Novice to LEDs needs help with car install.

[Bimmer]

Hi guys just stumbled across this website and its amazing!!!
So much info on here thanks to you guys!!

Now here is what I want to do and need someone to help tell me what LEDs I need and what resistors and anything additional I may need.

Now I have a bmw e39 and the interior has an orange glow. I've been told the LEDs used emit a colour of 607nm. I want to match that colour and install some LEDs into the interior door handles to make them glow.

Can anyone tell me what I will need?

I need a small led that has a wide angle (flat headed the best?)
It needs to have a lowish mcd as I need it to just cast a glow.
And I need it to be suitable for use in a vehicle so needs to be able to handle alot of abuse from fluctuating voltages.

And also need advice about what resistors to use.

I will be wiring each one separately off the feed for the illuminated elec window switch.

Any help wil be great guys.

 

[CocaCola]

Get some LEDs in or about the same wavelength, if you can find wide angle ones go for them, if not get whatever you can in the proper color... You can take some sand paper and scuff up the LEDs to get a lot more diffusion if need be...

You can also temper down the MCD with a higher resistor so get higher MCD ones and balance later...

As for the proper resistor you will need to determine that after you choose the LED and have the specs then you can calculate the resistor...

For automotive use I like to calculate based on 14.5 or 15 Volts...

 

[Bimmer]

How bright is 6000 mcd? And how low can I dampen it down?

 

[CocaCola]

How bright is 6000 mcd? And how low can I dampen it down?

Buy, one and look at it... Honestly that is about the best answer there are a lot of variables to MCD ratings, and they are generally measured straight on and fall off drastically as you vary from straight on sight... There is also a lot of 'exaggeration' in MCD ratings...

As for how to dampen it down I told you in my previous post...