Escalade/Esky Full LED 3rd Brake Light Conversion

[Vegasf6]

Thanks guys for the stand up. I would jump in too but got banned ..yet not @hcvone's thread.

not surprisingly, "moderators" waited until +2000 views before seizing up my account = pay-up or get-ban. lol
I would rather give you guys discount on my conversion service than support 'vendor fees' on CF and its ToS. Cadillac has a lot of LEDs on their vehicles for the right reason, but everybody has an opinion or prefer replacement-bulb-ritual.

That thread is suspiciously lacking any details, only "Inside the lights the boards and electronics are made by the largest US maunfacturer of led products" I wonder, could that be any more vague?

I don't see any mention of the LED manufacturer, what sort of electronics are used, in the topology of the circuit or anything? Not any specs on the leds, the wavelength, lumenousity, country of origin. And not a single interior picture that I could find. At one point mention is made of a plastic welder and another simply "special silicone." (theres a special kind?) I thought somewhere else I had read plastidip was being used.

Now when I do one of these for a customer, they receive photos of the process as it's happening, I am upfront with the what electronics and exactly what leds I will be using. For instance, not only am I using Philips Lumileds leds, but I was very lucky enough to have a personal connection and score a model of the led that is on average ~20% brighter than what is normally purchased. Actually, my most recent conversation with a Future Electronics rep yielded only an E code led, 2.5 to 3.6 lumens. While the leds I use are rated from 4.0 to 6.1 lumens each. A very significant increase wouldn't you say?

 

[Ben]

That thread is suspiciously lacking any details, only "Inside the lights the boards and electronics are made by the largest US maunfacturer of led products" I wonder, could that be any more vague?

I don't see any mention of the LED manufacturer, what sort of electronics are used, in the topology of the circuit or anything? Not any specs on the leds, the wavelength, lumenousity, country of origin. And not a single interior picture that I could find. At one point mention is made of a plastic welder and another simply "special silicone." (theres a special kind?) I thought somewhere else I had read plastidip was being used.

Now when I do one of these for a customer, they receive photos of the process as it's happening, I am upfront with the what electronics and exactly what leds I will be using. For instance, not only am I using Philips Lumileds leds, but I was very lucky enough to have a personal connection and score a model of the led that is on average ~20% brighter than what is normally purchased. Actually, my most recent conversation with a Future Electronics rep yielded only an E code led, 2.5 to 3.6 lumens. While the leds I use are rated from 4.0 to 6.1 lumens each. A very significant increase wouldn't you say?

I agree with you but if the product works and is good quality for a decent price then you cant complain. To each his own.

 

[Faites777]

no diggity from me as to what other modders do with available supply, nor do I expect the customer service ect. It's their forum, their rules, their stuff on CF

@hcvone mention the 37th revision is "bullet proof" and has 25 on the road. Don't know why it took 37 times for something that use simple LED circuit and proper sealant...my build is in a week. Not going to find much 'retrofit-light-oholic' beside HIDP members. LOL

I saw some new model caddy LEDs, and their 3rd brake has more 20+ and almost full lite; but there are still empty-spots like the housing-designer did not get approved to use the correct number LED circuit. hmmm YEAH, OEM will eventually fail and need the replacement/repair/conversion service to keep nice-oem-look again as mentioned in some posts.

 

[Ben]

Faites,

Can you give us some sort of clarification in response to Vegas's post?

 

[Vegasf6]

Faites,

Can you give us some sort of clarification in response to Vegas's post?

Just to be clear, I meant the product hvcone is offering had no technical details. It sounds as though maybe you thought I meant Faites? I know exactly what Faites is using in his product as we are both members of the same forum and are he has been forthcoming and offered up detailed build threads. Besides, we are doing nearly the same process

As to the other product at the cadillac forum, "if it works it works" isn't really what I was getting at. I imagine it works yes, but I am curious about the photometry involved. The way the human eye sees light is very subjective, I have more faith in instruments and data sheets

*edit*
Just to CYA, his product didn't have the technical details that I wanted to see, about the electronics or leds, at least not that I noticed. It's entirely possible those details are offered up elsewhere and I haven't seen them.

 

[soulsea]

Omg Vegas, when did you get here?

No wonder this place looks like a nightclub, I've started a led nerd invasion!

Now come along, both you and Faites buy a Hoe/Yuk and join our fun fun.


On a serious note, thanks for all the helpful info and advice.

 

[Faites777]

... I've started a led nerd invasion!
Now come along, both you and Faites buy a Hoe/Yuk and join our fun fun.

I've worked on GM/Chevy/Ford/ect vehicles to know a little something about them. I had thought about the Yukon. LED is the innovation for the future, man... lol
*A light house in NOLA next to our lake is getting LED as the light source.

I think I have read that @hcvone's esky-LED is built by the same aftermarketer that makes those LED taillights ?? or using Osram topLED as Cadillac if that's what was marketed.

 

[Vegasf6]

Omg Vegas, when did you get here?

No wonder this place looks like a nightclub, I've started a led nerd invasion!

Now come along, both you and Faites buy a Hoe/Yuk and join our fun fun.


On a serious note, thanks for all the helpful info and advice.

LED nerd. LOL. I had a few members approach me about converting there lights (great compliment by the way) so I thought I should join over here and help out and perhaps do a little shameless self promoting. I drive a silverado and am pretty much a truck guy for life. If I could afford it, would love to have a loaded Tahoe as the family car, but it just isn't in the budget.

my conversion looks like this for inspection! ...as seen at HIDP thread
(this one is on @nathanJax's SUV currently)

Faites, of course it is just a coincidence, but your wiring job looks very similar to the 26 AWG teflon jacketed gray wire that I use! Is it?

 

[Faites777]

Faites, of course it is just a coincidence, but your wiring job looks very similar to the 26 AWG teflon jacketed gray wire that I use! Is it?

No, the wire isn't anything special; just some oxgen-free-copper 22-18 wires for automotive audio wiring. My wiring is from mobile audio gear so I know they are ofc and can be used in vehicle.

FYI for DIY reader: thin gauge wire will cause voltage drop which obviously can be seen in the LED light output. Get some "speaker cables" rated wire can more than handle these tiny LED connections in the light. The longer the distance, the fatter(lower gauge) the cable needs to be; example: amplifier system using 4awg power/ground wires to handle power rating.

 

[Faites777]

OK, I ready to do more conversion with a new batch of LumiLeds that came in. Also thinking about some side-makers/other LED lights conversion work if anybody wants it done for that unique/exclusive mod unavailable on the market.

Just noticed that my IP got banned from CF domain; seem a little childish from their admin action with today's proxy-servers easily reroute bypassing . But I guess they need to cover their A$$ incase I make some other SPAM account. lol