LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

[EasyGoing1]

Have a friend who bought a 48 foot 5th wheel and he's had a lot of experience driving these things all over the country and he wants to have a large and NOTICABLE LED display that lets drivers know when he's changing lanes, turning etc. because he says people are stupid and don't pay attention...

I took his idea and I created these pictures to see if we're on the same page and he liked what I showed him...







But now ... my problem is ... how to BUILD such a thing ... I'm thinking that it could be constructed with led Panels but I don't know where to source them. Does anyone know of any good sources for fairly large LED panels of different colors?

Thanks,

[redwire]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

Trailer lighting has regulations and standards, from DOT, NHTSA, SAE, Federal etc.
They dictate colour, brightness, axis and location etc. based on trailer size.
It's to prevent the Wild West of LED vehicle lighting and people getting sued for confusing the sheep.

I would get confused if it's looking like a signal light, but up high on a vehicle - just like roadway barriers. I should move over a lane? verses the truck is turning. And it's amber but the tail light is red.
The 5th wheel would better use additional side markers (as turn signal lights), just like semi trailers. Otherwise very hard to tell when you're alongside if the signal light is on. Up so high may be missing the point.

I would look at what is already out there for LED lights because it's gotta have the right viewing angle (and aimed down), be waterproof, sunlight UV proof etc and kinda hard to design all that.
Didn't see any spec between an arrow and solid lamp, I only see that on fire trucks and ambulances and Ford Mustangs. It's not as good doing the sequential flashing, hard to see the flashing from a distance IMHO.

I did some car brake light designs with mcore pcb and Cree XP-E and also some chinese 3W bead LED's so it can be done.

[stj]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

you can already get light bars that do all that and more for breakdown trucks and emergency vehicles.

[EasyGoing1]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

you can already get light bars that do all that and more for breakdown trucks and emergency vehicles.

Where?

[EasyGoing1]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

Trailer lighting has regulations and standards, from DOT, NHTSA, SAE, Federal

That link to the federal regulations ... IS ONE FUCKING HUMONGOUS DOCUMENT!

Almost 200 pages when printed to a PDF file.

[diif]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

Does the trailer being towed have lights and indicators on it?

[EasyGoing1]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

Does the trailer being towed have lights and indicators on it?

Not sure yet what it's got, here are some pictures of it taken yesterday when they went and picked it up ... it's a BEAST!

[stj]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

how does the pickup supply the trailer brakes??

[EasyGoing1]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

how does the pickup supply the trailer brakes??

There's a device in the cab of the truck called a brake controller and it sends signaling electronically to the 5th wheel and a receiving controller then applies brakes proportional to how far down the brake pedal is pressed in the truck. Kinda cool tech I suppose... It has to be calibrated because each brake pedal is s little different in their throw.

[EasyGoing1]

Re: LED Project ... LARGE SCALE

how does the pickup supply the trailer brakes??

I think towing something that long would really kinda suck ... think about making a right turn at a standard intersection ... you would have to start wide ... and here's where the lighting comes into play ... dumb asses who don't pay attention see the gap on the right side and worm their way into that area when all you're trying to do is make a right turn. So having really bright, attention-grabbing lighting on the back that tells people what you're doing would most definitely serve their best interest as well as yours.