Back-up Light Idea

[Hotrod1952]

Low Buck LED Back- Lights:

Got an idea the other day on my back-up lights on my 66. I wanted to make them LED. Started pricing and almost fell out of my chair. Over $100. So I ordered up some 2” trailer Led’s With the rubber mounting and went to my work and made up two of the bushings(see hand drawn PDF print). I plan to make a 2.950 hole where the light mounts and weld the bushing into place. I suppose you could drill 2 holes and countersink the heads just as well. All together I had about $30 in the two Led’s.

[Sick5]

great job. any info on the LED lights? model number?

[Hotrod1952]

These are the ones I bought.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-2-of-CLE...item58bbb021e4

Looks like I paid plenty for them. I think I figured out what they are

Brand: Recreation Nation.
Model: 102009c

Available here for less:
https://recreationnation.me/main/con...as-9-led-bulbs

[markeb01]

Great idea and nice execution. Should make backing up at night a lot easier. Thanks for sharing!

[Mathew21]

Nice job!

[earl84]

Very cool. I'd like to see this completed. I think for tail lights LED's need some kind of resistor or something, do these need that as well. I'm no electrical guru, by any means.

[Hotrod1952]

I tested them across my truck battery and they lit right up. I think blinkers/tail lights require either a load resistor or a no-load flasher. I'm working on the install tonight.

[Hotrod1952]

The photos.

[64shortbox]

Thanks for the share & the information. Since my 64 didn't come with back up lights I can knock out my holes to fit the LED set up. A BIG Thank You for your information!

[newbe351]

Originally Posted by earl84

Very cool. I'd like to see this completed. I think for tail lights LED's need some kind of resistor or something, do these need that as well. I'm no electrical guru, by any means.

Anyone know how much of a resistor? Do you just install it in-line? I paid a pretty penny for one of those loud flasher units (my blinkers don't self-cancel and I don't like driving around with my blinkers on). I would like to switch out to LED tail lights, but don't want to lose the flasher unit.

Thanks

[chris1044]

Originally Posted by newbe351

Anyone know how much of a resistor? Do you just install it in-line? I paid a pretty penny for one of those loud flasher units (my blinkers don't self-cancel and I don't like driving around with my blinkers on). I would like to switch out to LED tail lights, but don't want to lose the flasher unit.

Thanks

The issue is that with LED there's basically no load on the circuit - hence the stock flasher does not work. You need to source resistors that result in a similar current draw to the original filament bulb.

They do make custom LED light flashers, but I'm not sure there's anything for our trucks and it is likely much cheaper to just wire resistors in series (NOT parallel!). That means in-line. Really doesn't matter if it's up stream or down stream of the LED.

I don't know enough about the circuits and how they're run to make the call on the resistors. My guess is something fairly low, but they're going to need to be fairly large to handle a decent amount of wattage to get the flasher to work - meaning not the tiny resistors you buy at Radio Shack or the wafer style units you see on PCB's. DigiKey is a great source for this kind of stuff...can probably find the right ones on there for less than 5 bucks each.

[53Sparky]

Here's where I got the resistor for my daughter's S-10. Should work perfectly for your application too.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ion/2178/5078/

[newbe351]

Originally Posted by 53Sparky

Here's where I got the resistor for my daughter's S-10. Should work perfectly for your application too.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ion/2178/5078/

This should be the ticket for my use.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...r-kit/190/831/

Thanks for the heads up.....

[1966FLEETSIDE]

Are you gonna go with l.e.d tail lights also ?I've seen their a pretty penny as well.

[Hotrod1952]

Yes I am. I bought those last June at the Back to the Fifties show in Minneapolis.