Finally doing my side mirror light mod
10-11-2010, 07:45 PM
#1
Jokerman
Thread Starter
Finally doing my side mirror light mod
well after looking for so long for someone to try this first, i decided to do it.
I am replacing the amber led's in the side mirriw trun signals with a LED strip instead.
Some things i learned so far:
I started with the drivers side and made a $60 mistake. I thought i would be cutting the housing like i did for the front side markers when i did that mod. Well i was wrong. I was supposed to cut in at an angle. On the drivers side signal, I cut into the reflector. I did that and still tried to finish it just to see how long it would take.
When you cut into the housing it will put a lot of dust into the clear housing so you have to rinse that out. (i didnt on the first one, but i have to get a new one anyways).
The area that has the difuser is only 1/4" wide, the thinest strip i could find with front facing LED's is 3/8" so it is s tight fit.
For closing it up i should have used JB Kwik instead of the silicon sealant. It took way to long to dry.
I will let you know how the other side goes and when i get the new marker after i order it, i will do a DIY.
I am replacing the amber led's in the side mirriw trun signals with a LED strip instead.
Some things i learned so far:
I started with the drivers side and made a $60 mistake. I thought i would be cutting the housing like i did for the front side markers when i did that mod. Well i was wrong. I was supposed to cut in at an angle. On the drivers side signal, I cut into the reflector. I did that and still tried to finish it just to see how long it would take.
When you cut into the housing it will put a lot of dust into the clear housing so you have to rinse that out. (i didnt on the first one, but i have to get a new one anyways).
The area that has the difuser is only 1/4" wide, the thinest strip i could find with front facing LED's is 3/8" so it is s tight fit.
For closing it up i should have used JB Kwik instead of the silicon sealant. It took way to long to dry.
I will let you know how the other side goes and when i get the new marker after i order it, i will do a DIY.
10-11-2010, 08:41 PM
#2
Jokerman
Thread Starter
done with both sides and i got to say they look nice. I figured i was able to cut a little off each side of the strip in order to fit in in well. too bad on each side i lost 3 of the 9 LED's, when i originally tried to stuff it in the housing. I wish I thought about trimming the sides before (oh well).
I was much more careful with the second one than the first, i guess you learn from experience. Also i found out that when i did the drivers side i broke the mirror actuator. So i guess i made about $120 in mistakes. I have wanted to do this mod and i finally did it and i am happy with the results, even though i did break a few things.
I am going to order a new light assembly and try and do a DIY, for it. I will post pics soon with the results.
I was much more careful with the second one than the first, i guess you learn from experience. Also i found out that when i did the drivers side i broke the mirror actuator. So i guess i made about $120 in mistakes. I have wanted to do this mod and i finally did it and i am happy with the results, even though i did break a few things.
I am going to order a new light assembly and try and do a DIY, for it. I will post pics soon with the results.
10-11-2010, 09:36 PM
#3
Jokerman
Thread Starter
Pics
I forgot to apologize if i put this thread in the wrong area. Here are some pics of the outcome of the light mod. I hope you guys like it. I was so sick and tired of the amber lights when everything else was now white.
10-11-2010, 09:57 PM
#5
Jokerman
Thread Starter
Everything up front has been done. I cleared the headlights, did the side marker light mod, and now this one. I really do not like the amber color on my car. The back of the car has nothing but red and now the front has nothing but white. I like the way it looks with everything. I should have took pics with the side markers on, but oh well, all in heinsight.
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10-12-2010, 11:38 AM
#8
BANNED
iTrader: (33)
10-12-2010, 01:15 PM
#9
Jokerman
Thread Starter
i promise i will try to do one, i just have to wait to order the parts until after my next paycheck. If you screw it up like i did it can cost $120, (55 for the light assembly and 65 for the mirror actuator). Like i said, if you dont cut right you will cut into the relfector housing. For the LED Strips, I got two 12" pieces from Advance auto for $19, they were 3/8" wide. The area that they needed to fit in were only 1/4" wide by just under 6" long. I cut one 12" strip in half and wired up the half that had no wires( that way i would still have and extra strip in case i messed up. After i completed the first one, and saw how to do it properly i decided to trim a little off the second strip and put it in the housing. as you can see by the pics, i messed the strips up when trying to put the whole width in, so i lost three led's on the ends.
I had the image of all this damn white blur driving down the road lol
10-12-2010, 05:13 PM
#17
BANNED
iTrader: (33)
i'm not sure if his hazards are on, or if the mirror signals even blink with hazards on?
maybe i'm missing something...
10-12-2010, 05:41 PM
#19
Race Director
iTrader: (8)
Looks great! =)
10-12-2010, 08:16 PM
#20
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Damn that's hot! I like!
10-12-2010, 10:40 PM
#24
Jokerman
Thread Starter
Most states require amber or white front turn signals, technically this isnt a front turn signal.
you can't do switchbacks since they only blink on and off
i appologize for the pictures i turned the flash off on my camera so i could capture the white turn lights, with the flash on i kept on missing the blink of the signal so it looked like the signal was off.
i have an 04 with the 07-08 mirrors, when wired up they all blink for emergency, at least that what happened when i followed the steps on here to do it.
i have a post that i did some time ago. CLICK HERE that is the link for all the vehicle mods. I just looked at NC and it really didnt mention anything. Like i said in the original post with that link, most staes either do not specify or say white or amber front signals.
Last edited by jokerman826; 10-12-2010 at 10:54 PM.
10-12-2010, 10:51 PM
#25
Jokerman
Thread Starter
also forgot to mention, the drivers side one i did, more LED's stopped working. But I expected problems since i was the first one to do this (that i know about), but the passenger side is still going strong and also fit back in the housing a lot better. I am defiantely going to have to redo the drivers side, likei said before. But i guess i learned how not to do it and i was able to make the passenger side come out so much better. I bet the third time will be the best.
To be honest you better have some balls of steel, because if you screw up like i did and cut into the reflective housing you will have to shell out $60 for a new one. I am also so mad at myself for breaking the mirror actuator. I thought i was removing the mirror the correct way, but i guess i did not.
To be honest you better have some balls of steel, because if you screw up like i did and cut into the reflective housing you will have to shell out $60 for a new one. I am also so mad at myself for breaking the mirror actuator. I thought i was removing the mirror the correct way, but i guess i did not.
12-31-2010, 06:18 PM
#26
there no need to replace the leds inside with a cheap strip you just need to replace the individual SMDs with white ones! I had my mirrors apart today looking at them I was horrified to see that LED module was made in Mexico! and the little motors in the mirror were made in China!
12-31-2010, 08:01 PM
#27
^^^
the reason why people change out the smd's for a strip of smd's or LEDs designed to operate off 12v is because of reliability.
For years, people were changing the amber flux LEDs from their sidemarkers to white ones. Me included. The problem was they would last for a few months at most a year. Everyone from led gurus like yourself to EE majors were trying to figure it out why they were blowing. Changing resistors, using different LEDs whatever.
It wasn't until I said to myself, "screw it change out the whole damn circuit board!" I found an led module that fit and switched out the whole thing. Since then that's been the standard for changing out to white LEDs in sidemarkers. I put in my led modules in back in 07' and they are still going strong.
That's basically what he's doing here. It's better to switch out and put something in there that's made to run off 12v. Than to switch out SMD's and have them last a few months and have to rip everything out and have to replace the blown smd's you could try to replace them, let us know in a year if they still work.
the reason why people change out the smd's for a strip of smd's or LEDs designed to operate off 12v is because of reliability.
For years, people were changing the amber flux LEDs from their sidemarkers to white ones. Me included. The problem was they would last for a few months at most a year. Everyone from led gurus like yourself to EE majors were trying to figure it out why they were blowing. Changing resistors, using different LEDs whatever.
It wasn't until I said to myself, "screw it change out the whole damn circuit board!" I found an led module that fit and switched out the whole thing. Since then that's been the standard for changing out to white LEDs in sidemarkers. I put in my led modules in back in 07' and they are still going strong.
That's basically what he's doing here. It's better to switch out and put something in there that's made to run off 12v. Than to switch out SMD's and have them last a few months and have to rip everything out and have to replace the blown smd's you could try to replace them, let us know in a year if they still work.
01-01-2011, 11:47 PM
#28
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Very nice job-well done.
01-02-2011, 04:59 PM
#29
^^^
the reason why people change out the smd's for a strip of smd's or LEDs designed to operate off 12v is because of reliability.
For years, people were changing the amber flux LEDs from their sidemarkers to white ones. Me included. The problem was they would last for a few months at most a year. Everyone from led gurus like yourself to EE majors were trying to figure it out why they were blowing. Changing resistors, using different LEDs whatever.
It wasn't until I said to myself, "screw it change out the whole damn circuit board!" I found an led module that fit and switched out the whole thing. Since then that's been the standard for changing out to white LEDs in sidemarkers. I put in my led modules in back in 07' and they are still going strong.
That's basically what he's doing here. It's better to switch out and put something in there that's made to run off 12v. Than to switch out SMD's and have them last a few months and have to rip everything out and have to replace the blown smd's you could try to replace them, let us know in a year if they still work.
the reason why people change out the smd's for a strip of smd's or LEDs designed to operate off 12v is because of reliability.
For years, people were changing the amber flux LEDs from their sidemarkers to white ones. Me included. The problem was they would last for a few months at most a year. Everyone from led gurus like yourself to EE majors were trying to figure it out why they were blowing. Changing resistors, using different LEDs whatever.
It wasn't until I said to myself, "screw it change out the whole damn circuit board!" I found an led module that fit and switched out the whole thing. Since then that's been the standard for changing out to white LEDs in sidemarkers. I put in my led modules in back in 07' and they are still going strong.
That's basically what he's doing here. It's better to switch out and put something in there that's made to run off 12v. Than to switch out SMD's and have them last a few months and have to rip everything out and have to replace the blown smd's you could try to replace them, let us know in a year if they still work.
Jamie! Im sorry I love your work but as an LED fanatic this sparks a rant!! I'm not trying to be arrogant but in my short time here on this forum I have yet to see anyone that really seems to know much about LEDs besides which web site they ordered them from! Deathmetal seems to have some knowledge but for the majority hes still using hole through style which equates to dinosaurs in the LED world! I have much more to learn about electronics and I actually plan to take courses toward a second degree in EE but if there was an EE that couldn't figure out how to replaced SMDs off a circuit board without them failing prematurely I hope they aren't designing any of my electronics!
The truth is the reason people here use these LED strips is because they dont know any better, and its an easy solution for them. The truth is 95% of all that pre made LED crap you find on eBay is going to fail in 1-3 years. Shit even the OP said one of his premade strips has already started to fail. Also NO LED strip should be designed to run off 12V!!!! The cars electrical system does not run at 12V, generally on average it spits out 13.5V while running and this doesn't not account for voltage spikes which can reach over 14 Volts (I design mine for 14.4V) . The pre made LEDs that everyone buys unfortunately are usually designed for 12V because they will be the brightest they can be at all times and sometimes companies will even mention they are for show only, and not intended for use on a vehicle thats being operated. The reason because a running vehicle does not spit out 12V!! and these LEDs are being overdriven! Depending on their quality (usually poor China made) will eventually start to flicker then fail.
Back to the actual turn signal unit being discussed. It says right on the unit it (volts 13.5 and the wattage 2.7 W). You find some SMD designed to run similar specs around .54W with a VF of 2.7v then you can easily replace these without fear of failure. I understand that most people don't know how to do this type of stuff or even where to find LEDs with particular specs or good quality brands (phillips, Cree, Nichia, Osram) but this doesn't mean replacing the OEM units with suitable white SMD replacements rather then cheap aftermarket strips a better or more reliable method by any means.
End Rant
01-02-2011, 08:34 PM
#30
^^^
the first paragraph towards the end made me laugh. i hear ya though Roger. it should have been easy for an EE major. but they kept on failing for some reason or another. here's the thread https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=572135&page=2 its even in the 3G garage, even though its an unreliable mod. i guess im just lazy, and just wanted an easier way to do it. or just got tired of taking my stupid sidemarkers apart de-soldering and re-soldering leds.
i'll bet theres a few dozen cars with their sidemarkers modified using these modules. i havent heard of any modules failing. if there is please step forward! like i've said before ive had mine going strong for 3 years. no problems. i understand about the voltage spikes and all but really no problems at all.
another reason why i like the modules, beside they have been problem free for so long. they have 6 evenly placed smd's. for this reason they disburse the light evenly throughout the outer lens. the stock sidemarkers have 2 flux leds. they produce hot spots on the lens, that are pretty noticeable.
here are some pics
6 SMD module from oznium
2 superflux leds from superbrightleds.com
both pics are of my car. same camera roughly same time of day.
i love your work too Roger, but unless you are planning on making your own board with more than 2 flux leds. your result will be similar to the bottom pic. but hey at least they wont burn out right?
the first paragraph towards the end made me laugh. i hear ya though Roger. it should have been easy for an EE major. but they kept on failing for some reason or another. here's the thread https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=572135&page=2 its even in the 3G garage, even though its an unreliable mod. i guess im just lazy, and just wanted an easier way to do it. or just got tired of taking my stupid sidemarkers apart de-soldering and re-soldering leds.
i'll bet theres a few dozen cars with their sidemarkers modified using these modules. i havent heard of any modules failing. if there is please step forward! like i've said before ive had mine going strong for 3 years. no problems. i understand about the voltage spikes and all but really no problems at all.
another reason why i like the modules, beside they have been problem free for so long. they have 6 evenly placed smd's. for this reason they disburse the light evenly throughout the outer lens. the stock sidemarkers have 2 flux leds. they produce hot spots on the lens, that are pretty noticeable.
here are some pics
6 SMD module from oznium
2 superflux leds from superbrightleds.com
both pics are of my car. same camera roughly same time of day.
i love your work too Roger, but unless you are planning on making your own board with more than 2 flux leds. your result will be similar to the bottom pic. but hey at least they wont burn out right?
Last edited by jptl04; 01-02-2011 at 08:36 PM.
01-02-2011, 08:46 PM
#31
Fearless DIY Guy
iTrader: (2)
3mm hole-through, 1/2W vs. 1/4W resistors, whatever...I wasn't able to 100% curtail burn out until the TO220's went in to place; I am a strong advocate that such will be the case for ANY LEDs in the TL over time.
01-03-2011, 04:45 PM
#32
^^^
the first paragraph towards the end made me laugh. i hear ya though Roger. it should have been easy for an EE major. but they kept on failing for some reason or another. here's the thread https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=572135&page=2 its even in the 3G garage, even though its an unreliable mod. i guess im just lazy, and just wanted an easier way to do it. or just got tired of taking my stupid sidemarkers apart de-soldering and re-soldering leds.
i'll bet theres a few dozen cars with their sidemarkers modified using these modules. i havent heard of any modules failing. if there is please step forward! like i've said before ive had mine going strong for 3 years. no problems. i understand about the voltage spikes and all but really no problems at all.
another reason why i like the modules, beside they have been problem free for so long. they have 6 evenly placed smd's. for this reason they disburse the light evenly throughout the outer lens. the stock sidemarkers have 2 flux leds. they produce hot spots on the lens, that are pretty noticeable.
here are some pics
6 SMD module from oznium
2 superflux leds from superbrightleds.com
both pics are of my car. same camera roughly same time of day.
i love your work too Roger, but unless you are planning on making your own board with more than 2 flux leds. your result will be similar to the bottom pic. but hey at least they wont burn out right?
the first paragraph towards the end made me laugh. i hear ya though Roger. it should have been easy for an EE major. but they kept on failing for some reason or another. here's the thread https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=572135&page=2 its even in the 3G garage, even though its an unreliable mod. i guess im just lazy, and just wanted an easier way to do it. or just got tired of taking my stupid sidemarkers apart de-soldering and re-soldering leds.
i'll bet theres a few dozen cars with their sidemarkers modified using these modules. i havent heard of any modules failing. if there is please step forward! like i've said before ive had mine going strong for 3 years. no problems. i understand about the voltage spikes and all but really no problems at all.
another reason why i like the modules, beside they have been problem free for so long. they have 6 evenly placed smd's. for this reason they disburse the light evenly throughout the outer lens. the stock sidemarkers have 2 flux leds. they produce hot spots on the lens, that are pretty noticeable.
here are some pics
6 SMD module from oznium
2 superflux leds from superbrightleds.com
both pics are of my car. same camera roughly same time of day.
i love your work too Roger, but unless you are planning on making your own board with more than 2 flux leds. your result will be similar to the bottom pic. but hey at least they wont burn out right?
I agree if I had interest in converting my side markers or signal mirrors to white I would not simply replace the existing LEDs due to their limited distribution. I still would not use a pre made strip though, I would solder my own together using superflux style or SMDs depending on what I had in my collection at the time. I will most likely do something like this adding more amber and red to my existing but these projects will most likely fall further down the road after I am trying to spend slightly less time on my car and still have many other projects to finish.
I did it for the sake of simplicity, TBH. I concur, an SMD does reflect a better alternative to hole through, although they are much trickier to deal with (in terms of mechanically maneuvering in to position.) Totally agree with your comment, eBay, Oznium, V-LEDs, etc...all shit, shit, SHIT LEDs.
3mm hole-through, 1/2W vs. 1/4W resistors, whatever...I wasn't able to 100% curtail burn out until the TO220's went in to place; I am a strong advocate that such will be the case for ANY LEDs in the TL over time.
3mm hole-through, 1/2W vs. 1/4W resistors, whatever...I wasn't able to 100% curtail burn out until the TO220's went in to place; I am a strong advocate that such will be the case for ANY LEDs in the TL over time.
As for reliability the SMDs I used have been much more robust (They are eBay don't tell anyone!) so far. No exaggeration but I have not had ONE failure or flickering sense my SMD install and they are on at least an hour each day. On my Acura Legend I had to replace flickering and dead all the time still! It sucks! I need to redo those with SMD sometime. Vregs are a good solution too though.
01-08-2012, 06:32 PM
#35
Jokerman
Thread Starter
Sorry to bring up an old thread of mine, but I ended up doing this again since they had to replace my mirrors after the vandalization.
I used a dremel last time and scred up a little. they way i did it this time was to heat up a utility knife to red hot and then stick it in and melt/cut the module on the backside of the unit. I completeyl forgot i was supposed to do a DIY on this, but I also tried to solder the LEDs on, it takes 3 PLCC-4 and 1 PLCC-6 LEDs. I am good at soldering, but the PLCC-6 is a bitch with having three small leads on each side. I decided to go back to the LED stirp because i ended up not liking the look. (forgot to take pics). Its just like the stock but brighter and makes it look "hot" in the 4 spots of the LEDs. I like the strip better because I have 9 leds spaced out over the length of the diffuser. Again I appologize for bumping this topic, just giving an update for me doing a second time.
I used a dremel last time and scred up a little. they way i did it this time was to heat up a utility knife to red hot and then stick it in and melt/cut the module on the backside of the unit. I completeyl forgot i was supposed to do a DIY on this, but I also tried to solder the LEDs on, it takes 3 PLCC-4 and 1 PLCC-6 LEDs. I am good at soldering, but the PLCC-6 is a bitch with having three small leads on each side. I decided to go back to the LED stirp because i ended up not liking the look. (forgot to take pics). Its just like the stock but brighter and makes it look "hot" in the 4 spots of the LEDs. I like the strip better because I have 9 leds spaced out over the length of the diffuser. Again I appologize for bumping this topic, just giving an update for me doing a second time.
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