Wiring LEDs Stright To Battery, Help!

[Cold Fusion]

hey all, i was wondering if it is safe to wire my Halo's to straight onto my battery, is it safe for the LEDs to have the 12v hittin it all day long? and if it IS to mujch for it, how am, i able to wire them up, coz i dont want to put them on my accesories, i would like a seperate thing (would end up puttin it onto a switch, but just need them on today)

Thanks alot guys

[lilwilliam]

should be safe why dont you install a toggle switch so the LED's wont be constantly running

[Jonald]

^^ what he said. Safest and easiest option.

[czy_sol87]

as long as the LEDs are rated to 12v then should be safe to do so, but if u dont install a switch the LEDs will be on 24/7

[[JDM DC2]]

wouldn't hooking the lights up directly to the battery give you 14.4V? I am not sure if the L.E.D's could handle the extra voltage. could be wrong...

[Cold Fusion]

thats what i was thnking ^^^

and i only Really need them for tonight, so im gonna do all the main wiring today and then finish it (switch, fuse etc) like week after, i just need them connected tonight. but i was still thinking of when the revs are higher, the battery outputs a higer thing (correct me if im wrong) and i dont want to blow any of my LEDs in my Headlights

[dsp26]

JDM DC2 is right (when the engine is on anyway)... LED's will be dead in a week.

IF you really want to hook it up directly to the battery you will need to make a regulator circuit and maybe a relay to your parkers or something.... actually why don't you just wire it to your parkers? Just a note for you.. every other lighting system in the car is regulated to 12v which is why it's safer to splice into an existing line

[dsp26]

here is a simple regulator circuit provided to me by a member of another forum.. i was going to use it for a rear view camera... it regulates down to 10v to be on the safe side..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/dsp26/basic10vReg.jpg

[Cold Fusion]

i wasn't gonna consistently keep the LEDs on all day every day, just for tonight and then unplug them after and then later on hook up to switch. thought yeh i thought it might blow the LEDs hookin up to battery thats why i asked :) and that diagram is a bit complex for me, i still kinda noob at electrics, would dick smith or somsone be able to help with making a regulator and stuff? or am i in over my head? i NEED them connected somehow be4 tonight heh

[Nato]

you'd need to use a resistor to lower the input power to 12v one would think. i've got some led's installed on my integra, its switch controlled and theres a fuse in between the switch and battery.

hope this helps

[[JDM DC2]]

yeh just to get it running tonight get a resistor from dick smith that will step the voltage down to 12V and then run it on the active wire of each Halo staight to the battery (once it gets dark outside :D) and once you get home, unhook it from the battery. Probably the simplest thing I can think of to help you get them going 2nite without blowing them.. btw don't you just hate projects that you really need to finish by the end of the day

[Cold Fusion]

Cheers JDM Dc2! very heloful, and thanks everyone else :D im gonna go to tehre now and get it done be4 the cruise tongiht :)

+rep for JDM Dc2 and DSp26 :)

[IZY-10]

here is a simple regulator circuit provided to me by a member of another forum.. i was going to use it for a rear view camera... it regulates down to 10v to be on the safe side..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/dsp26/basic10vReg.jpg

you can use this circuit and replace the capacitors with 22uF electrolytic capacitors and maybe use 7805 just to be safe. This is a basic circuit that will drop the voltage to +9v. And the 7805 will deliver you +5v just ensure you place a heat sink of the regulator

[IZY-10]

you'd need to use a resistor to lower the input power to 12v one would think. i've got some led's installed on my integra, its switch controlled and theres a fuse in between the switch and battery.

hope this helps

no this will not work you can use 1n4004 diodes to drop the voltage .7v per diode placed in the circuit instead

[dupac->]

touch me... yes yes indeed. very good izy-10

[string]

Don't bother with regulators or anything like that, LED's aren't a variable load. You known the current draw of the LED's, just use resistors to keep the forward voltage sane - any other method is just a waste of time and money.

2 Volt LED with 14.4v supply = 610 Ohms to drop 12.4 volts at 20mA.