lamp out display problem

[NScott]

I recently had an an aluminum t g mountaineer bed (T & G Mfg & Sales - Home) installed on my 05 3500 Std. Cab 4X4. The truck was built with a pickup box on it from the factory, but I wanted an aluminum bed that was lighter because I only use the truck to tow heavy gooseneck type trailers.

Anyway, after the install the shop that installed it told me that my "lamp out" light in the dash display would remain on. He said he had installed several flatbeds on Dually conversions and that they had all shown "lamp out" on their displays also and that he had never figured out a way to turn off the light. Has anybody else had this problem or heard of it? How do you get the display to go out? Any help and experience in this matter will be appreciated, as this is not a critical issue but it is annoying to have the light on.

 

[HBarlow]

NScott,



Your post should be posted in the Gen III Ram forum. Your truck is a pickup not a cab and chassis.



However, my guess is your truck bed has LED taillights. If my guess is correct see the upfitters link on the Dodge Commercial truck website.



In order to use LED lamps you must add a resistor in parallel meaning across the pins of each LED tail light in order to fool the computer.



The truck's TIPM measures current draw within a narrow range. If current draw is higher or lower it interprets that as a burned out bulb or a short.



Your truck is probably setting a burned out bulb code because an LED does not draw enough current.

 

[NScott]

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention, I'll post it over there.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

This was much easier to fix pre 3rd gen, just change the flasher for the turn signal out "rapid flash", and there wasn't any other sensing going on.



It would seem that the C&C models would have something that could be changed in the computer since type and number of blubs (or LED's) is not known at the factory nor installed. Adding resistance seems to defeat one of the LED benefits of low current draw. I know that works, and there are resistors sold just for that purpose, BUT a better solution would be a toggle in the computer, how many things do we need big brother looking out for anyway?



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

This was much easier to fix pre 3rd gen, just change the flasher for the turn signal out "rapid flash", and there wasn't any other sensing going on.



It would seem that the C&C models would have something that could be changed in the computer since type and number of blubs (or LED's) is not known at the factory nor installed. Adding resistance seems to defeat one of the LED benefits of low current draw. I know that works, and there are resistors sold just for that purpose, BUT a better solution would be a toggle in the computer, how many things do we need big brother looking out for anyway?



SHG

I agree but Dodge didn't see it our way. The upfitter's guide provides a page long explanation and description of the fix but apparently the TIPM is a "one size fits all" and LED taillights won't work without added resistance.



I changed out all the incandescent lamps in my CM bed with the exception of the red tail/stop/turn lights which are expected today from SouthWest Wheel. With the help of several TDR members I found suitable resistors to add in parallel but decided it would be cheaper and easier to simply hide a pair of cheap WalMart taillights under the bed behind each lamp to provide the necessary resistance.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Harvey, Lightech has a plug and play resistor solution under part number 019-10-042, might be cleaner than trying to wire in some lamps.



I am running Lightech LED's on my bed, MUCH brighter than Grote, etc. which I used to have, however I assume the plugs are standard and the resistor they sell would plug right in?



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

Shelby,



Your tip sounds like a better solution than hanging extra lamps under the bed. I didn't find your post until 4 p. m. TX time. I tried finding the part number on their website with no success so tried calling the company. it was only a minute or two before 5 p. m. EST so I was too late to reach their technical folks.



How can I buy two or four of the resistors you suggested. Will the company sell direct to a consumer? Do you have the company's proper name for the product so I can find it on their extensive website?



Thanks.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Heavy Duty Truck Light ACCESSORY



Look for part number 019-10-042



I don't think they sell direct exactly, BUT a dealer can place an order AND have it drop shipped to your location, FREE if the total is $100+.



I have bought stuff from SIRENNET. COM - Sirennet Weatherproof Flashing Delay Harness that wasn't stocked by my local Lightech dealer (who didn't want to special order for me).



Sirennet.com is listing a bunch of lights as their own, BUT many of those are Lightech products. Anyway, I have called them, and all they did was place an order for me and collect my payment information with the product shipped directly from the factory on several Lightech products they didn't have on their web site. It was a good experience, product showed up in about one week.



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

Shelby,



Thanks for additional info. I sent an e-mail message to "LightTech" not A. L. Lightech yesteray. No wonder I received no answer today. Different company but both in the business of high tech electronics and lighting.



I'll see if my local SouthWest Wheel can special order the plug in resistor assembly for me tomorrow. If not, I'll order from SIRENNET. COM as you suggested.



Thanks for an excellent tip. The digital photo you provided shows the resistor harness has the identical plug pattern as my harness and lamps and is waterproof also.



A great solution! Very good research work by you!



It would be helpful to future cab and chassis owners if you would start a new thread with this information. That would probably make it easier to locate months or years into the future when new cab and chassis owners are running into the same problem. Your suggestions are keepers.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Harvey,



Thanks for the kind words, I try to contribute here when I can to pay it forward on the knowledge I gain here!



I was just at my local Lightech dealer, they had a ton of the resistors in a bin, if all else fails I can get you some and ship them. Interesting enough they said they were not going to carry the Lightech line due to dealer issyes (large minimum orders, etc. ). I have found the products to mostly be good, BUT I am trying to get warranty replacement on a 19 LED lamp that has a segment of 3-4 LED's out.



I wonder if the resistor is JUST for stop and turn OR if this will also fool the TIPM on the taillight???



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

Shelby,



My understanding, from reading the Ram C&C upfitter's guide, is the additional resistor is only required on lamps that operate off the flasher which is actually a computer function now, not an old-fashioned flasher module.



I replaced all the clearance lamps and white/clear backup lamps on my CM bed with LEDs and they work normally without a resistor.



I'm on my way to SouthWest Wheel this a. m. to see if they can order the resistor module you told me about. I hope I don't run into an issue with the manufacturer's minimum orders. The local SWW and CM bed retailers might appreciate learning about the resistor product from A. L. Lightech because both sell lighting products for Dodge Ram C&Cs and need the resistors for proper operation of LED lamps.

 

[HBarlow]

Well, my visit to SWW was not productive. My counter guy who is normally helpful didn't know or understand why I wanted the waterproof resistor modules. He called the Dallas store which is the main office and whoever he talked with probably didn't sympathize with my need. His response was "we don't go that deep into those trucks. "



I think the response I received today was somewhat less than enthusiastic because I called their Dallas office yesterday to jack them up because I've been waiting two weeks for the red LED tail/stop/turn lamps to be shipped from Dallas. I think some toes got stepped on yesterday.



I ordered the waterproof resistors from SIRENNET.com, the online vendor you linked above. I hope to get them via UPS or FEDEX in a few days.



Thanks for providing the info.

 

[Dieselnut59]

Shelby,



My understanding, from reading the Ram C&C upfitter's guide, is the additional resistor is only required on lamps that operate off the flasher which is actually a computer function now, not an old-fashioned flasher module.



I replaced all the clearance lamps and white/clear backup lamps on my CM bed with LEDs and they work normally without a resistor.



I'm on my way to SouthWest Wheel this a. m. to see if they can order the resistor module you told me about. I hope I don't run into an issue with the manufacturer's minimum orders. The local SWW and CM bed retailers might appreciate learning about the resistor product from A. L. Lightech because both sell lighting products for Dodge Ram C&Cs and need the resistors for proper operation of LED lamps.

Mine required four resistors. It has the separate turn/tail and brake/tail lamps. The lamp out thing drove me crazy, as it was more than just an annoying light, it was a damn dinger too, which I could never find to disable.

 

[HBarlow]

Mine required four resistors. It has the separate turn/tail and brake/tail lamps. The lamp out thing drove me crazy, as it was more than just an annoying light, it was a damn dinger too, which I could never find to disable.

I ordered four of the resistors mentioned above and expect UPS to deliver this evening. The tracking data said they would be delived today.



I plan to install the four red LED tail/stop/turn lamps along with the resistors tomorrow if the resistors arrive today.

 

[HBarlow]

I forgot to post after my LED lights and aftermarket resistors were received and installed.



Installation was quick and easy and the LED stop/turn/hazard lights are a huge improvement.



I took the link and product info for the resistors out to my local truck bed vendor where I bought my CM bed and gave the info to the owner's son. He was impressed.



They have previously not been real enthusiastic about converting the lighting on the truck beds they sell to LEDs because of the price and hassle of obtaining and installing resistors so the lights would work.



I expect he will order some of the ALLighttech resistors.



Thanks again, Shelby, for the great link.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Harvey,



Glad to hear of your success with the product. Since I have NOT used them on my truck it is good to get some feedback since I will need to use them on my next truck in the next couple of years.



How many lights required the resistor use on your truck? My current truck has ONE SST AND ONE turn/brake light on each side, I would think I would only need ONE resistor per side, since the computer really wouldn't know how many LED lamps were hooked up, or does each lamp unit require two resistors, one for stop/turn and one for tail?



Since my local heavy truck place has these on the shelf, I am thinking of picking up a few, just in case they become an obsolete item prior to my next next.



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

Shelby,



I think only the lamps operated by a flasher require the resistor but am not absolutely certain. Standard taillights which are continuous-on probably don't need one.



My CM bed has four combo tail/stop/turn lamps on the rear of the bed and two more on the headache rack.



I think I could have made all four flash properly by adding one resistor to one lamp on each side. I think just one would have been sufficient to fool the computer but didn't want to take a chance and then have to submit another order and pay shipping again and wait another week for delivery. I installed all four and the system works great.