2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission LED Blinker issues

[Wyomingcowboy]

I just put a new CM flatbed on and now I'm having very fast blinker issues. I noticed that DC has two turn signal wires...one for the rear bed lights and one for the trailer connector I assume? (There is only two turn signals....not two grounds or two tail light wires.....)
Anyway, I had to wire the bed in several different phases due to serious time constraints and I noticed that with only one wire connected to lights the blinkers ran very fast. The first thing I wired was my temporary magnet mounted lights so I could get home. These lights are incandescent and the left blinker was fast and I figured it had something to due with the fact that there was an unused wire hanging there. When I got home and wired the bed LED's, BOTH were fast. Yesterday I finished the trailer plug wiring and both are STILL fast, even after I used the extra turn signal wires.
They are both fast UNTIL I plugged in the trailer to check my wiring.....at this point the blinkers were normal speed. When I unplug the trailer they are fast again.

Is this due to the LED's? If you think it is, then maybe you can explain why one of the temporary incandescents was also fast??
Thoughts? Everything works and they are bright enough to see but the fast blinker drives me nuts!

 

[mwilson]

You can either change flashers or add a resistor to the turn signal feed wire for each side. This places the load on the existing flasher that was taken away when you added the LED lights on the body.

Example of one here....
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...sistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/831/

Mike.

 

[Road Dog]

The fast blink is a feature (side effect) of most flashers to indicate a burned out bulb. The LEDs don't draw enough power and the flasher operates like nothing's connected. mwilson has the solutions. Some people connect a regular bulb under the body which is the same as adding a resistor.

 

[JMcCoy]

I would try the electronic flasher first. That way you get the benefit of using less juice to run your rear lights.

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

what do you mean by electronic flasher?

 

[JMcCoy]

An electronic flasher is more sensitive than a standard mechanical flasher. It will recognize the LED bulb instead of flashing fast, to indicate a bad bulb. The resistor will work, but it will cause the led bulb to use more juice (similar to a standard bulb). They also sell LED bulbs with resistors in them. You can google the part number and get the part number conversion of the electronic flasher. They are available at most parts stores. I have yet to do this, but I plan to shortly.

 

[mwilson]

For example

Two prong...http://www.grote.com/product.php?product_number=44891

Three prong....http://www.grote.com/product.php?product_number=44890

 

[HCannon]

I have the same problem but like it that way. I pull a trailer most of the time so if they flash fast that is telling me that my trailer lights arent working.

 

[LandShark]

I changed to all LED a few years ago. An electronic flasher from O'reilly's Auto took care of the fast flashing.

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

I finally got my resistors like these from China - only took 45 days! http://www.amazon.com/Resistors-Signal-License-Warning-Cancellor/dp/B004EDF8HY

The question I have is - how do I wire them in? Is it in series or in parallel with the turn signal?

 

[mwilson]

One wire spliced to the turn signal feed and one to ground. Paralell. I installed the ground wire to metal using a screw and eyelet terminal rather than Scotch Locking it to the socket ground wire. I loathe Scotch-Locks.

https://d114hh0cykhyb0.cloudfront.net/pdfs/load_resistor_info.pdf

Don't forget about the heat generated. Keep it away from existing wiring. I hooked mine to sheet metal behind the head light bucket.

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

I got my resistors wired in with no issues. My mounting is quite sketchy and I'm sure I'll need to do a better job after a little while.

 

[JMcCoy]

I don't like using resistors. They are just something else to go wrong. They do occasionally burn out. Make sure they are mounted in a dry place. It just doesn't make sense to me to install a low wattage bulb, and then a resister to put a load back on it, especially when a $10 electronic flasher will do the same thing without the added load.

 

[mwilson]

I normally don't use the resistors but had to in Hoopty for the following reasons.....

(1) I don't know if it even has a flasher and if it does I don't know where to even start looking...

(2) The Factory turn signal bulbs are also the DRL's and they will melt the headlight housings over time. A conversion to LED made sense.

(3) You have to remove the front fascia and the wheel liners to get the headlight units out so an LED and resistor should make it last for a while.

If it it had something normal I would have gone with a flasher for sure.

Mike.