Originally Posted by mikieboyblue (Post 190508)

Or replace the flasher which appears to be located directly behind the dash cluster. When I feel like spending $50 on two bulbs and a flasher I'll do the job and write up a DIY.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews (Post 190511)

I wouldnt even spend $50. Get $5 LED bulbs and two resistor kits for $5 each and be done. The resistor kits splices the wires for you. All you do is plug in the LED bulb into the socket, splce the wire with the clip that comes with the resistor kit and done.

$50 for bulbs? Outrageous. Not to mention getting to the back of the dash? No thanks.

Originally Posted by mikieboyblue (Post 190550)

The brightest LED turn signal bulbs I have found thus far are $24.99 (see below). There are similar LED bulbs on eBay, however, I have personally had a bad experience with "no name" LED bulbs. I tried SuperBrightLEDs' 15 LED 7440/43 bulb and they were not bright enough for daylight driving (in my opinion). If you know of a supplier whom sell LED bulbs that are just as bright or brighter than the stock incandescent 21w bulb, please provide a reference.

Concerning the load resistors, yes, you can use that method. However, if you want to reduce power draw (the point of LEDs), it is my understanding that you cannot achieve this with a load resistor as it will "consume" the power. In addition, using a load resistor will permanently "damage" your stock wiring.

Gaining access to the flasher is not overly complicated. If you replace the flasher you do not do any harm to your existing wiring and in the event something goes wrong, you could return the vehicle to it's original state without evidence of anything to the contrary.

If you have the time, the forum would benefit from a DIY of your experience with using load resistors.

Mike

Originally Posted by mikieboyblue (Post 190550)

The brightest LED turn signal bulbs I have found thus far are $24.99 (see below). There are similar LED bulbs on eBay, however, I have personally had a bad experience with "no name" LED bulbs. I tried SuperBrightLEDs' 15 LED 7440/43 bulb and they were not bright enough for daylight driving (in my opinion). If you know of a supplier whom sell LED bulbs that are just as bright or brighter than the stock incandescent 21w bulb, please provide a reference.

Concerning the load resistors, yes, you can use that method. However, if you want to reduce power draw (the point of LEDs)

No, LEDs have two advantageous aspects, INSTANT ON, and extreme reliability vs incandescent filaments.

, it is my understanding that you cannot achieve this with a load resistor as it will "consume" the power.

Agreed, but using resistors might be the easiest way to "fix" the flasher relay timing and/or bulb failure detection/indication.

In addition, using a load resistor will permanently "damage" your stock wiring.

Not bloody likely....Using the resistor(s) simply returns the electric current load factor, wattage, to something close, lower typically, than that of the incandescent bulb(s) you are replacing.

Gaining access to the flasher is not overly complicated. If you replace the flasher you do not do any harm to your existing wiring and in the event something goes wrong, you could return the vehicle to it's original state without evidence of anything to the contrary.

But great care must be excersized in replacing the flasher relay. First, you want to be sure and get a new SOLID STATE flasher. There are flasher relays on the aftermarket that will DAMAGE your wiring if you replace the fuse it blows repetitively.

Additionally many of the desireable solid state flasher relay now have a bulb failure detection circuit the will trigger a "FAST FLASH" (just like the old style) to alert you that a turn signal bulb has failed. If you don't have the expertise to open the solid state flasher and change the load sensing resistor to a value that is correct for the new, lower, LED bulb current load then the external resistor used to simulate the original incandescent buld current loading is the only option.

If you have the time, the forum would benefit from a DIY of your experience with using load resistors.

Complicated...

Many new vehicles come equipped with solid state flasher AND tail/stop light bulb failure detection. On my '01 RX300 I not only had to open up the solid state flasher relay and empirically determine (trial and error) the correct resistance for replacing the load sensing resistor, I had to do the same for three bulb failure detection circuits.

Not simple...

Unlike dual filament incandescent bulbs the tail light circuit/section of a LED bulb does not continue to draw current with the stop light circuit/section powered, illuminated. So I had to come up with a separate transistorized circuit to simulate the current draw of the LED bulb's tail light circuit/section when the bulb's stop light circuit/section was powered.

Mike


From Autolumination:

Originally Posted by wwest (Post 193237)

I have found that dollar for dollar V-LED bulbs, ebay.com or V-LEDS.com, are significantly brighter than those from autolumination. Regretably I just recently had to learn that yet again ordering from autolumination and comparing 7443 bulbs with those from V-LED.

Originally Posted by ruc2827 (Post 193239)

Are you using their 5W front and 3W rear turn signal LEDs, and do they require a resistor to avoid fast flashing? I assume not since they are higher power (yet still a combined 44W and 36W savings for front parking lights/signals and rear turn signals respectively). Also, can you confirm whether the original bulb you replaced had three wires or 4 wires on the wedge base (correesponding to two vs one ground which coresponds to SWAK vs regular base). Thanks.