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LED conversion for stock tail lights?

I'm trying to understand why the LED bulbs (which are everywhere on ebay for dirt cheap) do not work properly in the trucks.

Not nearly as cool as some of the retrofit kits, but this sort of stuff is cheap http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Car-Inte...oon-/191628153344?hash=item2c9ded9200&vxp=mtr

Not sure if it's a resistance issue or what, but with headlights on, you lose parking lights when the signals flash, brightness isn't comparable, etc. Even with an electronic flasher.
 
What's wrong w/ regular bulbs? They're bright enough, they're readily available, and they're dirt cheap compared to LEDs. Sounds like you're trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.
 
Hey Captain Wild Bill Kelso....I have to do a complete overhaul on my K30 and thought I might try and upgrade the lighting to save some amps, and be more visible. I may just install some regular off the shelf LED oval or round lights, but still considering maybe trying to save the OEM tail light looks. I thought the circuit board can be had for cheap and a good idea to squeeze in under the OEM red lense to replace the old incandescent bulbs.

On a side note, did you and your P38 find that Jap squadron over Fresno?:weapon22:
 
runamok151 said:
What's wrong w/ regular bulbs? They're bright enough, they're readily available, and they're dirt cheap compared to LEDs. Sounds like you're trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.
Click to expand...

Eh. LED's are brighter, more efficient, work better with old crappy wiring (less power draw and constant current drivers mean they'll run the same on 10V as 12V), and are instant-on/instant-off, giving more warning to the people behind you.

OTOH, they can be a pain to integrate with the blinker (even with a solid state-driven relay blinker I had to put a set of resistors in parallel with my turns) and yes, they aren't as widely available.

My truck is 100% LED and I don't regret it. YMMV. I did bulb-replacement types in the stock sockets, from SuperBrightLEDs.com. I suspect that a flat board like that would be even more efficient/brighter/snazzier, but I couldn't find a simple way to make it work inside the stock housing.

And yes, CK5 is all about fixing problems that may or may not exist :haha:

-- A
 
Aaron...i just replaced all my bulbs to include headlights to LED. Even with a grounded LED flasher it bleeds into the other lights. What was the fix...? :popcorn:

DW
 
The only bleedover I have is on my dash turn indicators. The resistors on the turns keep the actual turns from going on.

-- A
 
Looking for a solution, is the flasher the ultimate problem?

*IMO*, and no ill-will towards those of you running them, having to run resistors on LED's seems pointless. I suppose if you are going for looks they fit the bill, but since you can't run the entire truck LED (I've not seen reversible polarity bulbs for the side markers yet) it just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

I've got interior LED's, but that's it now. I got away from the LED lights in the rear because they didn't work right as-is, and the reverse lights were dimmer than with incandescents. If you could buy a reasonably priced flasher that actually worked with the LED's without needing resistors, I'd be all over it.

Obviously you need the electronic flasher, but that still didn't fix the issue on the truck or the car.
 
dyeager535 said:
I've not seen reversible polarity bulbs for the side markers yet
Click to expand...

SuperBright has 'em, or at least they did. I'm 100% LED on mine. (Or you could just use a bridge rectifier on a regular LED if you wanted to be obstinate. I betcha that's what these have internally.)

My attitude is that the lower power draw (and voltage-independent driver circuits) mean I can get away with my crappy old corroded wiring and still get full brightness :D

And yeah, the resistors were annoying, but it was easier for me as I had the stuff laying around, rather than dinking with the blinker and my (also crappy old corroded) fusebox.

-- A
 
I'm curious why they don't make the LED's with the resistors internal...they don't seem to work properly on any vehicle without them.

Again though, I'd think an LED specific flasher would be the solution?
 
dyeager535 said:
Again though, I'd think an LED specific flasher would be the solution?
Click to expand...

I would agree. I already had solid-state driven relay flashers and was too cheap/lazy to replace or dink with them. I imagine that using LED-compatible blinkers woulda fixed mine.

-- A
 
Do they make ones specifically for LED's?

I've got a "solid state" one in the truck, still does not function properly with LED's.
 
Ebay'd the resistors. Jimmy is finally at the exhaust shop. Driving me nuts waiting for the come get it phone call.
 
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It's a link to an external page, BUT I'm the original poster there also. And it is too good to pass up!!!!!

The NO money LED flasher mod.............. http://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?19988-NO-money-LED-flasher-mod

Easy to do and has worked for every vehicle I've ever needed to mod for LED lights. Basically it removes the "safety" fast flashing which indicates lights out, and makes the flasher a time based flasher regardless of resistance.

ETA: yes it must be an electronic flasher to start with, the old mechanical/heat type are a no go.
 
Hmm. So on the trucks what happens with the electric flasher is that you lose the "running light" when the blinker flashes. Blinks at the appropriate speed, but basically it acts like a single filament bulb.

Will this fix that issue?

I'll have to look at the flasher in the truck. It's round, I assume they are setup the same though.
 
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