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rear lights + LED'S
beaver34 - 14/4/10 at 09:34 PM

hi,

im looking a getting some of these rear light units

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RDX-LED-Stop-Tail-Indicator-Light-Carbon-Pod-Kit-Car_W0QQitemZ220571145808QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?h ash=item335b109650#ht_2411wt_1165

am i going to have an issue when wiring them up if using normal front indicators? if so what do i need to do to sort this?

thanks

RazMan - 14/4/10 at 09:40 PM

There are no problems using LEDs and conventional bulbs - that's what I've got. Just make sure you use an electronic flasher unit and it will be fine.

roadrunner - 14/4/10 at 09:58 PM

I have just done this conversion. My way round it was to use resistors in parallel, you can get them from S-V-C.
Brad.

james h - 14/4/10 at 10:06 PM

I used an electronic flasher relay.

One strange thing that happened was the bulb in the sierra hazard switch was releasing charge during the 'off' stage when the hazards were put on. This made the lights stay on continuously, i.e. not blink. I just removed the bulb and the hazards seemed to work fine after that.

James

blakep82 - 14/4/10 at 10:08 PM

^ 2 different options there, both will work, but i'd go with the electronic flasher unit. future upgrade proof if you go led on the front too. and should be a simple swap, and minimal rewiring

beaver34 - 14/4/10 at 10:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
^ 2 different options there, both will work, but i'd go with the electronic flasher unit. future upgrade proof if you go led on the front too. and should be a simple swap, and minimal rewiring


like this?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-Pin-Bulb-LED-Flasher-Relay-30Watts-Kit-Car-Fast-Flash_W0QQitemZ390174822071QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_S M?hash=item5ad83b4eb7#ht_1509wt_1165

that just replace my normal ford unit?

james h - 14/4/10 at 10:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by beaver34
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
^ 2 different options there, both will work, but i'd go with the electronic flasher unit. future upgrade proof if you go led on the front too. and should be a simple swap, and minimal rewiring


like this?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-Pin-Bulb-LED-Flasher-Relay-30Watts-Kit-Car-Fast-Flash_W0QQitemZ390174822071QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_S M?hash=item5ad83b4eb7#ht_1509wt_1165

that just replace my normal ford unit?


That's the one

blakep82 - 14/4/10 at 10:20 PM

thats the type i've got yeah. haven't actually got mine wired up yet, but yes, you should be able to just plug it in and go.

Pete Jordan - 14/4/10 at 10:23 PM

I've bought a set of these lights. including rears, fog and reverse and a flasher unit that I was assured would allow led and normal indicators to work together was included.

Pete

RazMan - 14/4/10 at 10:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by james h
I used an electronic flasher relay.

One strange thing that happened was the bulb in the sierra hazard switch was releasing charge during the 'off' stage when the hazards were put on. This made the lights stay on continuously, i.e. not blink. I just removed the bulb and the hazards seemed to work fine after that.

James


I had a similar problem but found that putting one normal bulb in each side (even a tiny one) made everything normal again. I think that the LEDs were left 'high' and needed to be discharged between flashes.

p.s. To anyone considering putting resistors in parallel with LED's - make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the car .... those things get really hot if left on for any length of time and can catch fire.

[Edited on 15-4-10 by RazMan]

RIE - 15/4/10 at 07:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
I had a similar problem but found that putting one normal bulb in each side (even a tiny one) made everything normal again. I think that the LEDs were left 'high' and needed to be discharged between flashes.

p.s. To anyone considering putting resistors in parallel with LED's - make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the car .... those things get really hot if left on for any length of time and can catch fire.

[Edited on 15-4-10 by RazMan]


Bulbs provide resistance within a circuit just as resistors do, whereas LEDs do not (meaning the current is greater, hence why they will flash faster if the indicators are controlled by a bimetallic strip).

Bulbs (or lamps, as a pedantic electrical retailer friend of mine keeps saying) get hot as we know, like resistors do as you say. Thinking about it, lamps convert the electrical energy to heat and light, whereas resistors only convert it to heat, so for a given resistance resistors will get hotter than lamps/bulbs. I hadn't thought about it like that before.

RazMan - 15/4/10 at 07:53 AM

I went for as many LEDs as possible in my build in order to save power drain from my tiny alternator and racing battery. The only conventional bulbs in the car are in the main beams (dips are HID) They make a huge difference all over the car and I reckon save about a couple of hundred watts in total, which means less power absorbed by the alternator and therefore more power to my wheels