Adding an LED to a device

[Jay Singh]

Hello, I have a speed camera detector which makes a beeping sound and also flashes an LED when it picks up a speed camera. Unfortunately, the location of the LED is no good so I wanted to add an external one. I thought it would be best to attach it to the speaker as the LED is sometimes used for other things. I have attached an image of the device as I need help in figuring out where to solder the LED to.

Thanks for any help

 

[dorke]

Not a very good idea to connect the LED to the "speaker".
Simply connect it instead of the present LED with 2 wires.

 

[Gryd3]

Hello, I have a speed camera detector which makes a beeping sound and also flashes an LED when it picks up a speed camera. Unfortunately, the location of the LED is no good so I wanted to add an external one. I thought it would be best to attach it to the speaker as the LED is sometimes used for other things. I have attached an image of the device as I need help in figuring out where to solder the LED to.

Thanks for any help

View attachment 24945

Not a very good idea to connect the LED to the "speaker".
Simply connect it instead of the present LED with 2 wires.

You may not want to, but this is an ideal solution.

Particularly, because the voltage and current on a speaker may be higher than tolerable for an LED. The signal sent to the Speaker may not even power the LED, or if it does, might be too brief to notice.

You should use the existing LED output and either put an external LED directly on it (replacing the internal LED) , or use the output to trigger a transistor to light a higher power or additional LED. One way or another, this is the best output to use.

 

[KJ6EAD]

It looks like there are two LEDs and one of them is dual (capable of displaying three colors). If you plan to remote mount the dual unit, you'll need a compatible substitute, not just a single color LED.

 

[davenn]

Hello, I have a speed camera detector which makes a beeping sound and also flashes an LED when it picks up a speed camera. Unfortunately, the location of the LED is no good so I wanted to add an external one. I thought it would be best to attach it to the speaker as the LED is sometimes used for other things. I have attached an image of the device as I need help in figuring out where to solder the LED to.

Thanks for any help

View attachment 24945

I don't see a speed camera detector in that photo ????

I see a GPS or WiFi dongle for plugging into a computer via USB and I don't see a speaker

so can we start this thread again please


Dave

 

[davenn]

OK doing some googling
and have discovered that it is a GPS receiver, as suspected

http://www.gpsinforad.co.uk/default.html

and it is programmed with locations of speed cameras for the country of purchased so it warns you when you enter a zone with a radar / camera unit
It doesn't actually detect the radar ... unlike the usual radar detectors. It gives a general warning as your GPS mapping unit does from Navman, Garmin etc

The USB connection, I would assume would be to do location updates of radar traps

OK now we have that sorted,
as others have suggested connecting another LED across the appropriate existing one would be the best way


Dave