LMC Dome light conversion.....

[badmix]

As some may remember I was chasing dome light wiring..Now that ive got it squared away.. I add an LED under the dash and added LED bulbs and clear covers to the existing dome lights.

New clear lenses

Lit up

Rear cargo area, remember this is WITHOUT flash or any outside light.

Under the dash single LED

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-...on=DispPage&Page2Disp=/specs/luxart_specs.htm

 

[dremu]

Sweet!

Of course, my K5 is full-vert and I just use the light bar for interior illumination, but that's slick AND bright ... might do well in my crewcab.

-- A

 

[Recon!]

I assume that is the led you tied into the ash tray light? I know my next cheap mod...

 

[badmix]

I never had an ashtray light. I had a light that was mounted under the dash, close to the floor. It had 4 whites and 1 orange coming from the socket, which (if everyone remembers my post from a couple days ago) all these wires tie into the rest of the dome light system.

 

[Recon!]

I never had an ashtray light. I had a light that was mounted under the dash, close to the floor. It had 4 whites and 1 orange coming from the socket, which (if everyone remembers my post from a couple days ago) all these wires tie into the rest of the dome light system.

that's what I meant! I like it, I'm copying you.

 

[badmix]

LoL..do it and dont look back. this is one of the best cheap mods aside from the XJ steering shaft that really makes a difference.

 

[fallguy]

which one did you use, the white? that looks great!!

 

[KansasTwister]

use the lmc bulbs as well? looks good!

 

[badmix]

yip. I used the WHITE under the dash and I used the LMC dome light cover and their LED bulb which had like 9 LEDs in it.

 

[CherryK5]

Thats eerie looking.

 

[American84K5]

My dome light doesnt even work

Great light output though

 

[Blue85]

I was wondering if anybody makes a clear cover and wandered across this thread. I was going to order the LMC one, but didn't need anything else and didn't want to pay $8 S/H on a $7 part. A quick brainstorm and a few minutes with the cutoff wheel and a bic lighter, I had fabricated this:

Using material from the same old shop-light cover, I changed this:

Into this:

The change from the white to the clear is like 50%-100% more light by itself. I ordered 1 LED replacement bulb ($1.05 + free shipping on eBay), but I'm not sure which of these two lights it will fit.

 

[badmix]

I came this close > < to modifying a dome light from the junkyard. But then I posted on here and someone had the answer. but I like your mod as well. That is what I was going to do, get an oversized one and cut/melt it down to fit. Luckily I didnt have to. lol. I needed other things from LMC, so it all worked out

 

[Blue85]

I think I may have gone too far now. I was looking for more light output, but now the overhead console has 132 white LEDs. Each map light is close to 2W. I'll have to get some pics up later.

 

[Blue85]

So for the 4 map lights, I took the stash of free Harbor Freight flashlights I had been stockpiling and cut the heads off with a tubing cutter. Each of these has 9 LEDs, all in parallel, powered by 4.5V (3xAAA). I cut the board traces and rewired for 3 in series x 3 in parallel, so it could be run right from the 12V/13.5V supply. These LED heads are siliconed into the swivel map light housings and plug into the sockets in the console.

 

[clandr1]

So for the 4 map lights, I took the stash of free Harbor Freight flashlights I had been stockpiling and cut the heads off with a tubing cutter. Each of these has 9 LEDs, all in parallel, powered by 4.5V (3xAAA). I cut the board traces and rewired for 3 in series x 3 in parallel, so it could be run right from the 12V/13.5V supply. These LED heads are siliconed into the swivel map light housings and plug into the sockets in the console.

I'm gonna need to see some pics

 

[Blue85]

Here's the modified flashlight head in the swivel housing.

Here's a shot of the LEDs through the lens:

 

[Blue85]

For the dome lights, I ordered 4 of these little 24-LED panels. They are $1 + $1.89 shipping from Hong Kong - we'll see how long they last. These come with some little adapters which I used for connecting everything in a "reversible" fashion.

So two panels go epoxied together to a bulb base like this:

Giving a 48-LED panel like this that simply plugs into the existing light socket for mechanical and electrical attachment:

 

[1BEATK5]

My dome light doesnt even work

Great light output though

my truck wasnt even made withdome lights. andits an 88'

 

[Blue85]

OK, it was a bad idea to use harbor freight flashlights this way. All of the LEDs have failed in about a week. I had a bad connection at the alternator that made big voltage transients, but only while driving and these lights have really only been on when the door is open. The dome lights are all still perfect and have been used almost exactly the same amount (maybe I didn't mention before that the map lights come on with the dome lights or separately with their own switch - there are diodes in the console). 13.5V split across 3 diodes is about the same as 1 diode across 3 AAA cells - so maybe the flashlights are just prone to fail quickly. They should probably be in the 3.2V range instead of 4.5V. I measured the current in the flashlight to be about 44mA per LED. Maybe I should have done 2 in parallel x 4 in series and left one LED out. If I have to use voltage regulators it is not worth it.