Some Help Needed.

[jaytip]

Hello Folks,
I am hoping someonme with some electronic knowledge can help me out or point me in the right direction.

I find out tomorrow if i have been successful in applying to my local council for a new hackney carriage license for an Audi A6.If i get it,it could lead to some good contract work with local businesses,therefor i want the car to look as little like a taxi as possible.

So my question is this.Is there anybody on here that could modify a taxi top light to run on it's own battery source so that i dont have to run cables to the battery. I'm thinking a circuit board with some small LED lights and the biggest battery that would fit inside the housing,and a simple on/off switch.It would make for a much cleaner design.
I would obviously pay for all parts and the time required to do this.

Regards,

Ivor.

P.S the roof light i'm lookin at is about 13" long. Also the roof light is held onto the car by quite strong magnets so i don't know if that would affect the electronics or not.

[NSXGB]

Looks like you can buy LED lit Taxi signs from eBay already, potentially you would have to source the lightest battery possible to power the light, and not put too much extra load on the magnets. Also, do you not have to have a means of turning it on and off without getting out of the car? That would be harder to achieve if required.

[jaytip]

Also, do you not have to have a means of turning it on and off without getting out of the car? That would be harder to achieve if required.
I'm not sure what the official stance is on that but my local borough test centre is unbelievably lax.There are loads of taxi's working that have unlit roof lights,so my guess is,as long as i show them the sign lit up,they would be fine.

[britlude]

easiest way would be a led strip like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-Ultra-bright-12LED-12v-Flexible-Strip-Boat-Light-/390210262095?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipmen t_Accessories_SM&hash=item5ada58144f#ht_1304wt_1018

a 11.1v li-po radio controlled car battery like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turnigy-2200mAh-3S-11-1v-25C-35C-Lipo-Battery-X-2-UK-/330692423395?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item4cfecdeee3#ht_3921wt_784 , the listing is for 2 batteries, one to be charging, and one to use, though 2200mAH should give you plenty of light time! li-po would be the lightest way to get a decent battery up there!

and a charger to suit the li-po battery!

just add a battery connector and a switch if necessary and you're good to go! a little bit of fine tuning might be needed, ie check first that 11.1v will light the leds ok (should do, but don't quote me!) and that 2200mAH will light it through the night! (just noticed 5000mAH batts are available!!! :eek:)

the only issue with li-po is they don't like being discharged below 3v, so you'd need to add one of these... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-4v-11-1v-lipo-battery-Low-voltage-buzzer-Alarm-Latest-BC002-/300667456436?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item46012d4bb4#ht_2894wt_784

HTH

might be worth an ask in a local r/c model shop, as the led strips are popular with the planes these days and they will have everything else!!!

[jaytip]

easiest way would be a led strip like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-Ultra-bright-12LED-12v-Flexible-Strip-Boat-Light-/390210262095?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipmen t_Accessories_SM&hash=item5ada58144f#ht_1304wt_1018

a 11.1v li-po radio controlled car battery like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turnigy-2200mAh-3S-11-1v-25C-35C-Lipo-Battery-X-2-UK-/330692423395?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item4cfecdeee3#ht_3921wt_784 , the listing is for 2 batteries, one to be charging, and one to use, though 2200mAH should give you plenty of light time! li-po would be the lightest way to get a decent battery up there!

and a charger to suit the li-po battery!

just add a battery connector and a switch if necessary and you're good to go! a little bit of fine tuning might be needed, ie check first that 11.1v will light the leds ok (should do, but don't quote me!) and that 2200mAH will light it through the night! (just noticed 5000mAH batts are available!!! :eek:)

the only issue with li-po is they don't like being discharged below 3v, so you'd need to add one of these... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-4v-11-1v-lipo-battery-Low-voltage-buzzer-Alarm-Latest-BC002-/300667456436?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item46012d4bb4#ht_2894wt_784

HTH

might be worth an ask in a local r/c model shop, as the led strips are popular with the planes these days and they will have everything else!!!
Thanks for all that Jonathan.
I don't suppose you would like to take on a little project would you :D I freely admit that when it comes to things like this i am clueless and crap.
To be honest when i made the post,the two people i had in mind where you and Kaz,lol

[simonprelude]

I find out tomorrow if i have been successful in applying to my local council for a new hackney carriage license for an Audi A6.

Also the roof light is held onto the car by quite strong magnets so i don't know if that would affect the electronics or not.

Err, isn't an Audi A6 roof Aluminium?

[NSXGB]

:laugh:
Only 20% aluminium apparently, so Ivor has a 1 in 5 chance that it will stay on...:)



Err, isn't an Audi A6 roof Aluminium?

[jaytip]

Nightmare, i didn't know that.I will have to check today .I will put the roof light off my current taxi onto the A6 to see.
I hope it's ok because the Audi was approved.

[jaytip]

Checked the top light on the Audi today and it sticks fine (phew)

[britlude]

i checked a led strip/ribbon thing i have and it lights up fine on 11.1v...i forgot to count the leds but the 1m strip i had took 250ma, so a 2200mAH should give over 8 hours....

[jaytip]

i checked a led strip/ribbon thing i have and it lights up fine on 11.1v...i forgot to count the leds but the 1m strip i had took 250ma, so a 2200mAH should give over 8 hours....
Cheers Jon.