Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Volvo TGB and 30X (303/304/306) mods and resto work, news, resources and non-technical stuff
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MadMax
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Location: Gig Harbor, WA
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Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by MadMax »

So I decided to make a new 3rd brake light for the c303 using slim, red LED strips for about 14$ shipped. The lights are 6W but super bright, much more than I expected for the price, and have rows of pinhole cree bulbs with silicone rubber directly applied over them for the "lens", which makes them pretty watertight.

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On the inside I used 3M double sided foam tape, both on the front bezel and along the wire to adhere it to the channel for the run. It is jenky looking, but since I will be fabricating a new door eventually (mines in pretty bad shape) this is temporary and it works, because 3M.

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As much as I like the existing brake lights, the thin row of light up high gives a better sense of the dimension of the truck for those coming up behind, and is a very bright, modern addition to it.
Where science and technology fail, art survives.
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HafWit
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Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by HafWit »

Nice job! Have you done any other work on your truck recently? We have not seen any progress posts in a while

Cheers,
Greg
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HafWit
a.k.a. Phlyphysher, Greg, & Clamphysician
1967 Swiss Haflinger, 1975 Volvo C303
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TechMOGogy
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Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by TechMOGogy »

HafWit wrote:Nice job! Have you done any other work on your truck recently? We have not seen any progress posts in a while

Cheers,
Greg
Ah but we could say the same about yours too! :D
72 Pathfinder | 75 710M 2.7i | 96 350GDT Worker
aclark79
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Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by aclark79 »

Great to see an update! Glad to hear you're still driving it.
jeepboy_90
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Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by jeepboy_90 »

@madmax - link to the lights?
1975 Volvo C303
1973 Haflinger
1971 Haflinger
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MadMax
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Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by MadMax »

Here is a link to the lights: http://www.amazon.com/LEMONBEST%C2%AE-G ... =Lemonbest

Greg, I have been doing all I can to it without actually tearing it down to do the real body and repair work. It still drives legally at this point, but until I get a garage around it and a slab under it I have to just keep it protected and running. Ive been doing things like adding the window, lights, fixing small areas of rust temporarily with cleanup and primer, removing the old dash, more wiring, etc. I added new rubber door seals I got off Amazon, makes a nice difference. I posted in the body & electrical section with pics. Hope you are well, and we want to see pics of yours too!

-Max
Where science and technology fail, art survives.
mjfreshyfresh
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:21 pm

Re: Made a new LED 3rd brake light

Post by mjfreshyfresh »

Love the brake light idea! The thin slits in the back may be good for convoys but on the road I'd like to be seen. ;-)

Are you still 24v but have 12v running all over the truck as well?

BTW: Totally agree with "until I get a garage around it and a slab under it I have to just keep it protected and running". Ahh the Pacific NW!
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