The LED version takes top price. For one, it is a clean install and you will never have to worry about a burned-out bulb.
Kudos to all!
Kudos to all!
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Rear Step Lights
- Thread starter lightbg
- Start date
Tom in Roswell
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
- Messages
- 27
Those lights are a great idea. I've been an Electrical Engineer for 22 years. I've been designing and implementing vehicle modifications even longer.
I specialize in RF and Electromagnetic Compliance issues, for those who like that stuff.
dah-dit-dah-dit, dah dah dit dah, and so on.
So here is a list of things that have come to mind while looking at some projects on this site:
When you're looking for compenents for automotive use, be careful. Look at what GM as provided, and try to copy it. Using cheap wire and crimps will just let your good idea die an early death.
Look for a UL Flame rating on your componets. 94 V-0 is the best. At least look for the UL or RU cert on the packaging.
Fuse new wiring close to the power source. If you don't know how to calculate fuse values, use the lowest fuse value you can get away with.
Good wire with a teflon sleeve costs lots more than junky lamp or speaker wire. Again, look in your engine compartment for some fine examples.
Large gauge (22ga and larger) solid wire has no use on a vibrating vehicle.
Use GM Weatherpak crimps when possible. Invest in a quality set of crimp tools and dies for your connectors.
Bare mating surfaces exposed to the weather - like those cheap spade crimps - will develop high contact resistance, act as a diode and cause intermittant failures.
Black tape has no use on a vehicle. If you see some OEM black tape, know that they used a very high quality type that you might not find, and it's probably not used for insulation.
Note the difference with wire. Paying for good, limp stranded wire with UL rating and a teflon sleeve is not the same as paying extra for 'low oxygen copper' audiophile nonsense.
The wire you buy at most retail outlets is worthless. Go get the good stuff from DigiKey or Belden or NAPA.
Most gold plated consumer connectors are plated so thin, that the gold is meaningless after a period of vibratory effects. Again, look at what GM has provided, and copy it. There are better metals used for plating connectors where they use enough plating to make a good connection.
When it comes to specifications of audio equipment, 'monster' wires and such, believe half of what you read, and none of what you hear.
Especially when it comes to expensive speaker wire! Audio is a low-frequency signal, and the fancty terms the mfg's use about wire is usually pure BS (Barbra Streisand). Remember - The smartest guy involved with expensive speaker wire is the guy who sold it to you!
I specialize in RF and Electromagnetic Compliance issues, for those who like that stuff.
dah-dit-dah-dit, dah dah dit dah, and so on.
So here is a list of things that have come to mind while looking at some projects on this site:
When you're looking for compenents for automotive use, be careful. Look at what GM as provided, and try to copy it. Using cheap wire and crimps will just let your good idea die an early death.
Look for a UL Flame rating on your componets. 94 V-0 is the best. At least look for the UL or RU cert on the packaging.
Fuse new wiring close to the power source. If you don't know how to calculate fuse values, use the lowest fuse value you can get away with.
Good wire with a teflon sleeve costs lots more than junky lamp or speaker wire. Again, look in your engine compartment for some fine examples.
Large gauge (22ga and larger) solid wire has no use on a vibrating vehicle.
Use GM Weatherpak crimps when possible. Invest in a quality set of crimp tools and dies for your connectors.
Bare mating surfaces exposed to the weather - like those cheap spade crimps - will develop high contact resistance, act as a diode and cause intermittant failures.
Black tape has no use on a vehicle. If you see some OEM black tape, know that they used a very high quality type that you might not find, and it's probably not used for insulation.
Note the difference with wire. Paying for good, limp stranded wire with UL rating and a teflon sleeve is not the same as paying extra for 'low oxygen copper' audiophile nonsense.
The wire you buy at most retail outlets is worthless. Go get the good stuff from DigiKey or Belden or NAPA.
Most gold plated consumer connectors are plated so thin, that the gold is meaningless after a period of vibratory effects. Again, look at what GM has provided, and copy it. There are better metals used for plating connectors where they use enough plating to make a good connection.
When it comes to specifications of audio equipment, 'monster' wires and such, believe half of what you read, and none of what you hear.
Especially when it comes to expensive speaker wire! Audio is a low-frequency signal, and the fancty terms the mfg's use about wire is usually pure BS (Barbra Streisand). Remember - The smartest guy involved with expensive speaker wire is the guy who sold it to you!
Pssst Tom, your knowledge is showing! (and so is your CQ) 
?- ?- ?-
?- ?- ?-Heck of a job BUG, just wish I still had an AV to upgrade to your new package 
ZEEYA
ZEEYA
Tom in Roswell
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
- Messages
- 27
Hey Sperry,sperry said:Pssst Tom, your knowledge is showing! (and so is your CQ)
I got my novice ticket in 1972 and let it expire. The demands of 9th grade and the new High School girls were overwhelming to me. So that was the end of my ham daze. But that did not stop me from tuning up my Grief-kit 100w xmitter to 27mHz, and letting my VFO sweep back and forth... each time there was a CB Jamboree nearby! Then, I'd loose sleep and worry about that alleged FCC truck with the RDF antennas....
I'm thinking about getting a few 2m rigs for our family so we can keep in touch in the event cell-towers are down, or out of range. I just have to coach the XYL through the new no-code license study.
HD,
My sails are the stock 5mm units out of Autozone ( I think they're labeled "Cruzin' by Pilot - don't have the package handy 'cause I loaned my extra set to Enkei to finish his), and I hooked them up to my licence plate lights for power. If I used the 10's I'd probably have everybody that's flying VFR at night use me as a reporting point............
Jake