Homemade lightbar ideas

[craddock35]

I have been kicking around some ideas in my head on how to make a lightbar. So far I have come up with what will be about $2-$5 in each bar depending on the length. The main thing is spending some time getting them wired up. I found led strips at hobbypartz that are I think $12 for 200 of them and was thinking I could use 1/4" aluminum channel to stick them in waterproof them and cap off the ends with a little piece of delrin then put a piece of lexan across the front and bend it at the ends to attach it.

Does anybody else have any ideas for somebody with nothing but some hand tools and a dremel that would be cheap and easy? Also is there anywhere else to get the really bright led strips from? The ones at hobbypartz are descent but not the brightest I am sure. I really like the VP lightbar and a couple of others out there but not all of us have that kind of $$$$ plus I like to build and make what I can.

Thanks in advance for any ideas and help.

[JDCrawler27]

you can get the hobbypartz ones to be just as bright as the vp with resistors, the led isnt where the brightness comes from its the color and amount of power supplyed, hope this helps a little bit on the wiring part,,

[MORE]

Originally Posted by JDCrawler27

you can get the hobbypartz ones to be just as bright as the vp with resistors, the led isnt where the brightness comes from its the color and amount of power supplyed, hope this helps a little bit on the wiring part,,

Incorrect.

Yes the color temperature will affect the perceived output, however the actual output (luminous flux) is dependent to the actual emitter used. While you can overdrive a LED by changing the value of the current limiting resistor or increasing the voltage, the life span of the emitter will be greatly reduced and will likely go into thermal runaway and burn itself out.

[craddock35]

Originally Posted by MORE

Incorrect.

Yes the color temperature will affect the perceived output, however the actual output (luminous flux) is dependent to the actual emitter used. While you can overdrive a LED by changing the value of the current limiting resistor or increasing the voltage, the life span of the emitter will be greatly reduced and will likely go into thermal runaway and burn itself out.

Thats what I was thinking. Especially since I have different leds that one is brighter than the other with the same resistor. But I am new to this led strip deal and havn't really found much on them yet but I feel they will work best in a lightbar. I wish I could by one from VP for every rig I have but that would take me forever to just get 4 lightbars and I would rather have the money to replace broken stuff and do upgrades. I have one lightbar that I bought and I have gotten my ideas from it.

I am also looking at maybe doing one out of delrin. Just cust out the shape and size then use the dremel and make a area sunk in for the strip to sit in then put the lexan across it for the cover.

[Bambie]

I made these out of led light strips for automotive use. They run on 12v and I made a custom housing and used epoxy to waterproof them.

[JokersWild]

Use those strips.... There are one with 3 lights per 2 inch and 6 lights per 2 inch. Obviously more lights brighter...... Make housing from styrene.......... .060 sheets. Make rectangle shape.... Trim with small strips and lay led strip in center ( has 3m adhesive on back) cover in liquid elect tape... But not on led tops. Stack styrene to build thickness on back.... Sand to shape... Drill out center of each lead on led strip (before liquid elect tape) with very find drill bit...... Run wires from back out through face of led strip. Fine point solder wires to board. Be inventive...... Or save yourself the trouble of buying a bunch of stuff and get one from crawlerdad here on rcc! Good price.... Great product..... Awesome service!

[ik632]

Before you guys go and spend a bunch of money on those light strips stop at the LHS and pick some up. I got white, red and blue and they are crazy bright. Only problem is they need 12v to run. You can swap out the resistors to run at lower voltage, but that is easier said than done. I'd run a small auxiliary 3S with a screamer to tell when the juice is running low.

Anyway, they are generally the same price at the LHS and some are already waterproof.

[Charlie-III]

I also believe "Chris the Battery Man" & LosiKid/OverkillRC both sell LED's to the crawler group.

Both are vendors here.

[craddock35]

I havn't seen any yet with 6 leds per 2" does anybody know where to get them? My local hobby shop carries some lighting stuff but they want an arm and a leg for any of it. They usually want about 30 for what I can usually get for about 10-15 shipped plus they aren't exactly local for me.

[ik632]

I'm running by the shop in the morning, I'll check. When i bought it for my quad I got a bunch so maybe they cut me a deal

[JokersWild]

Originally Posted by craddock35

I havn't seen any yet with 6 leds per 2" does anybody know where to get them? My local hobby shop carries some lighting stuff but they want an arm and a leg for any of it. They usually want about 30 for what I can usually get for about 10-15 shipped plus they aren't exactly local for me.

High Power LED Flexible Light Strip - NFLS-x600-WHT | Top Emitting | Flexible LED Light Strips | LED Light Strips & Bars | Super Bright LEDs

[JokersWild]

Originally Posted by ik632

Before you guys go and spend a bunch of money on those light strips stop at the LHS and pick some up. I got white, red and blue and they are crazy bright. Only problem is they need 12v to run. You can swap out the resistors to run at lower voltage, but that is easier said than done. I'd run a small auxiliary 3S with a screamer to tell when the juice is running low.

Anyway, they are generally the same price at the LHS and some are already waterproof.

12 volts not an issue....... Run inline between esc and battery..... Who dosent run 3s? Lol

[losikid]

I've been really busy and distracted the past year and these went to the back burner....but i hope to tweak em alittle more and get a couple different versions up for sale by the end of the year

OverkillRC DIY light bar: Sneak peak

[ik632]

I remember when you did those last summer. I've got a bag of 500 super bright white LED's that I'd love to get mounted up.

[losikid]

Originally Posted by ik632

I remember when you did those last summer. I've got a bag of 500 super bright white LED's that I'd love to get mounted up.

I want to add some more annotations and make it alittle easier to cut into multiple light bars. Originally i was thinking cut to length but the rest of the cut off board is still funtional so i want to add something so they can be powered up easily.

[winnerone23]

Originally Posted by craddock35

I havn't seen any yet with 6 leds per 2" does anybody know where to get them? My local hobby shop carries some lighting stuff but they want an arm and a leg for any of it. They usually want about 30 for what I can usually get for about 10-15 shipped plus they aren't exactly local for me.

Contact CRAWLER-DAD, he has lights with 6 lights per 2"

[JokersWild]

Originally Posted by losikid

I've been really busy and distracted the past year and these went to the back burner....but i hope to tweak em alittle more and get a couple different versions up for sale by the end of the year

OverkillRC DIY light bar: Sneak peak

Ive been holding out for one...... Is it the end of the year yet? I forgot about that thread, lol

[ik632]

Originally Posted by losikid

I want to add some more annotations and make it alittle easier to cut into multiple light bars. Originally i was thinking cut to length but the rest of the cut off board is still funtional so i want to add something so they can be powered up easily.

I've got a buttload of the current batch of bright LED's and happy to test when you're read. Heck, I'll even pay for the sample. I think they are 20kmcd

Imagine 8-10 of those. I have 4 in my wife's truck and it's almost bright as day.

[losikid]

Originally Posted by ik632

I've got a buttload of the current batch of bright LED's and happy to test when you're read. Heck, I'll even pay for the sample. I think they are 20kmcd

Imagine 8-10 of those. I have 4 in my wife's truck and it's almost bright as day.

I've got 20k mcd wide angle leds on my proto board (the one in the pics) and it lights up house pretty good at night.

I'm working on some other lighting stuff too, which will blind the competition.

[JokersWild]

Originally Posted by losikid

I've got 20k mcd wide angle leds on my proto board (the one in the pics) and it lights up house pretty good at night.

I'm working on some other lighting stuff too, which will blind the competition.

You're killing me Austin.... I need a "holy Hell" mini bar for front of my c3 for g6 events. Got a crawlerdad v2 2 in but I know I can get more LEDs that are brighter in that spot.