LED Mirror/Courtesy Puddle Lamps & License Plate Lights | Page 2 | 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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do one of you guys think u can show me briefly how to make one (w/pics) and how the led and resistors all go with each other and everything....... i would greatly appreciate it.

thanks in advanced
 



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


When you did this, what kind of 3mm LEDs did you use? SMTs, or just regular LEDs? And did you put a resistor in, or just connect the LED directly to the 12v?
 






i just did mine with 6 -10mm 140,000 mcd they are very bright i'll post some pictures tonight :)

EDIT: here are the pics....... tell me what ya think:)
wim2pe.jpg

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this one has 2 of the 10mm 140,000 mcd led's in it
10mij3c.jpg

the rear cargo light has 3 of the same leds i could have put 6 or 8 but they are plenty bright.
hwx3s9.jpg

it would look better but i have crap in the back :)
 












Help?!

i just did mine with 6 -10mm 140,000 mcd they are very bright i'll post some pictures tonight :)

Hey dude! How long it take you to make? Would you be willing to make my Limited some LEDs for the puddle light? Yours are way brighter then mine, I would do it my self but its to small and to fine of a job and my left hand is still numb from my crash back in March...

My old plate :) but is not LEDs haha but still very bright...
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Running board...
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Running board and you can see a little of the puddle lights...
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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.




PM Sent 1/23/08
 






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