LED side indicators - alternate side faint on

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UsInWorld

Active Member
Posts
91
Location
Scotland
Hi
Normally good with electrics thou this issue is making me scratch my head.. And it need to sorted

97 300Tdi with RDX front & rear indicators and RDX relay for trailer use. All worked as should. Changed to all LED dashboard bulbs. Then changed the side indicator/repeaters with LED lights and dash would only show when indicating to 1 side. Fitted 2 diodes neatly together in original place and dash was sorted. Testing lights again noticed that when indicating to one of sides the other side blinks faintly. Tried different earth, 10, 47 and 100 ohm resistor inline with the side lights and nothing changes. If fitting standard lights with bulbs it works. No other lights are affected than the side ones

Anyone got a clue what can fix it? Or how have you done yours when doing full LED light upgrade?
 
Hi
Normally good with electrics thou this issue is making me scratch my head.. And it need to sorted

97 300Tdi with RDX front & rear indicators and RDX relay for trailer use. All worked as should. Changed to all LED dashboard bulbs. Then changed the side indicator/repeaters with LED lights and dash would only show when indicating to 1 side. Fitted 2 diodes neatly together in original place and dash was sorted. Testing lights again noticed that when indicating to one of sides the other side blinks faintly. Tried different earth, 10, 47 and 100 ohm resistor inline with the side lights and nothing changes. If fitting standard lights with bulbs it works. No other lights are affected than the side ones

Anyone got a clue what can fix it? Or how have you done yours when doing full LED light upgrade?

How have you wired the 2 diodes in? Do they both go to one side of the tell tale for the indicator? Are they both polarised the same way?

Other than that, I had an issue where I fitted LEDs to the side repeaters, and all indicators lit up. It didn’t matter which way I indicated. I went back to normals bulbs.

You can wire in a second bulb holder in parallel to the side repeater, and hide it inside the wing somewhere. Leave the incandescent bulb in that holder, and LED in the visible holder.
 
Thanks for replied

The 2 diodes are wired in opposited polarity and guess thats whats causing it all.
Wiring in another lightbulb might fix it thou trying to keep things simple hence the LED in first place and for watertightness..
I did try to play with the earths at the lights. Even the chequer plate on wings as a earth didn 't change anything. Feels the positive is looping somewhere, thou disconnecting the good light and the faint one still blinks

Starting to suspect the Alarm unit as it has an earth fault with curtesy light doesn't work, same as dash indicator for handbrake. Guess have to disconnect and remove the 2 batteries under passenger seat and have a look at that box or is it the one behind the dash.. 2 fun jobs:)
 
It is future project to fully remove the alarm unit as the earth fault keps activating it, thou wasn't planning on doing it now.. Warmer weather would be appreciated
Got plenty other security features, visible and hidden as never trusted the alarm..

Any temp option to fix the side lights is the goal for now
 
Thanks for replied

The 2 diodes are wired in opposited polarity and guess thats whats causing it all.
Wiring in another lightbulb might fix it thou trying to keep things simple hence the LED in first place and for watertightness..
I did try to play with the earths at the lights. Even the chequer plate on wings as a earth didn 't change anything. Feels the positive is looping somewhere, thou disconnecting the good light and the faint one still blinks

Starting to suspect the Alarm unit as it has an earth fault with curtesy light doesn't work, same as dash indicator for handbrake. Guess have to disconnect and remove the 2 batteries under passenger seat and have a look at that box or is it the one behind the dash.. 2 fun jobs:)

The diodes need to be the same polarity, otherwise indicating one way will light up both sides.

Read this thread:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/has-anyone-ever-diodes-in-the-indicator-circuit.273205/
 
I just had the exact issue. Earths were all good etc and took ages to work it out.

The issue was the bulb in the dashboard that lights up when you have your indicator on. THe LEDs pull instantaneous power (compared to your old ones), so the feed was back tracking through the bulb down to the other side of the lights.

Easy check - pull the bulb out. Mine instantly worked!
 
I just had the exact issue. Earths were all good etc and took ages to work it out.

The issue was the bulb in the dashboard that lights up when you have your indicator on. THe LEDs pull instantaneous power (compared to your old ones), so the feed was back tracking through the bulb down to the other side of the lights.

Easy check - pull the bulb out. Mine instantly worked!

If you leave the tell tale out, it will fail the MOT.
 
If you leave the tell tale out, it will fail the MOT.
But you'll have identified the issue and can work to resolve!

I am in that place, though I was told the MOT would be fine.

If its not fine, i'll separate the feed from LH and RH indicators and install two Lights on the dash instead so there is no feedback.
 
But you'll have identified the issue and can work to resolve!

I am in that place, though I was told the MOT would be fine.

If its not fine, i'll separate the feed from LH and RH indicators and install two Lights on the dash instead so there is no feedback.

I was under the impression that all warning lights had to work, including the indicators?

To resolve the issue, just wire the original like the thread I linked to. 2 feeds, 2 diodes, to a single side of the bulb, then the other side of the bulb to earth.
 
I missed your link when I was reading through...

I identified the issue for me (the dash bulb) so suggested the OP tried that. I missed the whole point of the diode. Is this wired in behind the dash to the bulb i'm talking about? I assume to avoid the feedback? What spec of diode do you guys use as I could probably try that before separating out the indicator tell tail to separate bulbs
 
I fitted leds to 85loom. (Indicators front/rear/side)Yep lights flickered on the opposite side.
Cut left/right wire to tell tale dash light all then worked fine. Put in earthed tell tale bulb to dash,reconnected the 2 wires no problems.
Yes the tell tale bulb is a price from bolt on bits but now I know how to make/repair in the future.
No diodes or resistors fitted either ;)
 
I missed your link when I was reading through...

I identified the issue for me (the dash bulb) so suggested the OP tried that. I missed the whole point of the diode. Is this wired in behind the dash to the bulb i'm talking about? I assume to avoid the feedback? What spec of diode do you guys use as I could probably try that before separating out the indicator tell tail to separate bulbs

I won’t be using a diode when I install my LED side repeaters. I’m installing a TD5 binnacle and warning lights.

As for the type of diode, I’m sure it says in the link, but if not, I would search the net as there is certainly a spec on one of the sites that detail that mod. The diodes should connected so as to allow current flow from one side indicator, through the diode, through the bulb, and back to earth. Both diodes wired the same way, will allow current to flow through either diode, but not back through the other.

I wouldn’t pay for that mod from BOB, as I couldn’t justify paying £25 for a “mod” that does the same as 20p or 30p worth of diodes.
 
LEDs seem a whole lot more problematic than they are worth.......to me. :p

It depends on what is fitted, and how much you know about electrics. If you have a TD5, or TD5 binnacle fitted, then it doesn’t matter as it uses 2 different warning lights for left and right, unlike the TDI.
 
I fitted leds to 85loom. (Indicators front/rear/side)Yep lights flickered on the opposite side.
Cut left/right wire to tell tale dash light all then worked fine. Put in earthed tell tale bulb to dash,reconnected the 2 wires no problems.
Yes the tell tale bulb is a price from bolt on bits but now I know how to make/repair in the future.
No diodes or resistors fitted either ;)

I follow most of this, but not when you reconnect - for the existing arrangement of bulb with both wires going in, is it not earthed? What change did you make?

Bolt on bits bulb would be the simple answer I guess, but its not cheap!
 
@Rorie
Some LR have earths/looms which don't like LEDs.
The BOB dash tell tale (£25) replaces the indicator bulb & earths it out.
Now if your good with a solder look on the rear cluster you may be able to make 1 up. You need an earth through the tell tale bulb.

Some others do not replace the side repeaters & this incandescent bulb can make a difference.
 
Thanks Mick
Great with a cheap quick solution. Had few diodes 1N4001 extra from when did the coolant sensor mod.
Wired them inline with the wires as described in linked thread and other side to earth and all working fab

LED sidelights was a bargain from Ebay. £5.79 for 2. Fully legal E marked. Search for item 161976166460 Size is very near original and easy to fit after drilling 2 holes and using M4 rivnuts

Cheers
 

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Thanks Mick
Great with a cheap quick solution. Had few diodes 1N4001 extra from when did the coolant sensor mod.
Wired them inline with the wires as described in linked thread and other side to earth and all working fab

LED sidelights was a bargain from Ebay. £5.79 for 2. Fully legal E marked. Search for item 161976166460 Size is very near original and easy to fit after drilling 2 holes and using M4 rivnuts

Cheers

No problem. Pleased it’s sorted for you!
 
No problem. Pleased it’s sorted for you!

Aye its been like described in 1st message for 2-3 years and passed mot like that from few testing stations! This week fitted the LED side indicators instead of original lights with LED bulbs and decided to sort it fully

Had a look at the handbrake dash indicator and noticed brake fluid sensor is same. Time for electrical drawings

Cheers
 
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