here is the actual law
FMVSS 108
Sec. 571.108 Standard No. 108; Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2...cfr571.108.htm

Clearance lamp...................
On the front and rear
--2 amber lamps on front
2 red lamps on rear, to
indicate the overall
width of the vehicle, one
on each side of the
vertical centerline, at
the same height, and as
near the top as
practicable.

Reflex reflectors.........
On each side--
1 red as far to the rear as
practicable, and 1 amber
as far to the front as
practicable.

our cars have one thing to meet the clearance lights and reflector requirement (what we call our "side markers")

S1. Scope. This standard specifies requirements for original and
replacement lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
S2. Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to reduce traffic
accidents and deaths and injuries resulting from traffic accidents, by
providing adequate illumination of the roadway, and by enhancing the
conspicuity of motor vehicles on the public roads so that their presence
is perceived and their signals understood, both in daylight and in
darkness or other conditions of reduced visibility.
S3. Application. This standard applies to:
(a) Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses,
trailers (except pole trailers and trailer converter dollies), and
motorcycles;

 

The laws cited on that site are correct regardless of what is said in the disclaimer.

You want a Federal site? See Tables III and IV here:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=2075

 

Btw, I'm keeping this thread open because this legal discussion is somewhat related to LEDs and lighting.

But lets get back to the LED discussion please.

 

point of led's for my side markers is u can see me better with them, they should change the federal. but another thing i didnt get a ticket, he could see me better with led's or he wouldnt have pulled me. i will change all my lights to led's. its better than stock.

 

What ohm resistor did he use to make these?

 

so you decided to stop arguing the law with me?
yes...they should change the federal laws for you

 

lol stupid thinking he knows the law

 

Hopefully will be adding trunk light tonight, and as far as door lights, I will be waiting till I eDead my doors. That will be sometime in spring/summer.

 

Z's trunk light is completed. Just need to meet up to install it.

28 superflux LED goodness

 

You couldnt be more correct. I actually am a drug dealer, thats how i bought my max......that is if i worked at the pharmacy at walgreens. (Im joking)

This issue is sort of tied to the Supremacy Clause. I havent really done any research on state or local laws but ive had clear corners w/ polarg m4s for about 1.5 years now and have never been pulled over anywhere. Plus its not like theres FEDERAL troopers cruising around. I guess it just depends on who needs to fill their quota or is having a bad day, etc. Thats just my .02 on the issue.

 

Law do you have led's in your sidemarkers? by the way

 

lol. No I do not. I have polargs.

 

What ohm resistor are you using?

 

for 28 LEDs? 2.7ohm

 

Only one 2.7 Ohm resistor??? Thats all you need for 28 LEds. I'm thinking about getting these LEDs from Ebay and they are 55,000 mcd. If I'm using 20 of those...what resistor am I suppose to use??? How many?

 

[QUOTE=zero2sixtyZ]A friend of mine is pretty damn good with making LED lights/boards, so he hooked me up a bit. He is registered on the org. (Dark-V) as you might notice in my sig. Anyways, lets get to what he has done to my car:

- 8-LED License Plate Lights
- 24-LED White Dome Light
- 24-LED White Front Underdash Lights
- 12-LED White Map Lights

On to the night pictures, which I apologize in advance for, my camera sucks:

Pic of under dash lights w/ very dirty floormats, pedals and sneakers.


I got the same Puma's, Love em Im now addicted to the brand. good choice,....the LEDS are cool too, easier to heel toe when you can see it LOL

 

you have to see your pedals to heel toe

that kinda defeats the purpose.

you have to feel it with muscle memory.

 

The reason I asked is metalmaxima did this same mod last year. He recommended a 37 ohm resistor for 20 leds but radioshack does not sell them anylonger. The next highest is 46 or 47 ohm. I'm trying to see which one to go with?

 

It all depends on how you set the LEDs up.

I used 7 rows of 4 LEDs. I wire them all up using 14 volts for my calculations. Since I cannot fit voltage regulation in the assemblies, 14 volts is a good number to use because the LEDs work, although when the car is off the lights are dimmer.

(engine running = 14.5 volts, engine off = 12.5 volts)

*edit*
You can set up 20 LEDs a many different ways, 20 rows of 1 LEDs, 5 rows of 4 LEDs.

What I do for my calculations is as follows:

First you need to know what voltage you will be left with since each LED has a drop voltage, usually for white it is 3.4 to 3.8 volts. I use 3.4 volts so heat is lower.

So, Like I said, I use 14 volts as a start and 4 LEDs per string.
14v - 3.4 - 3.4 - 3.4 - 3.4 = 0.4 volts left over, this is what we are going to use.

Now, MOST LEDs use 20mA as a forward current. Since each "string" of LEDs use 20mA each, take the 20mA and multiply it by how many strings you have. I used 7, 20mA (or 0.02amps) times 7 = 0.14 Amps.

Now, for the resistor value, you use Ohms law. R(resistance) = V (voltage) / I (current(Amperage))

0.4v / 0.14A = 2.8xxxxx Ohms... Now, 2.7 is the closest value, so I checked how much current would be pushed through the LEDs with 2.7ohms. 21mA per string, this is WELL within the tolerances.

There you go... If you didn't get it.. google it.

 

somebody tell me where i can get these LED's or who to contact plz....coz i know nothing about 'em

 

I buy my LEDs via ebay, place is called TopBrightLED store

 

www.autolumination.com

 

did you get yours there? if you did, which type did you get? coz there's more than 1 type to choose from under part#194 thanks

 

how are they? bright? as bright as this forum's owner's?

thanks

 

You ever think of going with Blue lights on you guages

 

maximaa, whose do you mean?

andy, i would like to go superwhite with my gauges. that project will be for when I can afford another cluster.

 

yours.

i'm not sure if the ones on ebay and the ones on www.autolumination.com
are as bright as yours man...

 

K, lets set this straight, the LED lights Zero2sixtyZ have are completely custom made from scratch. They are not some plug and play thing you can buy.

Dark-V (aka, ME) was the person who made them all. I used the LEDs from ebay, some solderable perf board from radioshack, and my electronics know how to make them.

The plug and play lights from Autolumination, from my experience will definatly NOT be as bright as custom made. They have been known to burn out too fast as well. I personally wouldn't buy important LED lights (like the license plate lights) from AutoLumination.

Actually, If I remember, Z used some Autolumination plug and play 194's that I had left over in his license plate lights, they burned out VERY soon and he was pulled over for it.

 

i will add my non-biased opinion and completely agree with you.
i have the Autolumination LEDs in my license plate and they are no where near as bright as the ones you did yourself. i simply bought them because i didnt want to make my own.

everyone, the bulbs from Autolumination will not be as bright as the ones that Dark-V made.

 

I wish my opinion was more biased I don't think my LEDs are awesome yet... I just like the white LED look.

I could produce these LEDs for members if I wanted to, I just worry about them burning out.

I did it for Z and myself because it'll be an easy fix. Plus he and I are testing it extensively too. Mine have lasted for 3 or so months now, and Z has had his for a month with no problems yet. Hopefully they hold up

 

I had 5 led bulbs from autoillumination in my doors and they burned out REALLY quickly...1 led at a time. Plus they made the door ajar light glow dimly, even when the door was closed.

 

when the "testing period" is over, i'm the first on the list to buy some

DEAL or NO DEAL?

 

I saw a company at HIN that makes a complete led interior light kit for different makes and models, Does anyone know what its called, I lost the damn paperwork.