DIY Almost Free Super Bright LEDs

[R1Fast]

It would be pretty cool to find a tiny Bluetooth controller (maybe like the ESP3212) and wire that in to a RGB LED strip, then with a mobile app you could change the color and brightness of the lighting in your car based on mood! Might not be enough space for it in the LED assembly though.

I was thinking of using a BT enabled Arduino board like the Uno with an ESP32 module for exactly that purpose, then wiring in some addressable RGBs. Would take some fabrication, but that way there is flexibility of doing either 5 or 12v LEDs. IT's easy enough to tap either 12/5 rail for a PC so I'd imagine it'd be pretty simple to find a 5v source on the M3.

Of course I'm still waiting for delivery and have about 8 other projects in queue first. Maybe when those are done; if I do it I'll post a tutorial.

 

[Roci]

I was thinking of using a BT enabled Arduino board like the Uno with an ESP32 module for exactly that purpose, then wiring in some addressable RGBs. Would take some fabrication, but that way there is flexibility of doing either 5 or 12v LEDs. IT's easy enough to tap either 12/5 rail for a PC so I'd imagine it'd be pretty simple to find a 5v source on the M3.

Of course I'm still waiting for delivery and have about 8 other projects in queue first. Maybe when those are done; if I do it I'll post a tutorial.

Some of these RGBs LEDs (like the ones at Adafruit) only require a single wire for signalling, so it would be really handy if there was a way to fish that wire back to a central location so that all of the LEDs can be controlled from a single controller. Then you wouldn't need 8 separate controllers for each location, and you could even write in some cool effects like color fading that sync across all locations. I also haven't taken delivery yet, but just day dreaming of future mods helps keep me excited for when that day comes.

 

[rdlink]

You guys are such geeks. LOL

I'm buying a $64K car. I can afford 80 bucks for some LEDs.

 

[Darscot]

You guys are such geeks. LOL

I'm buying a $64K car. I can afford 80 bucks for some LEDs.

Totally guilty as charged The LEDs for me was just scratching that itch to monkey around with a car and there is not a lot you can do to a Tesla.

 

[R1Fast]

Ha - it's not about the $80 bucks for me, it's about integration and versatility (and a single controller as Darscot mentioned). Ideally, I want to be able to change my light programming on-the-fly from my phone, or better yet, the HUD. Can't wait for the day that Tesla supports Android and other SDKs out of the box. Then I can do something similar to what I do in my custom PC builds:

 

[rdlink]

Ha - it's not about the $80 bucks for me, it's about integration and versatility (and a single controller as Darscot mentioned). Ideally, I want to be able to change my light programming on-the-fly from my phone, or better yet, the HUD. Can't wait for the day that Tesla supports Android and other SDKs out of the box. Then I can do something similar to what I do in my custom PC builds:

Yep. Geek. LOL. Geek on!

 

[rdlink]

Totally guilty as charged The LEDs for me was just scratching that itch to monkey around with a car and there is not a lot you can do to a Tesla.

Tell me about it. I'm not scheduled to take delivery for another week, and I have the following in the garage, waiting for the car:

New wheels
9H Glass Screen Protector
Floor Mats
Trunk Mats (both)
Qi Phone Charger
LED Lights
"T" Puddle Lights
Aftermarket Badging
Caliper paint
Decals for when I paint the calipers
Plast-Dip (chrome delete)

I also have lowering springs on order, and an appointment with the detailer for the day after delivery for window tinting, full PPF wrap and ceramic coat.

 

[peachfuzz0]

I had a look at the board and it looks like the pins and the LED are all on the same board so you actually have to either desolder the pins to the connector or break the board by the pins. Actually it's easier to lift the board from the other end and break it by the pins.

 

[Darscot]

Yeah it's much easier to just break the board. That also leaves the pins firmly anchored into the light. I had a roll of warm white but ended up picking up a roll of cool. If anyone wants the LEDs to try this I have lots of extra they can have in either color. Probably doesn't make sense to ship them as you might as well just buy a roll for the price to mail them but anyone in Vancouver or the Fraser Valley could have some.

 

[bluhorshue]

The strip fit perfectly. Photo below. With the adhesive back, I was able to fix it in place so that the connectors touched, and the lights worked even without solder. I soldered them anyway, figuring vibration and time would take their toll. Thanks for the tips about getting the board out and which end was negative. Wouldn't have dared this otherwise. I had to use a very thin screwdriver (for eyeglasses) to pry the board out on the far end, then bent it back and forth carefully to break along the line at the pins end, as in your photo. I've only done one so far in the trunk. Looking forward to brighter footwell lights! I put blue gel over those and the door pocket lights, a nice effect but will be better when brighter. May try to add LEDs to the door pocket lights, too. They are smaller, but maybe these will fit. Cheers!

View attachment 329883

Thanks for the post. I bought these lights and was able to cram 6 LEDs worth into the light housing. If some is good, more must be better.

Also did the puddle lights for the front doors. Btw, when you disconnect the front door puddle lights the car seems to go into a shutdown and leaves the windows all the way up, so DO NOT close the front door without reinstalling the front door puddle lights.

 

[EVnut]

Thanks for the post. I bought these lights and was able to cram 6 LEDs worth into the light housing. If some is good, more must be better.
View attachment 344686

Trying to figure out what I'm seeing. You have three emitters over three other emitters??

Also did the puddle lights for the front doors. Btw, when you disconnect the front door puddle lights the car seems to go into a shutdown and leaves the windows all the way up, so DO NOT close the front door without reinstalling the front door puddle lights.

Yeah, that's an odd thing that I noticed as well. The car definitely gets concerned when those lights are disconnected.

 

[bluhorshue]

I folded the strip of LEDs in a bit of a zigzag pattern making sure that I could mount the edges onto the wire connections and stick the other end to the side of the plastic housing. The strip is about twice the length of the housing, but then just stuffed inside of it.

 

[EVnut]

I folded the strip of LEDs in a bit of a zigzag pattern making sure that I could mount the edges onto the wire connections and stick the other end to the side of the plastic housing. The strip is about twice the length of the housing, but then just stuffed inside of it.

Ah! I see. Thanks for the details.

 

[AustinPowers]

The most important question to me is though: if it is so easy and cheap to get good lighting installed, why doesn't Tesla build the car just like this in the first place?
Why do they instead deliver crappy lighting that we need to DIY ourselves in order to get it up to standard other carmakers provide from the get-go?

 

[GPinzone]

The most important question to me is though: if it is so easy and cheap to get good lighting installed, why doesn't Tesla build the car just like this in the first place?
Why do they instead deliver crappy lighting that we need to DIY ourselves in order to get it up to standard other carmakers provide from the get-go?

Why are there any car mods ever because everybody wants the same things and are willing to accept the same tradeoffs?

 

[Darscot]

The most important question to me is though: if it is so easy and cheap to get good lighting installed, why doesn't Tesla build the car just like this in the first place?
Why do they instead deliver crappy lighting that we need to DIY ourselves in order to get it up to standard other carmakers provide from the get-go?

There is nothing wrong with the factory lights. Not everyone is going to want there car lit up with super bright LEDs. There are disadvantages to upgrading the interior lights. I used cool lights and every spec of dirt and dust in the black carpet gets lit up like stars in the night sky. I'm pretty OCD about keeping my car clean so it's not an issue for me. It's not about Tesla doing it wrong, I created this thread for the people that wanted brighter lights, there is no reason to pay $15 a light when you can do all the lights in ten cars for that. Its not the shops just over charging either, they cant recycle the housing and the lens and just swap in new LEDs. They have to get them manufactured and shipped from China.

 

[AustinPowers]

There is nothing wrong with the factory lights.

If they are good on the Model 3, I will certainly be happy. I remember the trunk lights I saw during my Model S test drives, and both the ones on the 2013 P85 as well as the 2016 P100DL were total crap compared to any other car I had ever driven. Perhaps Tesla has finally learned how to install lights that actually do what they are supposed to, which is to light!

 

[KDGr]

If they are good on the Model 3, I will certainly be happy. I remember the trunk lights I saw during my Model S test drives, and both the ones on the 2013 P85 as well as the 2016 P100DL were total crap compared to any other car I had ever driven. Perhaps Tesla has finally learned how to install lights that actually do what they are supposed to, which is to light!

I don't think you will be happy. They are functional but dim. Tesla should have done better. They are only better than cars that have no trunk and puddle lights (remember those?). But the headlights are bright : )

 

[AustinPowers]

I don't think you will be happy. They are functional but dim.

That's what I meant by my original commment, that I don't get why Tesla can't provide good trunk lighting from the factory.
As has been proven by this very thread, it wouldn't have been difficult apparently. Even more annoying therefor.

 

[buyehara]

Thanks @KDGr the LED density is perfect! Just replaced all my light fixtures and now everything is 3x brighter! I selected the 600 LED cool white lights. It was impossible to unsolder the original single LED module so I followed the suggestion of breaking off the original module at the connecting side and it worked great and saved a ton of time. I ended up upgrading the lights to the entry door lights (4x), foot well area (driver and passenger) 2x, and finally the trunk 2x. All together had to retrofit 8 modules. This saved me a TON of money. Be sure to add some solder to the LED ribbon connector prior to installing into the light module. It makes is much easier to solder to the power terminal posts.

Update: added two more images, the LED reel box and the reel it self. Just have to cut along the cut symbol area. Very easy!