LED turn signal bulbs need resistor. Any way to do it cheap?

[Signal73]

Here Is a resistor they sell so when you put LED bulbs in your turn signals they dont flash like you have a bulb burnt out. Has anyone just went to say radio shack and bought a resistor and wired it inline? These guys want $10 per resistor thats $40 for the truck, :{ Radio shack sells Like 5 resistors for a dollar. Any suggestions?

 

[SKargo]

I'd print that out, and take it to the local RS.

 

[Joe G.]

You might check on switching your flasher to an electronic timed heavy duty. That's what I'm using because the lights on my trailer made the stock heavy duty towing flasher blink like crazy. The electronic timed flasher does not depend on circuit resistance to control blink timing.

 

[JayWm]

You might check on switching your flasher to an electronic timed heavy duty. That's what I'm using because the lights on my trailer made the stock heavy duty towing flasher blink like crazy. The electronic timed flasher does not depend on circuit resistance to control blink timing.

What he said is the way to go. Or you could wire up a small bulb and plug it into your tow light harness and tuck it under the truck. This creates enough load that they should flash correctly.

 

[Signal73]

any idea where to source one of those? This is for a superduty BTW (hides behind desk)

Thanks for the ideas so far. .

 

[JayWm]

any idea where to source one of those? This is for a superduty BTW (hides behind desk)

Thanks for the ideas so far. .

If you're using on a FORD #@$%! #@$%! #@$%! I'm not telling



All kidding aside, check w/ your local auto parts store first. If not then try a shop that does specialty electrical work on cars. Best would be to find the local shop that upfits police cars and fire equipment. Here in Norcal we have place called Lehr electric, all they do is automotive electrical including selling and upfitting all the woopie wowser flashing light stuff. Napa should be able to order one for ya, you just gotta get the guy behind the counter to open the catalog to the truck section.



Jay

 

[Signal73]

If you're using on a FORD #@$%! #@$%! #@$%! I'm not telling





Jay

:-laf

I will have to hit the local parts house and see what I can find. Regarding the rigged up bulb under the truck idea, that would be to tie it into the wiring harness (7 way) for the trailer lights, and that would create enough resistance for all 4 corner LED lights? Thanks, Jim

 

[Joe G.]

I bought my flasher at NAPA. It blinks the same if my trailer or whatever I want to toe is hooked up or if nothing is hooked up. The resister thing is kind of a patch up that would need to be changed everytime you towed something different. It would even change if a bulb burned out. This flasher could care less, it always blinks the same. I think all the new heavy duty flashers are electronically timed now. Mine has a clear plastic cover. A PC board is visable through the plastic. I don't know if all of them have clear plastic like that.

 

[RM]

i just had my bradford built flat bed put on with led sealed bulbs at stop, turn, and running. as we wired it up put a 10 ohm radio shack resistor in the wiring for each circuit and so far could`nt be working better. i`m thinking 10 ohm might be to much i heard 6 would do. but it aint broke so i aint going to fix it ron

 

[JayWm]

:-laf

I will have to hit the local parts house and see what I can find. Regarding the rigged up bulb under the truck idea, that would be to tie it into the wiring harness (7 way) for the trailer lights, and that would create enough resistance for all 4 corner LED lights? Thanks, Jim

Yes, I'm thinking that if you took a bulb and socket and wired it to either a 7way or a 4 way flat and plug it into your trailer plug you could get the resistance you need and then when you go to hook up a trailer, just unplug and throw in glovebox. But the best way would be to find the flasher unit. I can't think they would be expensive and they should just plug into the stock harness under the dash or wherever the flasher unit is.

 

[Signal73]

Joe, Any chance you have a P/N (I know it will be diferent for different models) Of the NAPA flasher? Just wanted to have something to go in there with so they dont look at me with that stare on there faces, or try to sell me a factory type flasher. Thanks.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I'm chiming in a little late here but have you taken a look at superbrightleds.com? They claim that they have built in current limiting resistors in most of their automotive bulbs. They also sell a relay for LED bulbs or a load resistor kit(same as you posted)for half the price. Just something else to look at I guess.



Jeff

 

[JayWm]

Sig 73, here's what I found so far. Tridon makes electronic flashers that I think will work. I found a listing for them at Autozone. Ford calls for a "EP27" and it lists for 12. 99. So hopefully you can find an autozone near you and give that a try.



Jay

 

[Allnew2Me]

This might help you find the value needed so you can just buy a resistor at an electronics supply store. I used this to make several work with 12V. If not, there are many calculators that I found that may also work. http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

 

[BK]

"LED Bulb Load Resistor 6 Ohm / 50 Watt For Signal or Brake light with Dual Filament LED bulbs upgrade "



From reading the page it's a 6ohm 50w resistor.

So it draws 2 amps or so.

You can also a trailer hitch plug in 3rd light.

The electronic flashers are good, and aren't load dependent for timing of the flashing.





RS wont carry these aluminum cased power resistors. RS has changed from a tinker's store to a life style store.



You should be able buy the reisistors, online at Digikey or Newark or Allied, or mouser.



But they are expensive. If your buying just one from one of these electronic component vendoers, it will be $3 -$7 +shipping and wont have wire leads soldered on for you, nor come with the quick clamp/crimp connects.



http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=displayproduct&lstdispproductid=240739



http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=displayproduct&lstdispproductid=257358



I did a quick search, mouser is usually the cheapest , but doesn't have 6ohm, just 5 or 7. 5. Either should work.

I would go with the 7. 5ohm, only about . 4 of an amp less draw then the 6 ohm, but less power in the resistor and should last longer.

 

[Signal73]

I'm chiming in a little late here but have you taken a look at superbrightleds.com? They claim that they have built in current limiting resistors in most of their automotive bulbs. They also sell a relay for LED bulbs or a load resistor kit(same as you posted)for half the price. Just something else to look at I guess.



Jeff

This is for my friend who already bought them without the knowledge of them needing a resistor. I guess Ill suggest the electronic flasher module to him since it seems the easiest overall with no splicing, etc. Thanks for all the help guys. Jim

 

[BK]

I'm chiming in a little late here but have you taken a look at superbrightleds.com? They claim that they have built in current limiting resistors in most of their automotive bulbs. They also sell a relay for LED bulbs or a load resistor kit(same as you posted)for half the price. Just something else to look at I guess.

The resistor that started this thread was not a current limiting resistor, but yet a load resistor to apply additional load to the flasher so the old bi-metal contact flashers would work more normally. With the low current draw of the LED tail lights, the contacts dont heat up nearly as much and have a very slow flash rate.

Same as when you have a standard duty bi-metal flasher, and you hook up a trailer and the blinkers flash soo much faster.

A heavy duty or electronic flasher fixes that.

A heavy duty flasher would be worse with the lower current draw and no trailer attached.



But an electronic flasher would take care of both problems. . it's the best answer IMHO.

The added load of the resistor is more of a bandaid.

This is for my friend who already bought them without the knowledge of them needing a resistor. I guess Ill suggest the electronic flasher module to him since it seems the easiest overall with no splicing, etc. Thanks for all the help guys. Jim

 

[draymorris]

Question?

I installed some "Spyder" brand LED lights on my flatbed and now my turns signal flashes very rapidly. I was thinking that they would work correctly because I did not replace the turn signals on the headache rack with LED. I was planning on installing matching lights on the headache rack once I found out which restistor I needed but it sounds like I am heading in the wrong direction.



Am I already drawing too much load, thus making my flasher cycle too fast?

 

[BK]

That's what it sounds like, the load is too much.

Too many aux turn signals.

You should just go to one of the electronic flashers.



(edit)

Also if the ones there now are regular filament type bulbs, not LED, and the LED ones you want to replace them with draw less current then the bulb one, changing out the last ones left should help

 

[PatrickCampbell]

So uh, was the consensus that an EP-27 will fix the fast flash? I have rear LEDs, front incandescents. My trailer also goes off of my truck wiring and has about 50 feet of 18 ga wire with LED flashers. It still flashes fast with the trailer hooked up.