DIY LED side marker lights

[WV Mike]

A few years ago I bought some LED side marker lights from tlg-auto.com. A few of the LEDs stopped working. Ugh Charlie Brown. I reached out to tlg-auto.com; however, they aren't selling them any more and pointed me towards someone on Pennock's forum. I checked the Pennock's forum out and saw that for the price listed there that I could fix my side marker lights for a lot cheaper. And, I am doing it myself and saving a lot. I checked ebay for LED strip lights that matched the ones installed already. I found them and am now fixing my side marker lights. I'll post pictures soon. If you decide to do this yourself, look for "12V 5m 600 LED SMD 3528 White Flexible Strip Car Light Waterproof Super Bright," which cost me $11.95 for 5 meters of strip lights. So, if any of the lights go out down the road, I have a lot of leftover of the LED strip to use.

[WV Mike]

Here is a picture taken with my Kindle. Not the best picture; but, it gives you an idea. I've gotten one done and am working on my second one.

[WV Mike]

Some fyi on taking it apart and gluing back together. TLG-Auto used epoxy to glue the side marker together. I don't recommend using epoxy. When taking apart the side marker, I had to be very careful and patient. I've broke one side marker in taking it apart. With gluing it back together, I am using Welder contact adhesive, which holds it together very good. Plus, should I need to replace an LED down the road, then I can do so and not worry about fighting with epoxy.

[WV Mike]

Working on finishing up my side marker lights. Should be done tomorrow. I've procrastinated on them some.

[Fierofool]

Any possibility that you would want to offer them as a product of SC Mike Enterprises?  Looks good!

[f85gtron]

Wow! Nice!

[WV Mike]

Thanks.

Not sure if I want to make them, since making them requires carefully taking apart the side marker lights. They break easily and are not cheap to replace. However, if someone were to take theirs apart, then I don't mind supplying them with the interior parts.

[Fierofool]

Are the LED's you use available in yellow and red?  Reason I ask is that some the side marker lenses haven't weathered well and have lost their color, turning to a lighter shade of pale.  The proper color LED inserted could really bring them back, even for those that haven't faded. 

[WV Mike]

Are the LED's you use available in yellow and red?  Reason I ask is that some the side marker lenses haven't weathered well and have lost their color, turning to a lighter shade of pale.  The proper color LED inserted could really bring them back, even for those that haven't faded.

Yes, they come in yellow and red.

[f85gtron]

Are they as bright bulbs?  I need to know before i hit the "buy it now" button

[WV Mike]

Yes. They light up the whole side marker where a bulb mostly lights up the middle.

[Fierofool]

If you're willing to make up the strips so they can be plugged in once installed into the marker, put them and your prices in The Market section. 

[TopNotch]

If you do this to your front marker lights, you may need to add a rectifier to the circuit. If the LED's being used are not non-polarized (so that + can be on either wire), you WILL need a rectifier. That's because the voltage to the front marker lights is polarized in one direction when the parking lights are off, and in the other direction when they are on. There is a discussion of this on the Ogre's Fiero Cave.

[f85gtron]

Fyi...  I just read where it's better to install like-colored led's to the target filter. I.e.  install red for a red lense and Amber for Amber lenses. Apparently, unlike incandescent light, led had a very narrow band of light energy, therefore, significantly less amount of "trash" will get through the filter because none will be sent through.
Observed effect is that if enough led lumens are used to overpower the lenses, the light will appear washed out.
The opposite effect is the light looks dim if you run the recommended lumens, but use a different color than lenses.
I hope this helps.