How To: LED 3rd Brake Light

[majic]

One day i saw a guy at msprotege.com do a 3rd brake light. he used 5 fat ass LEDs.. me no like.. i saw one on ebay - $50USD = no thanks.. i decided to make my own (coincidentally at the same time as tonyzoomzoom from mazda3.ca) I just ran this by Tony and he\'s cool with it. Thanks go to him helping me out with questions and picking a proper resistor. alright, lets get to it.

LEDs - superbright RED
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1433.jpg

PCB - cut it out to size, filed it down a bit too
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1434.jpg

High heat (not needed but will reuse elsewhere) glossy black spray paint
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1436.jpg

Attempt #1
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1445.jpg

That\'s bright!!!
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1441.jpg

WTF? burned out LEDs?
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1440.jpg

Makeshift connector to fit in the stock bulb socket - just split a spade connector and glued it to another one :)
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1443.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1444.jpg

umm.. apparently you need a current limiting resistor, lol.. and mine were too small and the LEDs just burned out.. *sigh*

so i bought more.. and better (5Watt) resistors. I needed 220ohms but i couldn\'t find one at active surplus, so i bought 3x560ohm (in parallel they give 186.67ohms)
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1488.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1491.jpg

I also made a better connector (mimicked the bulb connection) - just wrapped some copper wire around a piece of plastic and tightened it (turns out that the plastic is a little too thick and the connectors in the socket got a little bent so when I try to put the bulb back it’s a bit loose. oh well.. not planning on going back… :D
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1489.jpg

connecting, soldering, oy vey
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1492.jpg

TAAAAAADAAAAAAAAA - 3x17 UBER bright LEDs
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1493.jpg

Like a glove!
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1495.jpg

side view
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1496.jpg

and the other
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1497.jpg

the PCB is held by lotsa hot glue :)
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1500.jpg

attached to the car, test fire
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1502.jpg

close-up flash
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1503.jpg

close-up no flash
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1504.jpg

fully installed
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1506.jpg

with flash (you can see the glue a bit.. if i get anal i might use a black marker to cover it up but you can barely see it - really)
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1508.jpg

more installed pix
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1509.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1511.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1514.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1515.jpg

here\'s the soldering that took place
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1518.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1519.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1520.jpg

night shots
http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1521.jpg

http://xs37.xs.to/pics/05286/IMG_1524.jpg

and finally a schematic
http://xs57.xs.to/pics/05483/schematic.jpg

Once again, thanks to Tony and if you have any questions, feel free to ask and let me know what you think.

EDIT: schematic link was broken. image fixed.

[MazdaTree]

wow good job maj, looks amazing:)

[skunk2]

good job man.
i wanted to fab my own led 3rd brake light but when i saw tony selling them, just got that instead.

so on the hatch the cover cant be installed back?

[chaser]

Job well done & good write-up :)

now, im\'m tempted to make my own ... though it looks more complicated than HID installation :sarc

[majic]

Originally posted by skunk2


good job man.
i wanted to fab my own led 3rd brake light but when i saw tony selling them, just got that instead.

so on the hatch the cover cant be installed back?

thanks.. i didn\'t want to install it b/c i wanted to have the separate LED look as well as the tint lowers the light output a tad and with the cover it might even more so.


Originally posted by chaser


Job well done & good write-up :)

now, im\'m tempted to make my own ... though it looks more complicated than HID installation :sarc

thx! it was a bit tough at first but a few burned fingers and lead poisonings later ;) i think if i had to do it again, it\'d be much easier b/c i KNOW what fits and where. for example, i was using 16GA or so wire - sooooooo unnecessary and it was hard to bend. i busted out my UT lab kit and found the thin wires 22GA? 24GA? i dunno (the green and yellow ones) and they were a perfect fit. same with the resistors. had to play with them for fitment and then i figured, how about a pyramid :p andit fit perfectly; same with the connector.

[SABIO]

Very nice...

Gee, Do you work? How do you find time to do all this? I don\'t even have enough time to finish my 4 week engine cover project... Hahaha:D

[majic]

Originally posted by SABIO


Very nice...

Gee, Do you work? How do you find time to do all this? I don\'t even have enough time to finish my 4 week engine cover project... Hahaha:D

:D lol.. it\'s been in the making for over about 2 weeks.. few minutes here few minutes there.. and i had to halt the project and get more supplies when i burned the LEDs :p

[TheProfessor]

Majic, looks realy nice man. I wonder whose would be brighter, yours or Tony\'s, cause my only fear with Tony\'s is that they don\'t look too bright, but in your pics it looks fine.

If you have time, why not try and do your taillights? That would be cool, and a heck of a lot cheaper than the acutal LED tails I\'m sure;)

[skunk2]

PSIVIC, Tony sent me night tim epics of the lead light for the sedan, they were pretty bright.

[TheProfessor]

Skunk2, if you still have those pics, you mind forwarding them onto me at psivic@rogers.com?

Thanks!

[FLIPDADY]

Hey maj, guess it\'s time to buy the outer LED tails eh?

[majic]

Originally posted by PSIVIC


Majic, looks realy nice man. I wonder whose would be brighter, yours or Tony\'s, cause my only fear with Tony\'s is that they don\'t look too bright, but in your pics it looks fine.

If you have time, why not try and do your taillights? That would be cool, and a heck of a lot cheaper than the acutal LED tails I\'m sure;)

no clue. they should be ok either way - hatch potentially blocked by tint and sedan some light scattered through the red cover. it\'s not blindingly bright but they do come on a tad faster than the tail lights.


Originally posted by FLIPSPEED


Hey maj, guess it\'s time to buy the outer LED tails eh?

maybe i\'m considering what PSIVIC suggested :p we\'ll see..

[Whos ur dadd]

Nice. Great detailed write up, dude!

[billyfo]

local sale???:D

[mazda3boss]

oh i saw these, they look nicer when ur there, upclose :p

good job on this majic

[KTL]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4571919256&ssPage Name=STRK:MESE:IT

this is the ebay link for those that wants a hassle free solution

[Jeff-TheBiz]

Originally posted by KTL


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4571919256&sspa gename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT

this is the ebay link for those that wants a hassle free solution

fixed link...

Ebay LED Lights (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4571919256)

I think I will make my own, kinda handy that way... Please note that by fixing the link does not mean I endorse or have had any past experiences with this seller.
Just being helpful ;)

[bluntman]

I just received this in the mail today. Installation went without a hitch and the construction was top-notch. I didn\'t remove stock red reflector in the third brake light (as seen in the picture on the auction as well as done by Majic), but it still looks good. It took its time getting to me but it was worth it.

[bluntman]

http://ca.geocities.com/alegardo@rogers.com/ledbrakelite.jpg

I decided to remove the red reflector after all.

[Broli]

i did the same!

makes a world of difference!

[KenYork]

looks awesome.. anyone got some for a sedan.. pic?

[el squid]

Originally posted by KenYork


looks awesome.. anyone got some for a sedan.. pic?

yup :)

15x1

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.jpg

invalid image my ass....
here\'s the link

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.JPG

[majic]

Originally posted by el squid



Originally posted by KenYork


looks awesome.. anyone got some for a sedan.. pic?

yup :)

15x1

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.JPG

invalid image my ass....
here\'s the link

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.JPG



invalid img b/c the board accepts LOWERCASE jpg only ;) and 2 or 3 rows would have looked better :p

[el squid]

Originally posted by majic



Originally posted by el squid



Originally posted by KenYork


looks awesome.. anyone got some for a sedan.. pic?

yup :)

15x1

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.JPG

invalid image my ass....
here\'s the link

http://www.aitchison.ca/pics/chmslledsmall.JPG



invalid img b/c the board accepts LOWERCASE jpg only ;) and 2 or 3 rows would have looked better :p

interesting...

[KenYork]

just completed couple minutes ago. 20x2

now i just have to learn to upload pics.

[KenYork]

OK! got pics.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/kenyork/back.jpg
20x2
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/kenyork/led.jpg


Thanks for the awsome walkthrough majic!


dun mind the date.. too lazy to set it on the camera.