Interior & License LED Bulb replacements in action (pics)

[mike1]

DCFusor, this project might be of some help: http://code.google.com/p/open-evse/

[DCFusor]

I'll check into this, thanks a bunch! My outfit already makes a small uP based PCB that would adapt nicely to this purpose, but their experiences might save me a bunch of time and effort (the devil is always in the details when going from a spec not everyone meets perfectly) - I too am an open source advocate, and we already publish our hardware and software design info on other things we make and sell.

Here's a pic of the board I was thinking of using, here it's in a standard radiation counter we make.


Pic came out kinda big, sorry. More on my forums linked in my sig.

Ah, downloaded their stuff - it's looking real good - their code is even clearly written and easy to understand (rare!). I'd be using a different uP, but that's no big deal for me. We like PIC from Microchip around here, and use C ourselves. No big differences there and it looks like either one is overkill for this task.

The big question is - did GM meet the spec on being able to vary the pilot duty cycle to get the car to draw more and less current without an unplug-replug cycle, and I guess I'm just going to have to find that out myself on my car. At present, switching AC power into the supplied charger cable drives the car nuts - horn chirps, though it works. Kind of a bang-bang solution to an analog problem, though.

Nice to have open source ahead of the proprietary overpriced guys - again.

[mike1]

The open-evse project is fairly well tested. The mynissanleaf forum has a great thread showing the evolution of the project http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopi...ba48&start=230
and continued here (updated board pictures and J1772 cable sourcing conversation) http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=6546

The board designs they've published do not have the high-voltage AC components on the board for liability reasons (I think?), but you can easily use their PCB design and just wire the relay output to your own high-voltage relay board. Their J1772 implementation (both hardware and software) have been fully tested with a Nissan Leaf. The Volt had a few bugs in the J1772 implementation, but all 2012 models or 2011 models with the software update are fixed.

Seems you've got a good grasp on PCB designs and might want to roll your own, so at the very least their open-source microcontroller software can give you a big head start!

The main challenge right now seems to be getting the J1772 connector and cable at a decent price. I'm holding off on building my open-evse until people have found a good quality J1772 cable at a decent price.

[dj dannis]

Thanks much TopSpeed!!!!! Really appreciate it!

[DCFusor]

Thanks again Mike1 - we've probably strayed too far off topic for this thread (which is a good one, and I'll be duping it myself on my Volt). I'll start another when I have stuff to report on this project - I know there are other solar guys here. And yes, the price of that connector is the limit, and the reason GM and others can charge so much for so little - they're not paying that price, or close to it, count on that. But we little guys can't just order that shipping container load from some outfit in China to get a more realistic price (yet). We'll see if there's the demand there and if there is, I'll go for that. And yes, embedded computer product design is how my outfit made us all able to retire young - we're pretty good at it. PCB layout is no problem whatever. I'm just too lazy to do the Arduino learning curve and buy new tools if I don't have to, and I don't. Adding some data logging output would be nice too, eh?

[dj dannis]

Thanks again for your help Top Speed, I did the license plate lights with the 2 LED 6k version and LOVE it! Match my HIDs almost to the T. Looks legit!

-Dan

[Drathen]

How do you access the front overhead/reading lights? I'd try prying around the edges but I'm afraid I'll break the cover.

[bjhorton2005]

I have had all led interior lights with red map lights since about March. I really like the red lights because I have light issues with my eyes and they don't mess with my vision. I can engage them and see what I need to see and be looking at the road again in no time! I am contemplating switching the main lights to red as well.

[Drathen]

How do you access the front overhead/reading lights? I'd try prying around the edges but I'm afraid I'll break the cover.

Disregard my post, I figured out how to remove the cover on all the interior lights (gently pry off the cover around the edges).

Top_Speed1 - I replaced the backup light with the same one you suggested and it seems to be quite a bit less powerful than the stock light. The LED license plate lights overpower the back up light which is contrary to what you've seem to experience. I received two bulbs, one didn't work at all and the other I had to glue back together after the lens separated from the base. This one did work, however, it is not very bright.

[Top_Speed1]

Drathen
If you have the 7watt with ellipsoidal lens and it's not bright then you have a bad one and I would return especially since the other didn't work? I took off the lens on mine but someone else here is using w the lens. I see some others on eBay with same look and they say 7 watt but you always wonder. In Chinese production there is no real governing of their production and they basically can call anything a x-watt led bulb.

Make sure you got "true" 7 watt b/c 7 watts of LED is naturally very bright (as the license lights u mentioned are 4x .5w for a total of 2watts / the other link I gave was the 2x .5w or 1 watt).