Converting to LED, blinkers not blinking

[barkster]

I replaced all my light bulbs inside and outside with 10-30v led bulbs and my front signals are acting up. When I read the voltages on the lines I get 16 top, 24v middle and 6v on bottom lamps on the front turn signal. Also, when I turn on the signal it just lights up and doesn't blink. I have had intermittent issues with my blinkers not working in the past so I wasn't sure if this was caused by the led or my problem reappearing. Shouldn't all the lines read 24v, I read the tm 9-2320-272-24-1 on the section for the flashers but it only discusses continuity and not voltages. Can someone confirm that all three bulbs should have 24v. I also read that sometimes when going to led you have to replace the flasher unit with the one with "fins". I haven't checked mine to see if I have fins or not. I'm going to start testing modules tonight. Any suggestions?

 

[MtnSnow]

usually the fix for non-blinking LEDs is to use the updated flasher unit.

 

[Wildchild467]

I put an LED bulb in my turn signal switch and it fixed the problem

 

[Wildchild467]

To test that theory, take out your turn signal indicator and then try the blinkers.

 

[barkster]

Anyone have the part number for the updated flasher unit or a way to tell which is which. I'll keep testing I've changed just about every bulb out to led that I can easily access.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

As stated above, remove the bulb behind the green lens on the blinker switch and try the blinkers with the bulb removed. If they work without the bulb in there then you need an LED bulb in the switch. Don't go buying a bunch of parts without running this simple test.

Post a picture of your blinker module so we can see which one you have then take a look at the thread below.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ry-LED-Taillights-not-flashing-MRAP-take-offs

 

[barkster]

Like I said I replaced ALL the bulbs including the one behind the switch to led and I even have it out right now. The only light I haven't replaced are the backlights for gauges. I'll take a look at the module tonight and see what version it is. Thanks

 

[glassk]

Everyone loves upgrading their trucks and trailers to long lasting LED lights, but you can run into problems if your turn signal flasher isn't built to operate with them. The problem is that a standard mechanical flasher operates based on the electrical current flowing through it, and one of the benefits of LED lights is the reduced current required by them. The result is that you have less current running through your flasher, and that current is outside the flasher's prescribed parameters. This can cause the flasher to operate erratically, flashing too fast or too slow.
What you need is an electronic flasher meant for use with LED lights. All of the flashers shown below are up to the task.

http://www.anythingtruck.com/category/htp-lights-led-flashers.html

not that one of these will work, just stole the info from that website,

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I skimmed your first post while at work and missed some key points apparently. My apologies.

The two modules below are LED compatible. I don't have a picture of the non-compatible style but I believe it was more of a metal box without the heatsinks. Both compatible models are available at Erik's.

 

[lino]

Here's another, non-stock option that's available from amazon that is a little cheaper...
I had a similar problem on my deuce. Everything worked fine while I was replacing all lights with LED, until the last incandescent bulbs came out.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...read-for-all-the-other-mods-to-my-deuce/page4

See post #40.

ciao
lino

 

[barkster]

Sorry I just saw these replies. I put all my incandescent back in my truck except in dash/cab and everything worked. I waited till I got my replacement stock led brake and turn signals and then tried again. After installing new led turn signals and brake lights same results. They just light up solid and don't blink. I have an led bayonet bulb in the blinker lever. Here is the module I have and seems to be the same as above?

 

[foxtrk2]

just might be a helpful hint as well on the subject as stated before the voltage draw is imperative for flasher units to operate the trucking industry has had the same problems with trucks changing to leds so they came up with voltage loads that are wired into each cirquit not an expensive option if new flashers aren't available in your area most truck suppliers will have the load units

 

[Swamp Donkey]

That is an LED compatible flasher unit. I've had both types installed on my truck running a complete LED system. Let me ask some more detailed questions.

I know you put the LED bulb in the blinker switch but have you tried them with the bulb removed completely? Some newer LED bulbs are designed so that polarity doesn't matter. If you happened to unknowingly use one of those it would be the same as having an incandescent bulb in there. We are wanting power to only flow in one direction, hence the use of an true LED.

Have you verified your wiring connections were correct? I originally had a set of Truck-lite LEDs in the front and the tags on the light wires matched up perfectly to the truck wires. A couple of weeks ago I swapped to Grotes in the front and the tags were correct on one but not the other. These lights are used on many vehicles so the tags could be wrong. First figure out which wire goes to the BO light then swap the other two power wires and see if that makes a difference.

What brand lights did you get? Newer Grote LEDs have built in load resistors that should make them compatible with all flasher units, theoretically. Truck-lites don't have these. There are other manufacturers, Riverside for instance, that I haven't dabbled with. It shouldn't matter with the flasher unit you have but I'm curious of the manufacturer all the same.

Is the flasher unit on the firewall grounded well? The wire going to the bolt on the left in your picture is the ground for the flashers. That looks a little rusty. That ground might work fine for incandescent but not LEDs. That ground terminal is using the bolt for ground, which threads into the firewall next to the PCB, not the flasher itself. The threads need to be clean on the firewall.

You did use the extra wire on each light to properly ground it, correct?

Do all your other light functions work correctly on the LEDs; brake, parking and BO?

 

[barkster]

thanks for the reply.

I tried with and without bulb in the turn lever with same results.

they seem to be wired correctly as the turn signals come on front/rear and the bo work as well just don't blink?

I'll take the flasher unit off and clean up the ground.

I used my air grinder with 80 grit pad and sanded where I bolted down the ground wires on all the lights

brakes, running, bo and turns work(except blink)

Here are the turn signals I have:


And the brake lights:


I'll try the ground on the flasher unit tomorrow and report back. Thanks

That is an LED compatible flasher unit. I've had both types installed on my truck running a complete LED system. Let me ask some more detailed questions.

I know you put the LED bulb in the blinker switch but have you tried them with the bulb removed completely? Some newer LED bulbs are designed so that polarity doesn't matter. If you happened to unknowingly use one of those it would be the same as having an incandescent bulb in there. We are wanting power to only flow in one direction, hence the use of an true LED.

Have you verified your wiring connections were correct? I originally had a set of Truck-lite LEDs in the front and the tags on the light wires matched up perfectly to the truck wires. A couple of weeks ago I swapped to Grotes in the front and the tags were correct on one but not the other. These lights are used on many vehicles so the tags could be wrong. First figure out which wire goes to the BO light then swap the other two power wires and see if that makes a difference.

What brand lights did you get? Newer Grote LEDs have built in load resistors that should make them compatible with all flasher units, theoretically. Truck-lites don't have these. There are other manufacturers, Riverside for instance, that I haven't dabbled with. It shouldn't matter with the flasher unit you have but I'm curious of the manufacturer all the same.

Is the flasher unit on the firewall grounded well? The wire going to the bolt on the left in your picture is the ground for the flashers. That looks a little rusty. That ground might work fine for incandescent but not LEDs. That ground terminal is using the bolt for ground, which threads into the firewall next to the PCB, not the flasher itself. The threads need to be clean on the firewall.

You did use the extra wire on each light to properly ground it, correct?

Do all your other light functions work correctly on the LEDs; brake, parking and BO?