can someone explain low voltage LED (6v-12v) bulbs to make a sign etc

[BKKdreaming]

Hi

I was walking around Klong Thom market today and there are a lot of places selling strings of LEDs and a bag of seperate LEDs

I would like to make some 6 volt and 12 V signs , first would just be a simple STOP sign for the back of my 2CV Citroen that is 6 Volts,

then some 6v tail lights for the back of it as its real slow and you can get run over on the highway

so how do they work do you buy them depending on the voltage or ????

what happens if I put 6v to 12v bulbs will they just not be as bright ?

is there a way to make them be less bright by changing voltage or putting in a resistor ?

and the strings of LEDs they sell , can you cut them and solder back together to get a 90 degree angle ?

When you walk into these shops it is almost blinding , just hope it works well out in the direct sun

[Guitar God]

I think your best bet would be to buy LED brake light/tail light conversions kits. If there isn't one on the market for a 2CV perhaps you could find one a similar size (and designed for 6VDC) that would fit.

On a car with a 12v battery, the voltage can range from 10-14 volts and could have spikes that go higher than that. I've never opened up an LED taillight but I suspect they incorporate a voltage regulator so they can supply a constant voltage to the diodes.

The forward voltage on high power LED's is between 1.5 and 3.5 volts depending on the type or color. If you put three 2v LED's in series, you would still need to calculate the value of the current limiting resistor. Without it, they're going to blow up.

As for the flexible LED light strings, I'd say to find one that works off a 6VDC supply for the 2CV and one that works off 12VDC for your other 12v project.

[wgdanson]

Do you know that it is ILLEGAL to put any lights other than red on the back of a vehicle, and white on the front.

[IMHO]

Do you know that it is ILLEGAL to put any lights other than red on the back of a vehicle, and white on the front.

You'd better tell that to all the interstate bus and truck drivers then

[DKUNPUTAF713]

ILLEGAL only outside Thailand!

[BB1950]

Do you know that it is ILLEGAL to put any lights other than red on the back of a vehicle, and white on the front.

So how do you explain yellow turn signals?

[RichCor]

Do you know that it is ILLEGAL to put any lights other than red on the back of a vehicle, and white on the front.

So how do you explain yellow turn signals?

We don't use turn signals here in Thailand ...so it's not illegal.

[astral]

I am not sure about the dimming side

but you can certainly cut and solder the strips to

make your own sign

I have only seem 12V and 240V leds

so make sure you check the voltage when you buy.

I have a 240V rope of LEDs on my balcony over Christmas

[BKKdreaming]

I planned on a RED "STOP" light for the 2CV

but it is also about learning about LEDs to do other things like signs for the shop etc and that is where the strips might be interesting

In Japan after the Earthquake they started using a lot of LED lighting and cut power use 30% when changed over

When I was searching in Chinatown area (actually the area closer to Wat PO) there were a few guys making up LED signs and running wires from light to light on the back of the sign connecting them.

anyway I am just trying to learn

[BKKdreaming]

I played with some of the 12 volt LED lights in bought in BKK ,

and they all work on 6 volt

I am not sure if they are the same brightness or not , just happy they work

now I need to figure out how to mount them on my old 6 volt 2CV