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#678268 - 05/04/12 08:33 AM [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? *****
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan

I have some in the mail (gotta pick them up from the P.O. this afternoon) unfortunately, the LED’s and drivers came in one shipment and the lenses and heat sinks came in another… which isn’t here yet… damnit.
I just couldn't see spending $300+ for LED lighting so I ordered some 1000LM Cree XM-L (xmlawt) and some drivers with 3 settings (low-med-high) so I don't burn the LEDs out.
My plan was to install them IN one of my roof rack cross bars. I haven't seen this done before.
I think I will make individual housings for each LED and then just drill a big enough hole for the housings to be inserted into the cross bar. The one thing I worry about though is heat. These emitters are 10V and the warning label says that they should be treated as you would a laser because they will cause retina damage if you are too close to them. (at max power). So that leaves me with adding some sort of heat sink. Ideally, I would attach the heat sink as close to the star pcb as possible using thermal epoxy… but that leaves me with heat sinks on the INSIDE of the hollow aluminum cross bar and there won’t be any moving air in there? Back to the drawing board…
Another idea would be to use RC helicopter heat sinks on the housings. I am told that a 280 motor is about the size of the housings I want to build. Unfortunately, there aren’t many RC places up here in the high desert (that I know of) so test fitting stuff before I buy a bunch of stuff isn’t going to be easy. If I used that kind of heat sink, then I would have to have the LED housings sticking out of the cross bar a little more than I wanted. It’s not really all that far… I believe they are around 20mm deep? So that makes my cross bar look something like a comb? Well whatever, I will take pics and do a write up as I go.

(sorry for the rambling, I am mentally designing as I type)
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678269 - 05/04/12 09:47 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
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Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
Originally Posted By: slantyshanty

I have some in the mail (gotta pick them up from the P.O. this afternoon) unfortunately, the LED’s and drivers came in one shipment and the lenses and heat sinks came in another… which isn’t here yet… damnit.
I just couldn't see spending $300+ for LED lighting so I ordered some 1000LM Cree XM-L (xmlawt) and some drivers with 3 settings (low-med-high) so I don't burn the LEDs out.

My plan was to install them IN one of my roof rack cross bars. I haven't seen this done before.
I think I will make individual housings for each LED and then just drill a big enough hole for the housings to be inserted into the cross bar.

The one thing I worry about though is heat. These emitters are 10V and the warning label says that they should be treated as you would a laser because they will cause retina damage if you are too close to them. (at max power). So that leaves me with adding some sort of heat sink. Ideally, I would attach the heat sink as close to the star pcb as possible using thermal epoxy… but that leaves me with heat sinks on the INSIDE of the hollow aluminum cross bar and there won’t be any moving air in there? Back to the drawing board…

Another idea would be to use RC helicopter heat sinks on the housings. I am told that a 280 motor is about the size of the housings I want to build. Unfortunately, there aren’t many RC places up here in the high desert (that I know of) so test fitting stuff before I buy a bunch of stuff isn’t going to be easy. If I used that kind of heat sink, then I would have to have the LED housings sticking out of the cross bar a little more than I wanted. It’s not really all that far… I believe they are around 20mm deep? So that makes my cross bar look something like a comb? Well whatever, I will take pics and do a write up as I go.

(sorry for the rambling, I am mentally designing as I type)


OK, I like the idea, except for what you want the light to DO.

The XML is going to throw a flood of light...and at your roof brow area, that's going to glare on your windshield and hood, reducing your ability to see out past the ball of light you'll be in.

You'll need an optic/reflector to mount with the LED...I saw "Lens"? - To get enough throw to have the angle miss the hood at least. What kind of beam coverage were you trying to get?

As for cooling, yes...that's a lot of heat to dissipate, but a hollow AL tube is actually not a bad start...maybe run a copper bar inside the tube to mount it all to/act as a large sink, and then taking advantage of the fact that you have 12 v current, leave one end of the tube as an intake and the other as an exhaust, and use a fan to ventilate/drive off heat inside the tube.

If you put (Arctic Silver, etc) the LEDS right on the copper, and the back of the Cu is exposed to the airflow through the tube, that should cool well.

I'd set the fan blowing IN to put the tube under positive pressure/reduce weather leakage.

I'd also machine some fins/fluting, etc, into the back of the CU bar to maximize surface area for heat exchange.

LOL - If you wanted to go crazy, you could run a small duct from the AC, up the pillar to the cross bar to act as the make-up air source/positive pressure source...so if its especially hot, your AC is on too.

laugh


Essentially, by being able to leave the light engine assembly inside the cross bar...you avoid the "Comb" issue you worried about, as well as reducing exposure to damage.

By ventilating the inside of the cross bar, you carry the heat in the bar, out.

By using a copper (good heat conductor) - especially with flutes/fins, etc...it will absorb the heat from the LED if its in good thermal contact with it at one end, and radiate it out into the tube's airflow on the other end.



Edited by TJ (05/04/12 10:02 AM)
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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#678271 - 05/04/12 01:30 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
Here are the LED's I ordered:



DX LEDs

Here are the drivers:



DX Drivers

Here are the reflectors: (lenses sorry)



DX Reflectors

And here are some baby heat sinks I got just for fun:



DX Heat sinks

I had kinda planned on using a long strip of copper or aluminum to attach the LED casings to. (at this point it would look like a comb) Then, drill the holes in the aluminum cross bar and just poke the casings through it from the inside. The casings were always going to stick out a little, I just wasn’t planning on them sticking out that far. I also wasn’t planning on having anything attached to the casings on the outside of the cross bar… but now I think I will. Either way, the RC motor heat sinks are about 20mm so that's not THAT bad. I mean compare that to having regular roof mounted lights.

I don’t want to open the cross bar up to the elements. I’m pretty sure that needs to be as water tight as possible. Well, as watertight as can be expected for a 2004 X. smirk



I got the idea to use the RC motor heatsinks from this guy's bike LED design:



bike light

Just a quick search online finds all kinds of heat sinks in various colors and so many hues. grin

My goal is a flood'ish pattern... not really going for long distance. I found quite a few actual glass lenses and secondary optics that form the beam into a perfect circle or spot or flood or really whatever kind of beam pattern you want. I just figured I would use the reflectors first and see what kind of beam that gave me and go from there. If it makes my hood too bright (which I'm kinda afraid already that it may) Then I can always mount the lights somewhere else... down lower on the front bumper or somewhere?

Not to advertise another website (especially a shopping site) but that DX site is crazy. And I only say this to anyone that thinks they may want to buy something from there. Free shipping yes but you have to wait FOREVER!!! (especially if it is close to the Chinese New Year) The stuff they sell is super cheap and they even give a bulk price, but you better not need whatever it is that you are buying tomorrow or even next week. I placed my order on March 9th and I am just getting the first shipment today... April 5th.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678273 - 05/04/12 03:23 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
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Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
A lot of guys I know order from there, and yeah, it can take a month or more to get something similar to what you ordered, or completely different, or maybe even what you ordered, etc.

A warning - there's a TON of knock off stuff on there, so the specs are FUDGED. Sometimes its the right part, but factory seconds or recycled returns, etc. Lots of things will be advertised as SUPER DEATH RAY 3000 MegaLight - The Worlds Most Powerful Light! - And its barely a light, etc.

Other times, its more like getting a Rollex Watch, or a Guchi Purse, or a Sonny Camcorder, etc.

laugh



If you want more throw, those little domes to disperse the light over the LEDs are just typically held in place by soft silicone, and you can pry them off. I have a De-Domed SST90 LED in a search and rescue light I use, and it increased throw from ~ 112,500 lux at one meter to 203,000 lux at one meter, ~ 80% improvement. laugh


The XML is kind of a large die for throw, a smaller surface area LED would typically throw more as well, etc...for the same reflector.

But as you HAVE them, you could de-dome them, or say a few in the middle, to get the distance out there a bit further.

It made my SST90 LED go from being able to light stuff up well ~ 400-500 yards away, to being able to see stuff 800 yards away.

laugh


As for the color of the heat sink: The side attached to the die is using conduction, so the color doesn't matter, just getting a good thermal bond. The side that has to RADIATE the heat should, ideally, be FLAT BLACK. Flat black radiates the most heat...even in the dark, and you can't SEE what color it is.

laugh



Edited by TJ (05/04/12 03:31 PM)
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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#678278 - 05/04/12 08:29 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
And so it begins!

I received the LEDs and drivers in the mail today. I don't know when the reflectors or heat sinks will get here. (last I checked they were in damn New York) Anyway...

Took a little trip to my favorite (only) parts store up here in the high desert. Stood and stared at the copper pipe and fittings for a good 30 - 45 mins; playing with stuff and fitting stuff together and looking crazy. But, I do that often enough that the store workers don't even ask if I need help anymore.

Since I don't have all the pieces yet I could only buy a little bit of everything. I only got enough stuff to make two lights for now.

Here's the LED



Here's the driver



Here is a copper 3/4" copper end cap



I had to grind down the PCB a little...



to make them fit in the end cap



Here the LEDs are hiding in the end cap (I don't have thermal epoxy yet so this is just a test fit)



Soldered the driver and LEDs. The driver is meant to be used in a flashlight so that was fun to solder.



Wires attached, holes drilled, LEDs in the end caps



_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678279 - 05/04/12 08:29 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
Light pics that don't do it justice...







From about 10' At this point the LEDs are only sitting inside the copper caps, there are no reflectors inside. Not a bad spread really?





I even found this copper piece that I have NO idea what you would even use it for (because I'm not a plumber?) I think it will help me evenly space the lights. The only problem is that they are about 3~7mm too tall to fit inside the cross bar. Going to have to find some way to either cut or bend it to fit. I would rather bend it so I can use it for support but that may be easier said than done, given the shapes?







OH... and I am crazy or something. I swear I ordered drivers with low, medium, and high. Nope. These are DAMN!!!, Oh ok, and seizure inducing fast strobe! This is going to be FUN!
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678283 - 06/04/12 06:18 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
Member
*****

Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
I think I mentioned that you don't always get exactly what you ordered?

laugh

Can you use a round hammer to gently fold the back Cu plate to match the interior curve of the cross bar?
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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#678295 - 08/04/12 09:13 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
XOC Offline
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Registered: 16/08/00
Posts: 17103
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
Awesome. I have looked at LED lightbars and damn are they expensive.
_________________________
nom nom nom

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#678300 - 08/04/12 11:32 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: XOC]
TJ Offline
Member
*****

Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
Originally Posted By: XOC
Awesome. I have looked at LED lightbars and damn are they expensive.


LOL

I think that's why he wants to MAKE one.

laugh

The LEDs put out a lot of light, and use very little current to do it. They also produce a lot of heat to draw off to keep from frying the electronics.

When you add together the combination of driving the LEDs hard to maximize the light out put, and using components that can stand up to the performance, its going to get more expensive...but, for a fraction of the amps, you can get a ton of light.


A 3-5 watt LED might put out more light than a 35 watt HID, and much more light than a 150 watt halogen, etc. The LED light, for the same output, can be a lot smaller and lighter.

For some applications, the price/performance ratio tips things in favor of the HID's over halogens for example, but after a certain point, the scales tip to the LEDs...

...Hence the attraction, and, the justification of cost....to do HIDs over halogens, and LEDs over HIDs' and so forth.

laugh

For myself, as to ME, an LED was traditionally one of those teeny "shower head" type lamps that put out a feeble short range pool of light - but for practically forever.... The idea of using a high performance version that can over power an HID, etc, is attractive just for the CONCEPT to me...like winning the King of the Hammers in an Xterra.

laugh


For perspective, those Giant Spot Lights you see in the Big Box Stores that put out a "Million Candle Power", or even "5 Million Candle Power", etc...can be shamed by an LED light in real out put.


ANSI started requiring lights to be labeled wit LUMEN output ratings...not what the emitter itself made, but what the lighting device actually projected out the lens "Out The Front" lumens, or OTF Lumens, etc.

For perspective, a 5 MILLION Candle Power Spot Light might be rated at 675 Lumens.

I have a 4" long LED FLASHLIGHT in my pant pocket that puts out 750 lumens.


I have an LED driving lamp on my bumper that pumps out ~ 9,000 Lumens. (~ 6" diameter, round light) That's ~ 9,000 Lumens from ~ 90 watts.

One 150 watt halogen driving light (KC, etc) might put out 3-400 lumens, etc.


To get ~9,000 lumens from halogen driving lamps, I might need 20 of them....and a lot of amps being generated to power them....

If you figure you need ~ 25 amp fuse for each pair of 150 W lights, and so forth...

...But one 15 amp fuse can handle your one 90 watt 9,000 lumen LED light.

If I add a second light, I could have 18,000 lumens lighting up the area in front of me.


I got mine from a mining truck that needs to get in/out of the strip mining areas at night, where a misstep can plummet a truck over a 100' cliff, etc....so they kind of want to see a lot of detail about the path they are on before they are on it and it gives way, etc.

laugh







Edited by TJ (08/04/12 11:53 AM)
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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#678302 - 08/04/12 12:15 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
So far, I am in my project for about $110.00.

(8) cree LEDs
(4) drivers
(8) reflectors
(8) baby heatsinks
(2) long copper strips with holes in them?
(2) copper end caps
(2) copper pieces of pipe.

I haven't really shopped around to get the best price at all, just saw stuff that I thought may work and got it.

I am building as I go so I am wasting more money there... When I buy stuff I end up not needing.

So far I don't need the (2) pieces of copper pipe. The drivers will power (3) LEDs but I am only using (2) each. Don't know about the reflectors and heatsinks yet... They have only made it Colorado so far. Somewhere, there is a dude walking down the highway (cross country) dragging a big wooden cross... And in his pocket are my reflectors and heatsinks!
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678325 - 10/04/12 06:33 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
Gonzo-2 Offline
Member
***

Registered: 23/06/09
Posts: 518
Loc: Lansing, Michigan
SS - this is an interesting project. Not sure how it will end up, but interesting if for nothing more than a mental exercise.

BTW, and the real reason for my comment, the copper strip I believe is used for hanging pipes, lots of them. I may be wrong, but I think they are mounted on the joists/rafters and the pipes are then run through the holes.

But then again, I've been accused of smoking crack with some of the crap I come up with sometimes...

Good luck and keep us posted!

-G
_________________________
'03SE

BFG AT/KO
Custom fuse panels for electrical mods
Custom backup solution mod (lights/camera/monitor)
Custom switched power outlets (8+ total)
Lots-o-Lights (6 driving lights, 10 total)

Original registration - Sep, '03
Pre-crash post count - ~1100

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#678334 - 12/04/12 10:14 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: Gonzo-2]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
God I did a lot (a lot more than it looks) on this project today. I really could/should have done more planning before taking on this but I was excited and bored and wanted something to do… something to do I got.
Oh, and there are some serious things I need to add to my garage. Like a drill press. I could have knocked a few HOURS off of this today if I had one of those. But, as it stands, I don’t so I used what I had. A dremel. Let’s just say that some of the holes aren’t “perfect” but they are as good as I felt like getting them today.



Got my reflectors and baby heat sinks in the mail finally



Reflectors fit pretty well but…



They are pretty small. I will probably have to cut some of the enclosures to fit. Then again, I may leave them so that more of the light goes forward and not on my hood.



Here’s these bar things? (I agree, they look like they are made to hold pipes. Funny, cause that’s kinda what I’m doing and why I got them.)



Have to trim a lot of it, length-wise and depth-wise.



This is why.



And this.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678335 - 12/04/12 10:16 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan

This cut was NOT fun.

Nor was this.

This is what I ended up with. Not much left huh. Seemed a little flimsy in spots so…



Broke out the ‘ol torch and used the pieces I cut off to make it a little more sturdy.



I REAAAAALLLLY need to clean my work space!!!



I spent SO freakin long cutting these holes with a dremel. (metal cutting diskS and grinder. Those damn disks are Xpensive!)



Soldered the enclosures into place.



And this is what you get.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678336 - 12/04/12 10:17 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan


High makes my camera freak the hell out! LOL



Low isn’t so bad (to the camera)



I haven’t attached the LEDs with thermal goo yet because one of the wires was shorting out to the enclosures… grrrrr (If I ever do this or something like it again, I will use smaller LED PCBs)

I SHOULD be done tomorrow. God I HOPE I’m done tomorrow. I still have to run power up to the roof of the X. That’s going to be fun.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678337 - 13/04/12 05:50 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
Member
*****

Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
As the large aluminum cross bar itself can be a decent way to heat sink...are you thermally bonding the copper to the cross bar?

What are you doing to avoid the copper and aluminum from not playing well with each other/galvanic corrosion?

You want them to be able to exchange heat via conduction, which is best done via direct contact...but direct contact itself will typically create a galvanic condition.

confused
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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#678338 - 13/04/12 12:31 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
I was thinking about looking for a rubber grommet to put on the holes in the cross bar then sliding the copper enclosures into them... But 1. Finding exact grommets to fit would/will be hard (haven't given up on that idea yet) and 2. Just getting the enclosures to fit into the holes, from the inside, is hard enough. Again, another one of those things that would have been MUCH easier had I planned a little more. This project is more of an experiment / R&D type. I just wanted to know if it could be done cheaper than buying a pre-made and at the same time I wanted custom lights IN the cross bar because I have never seen it done before. I really like the idea of them there but the effort it is taking to get them there is growing more and more. Would help if I had the right tools... No suprise there at all... Said that a bunch of times in life already.

As far as galvanic corrosion... Never thought about it before you mentioned it. I had to google that to refresh my memory of what that even was. (I own a swamp cooler lol) I don't really know what I'm going to so about that. I currently live in the desert, so corrosion doesn't usually matter out here. But, I am moving in less than 3 months. Don't know where to yet, but I bet it rains more.

I have 5 kits of arctic alumina thermal epoxy. I was going to use that to attach the LEDs to the inside of the copper enclosures. I suppose I could use that to attach the enclosures to the aluminum cross bar but that is rather expensive.

This whole project is getting more and more Xpensive. I guess that's part of R/D though. Lol i'll bite the bullet on this one.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678341 - 14/04/12 08:33 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
Member
*****

Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
You are starting to realize where some of the $ being recouped by the commercial products came from.

laugh

R&D is one of those invisible categories....like pharmaceuticals...people are outraged that a little pill that costs $1 generically is $50 for the brand name.

The brand name company spent 7-10 years developing the drug, doing FDA trials, etc...and then has to recoup all of that $ (Typically a minimum of a $ half billion) investment...within the ~ 7 year window remaining in their patent protection period.

To make it WORTH them spending all that time and $ in the first place, they want a ROI that makes sense, hence the $50/pill to get paid enough to be worth it.

When the protection expires, a generic company can simply MAKE the pills, w/o needing any research or trials, etc...and CAN sell it for $1 and make money doing it.


Same with other products...someone has to design not only the light, but the machinery to make it, and the packaging and distribution, etc all tweak each other.

If YOU make a light, you DON'T need to sweat details like that...and you figure if a change needs to be made after seeing what works/doesn't...you'd just take it off the roof, fix it, and put it back (Rinse/Repeat)...until its the way you like it.

THEY need to make sure its ALREADY that way before it gets put into a box.

laugh


For me, this sort of project is great though, because the satisfaction of doing it myself can outweigh the disadvantages of it being better but from a mass producer.

laugh
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

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#678371 - 18/04/12 10:50 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
Damn I've been busy! I got orders to recruiting school. I leave in 6 days! 8 weeks of school and then I'm off to God knows where. (Did I already mention this? I can't remember.) Anyone wanna buy a house in Yucca Valey, CA? grin I have 8+ weeks to sell! cry

So needless to say I haven't exactly had the time to work on this much. BUT, I did get a little done tonight.



Had to cut my nylon washers down so they would fit around the solder joints on the sides of the PCBs.



Pretty hard to tell but this is what they look like with the washers.



This is kinda what I am going for. The holes in the cross bar aren't EXACTLY where they need to be. In fact, I had to seperate the two long copper pieces of... pipe holder? Apparently I didn't realize that the cross bar is NOT flat/strait. They bow, I am assuming so they can hold more weight? Anyway, my light bar was strait and did not fit right inside the bowed cross bar. So, no big thing, I seperated them. Now there are 4 lights on one side, 4 on the other...



But from the outside you would never know.

I do have a little bit of a problem now. The holes I made for the enclosures are ugly. I need to patch the ugly. So I was thinking about filling the holes with either JB weld or this thermal epoxy I got, but 1. I would need to be able to sand the stuff down and make it pretty and 2. that thermal epoxy is expensive. (I know I've said that before crazy )

What color does JB weld dry to and can you sand it down and it still be strong?
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678372 - 19/04/12 09:27 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
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Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
You might consider a bezel to hide the hole edges as easier/neater than putty, etc.

Right now, the pipes sticking out like that kind of remind me of the machine gun barrels that stuck out of the wings on WWII fighter planes.

(Which I like)

laugh
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

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#678373 - 20/04/12 04:43 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
Gonzo-2 Offline
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Registered: 23/06/09
Posts: 518
Loc: Lansing, Michigan
TJ - Never had the thought of the machine guns image, but now that you mention it, they do. Now you can tell people your truck KILLS JEEPS! LOL.

And I agree. A bezel would look better. I've seen plastic ones at Lowes, but plastic would never do for this. Metal ones would look and work much better. Plus, they could also help lock them in place and help eliminate any vibrations. Another thought would be grommets.

Which brings up a question. Will rain get in the holes and collect in the crossbar as you drive? How will it get out? Are there any drain holes on the ends? (Since the crossbars are bowed, any water will run down to the ends.) Will any rain short the lights out? Will you have it grounded well too, just in case? Sorry, just some random thoughts...

And please tell us you didn't drill the holes in the crossbar with that spade bit in the last pic...

Keep up the good work SS! Looking good!

-G
_________________________
'03SE

BFG AT/KO
Custom fuse panels for electrical mods
Custom backup solution mod (lights/camera/monitor)
Custom switched power outlets (8+ total)
Lots-o-Lights (6 driving lights, 10 total)

Original registration - Sep, '03
Pre-crash post count - ~1100

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#678374 - 20/04/12 08:54 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: Gonzo-2]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
I hope rain doesn't get in, but so far most of my electronics (the drivers and LEDs) are coated with thermal epoxy and joints are coated with liquid electrical tape. But, I can't imagine the cross bars were THAT water tight to begine with.

There aren't drain holes per say, but the sides of the cross bars aren't exactly sealed either. I will take pics of the actual cross bar when I get home.

Grounded yes... hell yes.

And spade bit, ROFL no. I just have a DAMN messy work space right now.
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678375 - 20/04/12 08:54 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: Gonzo-2]
TJ Offline
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Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA


Fighter Plane machine Guns All the Way.

laugh

IIRC, you have drivers with strobe mode...so the machine gun effect with the strobes firing would be pretty cool.

laugh

Grommets might not be a bad way to close the hole gaps.


Edited by TJ (20/04/12 08:59 AM)
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

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#678391 - 22/04/12 06:52 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: TJ]
XOC Offline
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Registered: 16/08/00
Posts: 17103
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
Wow.. you have been a busy little beaver
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#678472 - 04/05/12 09:47 AM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: XOC]
slantyshanty Offline
Member

Registered: 24/06/09
Posts: 283
Loc: Northern Michigan
Sorry I haven't any updates lately, I get to come home this weekend... Tonight actually, so I should get to work on this some more. To be honest, I am missing being able to work on my projects!

I need to find a way to seal the front with glass. Do you think that a glass shop can cut circles smaller than 3/4"? It's either that or cut my own lexan... I have some at home but cutting that small of a circle may be "fun"!
_________________________
2004 World Champ - 4x4 Man Trans - Silver - 3"SL+2"BL - Revolvers - Rancho RS9000XL's - Rancho RS5000 stab w/IAB - ARB rear locker - 34" BFG MT's Soft 8's - Blood red Shrock Sliders - Mean Green 180A - Optima 31 Bluetop - U-bolt skids - Hz+dB's

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#678477 - 04/05/12 05:11 PM Re: [WIP] Cree LED/Emitter on star pcb. Anyone ever use? [Re: slantyshanty]
TJ Offline
Member
*****

Registered: 08/03/01
Posts: 7756
Loc: Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
Punching lexan might be easier than cutting it...a smidge wide, and hit the ends with a wheel to smooth them out again.
_________________________
- TJ

2001 Xterra '03 VG33, SE 5 spd, 305/70/16's, Revolvers, UBSkidderz, Doubled AAL's, 3"SL/2"BL, winch/bumpers, skids, sliders, OBA, Snorkel, pine stripes....

Friends don't let friends drive stock.

http://www.gifsoup.com/view/501230/tj-tackling-crawlers-ridge-o.gif

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