Cascade Crew

91RSVert · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject: Q on led bulbs

I know when you go to replace all your turn signals with LED bulbs, you have to change the relay to some stupid priced one.

But my question is, if you replace all the fronts n sides, but leave the rears normal bulbs. Is that enough to trigger the relay?

Al Hasse · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:00 pm Post subject:

Theoretically, that should work, since the flasher has the load of one set of lights. One concern would be the way the side markers are wired across the two hot leads of the park lights (stock wiring), you may still get a burned out bulb indication. Instead of a no-load (digital) flasher, consider a pair of load resistors and connect them across the two hot leads of the park lights. The 6 ohm, 50 watt resistors from Super-Bright LEDs should do, I used them with a full LED outfit (front and rear) on my 92 before I decided to go back to incandescant. Just connected across the fronts and you're good to go.

91RSVert · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:45 pm Post subject:

I guess I'm not understanding what the load resisters do?

Why did you switch back?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:13 pm Post subject:

Load resistors take the place of the original bulbs and trick the flasher into thinking it still has the full load of incandescant bulbs.

Al Hasse · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:02 pm Post subject:

I switched back because the there was barely any distinguishing bake light from tail light and they weren't very visible with the sun on them. I now have a set of the V-Stars from V-LEDs in the brake/tail location for my 92, now I'm looking into outfitting the rest of the car with them

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Brake-Light-LED/Red-LED/V-LEDS-RED-V-STAR-M-SMT-p6472898.html

They way outperform the previous Super-Bright pieces I had before in this link.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F1157-x24.htm#photos

Paul is correct about the load resistors, if you outfit the front and rear, you will need a pair for the front or a pair for the rear. I chose the front because of the funky wiring of the park light and side marker, worked perfect.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fpt%2Floadresistor.html

Install these somewhere they won't contact any plastic, they get VERY hot.

EDIT: My above reply is incorrect for wiring the load resistors. Instead of across the two hot leads, wire across the turn signal and ground, leave the running light (brown wire) alone. I wired per the instructions here, but only needed one pair, not 2 like the page suggests.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/pdfs/load_resistor_info.pdf

91RSVert · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:12 am Post subject:

Well if I gotta by the inline resister things, I might as well do the correct way and replace the relay so I dont have to screw with the wiring.

I was more looking at doing the 194's as all my cars seem to have problems blowing them. But was thinking about doing the turns n stops also. But for 56 a bulb, I'll pass.

Al Hasse · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 8:13 am Post subject:

That's $56 per pair. I bought the pair I have when they were $70 per pair. I found that the load resistors enabled the park/turn signal and side markers work properly for some reason. No need to use them for the rear.

blue89 · Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:55 am Post subject:

We use grote 44891 for our led lights. I think you can get it from napa.

camarokid · Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:19 pm Post subject:

the low draw flashers are cheap and definetly a far better way then doin the inline resistors, cause again ur now cutting in to wiring and if it isnt properly done u will end up with wiring gremlins esp in our climate. and as perviously stated they get verrry hot.