Rear Reflector LED MOD#2

[AZ-Volt]

Greetings all.

I finally had all my parts and more importantly the time to attempt my rear LED conversion.
As I have stated before, I wanted to get a look similar to the pre-productions “showoff” Volt.
Here is my current look and the steps to get there:

High Power

Low Power


Initially I did a row of LEDs on the top edge only. The strip emits light sideways face the edge and then reflecting off the polished lip outwards. This strip has more LEDs per inch to smooth it out:



I then added the same setup to the lower edge:



Raw LEDs:



I messed around with these some but still got too much bright led-ness around the edges. Some material from another test item gave me an idea.



This much too large string of LEDs is draped in a soft translucent rubber. I cut off some carefully planned strip and overlaid them on top of my LED strips:



My first result seemed too bright still for night use so I tried a few resistors and found the right level:



More far way shot:




I will have to clean up some lines and find a good way to make sure it doesn’t fall apart on the road!
I think this has some serious coolness potential.

Please know that with no exceptions each of these lit picture does not do justice to what my eye sees. Best my Android can do!

Assuming I go forward and do this to all six pieces...This is the goal: (best pic I could find, please post better if you run across)



Original Thread - by Brittt1

Cheers,

Andy

[SIFU]

Very nice, so the reflectors are on only at night or will light up at night and light brighter with the tail lights engaged?

[rmtoberman]

That looks real good. I would really like to see someone try LED front driving lights like the Audi's. Do you think this would be possible with a similar technique and use the location of the lower turn signal?

[artsci]

How did you get the LED strip to bend around the sharp corner? Did you have to cut part of the strip material? And what brand LED strip did you use?

[RoRo]

I absolutely love it. I would love to have these on my car assuming the part is reliable and the installation minimal.

[AZ-Volt]

Very nice, so the reflectors are on only at night or will light up at night and light brighter with the tail lights engaged?

I will have them lit with the parking lights. I may, however, use the brighter setting to work with the brakes and turn signals.

That looks real good. I would really like to see someone try LED front driving lights like the Audi's. Do you think this would be possible with a similar technique and use the location of the lower turn signal?

Do you mean like drive light LEDs? Like the four the Volt has (on each side) only in a line?

Perhaps like this?




on edit: I missed your part artsci, A couple of small creative folds do the trick. I'll get a close up once I have time to mess with this again..

[rmtoberman]

I will have them lit with the parking lights. I may, however, use the brighter setting to work with the brakes and turn signals.



Do you mean like drive light LEDs? Like the four the Volt has (on each side) only in a line?

Perhaps like this?

on edit: I missed your part artsci, A couple of small creative folds do the trick. I'll get a close up once I have time to mess with this again..

Yes, similar to the volt image, but where the turn signals are. Are there really LED driving lights on the car? I ran around my car when it was on in the day and didn't see any driving lights LED or incandescent.

[RoRo]

Yes, similar to the volt image, but where the turn signals are. Are there really LED driving lights on the car? I ran around my car when it was on in the day and didn't see any driving lights LED or incandescent.

I believe the car has to be in D/L in order for the LED driving lights to be on. They are indeed LED and look pretty good as they are on the outside of the lights near the outside corner of the car.

[AZ-Volt]

Yes, similar to the volt image, but where the turn signals are. Are there really LED driving lights on the car? I ran around my car when it was on in the day and didn't see any driving lights LED or incandescent.

As RoRo says..yes but you have to be in gear for them to come on.

I did get a set of front turn signal assemblies and plan to do some work on those as well. Trick is that a bumper removal will have to be done if I ever come up with something I like on the test pieces.

[AZ-Volt]

I think a simple relay system will work to make seperate turns/brakes and parking lights (on resistor)
To do turns you'd need four relays total. Please forgive my crude drawing:



Cheers,

Andy