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I am trying to switch over to LED lights in all sockets. I changed over the drivers side marker lights with no issue. Then on the front turn signal I ran into a problem. After changing to LED I lost blinking function on the entire drivers side. I have tried three different HD and other flashers with no luck. I re-wired the connection to the front drivers side turn signal and with the incandescent bulbs in I can get the side marker to blink, but not the actual front turn signal. If I switch the passenger side to LED I lose blinking function over there as well. At this point I would be happy with incandescent lights in the turn signals if the both blinked. Thoughts?
Pretty sure that my issue is in the socket for the turn signal bulb. I can wiggle the bulb just right and it will dim a bit then blink. If I let off from the wiggle spot it goes back to steady on. Now (5 minutes later) it won't blink without holding it with some pressure.
Someone on one of the jeep sites (here??) used a round led for a motorcycle. Drilled a hole above the existing bulb holder. I'll see if I can find a link...
Not quite ready to go that far, yet. Haha. I have narrowed it down to the socket the turn signal bulb mounts in. The issue now is that I cannot get parking light and turn signal out of that socket. I can get one or the other depending on how I wire it from the headlight harness. Basically, if I wore it one way I get parking lights only, and then if I switch the wires, I get turn signal. But can't get both like the other light.
Remember that your stock flasher uses the current draw to heat up a bi-metallic strip and that in turn makes your light "blink". LEDs do not have the same current draw, and thus with a bi-metalic flasher, will not flash.
If you use an electronic flasher, you should be OK, as those are using a solid state circuit to make the light flash on and off.
Yeah, I have tried a couple Novita brand flashers, I tried one that is a "loud" flasher, and one that even said LED on it. I ended up leaving the LED one in it.
Note that J. Bradley says you need a plug-in flasher with a ground wire. This makes sense - the original flasher for incandescent bulbs uses a bimetal strip that heats up and breaks connection when the indicators are on. A LED uses much less current, so the flasher never heats up enough to cycle. For LEDs, the bimetal strip is replaced with an electronic circuit, and it can't just go inline - it needs a ground.
NB you have two flasher cans - one for the indicators and one for the emergency flashers.
If you can't go back to the incandescents and original flasher, then you have another problem in the circuit... likely corrosion in the grounds or contacts. If you can't get the bulb out, break it and grab the edge of the socket with needle nose pliers. Use your super-strength to turn and remove. Clean the socket and assemble with a little dielectric grease on the contacts and socket.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
Well, not really "inline" per se. Actually the resistance is in parallel with the LED. This lowers the effective resistance and increases the circuit current, restoring proper function of the mechanical flasher.
JMO - an electronic flasher is a far better solution.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
Your right Tim Thanks, I need to be more careful in my wording,I have encountered problems with cars equipped with a electronic flasher and LED brake lights not disengaging cruise controls or lock up torque converters when brakes applied, only solution was adding the resistor.
I am no expert but if you put the resistor in parallel with the led won't the current ignore the resistor and take the path of, well, least resistance?
No - the current is always proportional to the voltage potential and the intervening resistance. That's Ohm's law. This applies to both legs of the circuit, the LED and the bypass resistor. As long as there is no drop in the supply voltage, the current through the LED does not change. There is an additive current through the low resistance placed in parallel with the LED.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
I wanted to switch to LED because they are brighter, and have a longer life. Plus I like the new tech in the old Jeep. I ended up trying the grounded flasher, and still had no luck. I ended up getting everything except the front turn signals changed and functioning with LED. So I left the front turn signals as incandescent and all function is good.
I just tried one of these in my '77 and the result is no blinking at all I clipped a wire onto the ground wire and touched it to all kinds of things, thinking it was a grounding problem, but still no luck. Putting the Napa 552 flasher back in restores the flashing operation.
I'm going to get on tech support with superbrightleds.com tomorrow and see what they recommend. I've upgraded all of my landscaping to LEDs with their help.