LED conundrum

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Tromboman

Tromboman

Well-Known Member
Posts
216
Have fitted a set of Bearmach LED lights all round (not headlights keeping those standard for now) Install went fine, swapped the flasher relay. They all work fine, however as soon as the ignition is switched on the sidelights and headlights come on, albeit not as brightly as when I flip the switch to turn the sidelights on as I normally would. Also, the trailer light no longer flashes once when I turn the indicators on.

The new relay only had three connectors as opposed to the 4 on the old one, I assume that is normal?

Any thought from any electrical gurus out there?
 
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I would start with the earths front and back. Then look at the headlight switch, you have stray volts coming from somewhere they shouldn't.

J
 
LED's and old landys = fun. Not, did some on mine, after a while gave up and went back standard. Only led left is in temp gauge.
 
@Tromboman , did your kit come with a residual drain resistor and/or diode bridges? If not, it should as traditional lighting ccts will allow residual current to flow. See here if you think this is needed/talk to Gil Keane at Better Car Lighting

https://www.bettercarlighting.co.uk/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=57

As note, many of us have converted our side, rear, fog and indicator lights to high quality LED units [Better Car Lighting units, not low cost Chinesium jobbies] but leave our headlights as std. Here, we use Wipac Crystal lenses with Osram Nightbreaker 130% H4 bulbs as these provide excellent night time driving + be sure to install relays for the headlights as this removes the hard switching at the headlight switch & indicator stalk = fewer switch/stalk contact failures. All LED bulbs require a fully functioning residual drain resistor to ensure proper working.
 
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v8250 said:
@Tromboman , did your kit come with a residual drain resistor and/or diode bridges? If not, it should as traditional lighting ccts will allow residual current to flow. See here if you think this is needed/talk to Gil Keane at Better Car Lighting

https://www.bettercarlighting.co.uk/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=57

As note, many of us have converted our side, rear, fog and indicator lights to high quality LED units [Better Car Lighting units, not low cost Chinesium jobbies] but leave our headlights as std. Here, we use Wipac Crystal lenses with Osram Nightbreaker 130% H4 bulbs as these provide excellent night time driving + be sure to install relays for the headlights as this removes the hard switching at the headlight switch & indicator stalk = fewer switch/stalk contact failures. All LED bulbs require a fully functioning residual drain resistor to ensure proper working.
Click to expand...
Nope, the kit only contained the lights and the 3 pin flasher relay
 
What's in the flasher relay? Have just viewed the kit, I can't see this working straight out of the box unless there's resistor within the relay or bridge diodes in each of the LED lights. What to the instructions say...?
 
You will be amazed how little power some of the eld lamps need to power up.

You could always fit a relay, so when lights are off they are truly isolated.
 
lynall said:
You will be amazed how little power some of the eld lamps need to power up.

You could always fit a relay, so when lights are off they are truly isolated.
Click to expand...

OP states the issue is current leak from sidelights to headlamps. He needs a residual resistor or bridge diodes to the side light cct. Many of the low cost LED suppliers [Bearmach, Britpart, eBay] supply the basic kits but they rarely work first time.
 
So quick update, swapped both the LED sidelights out for the old ones, and the problem goes away. Swap one old for one LED and still no issue. Swap the second LED one and then we have an issue. Sidelights, headlights both come on faintly when the ignition is switched to the second position, i.e pre-engine start, despite the headlight switch still being in the off position when nothing should be illuminated.. They get brighter once they get switched on.

v8250 said:
What's in the flasher relay? Have just viewed the kit, I can't see this working straight out of the box unless there's resistor within the relay or bridge diodes in each of the LED lights. What to the instructions say...?
Click to expand...
No instructions annoyingly. Assumed they would be plug and go, more fool me I guess.
 
Tromboman said:
So quick update, swapped both the LED sidelights out for the old ones, and the problem goes away. Swap one old for one LED and still no issue. Swap the second LED one and then we have an issue. Sidelights, headlights both come on faintly when the ignition is switched to the second position, i.e pre-engine start, despite the headlight switch still being in the off position when nothing should be illuminated.. They get brighter once they get switched on.


No instructions annoyingly. Assumed they would be plug and go, more fool me I guess.
Click to expand...

So there's your answer. Have you spoken with Gil Keane yet to order the right cct component needed?
 
Contacted Gil, who was very helpful, suggested a value of resistor to install and problem solved. It does get veeery hot but I've screwed to the inner wing so hopefully that will dissipate some of the heat
 
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