A far as I know new implementation of fitting city LED lights: no LE's outside of housing...

akula-ssh · 12-13-2005, 09:39 PM

Preamble:
I've always hated the idea of having to run LE's when putting in LED's. I bought a pair a while ago, which are rated at 35 ohms, but haven't put them in for 2 reasons: 1) I didn't want to have wire running under the hood for routing the LE's; 2) I don't like the idea of a hot LE's sitting somewhere. A fellow AW'er, MC Hammered, thought of using a city light bulb as a current drain, which got me thinking: how high a resistor can I go without triggering the bulb-out warning? This is what I ended up with:

That's right, a 220 ohm resistor rated at 5W (for a good bit of over-engineering)! The idea is that at this resistance, the power dissipation is around 0.9W assuming a running voltage of 14V on the car. Such a power rating would mean a cool LE that can be placed inside the housing. Indeed, after 6 minutes the surface of the resistor is barely as warm as the ambient temperature on a hot sunny day.

Tabs are then placed inside the housing:

Now with the resistor connected (a bit of electrical tape for good measure):

And one last shot: a comparison between Philips Blue Vision city bulb and the 5-LED matrix bulb from autolumination.com (recommended by Eddie Man):

Cost of resistors plus tabs and connectors: ~CAD$10, which IIRC is cheaper than the corresponding LE's, which are arguably less elegant a solution

Big thanks to MC Hammered who sourced the resistors and connectors pictured! By the way, for those who care, I actually tried resistances up to 250 ohms for that's the max of the variable resistor I've got sitting around, but it was decided we err a bit on the safe side and get resistors that draw a bit more current instead of the other way around (evidently 250 ohms isn't a common commercially available resistor).

shadyraven · 12-13-2005, 10:08 PM

MC Hammered · 12-13-2005, 10:43 PM

And we were bored. =P

MC Hammered · 12-13-2005, 10:53 PM

shadyraven · 12-13-2005, 11:29 PM

MuRaN0Daddy · 12-14-2005, 02:35 AM

forced induxion · 12-14-2005, 06:41 AM

akula-ssh · 12-14-2005, 07:25 AM

Steve Sherwood · 12-14-2005, 07:26 AM

But then I am a brain surgeon...so..its all relative... :-)

akula-ssh · 12-14-2005, 07:26 AM

12-13-2005, 09:39 PM	#1
akula-ssh Member Account #: 70933 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,699	A far as I know new implementation of fitting city LED lights: no LE's outside of housing... Preamble: I've always hated the idea of having to run LE's when putting in LED's. I bought a pair a while ago, which are rated at 35 ohms, but haven't put them in for 2 reasons: 1) I didn't want to have wire running under the hood for routing the LE's; 2) I don't like the idea of a hot LE's sitting somewhere. A fellow AW'er, MC Hammered, thought of using a city light bulb as a current drain, which got me thinking: how high a resistor can I go without triggering the bulb-out warning? This is what I ended up with: That's right, a 220 ohm resistor rated at 5W (for a good bit of over-engineering)! The idea is that at this resistance, the power dissipation is around 0.9W assuming a running voltage of 14V on the car. Such a power rating would mean a cool LE that can be placed inside the housing. Indeed, after 6 minutes the surface of the resistor is barely as warm as the ambient temperature on a hot sunny day. Tabs are then placed inside the housing: Now with the resistor connected (a bit of electrical tape for good measure): And one last shot: a comparison between Philips Blue Vision city bulb and the 5-LED matrix bulb from autolumination.com (recommended by Eddie Man): Cost of resistors plus tabs and connectors: ~CAD$10, which IIRC is cheaper than the corresponding LE's, which are arguably less elegant a solution Big thanks to MC Hammered who sourced the resistors and connectors pictured! By the way, for those who care, I actually tried resistances up to 250 ohms for that's the max of the variable resistor I've got sitting around, but it was decided we err a bit on the safe side and get resistors that draw a bit more current instead of the other way around (evidently 250 ohms isn't a common commercially available resistor). __________________ List of 3.0 owners on AW compiled by A4AdMan <big>2002 Audi A4 Avant 3.0 Quattro Tiptronic</big> Premium package, sport package, xenon headlights Modifications to date: Neuspeed Sport springs Koni shocks (50% all around) H-Sport anti-roll bars custom stainless steel rear upper spring seat spacer Silver OZ Superleggera 18x8 Sumitomo HTR Z III 235/40-18 95Y XL (current summer) Toyo T1R 235/40-18 95Y (previous summer) Falken GRB FK-451 235/40-18 91Y (previous summer) Dunlop SP WinterSport M2 235/45-17 94H (winter) Supersprint resonator and mufflers (quick video clip here) BMC CDA intake Alcon B Type calipers Coleman Racing 13x1.25" 2-piece rotors Carbotech XP8 brake pads aluminum interior trim black bumper grill opened driver side foglight grill (from 1.8T) auto-dimming blind-spot Euro side mirrors bi-xenon E-code headlights Ultraleds (ultraleds.co.uk) 1W LED H6W bulbs Sylvania SilverStar H7 (high beams) Stealth blinker bulbs 7507 (front and rear) Hüper Optik Ceramic 60 and Sech (metal) tint My alignment specs Writeup on load equalizers mounted inside e-code housing

12-13-2005, 10:08 PM	#2
shadyraven Senior Member Account #: 37283 Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 7,025	The amount of member R&D that goes into these city light mods is mind-blowing! __________________

12-13-2005, 10:43 PM	#3
MC Hammered Member Account #: 91797 Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,741	This is what happens when 2 Audigeeks want an 'elegant' solution. =) And we were bored. =P __________________ ------------ 2004 Audi A4 Avant 1.8t Quattro 6sp - slightly modified Click the pic for the details

12-13-2005, 10:53 PM	#4
MC Hammered Member Account #: 91797 Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,741	Next task?? A cupholder that works for the B6!!!! =) __________________ ------------ 2004 Audi A4 Avant 1.8t Quattro 6sp - slightly modified Click the pic for the details

12-13-2005, 11:29 PM	#5
shadyraven Senior Member Account #: 37283 Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 7,025	If you two are bored, why don't you make another trip to the island and we'll do a run to PR. __________________

12-14-2005, 02:35 AM	#6
MuRaN0Daddy Member Account #: 35713 Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 13,563	OK, so now, where do I buy them? __________________ Gone....but never forgotten.... ENJOY.............2006 A3 2.0t DSG Murano on Plat Prem Cold Nav Bi-X Sirius Stuff: REVO. Akebono pads (front)Carbotech Bobcats(rear).Carbonio CAI. Michelin X-Ice snows.NGK BKR7E IX ECS dogbone. Forge Motorsport Replacement Vacuum Operated Piston Diverter Valve. Drop(Neuspeed springs, Koni sports, H&R sway).Vag-Com mods. Nav update.Pro-Form Clear Bra. Color-match front grille trim/Euro plate holder.ECS black-out S Line grille.Custom Euro plate.Air shifter knob.Trunk monkey. ECS smoked repeater turn signals, bumper side markers.City lights wired. Black arm rest. Black net. Piano door trim.Black Bose boxen. GLI pedals. TT DP. Monster Mats. Lloyd custom boot mat. Toerag torch. Euro-split mirrors. Hagus S4 mirror covers(matte). Vibrant 1305's. Llumar 30%. Pro-Clip phone mount/IPod mount. DICE. Ashtray insert. Audi OEM Base Carrier Bars/Baracuda. Not coming: GIAC. Coming: Exhaust. Velvet steering wheel cover. Currently aboard: 2008 Subaru OBS Obsidian Black. Lots of show, no go. <a href="http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/2007784.phtml"> Maybe the best post ever</a> Retired: 2002 A4 1.8t Avant Tip 2005 A4 1.8t Saloon Tip USP 2006 A3 DSG

12-14-2005, 06:41 AM	#7
forced induxion Member Account #: 98177 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,065	is this way over anyone else's head? __________________ -----------------------------------------------------------

12-14-2005, 07:25 AM	#8
akula-ssh Member Account #: 70933 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,699	I think they'e just from a local Radioshack. I'm sure MC Hammered would chime in later :) __________________ List of 3.0 owners on AW compiled by A4AdMan <big>2002 Audi A4 Avant 3.0 Quattro Tiptronic</big> Premium package, sport package, xenon headlights Modifications to date: Neuspeed Sport springs Koni shocks (50% all around) H-Sport anti-roll bars custom stainless steel rear upper spring seat spacer Silver OZ Superleggera 18x8 Sumitomo HTR Z III 235/40-18 95Y XL (current summer) Toyo T1R 235/40-18 95Y (previous summer) Falken GRB FK-451 235/40-18 91Y (previous summer) Dunlop SP WinterSport M2 235/45-17 94H (winter) Supersprint resonator and mufflers (quick video clip here) BMC CDA intake Alcon B Type calipers Coleman Racing 13x1.25" 2-piece rotors Carbotech XP8 brake pads aluminum interior trim black bumper grill opened driver side foglight grill (from 1.8T) auto-dimming blind-spot Euro side mirrors bi-xenon E-code headlights Ultraleds (ultraleds.co.uk) 1W LED H6W bulbs Sylvania SilverStar H7 (high beams) Stealth blinker bulbs 7507 (front and rear) Hüper Optik Ceramic 60 and Sech (metal) tint My alignment specs Writeup on load equalizers mounted inside e-code housing

12-14-2005, 07:26 AM	#9
Steve Sherwood AudiWorld Senior Member Account #: 5 Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 4,542	No.. But then I am a brain surgeon...so..its all relative... :-) __________________ Steve S Audiworld, Contributing Editor/Moderator 07 BMW 335i Previous Audis... 05 Audi A4 1.8TQ Ultrasport (AW project car) 01 Audi S4 99 Audi A4 1.8TQM 00 Audi A4 1.8TQM 01 Audi S4 Avant 83 Audi 4000E 00 Audi S4 97 Audi A4 2.8QM

12-14-2005, 07:26 AM	#10
akula-ssh Member Account #: 70933 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,699	I wouldn't mind that; maybe in the new year? __________________ List of 3.0 owners on AW compiled by A4AdMan <big>2002 Audi A4 Avant 3.0 Quattro Tiptronic</big> Premium package, sport package, xenon headlights Modifications to date: Neuspeed Sport springs Koni shocks (50% all around) H-Sport anti-roll bars custom stainless steel rear upper spring seat spacer Silver OZ Superleggera 18x8 Sumitomo HTR Z III 235/40-18 95Y XL (current summer) Toyo T1R 235/40-18 95Y (previous summer) Falken GRB FK-451 235/40-18 91Y (previous summer) Dunlop SP WinterSport M2 235/45-17 94H (winter) Supersprint resonator and mufflers (quick video clip here) BMC CDA intake Alcon B Type calipers Coleman Racing 13x1.25" 2-piece rotors Carbotech XP8 brake pads aluminum interior trim black bumper grill opened driver side foglight grill (from 1.8T) auto-dimming blind-spot Euro side mirrors bi-xenon E-code headlights Ultraleds (ultraleds.co.uk) 1W LED H6W bulbs Sylvania SilverStar H7 (high beams) Stealth blinker bulbs 7507 (front and rear) Hüper Optik Ceramic 60 and Sech (metal) tint My alignment specs Writeup on load equalizers mounted inside e-code housing

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