Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Topic: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights (Read 1345 times) previous topic - next topic

Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

November 10, 2015, 03:35:52 pm

Is there room to run the wiring down inside the wide vertical "fins on our GV?
We have had too many close calls with idiots that apparently don't see or ignore our taillights on the coach or the Vue so I am considering adding 4" dia LED lights high up the fins/ribs. I will also have to add a converter to go from Int'l lighting to American or SAE lighting.
Looking up inside the rear door I don't see any access up the fins/ribs.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #1 – November 10, 2015, 04:12:58 pm

There was room at the back end of our U320. On the drivers side depth is the issue because the air intake goes down that side. There are other options besides a round lamp. Xtreme sent me down to truck parts store in the south end of town to ch ck out all of the options. There were many.

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Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #2 – November 10, 2015, 05:02:35 pm

Hope this works--just took these pictures. I was surprised that I didn't have any of the outside rear of the coach!

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #3 – November 10, 2015, 05:07:44 pm

Sorry, didn't catch that pics weren't rotated.

Hope you enjoy the one with a light snowfall from three years ago.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #4 – November 10, 2015, 06:41:57 pm

Nitehawk,

I totally second your feelings about the LACK of effectiveness of the Isuzu-sourced tail lights. Foretravel missed the boat on THAT engineering decision! I will watch your reports on this project with great interest, because I would really like to improve the lighting on the rear of our coach. Keep us posted!

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #5 – November 10, 2015, 08:31:44 pm

There may be room. You need to find what you want to install and see how big a hole you need and how much depth and how big the mounted fixture will be. Make a cardboard template to see if you have enough flat space. The higher bright LEDs make a noticable difference in the reactions you can see in drivers behind you.

If you want to spend more money the EMT level lights pulse and then get steady. Extra electronics make them quite a bit more expensive. But you will get noticed.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #6 – November 10, 2015, 10:31:37 pm

Here's some we sell in our truck shop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_xWg79mYlU&ebc=ANyPxKpgGMrAKRSApJsJqiDHcXUUrT1jJiV58_qflf7fC5yBkuQDUEPbVOzUm5zNa9W4cBIUjuSk-nu24Hq6_NtLVcVVTsWfoQ

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #7 – November 10, 2015, 10:48:50 pm

Darn, Roger, I couldn't remember who put those lights on their coach!! Now I know!

The "fins" or ribs running down each side on the coach have a 5" flat mounting surface for LED lights before the radii start. The recess in the middle is about 3.5" deep. The cabinets on each side of the queen bed have rear panels that are straight up & down so I would think there is a cavity in each fin where the wires could be fished down to the wires on the hitch. My air inlet for the engine is on the driver's side so nothing in the "fins" that I could think of.
Right now, due to weather turning cold, I am doing my wish list for spring of the things I want to do to the coach.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #8 – November 10, 2015, 10:51:09 pm

Quote from: Rhoughton1 – November 10, 2015, 10:31:37 pm

Here's some we sell in our truck shop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_xWg79mYlU&ebc=ANyPxKpgGMrAKRSApJsJqiDHcXUUrT1jJiV58_qflf7fC5yBkuQDUEPbVOzUm5zNa9W4cBIUjuSk-nu24Hq6_NtLVcVVTsWfoQ

Those are cool now I have an idea!

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #9 – November 10, 2015, 11:20:17 pm

I think that area is hollow. There is a plywood bulkhead sealing it off from the engine/radiator area. I think running the wires will be easy compared to try to set the lights in a vertical orientation.

The U320/295/270 models have less of a rear slope compared to the Grand Villa. The brightness of most lights drops off significantly with angle. Maybe there are some tail lights out there with an adjustable aim? Otherwise you will either have to make a custom fiberglass or metal sockets or accept a drop in the brightness.

Another idea is to not try to go higher but install them just above the horizontal stripes where the surface is vertical, but I'm less sure of what is in that space. Need to make sure the Saturn Vue won't block them.
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Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #10 – November 11, 2015, 01:07:01 pm

I wonder if anyone has purchased the blank panels that extreme uses to update the rear lights and fabed them up to use as a screw on cover. then cut 2 4" holes to accommodate lights.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #11 – November 17, 2015, 02:28:07 pm

I went out and checked the angle of the two "ribs" relative to the straight vertical surface just below the "ribs" and the angle is 17 degrees +/- 1/2 degree.
I have to decide what LED stop/turn/brake lights I am going to buy and then design something that puts the LED face perpendicular to the road but above our Vue towed, along with purchasing a converter to go from the International Izuzu taillight setup to SAE American standard.
Plan is : Design---test---redesign if necessary--fab a mockup--test--purchase mat'ls---assemble---cut holes in coach (shudder)---!!
I think my adapters will possibly end up being a surface mount with just holes for the wiring and the mounting screws.
Can do almost all before getting the coach home in the spring. We store the coach 28 miles away in an unheated building that is without electricity.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #12 – November 17, 2015, 03:02:05 pm

Quote from: nitehawk – November 17, 2015, 02:28:07 pm

I went out and checked the angle of the two "ribs" relative to the straight vertical surface just below the "ribs" and the angle is 17 degrees +/- 1/2 degree.

If you are willing to go with rectangular lights then you could search for lights designed for the slanted back of the US Postal Service Long Life Vehicle (LLV). They should be listed in the Truck Lite online catalog, and are probably available from other manufacturers, as well.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #13 – November 17, 2015, 09:27:24 pm

Has anyone ever bought the blanks for a 280? if they fit decent I could just buy them and mount led lights in the blank.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #14 – November 17, 2015, 10:25:42 pm

HUH???

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #15 – November 17, 2015, 10:49:37 pm

as per R Houghtons post about buying the blanks. Here I was trying to figure out how I was going to make some to install lighting like you are.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #16 – November 18, 2015, 10:58:25 am

I've installed these bulbs in a 3157 configuration for stop/tail in my Ranger toad. I will next order these for the coach. Great improvement for stop/tail.
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Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #17 – November 18, 2015, 12:00:37 pm

I don't think the angle of the back is going to be a big deal. If you ware close behind an ambulance or firetruck where lights are high the angle is probably greater than 17°. Just get the brightest lights you can. They get noticed. The pulsed lights they use on emergency vehicles are extremely visible but more $.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #18 – January 26, 2016, 12:38:39 pm

Well, changed my mind about the 4" dia LED lights and went with a pair of 17" long, 11 LEDs, 1-1/2" wide x 1" high lights mounted vertically on the "fins". They are above the roof rack rails on the Vue--which are 68-1/2" high from the ground.
I used #10 stainless steel screws x 1" long. Drilled the holes with a 1/8" diameter drill. There is a cavity behind the fins, but unfortunately it does not go all the way down so the wire(s) could be fed down into the engine compartment.
I wired each LED light bar up with new three wire orange extension cord--about 5/16" outside diameter. Had to put a 1" slot in each fin where the three wires come out of each light bar. I tried everything to get the wire down into the engine compartment but the cabinets on each side of the head of the bed apparently go all the way to the vertical fiberglass cap surface on the back end. So, I used a "pulley drill" (same size as a 3/8" dia but about 8" long) and drilled into the back of the bedroom cabinets. Now, when it warms up I plan on running the wire down thru the back corner or each shelf and then out into the engine compartment. I will also cut, stain, and install wood corners to hide the extension cords and holes.

Right now it is snowing, the coach is covered with snow, and no sun so not really conducive illumination for taking pictures.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #19 – January 26, 2016, 03:12:18 pm

Here are some pictures of the coach/LED lights. I don't know if they are full brightness as I put power to them with my battery charger at 2Amp/12Volts and it is now 2:10 PM

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #20 – January 26, 2016, 05:40:52 pm

Those will do nicely.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #21 – January 26, 2016, 06:32:18 pm

Here are the lights at night

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #22 – January 26, 2016, 07:27:30 pm

^^^^^^ That looks great! Threads like this seem to cost me money.

Re: Adding 4" dia. run/turn/stop LED lights

Reply #23 – January 28, 2016, 12:22:08 pm

Like I said in an earlier post, I intended to run the three wire extension cord I used for wiring the LED lights down inside the two rear cabinets. I bought a new 25' orange colored extension cord, cut the ends off, then cut one piece 10' long and the remaining piece was around 15' minus the ends.
I just finished running the cords down thru the shelves on each side of the bed. The 15' cord needed to go on the passenger side, inside rear corner. My towed hookup is on the driver's side so I wanted enough wiring to go across under the radiator. The hole from the light on the fin emerged about center (left to right) in the top cabinet and then over to the hole I put in in the inside rear corner of each shelf. I had to lift out the bottom/cover shelf right above the radio so I could drill thru the bottom 3/4" plywood. The hole and the cord come out right above the inside corner of the existing Isuzu taillight cover. The 15' length was perfect-- enough left that I even pushed some cord back into the top hole, just in case I ever had to replace the LED light fixture. Same on the driver's side.
The use of the 10' and 15' lengths pretty much guaranteed that there would be enough cord to wire everything together with the 5 to 4 adapter and then out the female plug on the back end of the coach. And the cord is doubly protected because of each wire (white, green, and black) being insulated and then housed in the orange heavy duty housing.
I found using the step drills ( set from HF) made it easier to maneuver into the corners in the rear cabinets.

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