LED Third Brake Light, My Newest Design Options

[Special_Edy]

So I originally built a 58 Red LED third brake light and was dissatisfied with the result-








It was only about as bright as the OEM incandescent so it was back to the drawingboard.

I finally had time today to solder this together, it uses 97 5mm White LEDs(the maximum amount I could cram in). The current draw is apx. 9 watts and the service life is apx. 100,000 hours. It is bright like headlight bright.





First Layer of 57 LEDs-







Second layer of 40 LEDs, Finished!!!!!!-











And finally Video-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh44hn_EBz4


If there is enough interest I may make some of these for 6gc members as well as some of the other exterior lights.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Nov 24, 2012 - 3:01 AM

[Bitter]

Flashing red lights are a no-no in most states.

[Box]

Flashing red lights are a no-no in most states.

It'd be no different than rapidly tapping your brakes in that regard. It'd be only set on the center stop lamp, how I was going to implement it. I got to looking and apparently there are kits for this that flash all brake lights, some do like I was planning and just use the center stop light. Apparently Mercedes S-class have had them since 2006, though the way they activate is more advanced in that they flash only during hard braking. The kits flash for 4 seconds then go solid as to comply with California law. One would think if it is legal in California, of all states, it probably is elsewhere. Going to try and find specific information for Alabama before I do anything. One would think something that increases safety would be legal, then again a lot of things that should be legal aren't.