1947-53 LED dome light retro fit

[youngrodder]

First things first. I got the idea seeing OKGMC4 do something simular to his 56 truck.

This is basically a way to retro fit a 24 bulb LED panel into a stock dome light for less then $10...

I started by removing the housing that holds the bulb. I simply knock it out with a hammer. The thinking was to be able to reuse if need be. Then I lightly ground down the edges of the LED panel to better if into the opening of the dome light housing.

Next I used some strip calk at each end to support/hold the LED panel to the housing. This is important because you would not want the back of the board to touch metal. Then I soldered some ends on the wires. I will ground the LED panel to the cab once the dome light is screwed to the cab....

Here is an Ebay listing for the panel:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180732629773...84.m1423.l2649

Onto the pics

[youngrodder]

More pics


Sorry no pics of the panel lit up as I still need to add some wiring and door switches.

Marc

[mr48chev]

Thanks for that bit, I just ordered one. That is one thing that I had on my list to figure out.

I used many of a package of that strip calk to hold front end alignment shims in place over the years I did front end alignment work daily. It's great for sealing off holes where wires or other things go through too when you have everything in place and still get a small air leak.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Thanks for that bit, I just ordered one. That is one thing that I had on my list to figure out.

I used many of a package of that strip calk to hold front end alignment shims in place over the years I did front end alignment work daily. It's great for sealing off holes where wires or other things go through too when you have everything in place and still get a small air leak.

Mr48Chev-

This was on my to do list too...along with the rest of my interior... ha ha It worked good for me bacause I was able to pick up the original dome light housing off Ebay for cheap because it was missing the wiring stuff. I knew that I would convert it to LED so it was an economical solution.

You aren't kidding, I originally bought strip calk to go between the fenders and the body to keep from using fender welding. Since then, I have found more and more uses for it.

BWT....the shipping was surprisingly fast considering that the LED panel is coming from oversees.

Good luck
Marc

[Clay54]

Great, but!!!!! I was looking at the comments on e-bay and one of them was something like 12V only - don't connect across a battery (14V). Will you need to provide some type voltage drop to protect this thing?

I still like it. Clay

[mobileortho]

Great tip!!

[VWNate1]

Looks great ! .

I see you grounded the Positive lead , is this in a GMC ? .

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Looks great ! .

I see you grounded the Positive lead , is this in a GMC ? .

Nate-

To be honest, I had no reference point as I didn't have any of the stock wiring left. This is for a Chevy. I was under the imperssion that the houseing grounds to the cab (this is where I would tie in my LED ground). Then there would be one power feed coming into one side of the dome light switch. On the other post I would be a power feed to the LED panel.

Does that make sense? I knew that I would have to play with it some to figure it out. I also need to wire in door switches and a few more interior lights.

Marc

[VWNate1]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Nate-

To be honest, I had no reference point as I didn't have any of the stock wiring left. This is for a Chevy. I was under the imperssion that the houseing grounds to the cab (this is where I would tie in my LED ground). Then there would be one power feed coming into one side of the dome light switch. On the other post I would be a power feed to the LED panel.

Does that make sense? I knew that I would have to play with it some to figure it out. I also need to wire in door switches and a few more interior lights.

Marc

Yes it makes perfect sense but you grounded the red wire and that's the positive wire , LED's are polarity specific .

I can't wait to see how well this works out .

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Yes it makes perfect sense but you grounded the red wire and that's the positive wire , LED's are polarity specific .

I can't wait to see how well this works out .

Take another look, his red wire goes to the switch. I'm also anxious to see how this works out.

[mr48chev]

I think I'm just going to wire the dome light and under dash lights (that will probably be white LED side marker lights) to a toggle switch on or under the dash. Ground the lights, run a single wire to each from the switch and done.

[PJF]

Cool, I'm looking forward to doing the same sort of LED retro at some point in the future as well.

I've done them in a few cars in the past and the pure white light it gives off is incredibly bright and looks excellent.

Looking forward to seeing some pics of it on.

[youngrodder]

I had to pick up some wire today. If I get some garage time this weekend I will see if I can get some pics with it all lit up..

Marc

[shadow1967]

Thanks for sharing!

[OKGMC4]

That looks great! The strip caulk never occured to me, and I used it as rear fender seals on mine. The switches are easy to hook up and mine lit up BRIGHT. I just cant get it show well with my digital camera. Awesome work.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by OKGMC4

That looks great! The strip caulk never occured to me, and I used it as rear fender seals on mine. The switches are easy to hook up and mine lit up BRIGHT. I just cant get it show well with my digital camera. Awesome work.

Thanks OKGMC

Originally, I was going to use your plastic fastern idea, but the cup of the dome light housing is tappered and I could not drill into straight to fasten to the LED board. I was trying to come up with something.

I had the calk laying around and it came to me. It is a strong bond and I'm not too concerned if it letting go.

I will try to put power to it this weekend.

Thanks for the idea...

Marc

[youngrodder]

OK, well since there seemed to be quite a bit of interest around how bright these lights are I decided to hook up some power to the panel.

I'm not sure that the pics do the brightness justice. Please note that I had the garage completly dark and I did not use a flash on the camera. It is almost too bright. Originally, I was going to also add some other courtesy lights under the dash. After seeing how bright the dome light is, there is no reason to add any more.

Here are the pics......

[mr48chev]

That is bright but my old eyes can use that brightness.

[Caddieup]

perfect backup lights??

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Caddieup

perfect backup lights??

I was thinking along those same lines. I'll see when the one I ordered comes.

[Daze57]

youngrodder

wow thats terrific ! caint wait ta get mine up and lit

great picts - thanks alot .

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Daze57

youngrodder

wow thats terrific ! caint wait ta get mine up and lit

great picts - thanks alot .

Dazy57

Glad "one" of my little side projects was helpful to others.
Good luck with your install, it's pretty straightfoward. I will be interested to see if you are also suprised at how much light the LED panel puts out.

Marc

[VWNate1]

That's really nice ! .

You may discover you'll still want some under dash lights as your shoulders will block a lot of that good light .

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

That's really nice ! .

You may discover you'll still want some under dash lights as your shoulders will block a lot of that good light .

Youngrodder (or anyone else), have you installed below dash LED lights? Maybe in-the-door LED's? Obviously, these same LED's or maybe smaller ones could work great for that but I'm wondering what kind of housings you'd use in the under dash ones? I'm tinking lights that come on with the door opening but you might want to also have a switch on them to turn on one or the other while driving in case you dropped something or wantd to see something you put on the floor. Ideas?

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Youngrodder (or anyone else), have you installed below dash LED lights? Maybe in-the-door LED's? Obviously, these same LED's or maybe smaller ones could work great for that but I'm wondering what kind of housings you'd use in the under dash ones? I'm tinking lights that come on with the door opening but you might want to also have a switch on them to turn on one or the other while driving in case you dropped something or wantd to see something you put on the floor. Ideas?

The ones that I saw I didnt care for the housings. Heres the idea I settled on mainly because it would be cheap and clean. I was going to purchase two small strips of LED lights and double side tape them out of sight on the bottom edge of my lower dash panel. I will also have a center console running down the middle so the idea as to put on strip of lights on each side.You could just hook them up the the light swtich if it has a reostat. Then when you turn the light dail all the way to on side the light would come on even with the doors closed. I will also tie the dome light into the same switch.



Here is a link to the lights.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350534923301...84.m1423.l2649
You can also get them in many colors. but I would stick with white.

Marc