Can I replace the LEDs on this light bar?

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hey all. I dug this up from my garage, and I’m thinking it’s about time I finally modify a light. This is a project I’d like to get into, but I could use some insight on where to start.

The LEDs seem to be 3x3mm, and it’s designed to just run off 12v. I tested the amps and it seems to pull about 1.5a for the whole unit. I’m not 100% sure that’s accurate(new multimeter, but it sounds about right and was steady).

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I could replace them with to get a bit more oomph? These are bright enough for a $15 ebay job, but as a member of this forum, I think it’s obvious that ‘bright enough’ means anything but.

It looks like the hardware can support a few more amps(14ga wire, solid board) but I’m not entirely sure what any of the small pieces on the side can handle. My wiring setup will be good for about 8a for the bar(I have two of them, and will be modifying both identically, so 8a each). Anyone have any suggestions of what would be a good replacement LED that won’t break the bank for 24 of them?

2

What’s the voltage at each LED? And you’ll probably need a hot air station to remove LEDs. Replacing 12 LEDs on each board will add up really fast!

In regards to increasing the amps, I’m not sure how you could modify the driver, but it probably entails changing 1 (or more) of the resistors.

3

It seems like they’re in series, so I’d assume about 1-1.2v each. I don’t have a bench power source at the moment, but can verify it tomorrow. If that’s the case, my very limited initial research hasn’t found much that can work with that, other than some osram emitters.

4

They need at least 3 V, maybe up to 12 V.

5

Those look like 3030 size LED’s, which are generally considered a medium power LED. This size is typically rated at 65mA, 150mA, or 350mA, with maximum recommended currents seldom higher than 400mA.

1.5A sounds a little bit high, but not outrageously so for current draw for 12 of them being fed 12V.

This type of LED does not have a thermal pad and is not really optimized for being driven hard. There might be other LED’s rated for higher power with the same footprint, although I’m not familiar with any offhand. I don’t think you will find any 3030-size LED’s that can handle 8A across 12 emitters. Also, the other components on that board are presumably for regulating current, and probably won’t feed more current to other LED’s you might install.

6

Not worth it, at least not using the same board, if you need more power you'll need to lose this board and install new leds and new driver, on a new board or several of them, but without seeing what heatsink, and optics looks like, impossible to tell what would be the best way or if it worth the effort at all.