Self illuminated number plate

[ainarssems]

While all the lights on the car can be changed to LED's I never liked how the LED's looked looked on the rear number plates and always though there and always thought there must be a better way than old incandescent bulbs. I recently done a custom backlight installation for a friend in metal detector using electro-luminescent panel and realized the same technology could be used for number plates. I have searched the web and found this site that offers illuminated licence plates but a bit pricey at £80 a piece. http://www.brightplate.com/index.html

I have since looked at several suppliers to DIY and I have found a supplier/manufacturer in far east that can make custom size panels in number plate size for a one off mould cost of $65 and then $26 for each panel including driver. Obviously you will still need to put letters and clear acrylic front on them and I am currently looking at the different options for that and will update it here.

Couple of pictures from brightplate website

[David's8]

You havent got anything that would make the plate less readable by a speed camera have you? i would be happy to pay the equivalent of my latest speeding fine for such a plate. [only joking as I am sure that that would be illegal ]

[ainarssems]

I have idea about that but not tested - using a lot of high power infrared LEDs around the number plate should supply lot of infrared light invisible to human eye but should provide enough glare to the camera for the plate to be unreadable. If you take TV remote and look at the LED while pressing the button there is nothing to see with the naked eye but if you look at it through the camera you will see the light coming from LED. LED in remote control of course is very low power but if you used something like 20 high power LEDs around licence plate they might just give enough light for licence plate to be unreadable. Downside and the reason why I have not done it is that light will be visible on all cameras like the ones in police vehicles so you will get caught soon if you drive with the light on all the time. You could just turn it on when you need it but the chances are if you see camera in enough time to press the switch you probably can slow down to the speed limit in that time as well.

PS. cameras do have infrared filters in them to reduce interference from infrared light to the pictures but they still let some infrared light through as can be seen in remote control test but I am not sure how effective they are so maybe it would not work as intended after all even with high power LED's if the filter is highly effective.

[Delboy]

Originally Posted by ainarssems

I have idea about that but not tested - using a lot of high power infrared LEDs around the number plate should supply lot of infrared light invisible to human eye but should provide enough glare to the camera for the plate to be unreadable. If you take TV remote and look at the LED while pressing the button there is nothing to see with the naked eye but if you look at it through the camera you will see the light coming from LED. LED in remote control of course is very low power but if you used something like 20 high power LEDs around licence plate they might just give enough light for licence plate to be unreadable. Downside and the reason why I have not done it is that light will be visible on all cameras like the ones in police vehicles so you will get caught soon if you drive with the light on all the time. You could just turn it on when you need it but the chances are if you see camera in enough time to press the switch you probably can slow down to the speed limit in that time as well.

PS. cameras do have infrared filters in them to reduce interference from infrared light to the pictures but they still let some infrared light through as can be seen in remote control test but I am not sure how effective they are so maybe it would not work as intended after all even with high power LED's if the filter is highly effective.

I too have thought about the same thing about IR, however some cameres use IR for illumination and I don't know if the speed cameras would be sensitive too it.

There is also a more worrying concern that your carefully driving along one day and those traffic cars with cameras in them notice on their monitor that your number plates is lit up like blackpool and decided to pull you.

[snapdragon]

Originally Posted by David's8

You havent got anything that would make the plate less readable by a speed camera have you? i would be happy to pay the equivalent of my latest speeding fine for such a plate. [only joking as I am sure that that would be illegal ]

You can buy the proper materials (reflective backing and adhesive perspex) to make your own plates on ebay, and use black retroflective fascal for the characters. They appear blank with flash photography and IR-ANPR.

[David's8]

Whilst not wishing to stray into anything illegal here, (perhaps I shouldnt have brought it up? ), even with Ainars original idea, surely only registered number plate suppliers are allowed to make up number plates?

[ainarssems]

I don't think there is a law saying you cannot make your own licence plates, If you want to supply(sell) plates to others you need to be registered with DVLA and follow their rules like asking for proof of entitlement and ID but even then not all suppliers do ask for them.

I have found a supplier ready to sell clear acrylic plates covered with adhesive that are used to make licence plates 10 pieces for £35 including postage and a friend of mine has plotter so he can cut the letters from vinyl or similar material.

[goldsax]

Originally Posted by snapdragon

You can buy the proper materials (reflective backing and adhesive perspex) to make your own plates on ebay, and use black retroflective fascal for the characters. They appear blank with flash photography and IR-ANPR.

any links to these letters..as i am interested in reflective technology.
cheers raj

[tonupkid]

I thought that number plates had to have a BS number to pass the MOT.

Another way to confound a flash camera is to fit a powerful flash gun nearby your plate (in rear light cluster) and a flash slave trigger. Photographers use these to fire multiple flash lights without trailing leads all over the place. The slaves detect a flash going off and trigger themselves. Illegal no doubt

[HPsauce]

Originally Posted by tonupkid

I thought that number plates had to have a BS number to pass the MOT.

Not exactly, the legal requirement depends on the first registration date of the vehicle AND when the plates were made.
But basically, any plate made in this millennium needs to have the makers identification and postcode, and that can be checked of course though I can't see an MOT tester doing that as it's not specified to do so.
Remember the MOT is mainly concerned with roadworthiness/safety so does not cover all the legal requirements.
My Ford Focus does not have a postcode on the (original) plates and doesn't need it; never been commented on.