overvolting LED's

[Sid]

Ok, so I set up a tail light because an officer pulled me over and told me mine wasn't bright enough (I can see the thing from a quarter mile away, I don't know why he can't). Anyway the new light assembly can be seen from just about a mile (rediculous?) I really really like it, but I realized I had accidentally goofed the am overvolting the LED's. They're designed to be hooked up to a 12v car battery and I have them attatched to 24 volts of AA batteries (meant to wire the two 12v battery clusters in parellel but accidently did them in series).

If I leave it like it is, will the led's go bad, or do they take well to over-volting? If I change it will the light dim significantly?

Thanks. Maybe if it stops raining before I go to sleep I'll take it outside and get some pictures. It's bright.

 

[EVnewbie]

You will commit murder on those LEDs by overvolting them!

LEDs are current devices and once they go past their operating voltage, things get crazy quickly. How your LEDs survived at over twice the voltage rated is beyond me as that usually lets the magic smoke out. I am assuming you are using the small 5mm LEDs since the larger 1 to 3 watt monsters would of peeled paint off the cop car if you put a bunch of them in series for 12V or so. If the thing is designed for a 12V car battery, it might have a much larger range than 12 volts and that is why you don't have a bunch of burnt plastic. Some off-road 800 lumen lights use a Cree MC-E single LED and can regulate between 9 and 60V DC.

LEDs have come a long way but as with everything, they need to be kept cool and in spec to work correctly and for a long time. Let us know what type of LEDs, how many you are using, how you wired them up and maybe we can clear up your problem. As always, we can show you higher output stuff than you have now and you wake up one day with a tail light that can be seen from space.

 

[biohazardman]

He was probly only checking you out and needed to say something as they need a reason to pull you over. I have been pulled over in my car and was told I had a light out. The osciffer and I had a brief conversation and by the time I got back to look, at the lights, he was gone. No lights were really out. I just brushed it off. Late at night a large percentage of people on the road are under the influence of this or that and they need to be checked and removed from the road. I agree with the above post and don't know why your lights are still functioning unless you have some kind of dc-dc converter. Six to ten LEDs, depending on the type, in series would likely be OK at 24V but the three you have should no longer be. Good luck on yer build.

 

[Sid]

It's acctually two series of ten totalling twenty led's. They're automotive ground effects, so I'm guessing they are at least water resistant which is why I got them.

They do get very hot if left on for more than a few minutes though.

 

[wasp]

i overvolt my led's but never double ...
i'm suprized they still live
i always overvolt a bit for greater output at the expense of bulb life

 

[Sid]

Well, I think I'll leave them on for an hour and see if the LED's still run. Wiring them at 12 v really cuts the output. But for anyone wondering, here is a picture. Just so you know, the overhead light is two one-hundred watt equivilent CFL's

 

[nitecheck]

I ride reguarly at night & run 2 leds rear lights (bright catseyes) - set up with different charge times on the batteries...so to reduce the chance of batteries failing at the same time.....but often I get the old plod looking at me strangely as I pass by ......I've never been followed up...however I was quite surprised on one occassion - at being lasered by a traffic cop...42km/h down hill in a 100km/h zone.. not at all fast....who minutes later passed me on his motorbike to book a car. Still got the look from the plod as I passed by his nabbing....not at all sure why. My lights were working

 

[deronmoped]

Anyone think those new LED's on cars are a little too bright? If I'm behind one of those cars sitting at a stop light, I have to cover my eyes.

Deron.

 

[ngocthach1130]

I think those car are running HID lights. There are no DOT certified LED headlight for cars. If you have to cover your eye, it's either the car behind was a massive tall truck or the asshole didn't bother to aim the light properly after he put in the aftermarket HID. I get that a lot around here. Freaking ricer having their HID pointing into space instead of the ground. I don't hate HID, i installed it in my car too, but some people do not bother adjusting it once they install it.

 

[Sid]

They live! It's been a while and they're still alive. I guess 24 v will work.

But I don't look foreward to replacing the batteries (currently running on non-rechargables) every so often. Would this charger setup work?

 

[ngocthach1130]

you got the battery icon backward. Cathode is the protruding side.

 

[Sid]

Ignoring that oversight (the actual battery is wire correctly) would it charge?