I don't know this post will fit to electronics section but since there is all electronics parts are involved I will post here.

I have 04 TL W/O Navi (I Installed Car-PC) and try to install FOG Lamp but It looks too boring so why not make a audi style eye-lid which looks cool.

I have all the parts ready and making eye lid that can be install into fog lamp grill.
I am using 9X1watts creed style white led per side generated brighter than audi and look very cool.
Only hardest part was that LED generate a lots of heat. For that reason, I used aluminum plate 3/16" thick that can be used as heatsink and hold LED.
You could also use 1/2 watt strawhead style LED (lot less heat generation and easy to install than 1 Watts Version - I will try this another time).

I try to make detailed photo but too lazy to make that photo.

Anyway, It will be finish soon.
Once I finish I will post picture how it look.

 

sick idea, i think thats gunna look great.

 

Last I checked, LEDs generate no heat.

 

Try me it create alots of heat...but very bright worth to try.... :P

 

Brighter LED will generate heat within a few minutes, and get hotter over time. That's why some LED's for license plates have heatsinks and as well why LED DLP TV's have fans to cool them off.

 

man i'm excited to see pics when its all done.
thumbs up to your '65 too!

 

I thought the same that LEDs dont generate that much heat, but my interior LEDs get extremely hot when they are on.

Where are you putting these LEDs? Are they going into the headlights where the HIDs are....because the HIDs do get pretty hot. I dont quite understand the thread OP....I read it 4 times and still lost...lol.

 

one of the biggest issues Audi has had in goin with the LED lights has been getting rid of the heat. Regular LED lights do not generate much but, but heat is still bad for them.

 

install into fog lamp grill.

 

I ran test for whole week(left it power on)and I relized 1 watt LEDs are too hot(it goes to 160 degree - this will reduce when the car is moving) and cannot feed thicker wire to indivisual LED.
So, I failed.
I try other method that using 1/2Watt Straw Head LED.
Advantage of using that LEDs are generate less heat, no need lots of wire to feed LEDs and easy to make water resistance.
Disadvantage is less brighter but still compatible or brighter than AUDI LEDs.
As soon as I make em I will post it here again.

 

Some miscellaneous info:

Audi uses VERY high efficiency LEDs in their headlights/LED strips. These are very expensive bulbs. To match them bulb-for-bulb you would need ~5W LEDs which would give off a TON of heat with several used.

Also, you need to check your LEDs in the daylight, from a good distance away. It's easy to look at the LED's from 10-20 feet and in a dark room and think "that's bright enough." Plus, most LED's are not diffused and 80%+ of the light comes straight out... whereas Audi's LED's can be seen from a decent angle.

I think you'll find it tougher than you think (though not impossible) to create a home-made system to match. I just suggest not trying to cheap out on the LEDs themselves if you want a comparable design.

Best bet would be to get a hold of the Audi LED trip and figure out a way to integrate it properly. Might not be the cheapest or easiest way, but would definitely be the best result.

Hope that helped.

 

1 Watts are brighter than audi uses. Audi use 1/2 watt led and lens that look brighter(acutally focused beam). angle of light is not a problem and also my setup above brighten more than 20 feets if you use 15 degree lens(led itself 140 degree cannot make focused beam unless using lens).
well, thanks for your advise and I will go for straw head LED either 1 watt or 1/2 watt.

 

oooh I cant wait to see this.. I am wanting to do something similar.. After going to a car show this weekend, I have been even more motivated to do something to my car.. lol

 

If it's emitting light, it's emitting heat unless it's a chemiluminescent reaction. So unless you want to capture a bunch of fireflies and stick 'em in your headlights, you're gonna emit heat

 

^^^ lol

 

Sick idea I might do this! Thanks for the idea!

 

You are welcome and have a fun with it.
If you could use 1/4" Aluminum bar will cool down led to 100 degree which safe for LED(up to 160 degree).
I use 2 X 39Ohm 50watts resistor(that has heatsink buit in one per each side connect all 9 led will eliminate ugly wire hanging back of plate - only 2 wire).
Make sure correct value of Resistors are needed for proper operation.

I will post picture once I finished.

 

Oh Sorry that I used 3.9 Ohm not 39Ohm

 

Well it does sound like you have a decent idea what you're doing. But like I said, keep in mind Audi uses high-efficiency LEDs. They're running ~100 lumens/Watt (I think it's slightly less) for their LEDs. Whereas the ones you're using are probably ~50-60 lumens/Watt. Lower efficiency, thus probably less light and more heat.

Just don't get side-tracked by a straight Watt-to-Watt comparison... it's the lumens that you need to compare.

Also, I thought that Audi had diffused LEDs since they can still easily be seen at an angle... but if I am incorrect (and they are focused), you would need to do the same to match their brightness (or of course use more powerful diffused LED's).

Good luck though, hope it turns out well.

 

Making AUDI Style Eye-Lid for TL not for AUDI nor copy itself.
Mine show 70Lum/Watt that is bright enough(Check on daylight) and no need to match exactly same as audi uses.
Getting an idea is different than making copy.
I just want it to share the idea that might interest some people in TL community.
I can do the math 15, 25, 30, 45, 60Degree lens angle and reflector makes different beam pattern.
I will not expect 100% satisfy in virgin try but so far I like way it is... (SInce I found the solution of heating issue)

thanks for your concern.

 

Finally, I test fitment to my TL today and I found way brighter than AUDI.
Here is the photos (sorry for poor quality - cell camera) you could see much clear than acutal photo show and you can also see from 140 degree.
I am very happy that works great.

 

Looks good man!

 

looks sick man. good job

 

Props to what you have done but honestly, IN MY OPINION, they are too bright. I mean, just look at the pics from the front, ( I dunno if it is photo distortion or whatever, or if it is the alcohol) but all I see is a giant light aka can't see the individual led's. If it were not as bright it would look more legit and more .

 

It was reflection of camera. Acutally you could see all 18 LEDs clearly.
Imagine the audi led's and mine slightly brighter than audi.
Currently, I am working on circuit that connect to daylight and turn signal.
LED remain on during drive but once turn signal given each direction side led will flash(I think kind of cool).
I am making circuit for it.
Once it finish then final installation will be made and that time I try make more photo(use digital camera) and post it here.

 

looks good so far but need better pictures

 

looks good from what i can c ... plz post clearer pics

 

I will make clear picture after complete install

 

Looks nice!

Waiting for the sexy clear pictures.

 

Waiting for the clear(er) pictures..

 

VERY NICE LEDS....you planning to make more just to sell it? if you do let me know! I'll buy it!

 

dang. that HAS to be illegal somehow! haha they're like, brighter than highbeams!

 

i think i've seen you drive around. Are you around the san gabriel area often?

if so, the LEDs that you've installed is very bright, too bright imo.

The car i saw that looked exactly like yours had the LEDs on at night and it overpowered the headlights making it stand out wayyy too much.

looks nice, but dim it down to match the headlights and i think it would look much better

 

Wow you make that look surprisingly easy.

If it was just a semi-bright light and not actually used to make the night look as if it was daytime, then it would look really really nice. Artistic almost

 

I am not living in san gabriel area nor drive around that area.
Photo shows very bright but it is only camera's reflection.
I could see very clear and you could control brightness by ajustable resistor or higher resistor (for my opinion cureent setup will be fine).
As I told it slightly brighter than audi's.

 

need some clear pics man..looks sick tho!

 

any updates?

 

FALSE!! High power LED's generate a lot of heat. Most modern LED fixtures are made of aluminum and have heat sinks built in to help dissipate heat.

 

I will be installing this comming sunday.... post will be soon.

What LED does.

1. Reamin on all the time work like day light.

2. LED flash if directional signal given (left, right or both-if hazard button pressed)

I'm hoping clear picture post by sunday.

 

True, That is reason why I used aluminum plate as heatsink.


I turned on for 5 hours without any air flow that aluminum plate heatsink shows 140 degree which is fair but with airflow (car is running) it goes down to 90 degree which is better than I expected.

Average life span for LED with above tempreture will be 10000 hours.
LED can be replaceable if it goes bad.