LED Problem brake lights, Turn Signal...

[jlemler]

So the LED Bulbs are in the front turn signals are in the rear park, brake and turn signal are also in.

Start the car, sitting in the passenger seat the directional lights in the gauge are very faint.  I rev the engine to 2000 RPMs and everything is fine.  I took it for a ride same thing.  Idling the lamps do not work.  I get moving and they are fine.  Any thoughts?  Why do some of the digital relays I see have a ground wire.  I replaced the flasher Relay with a digital one.

Help please.

[Jay Bee]

My light bar LEDs would go completely out at idle (stop signs, red lights, etc) during night and come back on once I started moving (rpm's up). Turned out my "new" alternator was crap. I put the original back in and all is okay. Not saying it's your alternator, just sharing an experience I had.

[chargerdon]

I have the same issue...   replaced the normal flasher with an electronic one, and it would only flash the turn signals with engine running and battery full...  and this was with the original bulbs as well as the led bulbs.   I ended up putting back in the original flasher and only put the LED bulbs in at the rear of the car and that is working !!!   

Its math...  original 1157 bulbs draw 28.3 watts... two bulbs front and back = 57 watts  so amps=watts/volts 58/12.5 = 4.64 amps...   that is the amount of currant running thru the system with the incandescent bulbs.   The original flasher is designed to flash with that amount of current running thru it.   Replace the bulbs with LEDs at 4.8 watts x 2 or 9.6 watts and you get .768 amps and that isnt enough to make the original flashers flash.   So no flash...   i know that the LED bulb advertisement says rapid flashing...but i think they are thinking about newer vehicles that use a different type of flasher.  ...the reality is you get no flash...or at least that is what i got.

Now, i tried it with just replacing the rear bulbs as to me they are way more important for safety than the front turn signals..  now we have 28.3 and 4.8 for 33.1 amps divided by 12.5 = 2.64 amps.   Apparently at least in my 74 Challenger 2.64 is enough draw to operate the standard flasher.  (note, my challenger has the fender mounted turn signal indicators so that adds a little more draw )   

[tman]

So strange having these anomalies with LED lights.  I do have LED bulbs both front and back and had different symptoms.  Mine was doing either hyperblinking or very slow blinking.  I do not recall having the "faint or no light issue."  To solve the problem, I replaced both flashers with electronic ones.  Also, for the turn signal flasher near the ashtray, I interchanged the 2 wires to the flasher. After doing that, no more issues. For some reason the electrical flow to that flasher makes a difference.  I read that in past posts.  Also, some of these electronic flashers have a ground pigtail.  If you have that, are you grounding them?

[chargerdon]

So strange having these anomalies with LED lights.  I do have LED bulbs both front and back and had different symptoms.  Was doing either hyperblinking or very slow blinking.  I do not recall having the "faint or no light issue."  To solve the problem, I replaced both flashers with electronic ones.  Also, for the turn signal flasher near the ashtray, I interchanged the 2 wires to the flasher. After doing that, no more issues. For some reason the electrical flow to that flasher makes a difference.  I read that in past posts.  Also, some of these electronic flashers have a ground pigtail.  If you have that, are you grounding them?

regarding polarity...  LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and as such will only work in one direction..that is the definition of a diode..i.e pass current in one direction only. 

With the "electronic flasher" that i purchased..  LDMINDA brand...it simply wouldnt work when the voltage at the flasher was below 12.6...and reversing the leads did nothing different, so yes, at idle with headlights on or heater blower running etc, alternator is not putting out enough to run everything so it didnt work !!  Therefore it was not good for my car.  quite possibly other brands work with lower voltage...i.e 12.5 or less which is normal battery voltage. 

What brand did u use that required reversing the leads?   Maybe that brand might work better in my situation.   

[tman]

This is the flasher Im using

https://www.amazon.com/CEC-Industries-EF32RL-Flasher/dp/B00JXLH7CG/ref=sr_1_19?crid=2N63QKXBMFSW5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1uEPkqJ3_fPds11TPlmbvtGgff2n3wiCAZ7N33yacYTGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.DYOwGwS9ttOKAvbvthjxsQO38O-s4Bbyfbpoo1030Q0&dib_tag=se&keywords=2+pin+led+flasher+led+bulbs+cec&qid=1710102684&sprefix=2+pin+led+flasher+led+bulbs+cec%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-19

[chargerdon]

Thanks TMAN   i see on amazon they list the voltage as 11 to 15   that should cover the entire range on a classic car.   So going to purchase and see.   

Thanks.. 

[tman]

Thanks TMAN   i see on amazon they list the voltage as 11 to 15   that should cover the entire range on a classic car.   So going to purchase and see.   

Thanks.. 

Once again, I did change out both of my flashers.  For some reason, changing out the 4 way flasher made a difference when I only wanted to do the turn signal one.  But if the one flasher does the trick, that is great.

[Dmod1974]

That is the exact one I use on my car for hazards and turns.  All bulbs are LED and it works perfectly.

[jlemler]

I have now read two seperate things regarding the relays for the LED conversion.  The Kit I have came with two prongs and fits down by the ash tray reciever.  I assumed this was for the turn signals.
I have also now heard I need to change the flasher by the steering column and this is for the hazard, emergency, four way flashers.  Do I need to procure this flasher and add it to the mix? If so is this a four prong or two prong?  It did not come with the kit.  Any help is appreciated.

[tman]

I have now read two seperate things regarding the relays for the LED conversion.  The Kit I have came with two prongs and fits down by the ash tray reciever.  I assumed this was for the turn signals.
I have also now heard I need to change the flasher by the steering column and this is for the hazard, emergency, four way flashers.  Do I need to procure this flasher and add it to the mix? If so is this a four prong or two prong?  It did not come with the kit.  Any help is appreciated.

If they are working ok, don't worry about the hazard one.  If they are acting funky, then replace the hazard with the exact same 2 prong flasher.

[chargerdon]

Update

Again i have only replaced my rear tail light bulbs and left the front ones alone.   With this and the original flasher i came to realize that the lights flash properly so long as my battery voltage is "near full" or engine running without too many accessories on.   I.e driving down the road all is well, but, sitting at a traffic light with headlights on, AC on, radio on at idle ...they get to the point that the drivers side will quit flashing...now if i had the turns on for the passenger side they continue to work.  Interesting.    I have ordered the new flasher.

Oh...the 4 way hazard lights flash no matter what, but, they do have rapid flashing, but, thats ok with me.