Electrical Issue-Interior LED Lighting

[MarkEagleUSA]

I changed the dome light and reading lamps in the overhead console to LED's. The console lights go very dim, but never go out (off). If I leave the standard 921 bulb in the dome light everything works properly. This has me scratching my head since I can't figure out what might be wrong.

 

[lpennock]

Bleed current from drivers that control the lights. Might need a resistor to bleed off the current.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Might need a resistor to bleed off the current.

Like those big things they sell for taillight conversions? Or would something smaller work?

 

[lpennock]

Probably a 1K 1/8w should work. It just needs a bleed path as the LED takes such low current to light.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Probably a 1K 1/8w should work. It just needs a bleed path as the LED takes such low current to light.

The resistor is placed across the (+) and (-) courtesy lamp feed, correct?

 

[lpennock]

That is as good as place as any. After install check for excessive heat. If is just warm after the dome lights do the auto shut off you are fine. If it is hot you will probably need to go with a larger resisters (2K, 5k etc). Largest value that will cause the lights to go out is the correct value. I would use a set of jumper leads to some resistors until you find the value that works.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Do I need to worry about parasitic drain on the batteries with the resistor?

 

[lpennock]

Won't be any worse than you had with the bulbs in there.

 

[Motorhead]

Might just burn the truck to the ground too......

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Might just burn the truck to the ground too......

Explain please?...

 

[Motorhead]

The idea of this forum is to NOT guess and tell a poster what MIGHT work. Suggesting putting a resistor across a certain circuit without knowing the wattage or OHMS needed is not sound advice. I don't "suggest" anything unless I have RESEARCHED and tried it first on my own truck with 100% success and safety. My personal opinion would be to advise you to put the incandescent bulbs back in that the circuit and light dimmer was designed for. Not trying to bag on anyone.

 

[lpennock]

Your right I should have just said it needs a load resistor to bleed off the voltage because the current is so low through a led bulb. The ones for tail light are bigger than needed but your one your own to figure out a starting point.
BTW: 1K 1/8w is boarder line on wattage rating. 1/4w is better. Wattage = Voltage Squared / ohms.

 

[Motorhead]

Your right I should have just said it needs a load resistor to bleed off the voltage because the current is so low through a led bulb. The ones for tail light are bigger than needed but your one your own to figure out a starting point.
BTW: 1K 1/8w is boarder line on wattage rating. 1/4w is better. Wattage = Voltage Squared / ohms.

Understand that I wasn't bagging on you or your suggestion.... It is just that our trucks are not the simple machines that a 1963 Dodge pickup was. Too many electronics as far as I am concerned on our trucks and with electronic controls, one mis-calculation can be expensive.
Good example is my 2007, 5.9 with the TIPM controlling about everything including the trailer tow lighting plug. A short either trips or burns the TIPM circuit board and the fix is about $1500-$2000 when all is said and done. That is why I built the TIPM saver that isolated the TIPM from the trailer tow light plug by using relays and thermal reset circuit breakers. I thoroughly tested it on my truck first before building about 25-30 of them and selling them to friends and members. Never had one come back for a failure or damage to the truck. I stopped selling them because they were too time intensive to build them the way I wanted them to be.