass mods man, cool cool. How many leds are in the maplight setup? That looks freakin tight, and plenty bright. I need to do that conversion. Also need to find the really small leds for my door lock and window switches. grrr, time time time time time. your ride looks sik man for sure...

I used 3mm LED's when I changed my door lock and window switches.

You guys should see what I did to my F-150 with LED's. I changed my mirror signal lights to LED's. But I didn't change the bulb to a LED one, I made a custom set of 8 18000mcd 5mm red LED's.

The first pic is of the rear of the truck for a comparison. The second is of the right mirror signal light (stock), and the last pic is of the left mirror signal light (LED). Gotta love LED's :D The pictures do it no justice.

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Follow up on my puddle lights: I have 3 out so far :(
 






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