DIY LED lights
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
In my experience, some switchback bulbs cause the car to just get freaky. There's no logical explanation for why this happens. Lights that normally don't flash (like in the insturment cluster) will start spazzing. My suggestion is to either try a different style of switchback or go to traditional LED tower bulbs.
thanks.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,547
Likes: 896
From: Republic of Texas
I wish there were. My car and 2 other C5s had wierd problems ONLY with the switchbacks. Once I removed the switchback and installed a standard tower or 3157 incandecent bulb, the problems went away. The switchbacks function normally on bench tests. Given i can see no consistant problem with either car or bulb, I'm writing it off to wierd science.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
I wish there were. My car and 2 other C5s had wierd problems ONLY with the switchbacks. Once I removed the switchback and installed a standard tower or 3157 incandecent bulb, the problems went away. The switchbacks function normally on bench tests. Given i can see no consistant problem with either car or bulb, I'm writing it off to wierd science.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
You tapped the LED strip off of the DRL Blue and Blue/White wires right?? I wonder if that's causing the problem for some strange reason. Did you try them without the LED strip wired in first? If they work without the LED strip in the circuit maybe a Diode will help...
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
You tapped the LED strip off of the DRL Blue and Blue/White wires right?? I wonder if that's causing the problem for some strange reason. Did you try them without the LED strip wired in first? If they work without the LED strip in the circuit maybe a Diode will help...
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
Thanks Tim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 21
From: centennial colorado
I have th 60 led switchbacks in my car from jw with no problems. I do have a hyperflash harness also which works great.
I took a different approach with my led strips in the cornering lamps. I have these superbright led strips that have 3 leds in each chip. I have figured out how to solder the circuits on the strips so I can light each little led in the chip seperately. So I have drl's and turn signals in the same strip at the same time. I used tstars diagram to wire in the turn signal relays off the drl relays in the passenger footwell. The only regret is that these strips are a little wider than what you guys are using so they dont run the whole length of the cornering lamps. Here is a link to a video that shows them on the bench and another that shows them on the car. YOu will also notice I used the same setup in the coves for turn signals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddndu-hAxWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzho3RfwJvU
This is a little off topic but it is a motorcycle I recently led'd out for the sema show. its a zr1 themed hayabuse and it turned out very nice! its a little long but it shows what can be done with a 4 channel 4 function remote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sSFsufTNn8
I took a different approach with my led strips in the cornering lamps. I have these superbright led strips that have 3 leds in each chip. I have figured out how to solder the circuits on the strips so I can light each little led in the chip seperately. So I have drl's and turn signals in the same strip at the same time. I used tstars diagram to wire in the turn signal relays off the drl relays in the passenger footwell. The only regret is that these strips are a little wider than what you guys are using so they dont run the whole length of the cornering lamps. Here is a link to a video that shows them on the bench and another that shows them on the car. YOu will also notice I used the same setup in the coves for turn signals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddndu-hAxWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzho3RfwJvU
This is a little off topic but it is a motorcycle I recently led'd out for the sema show. its a zr1 themed hayabuse and it turned out very nice! its a little long but it shows what can be done with a 4 channel 4 function remote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sSFsufTNn8
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
You tapped the LED strip off of the DRL Blue and Blue/White wires right?? I wonder if that's causing the problem for some strange reason. Did you try them without the LED strip wired in first? If they work without the LED strip in the circuit maybe a Diode will help...
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
PM JW about it also, he has alot of expirience with the Switchbacks and the LED strip...
Tim
I just ended up leaving the LED parking bulbs in and attaching the LED strip to the DRL's and replaced the switchbacks to stock. Now everything seems to work so it could be just as radioflyer said, and my DRL's are screwed for some reason or I require the use of diodes...on another note I do like the effect of when I put my turn signal on the LED strip and my DRL (stock bulb) alternate between each other. If I would have know of this effect I would have gotten a clear bulb for my DRL and got the amber LED strip instead. This would have been unique and cool.
I'll take a vid and post it when I get a chance...
I have th 60 led switchbacks in my car from jw with no problems. I do have a hyperflash harness also which works great.
I took a different approach with my led strips in the cornering lamps. I have these superbright led strips that have 3 leds in each chip. I have figured out how to solder the circuits on the strips so I can light each little led in the chip seperately. So I have drl's and turn signals in the same strip at the same time. I used tstars diagram to wire in the turn signal relays off the drl relays in the passenger footwell. The only regret is that these strips are a little wider than what you guys are using so they dont run the whole length of the cornering lamps. Here is a link to a video that shows them on the bench and another that shows them on the car. YOu will also notice I used the same setup in the coves for turn signals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddndu-hAxWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzho3RfwJvU
This is a little off topic but it is a motorcycle I recently led'd out for the sema show. its a zr1 themed hayabuse and it turned out very nice! its a little long but it shows what can be done with a 4 channel 4 function remote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sSFsufTNn8
I took a different approach with my led strips in the cornering lamps. I have these superbright led strips that have 3 leds in each chip. I have figured out how to solder the circuits on the strips so I can light each little led in the chip seperately. So I have drl's and turn signals in the same strip at the same time. I used tstars diagram to wire in the turn signal relays off the drl relays in the passenger footwell. The only regret is that these strips are a little wider than what you guys are using so they dont run the whole length of the cornering lamps. Here is a link to a video that shows them on the bench and another that shows them on the car. YOu will also notice I used the same setup in the coves for turn signals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddndu-hAxWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzho3RfwJvU
This is a little off topic but it is a motorcycle I recently led'd out for the sema show. its a zr1 themed hayabuse and it turned out very nice! its a little long but it shows what can be done with a 4 channel 4 function remote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sSFsufTNn8
Last edited by STALION; Oct 3, 2010 at 10:08 PM.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Huntingdon Cambridge
I'm looking at doing this mod, but after buying a spare set of lights I melted the reflector inside before the glue gave way. 
Any pictures of the slot cutting? I did see a thread on here regarding that but I can't find it anywhere.
Any help greatly appriciated.
Any pictures of the slot cutting? I did see a thread on here regarding that but I can't find it anywhere.
Any help greatly appriciated.
Former Law Dawg Moderator
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 29,434
Likes: 96
From: Eads, Tennessee
CF St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '24
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,050
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
That is a nice mod.....
btw, unless you have a toaster on a marble counter in your garage...are you doing that crap on your kitchen marble (or immitation marble)countertop? Holychit...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 6
From: Lake Oswego, Near Portland Oregon
Nice mod for OEM style lamp assy......I like the look. If I were not about to go to the new TS-2 front bumper with new LED lamp assembly, I would be very tempted to improve my OEM style turn signals with this....they look very nice indeed!
Congrats!
Congrats!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Post pics of your bumper, curious to see how the TS-2 will turn out
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,520
Likes: 5
From: Long Island NY
The only problem doing it this way is that the lens must be seperated in order to get the LED strip in. These strips don't last too long especially if you drive your Vette a lot, what happens is the LED's start going out three at a time and they will fail. I got mine from JWM and the way the LED's are inserted is through a channel dremmeled out of the rear of the lens and the strip inserted in from that back channel and sealed over with silicone. When the LED's fail (and they will) it's an easy fix as you just pull out the strip, insert a new one and silicone it back up, very easy. No having to seperate the lens every time. Just my .02 worth of experience in having these in for over two years now.
Last edited by Vettmann17; Sep 27, 2012 at 11:35 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
The only problem doing it this way is that the lens must be seperated in order to get the LED strip in. These strips don't last too long especially if you drive your Vette a lot, what happens is the LED's start going out three at a time and they will fail. I got mine from JWM and the way the LED's are inserted is through a channel dremmeled out of the rear of the lens and the strip inserted in from that back channel and sealed over with silicone. When the LED's fail (and they will) it's an easy fix as you just pull out the strip, insert a new one and silicone it back up, very easy. No having to seperate the lens every time. Just my .02 worth of experience in having these in for over two years now.
