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| grazza Veteran Date registered: Apr 2010 Location: Australia Vehicle(s): W460 230GE 1988 - OM606 turbo diesel, 722.608 auto Posts: 277  | Replacement LED arrays for W460 rear lights Instead of using the many and varied types of direct-replacement LED bulbs I did something a bit different and used LED arrays, for more complete coverage and better output. I used the original bulb connections but I smashed out the glass from the old bulbs and then soldered wires into them, so they would be easily removeable and put back to factory (after getting some more incandescent bulbs) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_s70CXD3WKU  Here are the parts used, some with the eBay descriptions (AU$): Red LED array: $2.40 each "Red Car Interior Light Panel 48 LED SMD + T10 Dome BA9s Adapters" White LED array: $5.98 each "White 1210 SMD 48 LED Car Interior Dome Light Panel w T10 BA9S Adapter" Yellow/orange LED array: $6.70 each "Yellow 1210 3528 SMD 48 LED Dome Light Lamp w T10" Resistors: $1.18 "3w Watt 24 Ohm 24 R Metal Film Resistor (10 Pcs)" Diodes: $3.00 "1N4004 Rectifier Diode 1A 400V DO41 (25 Pack)" For the tail/brake light this wiring is required to provide 2 different voltages to the single red panel. The diodes are "1N4004" and thr resistor is 3W 24ohm. The diodes are required to stop the current flowing back from the brake to the night light and visa-versa.  Initially I hot-melt glued the arrays directly to the back of the lens but this was not very nice so I tried some other things. My first try was to make a shaped single backing plate but I did not have a lot of luck with clearances which are tight. Still appealing though. So I got it down to two diffent solutions, both of which dont need any changes to the lens or light assembly. The key was to use the slots which are already part of the factory assembly, where the screws go for the lens. The easiest, by far, was to use 2 pieces of wire horizontally, slotting them into the existing guides and then hot-melt glueing the arrays to the wire. For the right thickness of wire I used a couple of pieces af arc welding rod with the flux hammered off. The arrays can then sit back enough for the lens to fit on the dust seals. It works and is quite strong.   The second solution was to make a more solid back and this was a lot more involved, although do-able in an hour or so. This used two different aluminium sections riveted together. The parts, from a local large hardware store: * aluminium angle ("L" section), 20mm x 20mm x 1.5mm (1m purchased, Bunnings number "6752") * aluminium channel ("C" section) 20mm x 20mm x 1.5mm (1m purchased, Bunnings numnber "7753") * 24 x rivets The tools: Square file, flat file, riveter, etc...  Each light consists of 175mm channel and 4 x 40mm angle and 2 x 70mm angle, riveted together. Step 1. Cut the "C" section, 175mm. Mark out where the rectangular holes should be by holding it up to the light assebly on the G (it will need to slot between the black plastic holes, where the lens screws in) and marking it. Then drill a hole big enough to file out with the square file. Step 2. Cut 4 x 40mm angle and 2 x 70mm angle  Step 3. Rivet them all together  Step 4. Unfortunatley the "C" section is not quite tall enough to easily slot into the lights so what I did was widen the slots a bit (only about 1mm) using a socket. Note how the holes are enlarged a bit. I guess if I could easily find 21mm C section this would not be an issue but I wanted to use stuff I could get from Bunnings (for example)   Step 5. Stick down the arrays. They all conme with self-adhesive backing Step 6. Mount the new assembly and screw the lens back on  Oh, dont forget that to run LED's as indicators will require load resistors or a different flasher relay. This is because LED's are lower current and the factory flasher requires more currrent to trigger. I used a different flasher:   -Graham | |
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| Motto Regular Date registered: Jul 2013 Location: Vancouver. BC Vehicle(s): 1985 W460 LWB 300GD Turbo Posts: 61  | ||
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| grazza Veteran Date registered: Apr 2010 Location: Australia Vehicle(s): W460 230GE 1988 - OM606 turbo diesel, 722.608 auto Posts: 277 | ||
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| grazza Veteran Date registered: Apr 2010 Location: Australia Vehicle(s): W460 230GE 1988 - OM606 turbo diesel, 722.608 auto Posts: 277 | RE: Replacement LED arrays for W460 rear lights | |
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