Problem with LED tailights

[Craig]

measurements

Just installed my LED tailights today. Everything went good except when it comes to my turn signals. When I hit my turn signal, it just stays on as a solid light...doesn't blink. My tailights work, my brake lights work, even my hazard lights work. I'm thinking it has something to do with the flasher that operates the signals. It's just like when I have a burnt out bulb. The lights stays on solid. I've seen some LED's sold on the internet with some kind of voltage regulator...think this will solve my problem? Thanks.

 

[bryanjeep]

Craig, I don't think you need a regulator. Mine work fine without it. When you say your blinkers do not work, what do you mean? Do they even light up at all when the blinker is on? The Brakes and blinkers should be hooked up to the same wire. Is that how you have it?

 

[Craig]

No, my lights came with three wires. One is ground, one is tailights and one is brake/signals. When I turn on my signal, it lights up and stays bright without blinking.

 

[jeepin916]

sounds like maybe the flasher isnt working properly

 

[Craig]

Doesn't work on either side, but it does work with my old stock lights. I'm thinking that LED's run at a different amperage or something and the flasher doesn't recognize they're turned on....mabye this is what the voltage regulator does.

 

[jeepin916]

well that might be it but i would think that the led company might have thought of that and incorporated the regulator in with lights them selfs but may be they didnt and thats how there gunna squeeze a few more dollars outt of u, i would call the company and find out if regulators are in them if not then you might need a regulator.

 

[jay79cj7]

You could test your theory by hooking up your old tail light in parallel with the LED... If they both start blinking, that's a good indication that you are right.

 

[Craig]

Ok, I've been searching around the web for hours now and I finally found these regulators, actually called load equalizers. Here's a link to the site for those who don't know what I'm talking about and are considering LED's. Here's what they have to say....

"Turn signal flashers need resistance to operate properly. Since LED lights draw very little amps, load equalizers are required to provide the necessary resistance in the light circuit. One equalizer required per circuit.
Trailers typically do not require load stabilizers since they piggy-back the vehicle turn signal circuit."
http://www.buytruckstuff.com/product.asp?selcategory=23&p_gpID=201

Now my question is this...Is it necessary to purchase this load equalizer or can some kind resistor or whatever is the opposite of a resistor or something be spliced into the wire?

 

[Snitty]

if you just need more resistance... a resistor wired in series would work just fine... not sure on what size... but i know they are really cheap.. and you can buy variety packs... i believe the speed of the flash is related to the load... so you may be able to choose your flash speed

 

[GEAH]

Swap a 4.2 to a 4.0 EFI

a 20watt 8 ohm resistor from radio shack wired inline will do the same thing.

 

[Craig]

I asked around on another jeep site and a few of the guys there have had the same problem. Some of them have just wired in small lights inline and left them unseen behind the body panels. I still have to wire in my LED side markers so hopefully when that's done, it'll draw enough amperage to operate the flasher.

 

[jay79cj7]

I don't know what kind of power the OEM lights are... But find out what wattage they are. W = V x I, so divide the watts by 12V and thats about what current you have going through your current light. LEDs probably have considerably less than stock, thus your problem. I would take that current that you calculate and use R = V / I to figure out what resistance you need to achieve that current. Then find a resistor of that size and wire it in parallel to your LED. Make sure it has a high enough power rating to handle how ever many watts the OEM light is. Should work.

 

[XJNick]

Hi,

Let me say the probably the BEST solution here would be to get what's called an Electronic Flasher. You see, the type of flasher most Jeeps use is a can style flasher which heats up and "blinks" when current is drawn across it's plates. Electronic flashers, however, use solid-state ciruitry and can "blink" at a fixed rate regardless of the amount of current the ciruit is pulling. You can find Electronic Flashers that will fit right into where the old one was.

LED lights pull VERY little current (probably less than 1/4 amp at 12v). Normal Incandescent tail lamps pull greater than 1 amp at 12v. That is one of the major benefits to LEDs, they are energy efficient.

YES, you CAN hook a resistor in series with the LED assemblies, and YES it will work and should make them blink if the size is correct. It was mentioned above that a 20 watt resistor was needed, this sounds wrong. Maybe he meant 20 ohms? A .5 (1/2) watt or 1 watt resistor should be fine, you just need to determine the appropiate OHM rating you'll need.

With that said, I'd look for an Electronic Flasher for your Jeep and know that the system works. :mrgreen:

-Nick :!:

 

[XJNick]

Some of them have just wired in small lights inline and left them unseen behind the body panels. I still have to wire in my LED side markers so hopefully when that's done, it'll draw enough amperage to operate the flasher.

Don't wire any other lights in SERIES with the LED modules, especially incandescent (normal) lamps, it is not a good idea!

You can hook other lamps to the circuit, but be sure they are hooked up in PARALLEL.

Unfortionately, the LED side markers + the LED turnsignals probably won't draw enough current to make a can style flasher work... but it's worth a try. :mrgreen:

-Nick :!:

 

[LBR]

craig
every fix option that I have heard of or know about has been posted above - several ways to go and they will work - make your choice and grab some gears! LBR

 

[Craig]

How NOT to tow a car *idiot warning*

Well just installed the LED sidemarkers and it didn't work. Looks like I'm gonna try the electronic flasher next. Where exactly is the flasher located and does it just unplug? I'm guessing it's under the hood in the main fuse block? After I pull my flasher out how do I know what kind of electronic flasher to get or does it say right on the flasher the amperage rating? Thanks.

 

[XJNick]

Electronic Flashers should have a flexible amperage rating... i.e. as long as it plugs into your flasher socket, it should work fine.

If you take you old flasher to an auto parts store, they should be able to sell you the appropiate one. Also note that you can buy them online.

If it is a YJ, I don't know where the flasher is. TJs have their flasher up by the steering column I believe. :mrgreen:

-Nick :!:

 

[Snitty]

i believe the electronic flasher sounds like the best option

 

[Craig]

shocks

Problem's fixed and all's good. Replaced the stock flasher with an electronic one. Cost me $10. Thanks for all the help.