Question for the LED guru's

[vmaxcruzer]

I decided to swap all my speedo, gauge and indicator lights to LED. All is good except the the yellow turn signal led, it only blinks when the turn signal switch is to the left. If I turn the LED around it only blinks to the right. I do have all blinkers changed to LED, with the flasher for LED's installed from superbrightled.com. With the factory bulb installed all 4 flash. Any clues?

 

[MoPure]

I decided to swap all my speedo, gauge and indicator lights to LED. All is good except the the yellow turn signal led, it only blinks when the turn signal switch is to the left. If I turn the LED around it only blinks to the right. I do have all blinkers changed to LED, with the flasher for LED's installed from superbrightled.com. With the factory bulb installed all 4 flash. Any clues?

The switch must swap polarity going to the indicator bulb. An incandescant bulb doesn't care, but an LED only work with one polarity. Not sure right off my head how to remedy it though. Probly something simple.

 

[Auggie_1970]

Not sure if this would help but did you try taking out the indicator bulb..I've read that many have to add a few diodes to this indicator bulb but the first test is to take it out. Apparently if it all works with that bulb out then you do the diode thing to make it work with the bulb..I'm in the process of swaping out all to led as well and I've already pre orded the flasher and a diode kit( $6) from Custom Dynamics...I already see that I need the flasher, for my flash rate is very high with just replacing the two turn signals so far..

 

[MoPure]

...I already see that I need the flasher, for my flash rate is very high with just replacing the two turn signals so far..

You should'nt need the flasher. You only need to install some 5ohm @5 or 10 watt resistors between the hot and ground on the turn signal wires. Works perfect on mine, flashes just like stock.

 

[Auggie_1970]

I belive the use of a resistor would reduce the light output emitted during the flash..?

 

[Auggie_1970]

The lights I just bought are two way led's (running and turn signal) I was not to happy with the difference in intensity between the two levels of light therefore I temporarily wired a resistor to the positive wire on the running lights and it made a big differene in reducing the running light output

 

[MoPure]

I temporarily wired a resistor to the positive wire on the running lights and it made a big differene in reducing the running light output

That's because you put it inline on the positive wire. What I'm saying is tap into the hot wire with one end of the resistor and ground out the other end of the resistor. This won't take voltage away from your LED's, but it will add a load to the circuit to make the flasher flash correctly.

Kenny, sorry for the thread-jack. Hopefully you can use this info!

 

[Auggie_1970]

I follow what your doing visually with the wiring but don't seem to understand the electronic aspect behind it all but if thats the case that's very good to know because now I can retain the stock flasher.

 

[vmaxcruzer]

"Kenny, sorry for the thread-jack. Hopefully you can use this info!"
no prob.

Everything works fine with the indicator LED out, only one side or the other with it in, and all blinkers flash (with the correct speed) with a regular bulb which I would'nt have a problem running if a resistor fixed it. Gonna have to do some wireing this weekend.

 

[vmaxcruzer]

I wonder since the fuel light normaly comes on dim at first then gets brighter as fuel gets lower if a LED will work. I'm a long ways from a road test maybe one of you guys could swap one out to see. High beam and neutral work fine. don't know about the oil light either.

 

[naughtyG]

Oil light is a switch, so will defo work.

I think fuel light too, it would just not come on quite as early (forget the 'fade-in' period) but once the full current is there it would light up just fine.

Just my deux centimes of course ;-)

 

[[email protected]]

"Kenny, sorry for the thread-jack. Hopefully you can use this info!"
no prob.

Everything works fine with the indicator LED out, only one side or the other with it in, and all blinkers flash (with the correct speed) with a regular bulb which I would'nt have a problem running if a resistor fixed it. Gonna have to do some wireing this weekend.

You need to install a diode kit or make your own diode setup to get the indicator bulb to work. You have a few options.

1. throw the indiactor bulb away :biglaugh:

2. To keep the led indicator bulb check out this thread from Przemek. http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=8130 You don't have to use 2 led's if you don't want to but its a cool idea. You could use one and wire it up with diodes just as you do with the stock, halogen bulb.

3. use a stock halogen bulb and install the diodes. Check out this thread. http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=10877

 

[satariel666]

2. To keep the led indicator bulb check out this thread from Przemek. http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=8130 I don't have to use 2 led's if you didn't want to but its a cool idea. You could use one and wire it up with diodes just as you do with the stock, halogen bulb.

Thanks.


I think 2 small bulbs instead diodes may be used. Something like this:

Im not sure if this will work but someone might give a try.

 

[Auggie_1970]

Here's a link to the diode kit I was refering to last night...it $6.95
http://www.customdynamics.com/Images/mdk.jpg

And here's the wiring instructions with the kit:
http://www.customdynamics.com/load_equalizer_diodes.htm

 

[Frosty72]

+1 to mab

I'd go with the two LEDs in the signal indicator slot if I was doing it again, it's a cool way to see which light is blinking.

 

[vmaxcruzer]

I'm gonna fab it up saturday, I'll post me results. Thanks for all the input guy's.

 

[dkw0417]

It seems like this isn't a popular idea but I like the faster blink rate with the LED blinkers. Brighter blinkers and faster blink get attention as far as I am concerned. The diodes under the indicator will fix the polarity issue as the same time. Cause you cut both wires behind the light, attach them to the diodes and then the single output from the diode setup to one side of the socket. Make the other side of the socket the ground and ground it off wherever you like. Then it is just a matter of putting the LED indicator in the right way. I hope that all makes sense.

 

[vmaxcruzer]

It worked! Shout outs to all the guy's that helped with this project, you know who you are!
It wasn't hard once I gathered all the info from several different links.


This is how I got through this mess:
I used this link to install the flash correcter in line with the factory flasher.
http://tinyurl.com/yebxql4[SIZE=+2]
LED's and flash corrector are from here.
[/SIZE]http://tinyurl.com/yzlwzeh
[SIZE=+2]Then I used the two LED with resistor mod for the indicator in this link.
[/SIZE]http://tinyurl.com/yekl9jp

Finally I created a dual element circuit for the front since my LED blinkers came as a two wire instead of a three.
http://tinyurl.com/ygq9kv6

 

[vmax2extreme]

I took my single circuit LEDs and made them dual circuits by using these for a mere $4.99 per signal:

http://www.chromeglow.com/catalog.asp?prodid=520657&showprevnext=1

I didnt want to hastle with soldering a bunch of diodes. I did that for my dash signal light, but this was far easier and just as cheap to do.

 

[[email protected]]

Been thinking about this one a little. Other than the turn signal indicator it seems to me like all the other ones should be a real simple swap for the LED's as long as you pay attention to polarity on the harness and the LED itself.

Did it work that way for you Kenny?