I've been wanting to do this interior lighting for a long time
08-12-12, 05:53 PM
#1
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I've been wanting to do this interior lighting for a long time
Part of the lighting I've worked on over the last ten years have been limited to just not living up to my expectations. If I don't like it and it doesn't pass extensive testing in all weather then it goes back in the pile. One of the things I have been interested in have been LED strips, but they are not ideal for anything that is what I classify as "extended use" which means if it is only on for a few minutes then it's fine, but any longer periods of use over say 5 minutes cause big issues for the strips. They are mounted on thin plastic that warps easily under heat so periods past 5 minutes cause damage to the strip tracers. You see how thick needle plastic is in comparison and it fails badly as we all know. The strips warp and lose connection, but worse is if they are left on long enough they warp all the way around and dead short on each other! I've tried every strip out there and they all warp under prolonged use, and that's a fire hazard I wouldn't put in my car..... unless............ I could use them for just a few minutes at a time. DING! I finally found a use for them that is safe and looks great. 
For those into that V.I.P. style this would be great for interior lighting, and for the rest of us it just looks cool. I like it. A word of warning though about LED strips as stated above. Don't use them in area's where they will be on a prolonged period of time. They are too thin to handle heat and are a fire hazard when they warp around onto themselves..... and they will. Otherwise for this particular idea I think they look great!
For those into that V.I.P. style this would be great for interior lighting, and for the rest of us it just looks cool.
I like it. A word of warning though about LED strips as stated above. Don't use them in area's where they will be on a prolonged period of time. They are too thin to handle heat and are a fire hazard when they warp around onto themselves..... and they will. Otherwise for this particular idea I think they look great!
08-12-12, 05:57 PM
#2
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I should mention they are tucked up under the trim piece, not just stuck out there. I wish the camera were nicer to them. It's almost one of those gotta see it in person things.
08-12-12, 06:07 PM
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Wow that is awesome, and a very unique idea.. at least I have never seen it done before. And I bet they do look much better in person! What about baking them to a semi-thick aluminum strip with fins on the back to act as a heat sink? Or are they just too hot in general?
Awesome regardless!
Thanks,
Rick
Awesome regardless!
Thanks,
Rick
08-12-12, 08:17 PM
#7
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Ya the photo is accurate, but every monitor is different. If you are on an iMac it's pre-calibrated so I can say it's proper on that. I saw a similar system installed on an Aston Martin and it looked great. The coupes really look good, doubt it would work on a 4 dr.
This was the Aston interior I saw it on so it was similar enough for me to get an idea before I tried it.
This was the Aston interior I saw it on so it was similar enough for me to get an idea before I tried it.
Last edited by O. L. T.; 08-12-12 at 08:21 PM.
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08-12-12, 08:37 PM
#9
Lexus Champion
Ya the photo is accurate, but every monitor is different. If you are on an iMac it's pre-calibrated so I can say it's proper on that. I saw a similar system installed on an Aston Martin and it looked great. The coupes really look good, doubt it would work on a 4 dr.
This was the Aston interior I saw it on so it was similar enough for me to get an idea before I tried it.
This was the Aston interior I saw it on so it was similar enough for me to get an idea before I tried it.
Damn that Aston's interior is NICE!!!
I betcha your lighting looks great in person... Do you have it on a toggle or timer?
Last edited by The Ikon; 08-12-12 at 08:54 PM.
08-12-12, 08:41 PM
#10
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Will be finishing the fittment on it and taking some pics soon. It was really a quickie tonight to see if I would really dig it or not. It's not quite as visible as I made it appear here. I wanted the strip to be seen in the pics to illustrate what is going on, but it's much further tucked back out of the way in reality.
Thomas, it's on the door circuit and replaces the dome function.
Thomas, it's on the door circuit and replaces the dome function.
08-12-12, 08:45 PM
#11
Keeper of the light
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Wow that is awesome, and a very unique idea.. at least I have never seen it done before. And I bet they do look much better in person! What about baking them to a semi-thick aluminum strip with fins on the back to act as a heat sink? Or are they just too hot in general?
Awesome regardless!
Thanks,
Rick
Awesome regardless!
Thanks,
Rick
The plastic is paper thin and the load increases by 3/4 amp every 3 led's so you're pulling almost 8 amps at the end of a strip that size through paper thin plastic. It's REALLY not something you want to leave on for any period of time. In this application it's perfect with a minute or two on time. If you placed a heat sink behind it when the plastic melted it would dead short the tracers together, they are side by side at equal level height.
08-13-12, 12:55 AM
#13
have you tried using the flexible LED stripes with silicone/rubber housings. Or more sturdy plastic once that are thicker and not as flexible. Ive seen people put LED strips on to their head lights. I would imagine putting one of those into the trim wouldnt cause any issues. Also I have a few LED stripes in the house for domestic use and they never get hot. Im not sure if there is different technology behind them but i thought the whole idea behind LED is less consuption and less heat.
just an idea.
looks great though. I may steal that idea for my car.
just an idea.
looks great though. I may steal that idea for my car.
