Source for LED 12 volt arrays?

[Uncle_Tricky]

Hey Will, you're best bet is probably to visit a place that specializes in solar power applications, as they commonly sell LED/battery arrangements which are well-suited for solar or other low-draw applications. I'm not as familiar with the Portland area, but if you're ever up around Olympia, there's a cool place there that sells LED lights and related stuff. If that wasn't convenient, they're helpful and well-connected and could probably refer you to a place closer to Portland. Also, you might visit the library and check out Home Power magazine--there are advertisers in there that sell battery powered LED set ups.

The webiste for the place in Olympia is:http://www.climatesolutions.org/center.html

[fern]

www.digikey.com is one source of electronic components. White LEDs are pricey ~$3 US each. Pretty flexible in terms of voltage supply though. The circuit needs to be running at 20mA or thereabouts, so you just line up all your LEDs on your power supply and chuck in a resistor that ends up giving you the right current.

I was thinking of a similar lighting arrangement for my truck, solar-charged 12V battery bank running a few LEDs ... much lower fire-hazard than running incandescent or halogens. (:

[willstrickland]

Anybody know where I can get ahold of some white LED arrays that will run on 12v? I'm looking to add some interior lighting to my van that doesn't suck alot of juice. Ideally, they would be arranged in an arrray of about 8 white LEDs in some type of casing.

[Terminal_Gravity]

Did you ever get this worked out, Will?

[willstrickland]

Well I found several sources, but for something with the amount of lumens and a color temp approaching natural light (or at least not nearly as blue as the typical "white" LED) the cost is prohibitive. In another few years it'll be viable, as we've seen from the new headlamps on the market, LED is just now gaining widespread attention. The LEDs themselves are not really pricey, but unless you've got a good bench and the time to build and wire your own arrays, it's more than I want to spend.

[Teh Phuzzy]

http://www.amazon.com/White-Waterproof-Outdoor-Flood-Powered/dp/B007HXKPTO

 

wires, switch, and one of thems ^^^^^

 

I used them for a mobile lighting system and they are freaking awesome. Internal driver and protection for the LEDs and only 10W (more like 12 in reality, but thats piddly still). You could have a separate battery for only this that you charge on the alternator while driving. Easy Peasy.

[snoboy]

Check out IKEA, no really. I think it's called the DIODER.

 

Also, I have never used them, but there is a site called dealextreme, apparently can be slow, but it's cheap.

 

Candlepowerforums has a lighting sub forum that might be helpful also.

[bush-in-sky]

I just ordered two of these 12V LED lamps to go in the back of my car:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2Fucob-r.htm

 

The site seemed to have a good number of options. Based on the specs I think these should be plenty bright enough, but we'll see once I get them.