I need help designing an LED lightbar for use on a personal automotive customization

Hello everyone, I am new here and have about exhausted my available time trying to locate a schematic or any kind of useful information on designing an led lightbar I want to use on a little Isuzu pickup I am building. I want the bar to span the tail gate and be used as turn si.gnals, brake lights, emergency flashers and backup signaling. Each function will have a different sequential effect.

I know it can be done but I am a better web designer than I am a circuit designer. This is purely a vanity project and not intended to be used in any kind of school project or for personal gain.

Is there anyone here willing to help me design this? I will of course cover the build and implementation of the completed device here on these forums. I really don't even know where to begin.

Check out Nigel's PIC tutorials. The first one flashes LEDs in patterns. If you are using more LEDs than the PIC can handle, let it trigger MOSFET transistors that will ground as many lights as you want.

Nigel's tutorials in asm...
Nigel's tutorials.. re-written in C.

Thanks but all those links lead to is some micro controller software. Nothing at all related to what I am trying to do.

Search this forum for "turn signal". Include the quotes. It comes up with 8 pages of topics.

The best way to start might be to try to specify it first.
Maybe just a crude drawing indicating the number of leds and which would be used for what function and what you want them to do.

aeallison said:

Thanks but all those links lead to is some micro controller software. Nothing at all related to what I am trying to do.

Click to expand...

Alas the easiest way to do what you what may be with a PIC.

A quick look on google shows many "tailgate LED light bars". Would none of them work for you?

Have you checked the legality of what you are proposing? Local laws regarding light brightness and position? Would your insurer approve?