Rear LED Tail Lights

[Mike_H]

Been a long time...Development has been done for a while, but I've been so darn busy...Anyway, I guess I can start to market them here.

I developed a "drop in" replacement LED assembly for the rear tail lights in our motorhomes. Its MUCH brighter than the LED bulbs, and doesn't require any permanent modifications to the fiberglass like others I've seen.

The LED portion is based on a jeep / trailer light design and I'm very confident in the electronics portion. I basically took an existing product and reconfigured the size and worked with an importer to produce them. The work I did was in the housing design. They have a plastic housing and are fully potted with epoxy so there shouldn't ever be any issue with moisture. They plug into the receptacles that are already in the coach, so no wiring!

You will need to source an LED flasher. I used these with good success...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCTLQKG7?th=1

This is the product you will get (there are 4 pair here and they are prior to potting.


This is what they look like installed in the coach



and with the lens installed...


There is a copy of the install instuctions loaded to this thread as well. I will include those with purchase of a pair of lights.

I'm looking to get $175.00 shipped for a pair. That will include everything necessary to install them. You will need to locate and acquire your own flasher relay.



Note: Let me know if you'd like to see a version for the front as well. If there is enough interest, I'll whip something up. Now that these are done, I don't think a front one would be too bad. I also have a notion to do the side markers, but that is a bigger lift, and I'll have to free up some time somewhere to pull that one off.

 

[Kendra]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.


GM 1971-84


GM 1985-96

 

[Mike_H]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.

View attachment 18184
GM 1971-84

View attachment 18185
GM 1985-96

I can send you some measurements of my housing, Kendra, if that will help to see if they fit?

 

[Tybalt39]

Been a long time...Development has been done for a while, but I've been so darn busy...Anyway, I guess I can start to market them here.

I developed a "drop in" replacement LED assembly for the rear tail lights in our motorhomes. Its MUCH brighter than the LED bulbs, and doesn't require any permanent modifications to the fiberglass like others I've seen.

The LED portion is based on a jeep / trailer light design and I'm very confident in the electronics portion. I basically took an existing product and reconfigured the size and worked with an importer to produce them. The work I did was in the housing design. They have a plastic housing and are fully potted with epoxy so there shouldn't ever be any issue with moisture. They plug into the receptacles that are already in the coach, so no wiring!

You will need to source an LED flasher. I used these with good success...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCTLQKG7?th=1

This is the product you will get (there are 4 pair here and they are prior to potting.
View attachment 18178

This is what they look like installed in the coach

View attachment 18177

and with the lens installed...View attachment 18179


There is a copy of the install instructions loaded to this thread as well. I will include those with purchase of a pair of lights.

I'm looking to get $175.00 shipped for a pair. That will include everything necessary to install them. You will need to locate and acquire your own flasher relay.



Note: Let me know if you'd like to see a version for the front as well. If there is enough interest, I'll whip something up. Now that these are done, I don't think a front one would be too bad. I also have a notion to do the side markers, but that is a bigger lift, and I'll have to free up some time somewhere to pull that one off.

Looks good! Any chance of a picture showing them illuminated after installation with the lens? Both day and night?

I have been thinking about updating the lenses with the frame-less version plus LED panels, but all the cutting put it on the back burner. This is much easier!

Microlevel last week, tail-lights this week?

 

[Richard RV]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.

View attachment 18184
GM 1971-84

View attachment 18185
GM 1985-96

The OEM setup - the lens screws to the galvanized backing plate which is bolted to the SMC.


Some of the installations of the newer taillight cut out the SMC to let the new housing to fit without modification.


Other installations cut off the back of the new taillight so it'd fit without modifying the SMC.
{I don't have a picture for this!}

Whichever setup you have it'll be pretty straightforward to adapt to Mike's OEM retro fit LEDs if you have the original galvanized backing bracket. Only marginally more difficult if you don't.

 

[GMC Cruse]

Very nice work!
I'd recommend a change to your instructions. Before removing the red tape, plug in the wires for the leds into the sockets, and after having a partner verifying the leds work, then remove the tape and and press the led housing into place. After finishing lens installion, have a partner check again. Hate to get the led housing stuck in place and after all done find out the led lights don't work.

 

[mech0001]

Thank you for bringing these out!
My coach has an older, similar design installed and one side has partially failed. Managed to band-aid it so far but I know failure is imminent. Another purchase to add to the list (sign).

 

[Mike_H]

Very nice work!
I'd recommend a change to your instructions. Before removing the red tape, plug in the wires for the leds into the sockets, and after having a partner verifying the leds work, then remove the tape and and press the led housing into place. After finishing lens installion, have a partner check again. Hate to get the led housing stuck in place and after all done find out the led lights don't work.

Good point. I’ll add that.

 

[Richard RV]

Other installations cut off the back of the new taillight so it'd fit without modifying the SMC.
{I don't have a picture for this!}

Found one

 

[Mike_H]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.

View attachment 18184
GM 1971-84

View attachment 18185
GM 1985-96

4.-3/4" wide



5-5/8 tall


In your case, Kendra, you will have to figure out how to attach the LED module that I supply to the lens, because mine sit inside the screws that hold the lens to the coach. If the SMC is cut behind your lenses, there isn't any support for the LED module.

 

[Mike_H]

Looks good! Any chance of a picture showing them illuminated after installation with the lens? Both day and night?

I have been thinking about updating the lenses with the frame-less version plus LED panels, but all the cutting put it on the back burner. This is much easier!

Microlevel last week, tail-lights this week?

Not perfect, but here are some pics during development...because cameras will adjust white balance and exposure, its really, really tough to get a good picture of how bright they are. The biggest improvement is in the reverse lights, in my opinion.


Single Module, reverse. For reference, that corner of the fence is about 55 feet away.


Tail light...


Brake Light.

 

[Tybalt39]

Not perfect, but here are some pics during development...because cameras will adjust white balance and exposure, its really, really tough to get a good picture of how bright they are. The biggest improvement is in the reverse lights, in my opinion.


Single Module, reverse. For reference, that corner of the fence is about 55 feet away.
View attachment 18198

Tail light...
View attachment 18199

Brake Light.
View attachment 18200

Impressive! On my priority list (this month or next). Thank you!

 

[Kendra]

I can send you some measurements of my housing, Kendra, if that will help to see if they fit?

I have a set of early-style taillight housings, never tried fitting them to a GMC modded for newer style taillights. I need to check if the originals will fit the modded area.

 

[traveler1980]

This is fantastic. I love the original taillights but mine are so dim with the old incandescent bulbs. How do we order a set of these?

 

[Christo]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.

View attachment 18184
GM 1971-84

View attachment 18185
GM 1985-96

Have you checked with Cinnabar to see if they have the original assemblies in stock?

 

[Kendra]

I picked up two pair of original 1973-78 assemblies (lens, housing and aluminum bezel trim) at the Co-Op final sale. I bought them in case anyone ever fixed the dim-bulb problem (LED bulbs are inadequate in 73-78 OEM housings). And now I think Mike_H has solved it.

 

[74_Coach]

I really like your design - solves the low visibility of original tail light housings without altering the looks.

I've always thought GMCs lost a bit of 1970s when many (including mine) were upgraded to 1985-96 Chevy/GMC Van tail light lenses to accommodate a larger & brighter housing. The newer style required cutting fiberglass behind the original housing.

Now I'd like to retrofit original 1973-78 lenses & housings so I can use your LED panels.
1971-84 tail light lenses with matching housings & trim have become difficult to find.
I don't know what's involved with retrofitting originals after the GMC housing has been cut.

View attachment 18184
GM 1971-84

View attachment 18185
GM 1985-96

Here is a complete set https://ebay.us/m/RzraE3

 

[ScottC]

Mike, these look great! awesome job! Do you know how the LED's are wired, if one LED goes out does it affect the whole light (wired in series) or does just the bad LED go out?

 

[Mike_H]

Mike, these look great! awesome job! Do you know how the LED's are wired, if one LED goes out does it affect the whole light (wired in series) or does just the bad LED go out?

I believe they are in parallel, so you won’t lose the whole array. They are mounted to a pcb.

 

[RF_Burns]

Mike, these look great! awesome job! Do you know how the LED's are wired, if one LED goes out does it affect the whole light (wired in series) or does just the bad LED go out?

Just guessing, but the forward voltage drop of a red LED is about 2 volts, so I would say each vertical column of 4 leds are in series with current limiting then the 5 columns are in parallel. Or it could be by the row of 5 LEDs x 4 rows. In either case, one failed LED in series will take out the rest in series, but still leave lots of operational LEDs.
Same with the backup LEDs below.