[snowpup]

I am switching out my taillights and turn signals to LED and having a bitch of a time getting the turn signals to work. Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.


To start with, the turn signals and hazards were flashing when appropriate. Which might beg the question, 'why did I start messing with them?'. To which I might have no good response.


Anywho, I bought the Wipac LEDs and relay from MUD UK. Everything goes fine with the installation of two indicators, so long as they are catty corner, when I plug in the third LED all three lights flash regardless of which way the indicator is turned.


I will have the front left and right rear LED's plugged in with incandescents installed in the other two corners. Turn the indicator LEFT and the lefts flash and the rights do nothing like they should, same goes for RIGHT and they all flash with the hazards on. Now if I unplug the front right incandescent (which is doing nothing like it should be since the indicator is LEFT) and plug in an LED in its place, its starts flashing. It does not matter which relay I have plugged in, I still get the same result.


I've tried flipping the wires in the LED harness, using different LED's on the off chance that I have a rogue flasher and I am getting the same result.


Any ideas for troubleshooting this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rijosho]

Resistors are usually needed for more than 2 LED turn signals if you've seen the other LED threads.

If you've confirmed the wiring is correct then look at resistors.

 

[snowpup]

clearly I've missed those threads. thanks. i'll do another search.

 

[Dogpilot]

If you bought the appropriate relay, you shouldn't need the load resistors. You might check for the stupidity I did. Apparently, when I plugged in one of the connectors, it moved one of the pins in and it contacted the other contact in the light plug part, so signals started across marker to brake lights. That took a day or to to puzzle out.

 

[Lemonhead]

This should do the trick - I installed one on each side.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/

 

[Rocky]

Forget resistors buy the adjustable relay.
That way you are covered in the event you tie a trailer with normal lights.

 

[chris snell]

This ^^^^. One of the nice things about LEDs is that you can leave your parking lights on for a long time with no appreciable battery draw. If you put that big fat resistor and heatsink in there, you can forget about that.

 

[snowpup]

I have the adjustable relay installed. I also tried the loading modules that MUD UK sells (assume these are the same as resistors) without success.


I don't understand how the right incandescent light is not getting power from the switch when the indicator is LEFT, but somehow when replaced with an LED is does get juice.



Could I have a bad hazard switch? I know all 4 lights wire through it. But again, it worked fine before, and it still works if I switch out all of the LED's back to normal bulbs.


I am wearing a path in the garage floor circling the defender trying different combinations of LED's, loading modules, indicator settings, etc. How early is too early to start drinking on a Monday?

 

[Lemonhead]

BTW (and someone smarter than me on the electrics of these machines should know better) but I believe part of the issue in general is the way that there's only one indicator bulb in the dash.

I switched out all rear bulbs with Wipacs first and then a couple months later the front blinkers with Wipac LEDs as well. After I did the fronts I experienced similar problems with all flashing whenever I used the blinker. I had installed a "correct" (but not adjustable) flasher but not until I put a resistor on each front bulb did I get normal operation.

Not saying this will work for all - but for me it did.

 

[rdavisinva]

Have installed several sets of these lights and never had a problem like you describe.

In theory, if you have a weak or bad ground on an LED, the extra light from the other side could flash as the ground flows through it by way of the hazard circuit.

A less likely long shot explanation is that you somehow cross wired some of the leads in the hazard circuit so that there is no longer a division between these 3 lights that now flash together.

 

[snowpup]

just to close the loop on this in case someone else has this issue in the future. I installed resistors from Superbright LED (http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...istor-kit/190/) as suggested and everything now works as it should! thanks for the feedback!

 

[rdavisinva]

just to close the loop on this in case someone else has this issue in the future. I installed resistors from Superbright LED (http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...istor-kit/190/) as suggested and everything now works as it should! thanks for the feedback!

As part of my insatiable quest for knowledge, the URL comes up with:

Oops, there seems to be a problem.

You have reached this page in error. This may be due to an incorrect link, server error, or discontinued product or page.


What product code did you use from http://www.superbrightleds.com?

 

[snowpup]

sorry. this is the correct link: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/

 

[rijosho]

No problem, Jeff.

 

[down_shift]

sorry. this is the correct link: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/

While tempting and convenient to use those supplied blue connectors to splice in the resistor, best to toss them in the trash with the packaging to prevent problems down the road. Best to use these or similar:
http://www.amazon.com/Ancor-309099-...r&keywords=heat+shrink+butt+connectors+marine

 

[leastonce]

toss the resistors in the trash and use a proper flasher unit for LEDs ...

 

[down_shift]

toss the resistors in the trash and use a proper flasher unit for LEDs ...

X2. Here is the solution: http://www.roversnorth.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=LED6000&type=0

I can vouch for it. Installed one yesterday.

 

[rijosho]

He said he already had the adjustable relay installed though.

 

[snowpup]

tried that. did not work for me. maybe I have/had a bad relay.

 

[rdavisinva]

sorry. this is the correct link: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/

So it was product code: RL-650 you used?

tried that. did not work for me. maybe I have/had a bad relay.

The LED flasher has an adjustable resistance based on some sort of potentiometer.
If the begin and end ranges are such that the current flow is too much, then the resistor could "take up the slack".
That's the only way to explain what I think happened with your set up.