clearcorners.com taillight mod done...need technical advice

[djdrock]

A few nights ago, we installed the clearcorners taillight mod on my 91. All I can say is wow, but, I should considering the pricetag. :biggrin:

I spoke with Mike about my one concern, which is that the parking lights seem too bright. They truly look like the brake lights are on. The brake lights are fantastic, and much brighter as well. He said that he would be glad to modify them for me; meaning that he would take them apart and lower the output of them. Honestly, after waiting 2 1/2 months, I do not want to send them back if I do not have to. So...

I was wondering what suggestions you might have that would allow me to add a dimmer switch to the factory wiring, that would allow adjustments to the brightness of the leds. I was told that a potentiometer from Radio Shack would do the trick (but the advice came from radio shack). http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062287

I did buy one, and wired it in, but it did not seem to work. I might have wired it wrong...so, any advice?

I found this online.http://www.theledlight.com/pdf/controls/4amp_dimmer.pdf


Thanks!

 

[Meeyatch1]

Pictures!!!!

 

[Briank]

Can't say why the pot did not work without knowing the ohm rating and the current draw and how you wired it. The dimmer you found looks like it would work great.

 

[djdrock]

Can't say why the pot did not work without knowing the ohm rating and the current draw and how you wired it. The dimmer you found looks like it would work great.

It is rated as 100K Ohm. Honestly, I am now trying to find out schematics on these things. As easy as it sounds, for someone like me who does not understand potentiometers, I am confused. It does say .25W on the box...so this may be an issue.

Do you know how it should be wired? The potentiometer has 3 terminals.

I also know that the LEDs pull 3.6 watts compared to the 14.4 watts.

This site http://www.bcae1.com/potentio.htm seems to have some good info, but still does not help me enought to make certain I do it correctly.

Thanks.

and Mitch...I will post pics soon. Lets get together sometime soon as well.

 

[D'Ecosse]

You can't just use a dimmer (potentiometer or voltage divider) to reduce the voltage like you would a conventional bulb in order to dim LED's as they require a specific voltage range to operate in. Similarly, you can't just use a voltage regulator with a lower fixed voltage (although if designed properly a voltage regulator really needs to be incorporated in the voltage supply to the LED's anyway! )

You shouldn't need to take the lights apart - what you need is what is called a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM).

What the PWM does is turn the leds on & off by applying effectively full or zero operating voltage - the frequency is such that you don't see any flicker to your naked eye, but the led will effectively reduce in visual intensity based on the ratio of on/off time.

How you set it up is to apply full constant volts for the brake, but via the PWM for the parking lights. If desired you can also adjust the full brake intensity down by using a PWM but at a ratio that has a longer "on" time.

All of this should be able to be connected outside of the lamp assembly.

You can find a couple of options on how to do this (including a DIY kit) here & here - this is part of the HIDPLanet Led Forum - you may have to register to view these threads.

Good Luck!

 

[djdrock]

Great information. I will look for one of these, or buy one online. Since you knew about PWM, do you know what type of store might sell them vs. ordering online?

Again...thanks!!!

 

[D'Ecosse]

You really need to check with Clearcorners & ask them what they are currently doing to control the intensity difference between the brake & tail - I looked through their on-site literature & it doesn't say how they do it. From the pics, it's quite possible they are already using a PWM and have incorporated it inside the sealed assembly making adjustment impossible. If they have, you can't add another one externally in series and possibly the only way to adjust would be to open it up again as they suggested. Judging by their pics, I must say they look dangerously bright to me and the brakes cannot be too fun to drive behind.

If they did use a PWM, ask him what the lowest possible voltage it will run off then use a voltage regulator to try to cut it back a little if it will stand it (again however he may already have a VR inside the unit anyway so you might also be circumvented on that route)

Their sealed "plug n play" concept works great I suppose until you want to change something! I would personally (& will in my own LED lights mod) have the control be outside the main assembly so that it can be user adjustable for both parking & brake intensity.

To follow up on my original post, the Quickar Electronics PWM is available as a kit for $10 part # ML-804- you get the pcb & components & it just needs to be soldered together. If you aren't comfortable putting it together, take it to a local radio repair shop and have them do it. You might want to get two - a separate one for each side - check with Clearcorners as to the power requirement of their LED cluster - each PWM is good for 20W, so if it draws more than that, you will need to switch it through a transistor (I think it said 5W per cluster for the parking lamp however so would be fine without)

Also - do your flashers blink too fast & does the dash light show that you have bulb(s) burned out? See here & here for solutions to those problems.

 

[ediddynsx]

pics please I wanted to see how they look before considering to do them......on the website its hard to tell. or maybe if you have video clips

 

[djdrock]

Also - do your flashers blink too fast & does the dash light show that you have bulb(s) burned out?

Again, thanks for your information. I have emailed Mike to get more specifics on the setup. He did install resistors (I think that is what they are) to get the proper flash-delay. So, there is no indicator light on the dash...:biggrin:

Thanks again!

pics please I wanted to see how they look before considering to do them......on the website its hard to tell. or maybe if you have video clips

I will have pics soon. It has been sooo cold here. I do know that taking pictures of lights is difficult to say the least. So, I will wait on a decent night so I can have some time to play with the exposure setting etc. on my camera.

 

[D'Ecosse]

Again, thanks for your information. I have emailed Mike to get more specifics on the setup. He did install resistors (I think that is what they are) to get the proper flash-delay. So, there is no indicator light on the dash...:biggrin: .

Resistors are crude way to get the flash rate right - he comments on the low power consumption of the LEDs then just burn it away with the resistors.
The resistors don't do anything for the dash indication - that is by shorting out the other wire to ground - I believe he requests the pigtail harnesses along with the lights so imagine he probably takes care of that.

Yes, LED's are hard to photograph & get a realistic image of what they really look like in person!

 

[djdrock]

Resistors are crude way to get the flash rate right - he comments on the low power consumption of the LEDs then just burn it away with the resistors.
The resistors don't do anything for the dash indication - that is by shorting out the other wire to ground - I believe he requests the pigtail harnesses along with the lights so imagine he probably takes care of that.

Yes, LED's are hard to photograph & get a realistic image of what they really look like in person!

Mike originally asked me if I wanted the proper flash-delay. I told him that I would prefer it, but he did mention that adding (whatever he did - resistors?) would add some heat and use some power. He would have preferred not to use them, but I really wanted the slower delay.

Yes, photographing lights, especially LEDs is tough. I will however get some good ones.

What type of project are you going to do with your lights?

 

[D'Ecosse]

What type of project are you going to do with your lights?

I'm still working on the design - get torn between round & the bars like CC's. I'm thinking the bars because I may get creative & add some tricks like sequencers for fun! It will all be DIMY (do it myself).
Finding the time is the hard part!

 

[djdrock]

I'm still working on the design - get torn between round & the bars like CC's. I'm thinking the bars because I may get creative & add some tricks like sequencers for fun! It will all be DIMY (do it myself).
Finding the time is the hard part!

Sequencers..... tell me more!