Interior LED lighting

The cup light will never be a drop-in situation the way I've done it. You have to drill holes and splice into wires. If you do it the way it is made... you drag the wire up the cup holder, and then down into the console and just plug it into the 12V outlet. I have an extra one in purple here if you'd like to make a deal!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(whk.wang @ Apr 19 2006, 09:43 AM) [snapback]242124[/snapback]</div>

I am currently working with George to design something new, yes. It will be my money, my project, and his brains.

I assume that you've seen what I did? This is roughly how any production ones would look. My hope is to have a smarter dome that will be user-settable for dimming/autosleep.
http://www.darelldd.com/ev/prius_dome_front.htm

I've made a few of these for others as well.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(whk.wang @ Apr 21 2006, 09:59 AM) [snapback]243188[/snapback]</div>

Price wil be around $40/each.

I can make more of the front domes and door lights with the constant-current circuit once I get more boards built up. Will be a bit (oouple of weeks) since I'm awaiting some componenets. I'll likely make a new thread, and I'll post a pointer here when I have some inventory. The new "smart" domes are still a few months off as the prototyping takes a while... and this is nobody's full time job!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(whk.wang @ May 10 2006, 06:59 AM) [snapback]252717[/snapback]</div>

Sorry to have been so quiet lately. Too many projects, too little time!

I do have a drop-in solution for the front fixture (there are three bulbs up there, so this can get a bit expensive to fill all positions). And the best bet for the back-seat fixture at this time is an imported 3x3 3mm array that just snaps into place. Not nearly as bright as the ones I'm making - and I have no idea how long it'll live, but it is quite a bit cheaper at ~ $11. This is what I'm using at this time.

So the score is this: I can make regulated, bright drop-ins for any of the front three dome positions, and for the cargo light (this one is important since it has no auto-off). I can provide the same regulated, bright replacement for the door edges - but these need to be soldered in at this time (though I'm closer to a drop-in solution every day). And I can resell the drop-in imported 3x3 unit for the rear dome.

If anybody is interested, my email address is always in my sig. Please avoid PM if possible! And please check your spam filters after you email me. More and more I find my replies going unanswered as my email falls into the spam box. And one final note - I'm a one-man operation doing this as a hobby. I regularly have supply slow-downs, and that's just how it is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brasche @ May 10 2006, 08:10 AM) [snapback]252764[/snapback]</div>

There are serveral of these modules out there now - maybe one of the guys can chime in with their experience (good or bad - bring it on!) And as it stands now, I'm willing to make these on a first-come-first-serve basis until I see if there is big enough interest for me to order supplies in bulk. As it is right now, I'm strapped for ONE part that I need - but I expect to have parts for at least a few of these by next week.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ May 10 2006, 10:15 AM) [snapback]252871[/snapback]</div>

I think I'm at least TWO up. I actually respond to input and ship product.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ May 10 2006, 12:02 PM) [snapback]252989[/snapback]</div>

Bjorn -

The new "smart" dome - if it happens - is still quite a ways off. The design, prototyping and testing takes forever when you don't do this stuff full-time, and need to piggy-back it with other projects.. That said - when/if it does happen, there will still be no dimming feature like the stock fixture has. Without completely re-wiring the fixture itself, there's no way to accomplish that feat with a regulated LED. I realize that for some people this "dimming" feature is a must have. In practice, I've heard from nobody who misses it when it is removed - and we have about 700 of these dome modules in circulation right now. The ability to prevent battery run-down is FAR more important in my book than the short delay/dim business.

The master plan for the new smart module is to still have the thing "smarter" than any dome light that cars come with. The user will be able to set the auto-sleep time-out and brightness (in eight steps). When the auto-sleep kicks in, it will begin to dim (in steps) to alert you that the dome is about to go out so that you are not left in the dark if you're actually sitting there USING the light. We already have the code for this, and many circuits that use it. We just don't have it on a foot-print that'll fit in the Prius.