Converting to LED's ****Odd Problem

Finally getting this 1975 B headed to the home stretch of calling it finished. I like LED’s and think they help for safety being brighter. I have started to convert the little car over. I replaced the tail/braking lights with LED’s and they have worked better than expected. I changed out the flasher to one recommended by Super Bright LED’s and replaced the rear turn signals. The worked great until…. I turned on the parking lights. When I did that the right hand turn signal LED came on solid and quit flashing. I turned off the turn signal switch and it still stayed on. I then double checked my wiring and connectors and the grounds. Everything looks good.

Prior to doing the install all bulb sockets were cleaned to insure good contact. Has this happened to anyone else before? Has anyone changed over to LED’s with success?

Dave

When I tried to go 100% LED, I got weird results also. Whenever I turned on the turn signals, ALL 4 of the side marker lights would blink along with the turn signals. Tried many things and finally solved the problem by going back to stock bulbs for the front parking/turn signal lights.

Don't ask me why, but it just worked and the LED parking lights weren't a whole lot brighter anyway. So I now have LEDs in all the other lights.

Yep, exact same thing happened to me, Dave. I went through five different electonic flashers (all the ones Superbright had, plus two more from Pep Boys). I was finally resigned to putting the regular bulbs back in the front parking/turn lights and not worrying about it. I figure, 1) I've reduced a bunch of amperage going through the switch, and, 2) the bulbs that really need to be brightest - rear and side - are now LED. The front parking/signal lights are not nearly as safety oriented as the rear so I just let it go. If you really dog it, and figure this out, let the rest of us know!

Dave

I'd suspect a bad ground. When a lighting ground is bad, bulbs can find alternate ground paths by going through other bulbs, making those other bulbs light up even though they aren't "on".

You would need to replace the stock flasher (bother turn and hazard) with a LED Flasher

I used this from Superbrightleds.com
FL2-RED: LED Bulb Flasher Unit
Electronic LED Flashers have no minimum load-12VDC
Eliminates the need for load resistors, turn signals will flash at normal rate with or without LED bulbs

I tried that one, too, Vijay, still got not blinking when LEDs were in the front turn signal lights (amber, in bumper), but flashed fine with reg bulbs there and LEDs everywhere else.

A few things to know about LED's. First,they are polarity sensitive. They only work when the positive and negative go to the right connections on the LED. Second is that they draw very little current, so turn signals and flashers will not work unless you have electronic type flasher relays. There are different flashers for each, so you have to change both the turn and hazard relays. You can "cheat" by adding a resistor to the flasher circuit (line to ground) to simulate a bulb filament, but it's kinda cheesy to do it that way. Stock flasher relays use a bi-metallic plate to cause the flashing. Current through the plate causes the bi-metallic strip to heat up and snap one way or the other. (OK, too much information....sorry, I'm a techno-geek). Good grounds and connections are VERY important, because any resistance in the circuit will drop enough voltage to cause problems.

Vern is right about the polarity.
David, Just flip it around. I've replaced LEDs on my Nissan Leaf and '79 MGB; all LEDs work perfect.

Vijay, flip what around? The bulbs only go in one way due to the different levels of the little metal tips. Are you saying move wires around on the relay? I did have to flip the boot light and interior light bulbs around and they work great, but I don't follow on the front signal lights (amber lenses inside the bumper).

David

The weather this week is fair and I am still recovering from shoulder surgery so I hope to get in there and check the grounds and add a new flasher to the 4-ways to see if that helps. Good suggestions here from the group and worth putting some time into. I have nice bright LED's on the side markers and the brake lights are LED's with that flasher in line with them that flashes them 4 or 5 times fast before going solid. Have that on the Harley and love it.

I will stay with it and hope for an answer. I do think that the 4-way flasher and the hazzard switch play into this. I am wondering also if the indicators on the dashboard need also to be LED's. I will keep you posted and thanks for the suggestions.

Dave

David, Not sure what else could be done. I hope the LED bulb didn't go bad..

If you hav't done so, may be u shud apply some dielectric grease..