LED flasher Info LED Problems
05-25-2009, 09:39 AM
#1
LED flasher Info LED Problems I wrote this to address the numerous PM I've been getting involving LED's.
If someone has any good info on this they want to add post it and I will edit it into the original post.
Thanks I hope some off you find this useful,
Ed
The amount of current the circuit pulls is what activates the flasher. If you have do not have enough of a load (ie. burned out bulb with regular bulbs or you switch to leds then the flasher does not have enough load on it. The correct flasher matches the circuit load.
You have 2 choices:
1) You put a load resistor in the circuit wired in parallel.
a) Advantages:
a. Cheap and you can get very close to the original designed circuit load
b) Disadvantages:
a. Load resistors defeats one of the advantages of leds which is less circuit load (means less heat).
i. I started down this road because I replaced both front marker/DRL light housing because one was cracked. They were so white and clear. I noticed the old ones had all the chrome reflectant burned off due to heat. The original 3457 bulb is quite hot due to it being used as a DRL. So I thought if I could go to a led DRL it would reduce heat and not ruin my lamp housing.
So many/many $100.00 of dollars later every lamp in my car has been replaced by Led or Halogen.
b. The Load resistor creates heat and can cause problems if you don’t mount it in a safe place.
2) You replace your flasher with an electronic one with the correct load range.
c) Advantages:
a. Operates the circuit as designed with a reduced load (less electrical drain on the system, less heat produced).
d) Disadvantages:
a. Price is a higher.
b. Some electronic flasher do not produce the audible click when flashing.
We have 2 flashers. The one above your right leg (gas pedal) when sitting in the drivers seat is for the turn signals. The one above the clutch(M6)(ahh!) or lame leg for you other F-Body drivers (I know, I know your auto will kick my lame M6 ***) is the hazard flasher. (but you will never get the pleasure of sitting in rush hour traffic at all stop on the highway with an LS7 puck style clutch) (ahh! the chatter).
1. Looking up above where the drivers right leg would be, clipped inside of the frame work for the dash is the clamp and the flasher for the turn signals.
2. Look up above the left leg clipped inside that frame work is the hazard flasher. (its about where the fuse block is on the outside but on the inside.
If found the good old EL12 $8.00 electro-mechanical flasher works fine for the hazards as there are more lamps in that circuit.
So if you go the led route and you choose to put in a different flasher designed for the reduced circuit load here is some info.
So with that being said, The EL12 flasher you and everyone is buying is probably being made by Tridon. There own literature says that it is a Electro-mechanical flasher (not electronic).
I just searched all over the internet and I can't find the reference to the catalog I saw yesterday at advance auto parts that says tridon offers a true electronic LL-552.
I am not affiliated at all with this company or product. It just saved me a lot of time and money to get the effect I wanted and I want to save other F-Body enthusiasts the frustration!
I know for sure that the following works. I wasted enough money, if just bought this to begin it would have been cheaper, you can find it on amazon.
No Load Adjustable Pulse Flasher
by Keep It Clean
Product Description:
CONVERT TO LED! Keep It Cleans No Load Flasher is great for LED taillights! Plugs directly into our Wiring Panel Systems and all other brands of fuse panels. Features fully adjustable speed control to customize your blinker speed. These flashers retain the reliability of a 552 flasher along with staying extra cool, consuming very little power and extra long lasting life!
I bought it from:
Flying Hammer Hot Rod Parts $39.95
+ $5.49shipping
My review on amazon:
This flasher exceeded the products statements. Not only is it adjustable for flash rate but also for voltage rise and fall. This flasher allows you to slow the flash rate down with LEDs. I have 100% LEDs and went through 4 other brands of electronic flashers. They all had various levels of effectiveness but none of them were slow enough for my sequential taillights to look like I wanted them. Its expensive but works. If I add up the flashers I bought though its cheaper
If someone has any good info on this they want to add post it and I will edit it into the original post.
Thanks I hope some off you find this useful,
Ed
The amount of current the circuit pulls is what activates the flasher. If you have do not have enough of a load (ie. burned out bulb with regular bulbs or you switch to leds then the flasher does not have enough load on it. The correct flasher matches the circuit load.
You have 2 choices:
1) You put a load resistor in the circuit wired in parallel.
a) Advantages:
a. Cheap and you can get very close to the original designed circuit load
b) Disadvantages:
a. Load resistors defeats one of the advantages of leds which is less circuit load (means less heat).
i. I started down this road because I replaced both front marker/DRL light housing because one was cracked. They were so white and clear. I noticed the old ones had all the chrome reflectant burned off due to heat. The original 3457 bulb is quite hot due to it being used as a DRL. So I thought if I could go to a led DRL it would reduce heat and not ruin my lamp housing.
So many/many $100.00 of dollars later every lamp in my car has been replaced by Led or Halogen.
b. The Load resistor creates heat and can cause problems if you don’t mount it in a safe place.
2) You replace your flasher with an electronic one with the correct load range.
c) Advantages:
a. Operates the circuit as designed with a reduced load (less electrical drain on the system, less heat produced).
d) Disadvantages:
a. Price is a higher.
b. Some electronic flasher do not produce the audible click when flashing.
We have 2 flashers. The one above your right leg (gas pedal) when sitting in the drivers seat is for the turn signals. The one above the clutch(M6)(ahh!) or lame leg for you other F-Body drivers (I know, I know your auto will kick my lame M6 ***) is the hazard flasher. (but you will never get the pleasure of sitting in rush hour traffic at all stop on the highway with an LS7 puck style clutch) (ahh! the chatter).
1. Looking up above where the drivers right leg would be, clipped inside of the frame work for the dash is the clamp and the flasher for the turn signals.
2. Look up above the left leg clipped inside that frame work is the hazard flasher. (its about where the fuse block is on the outside but on the inside.
If found the good old EL12 $8.00 electro-mechanical flasher works fine for the hazards as there are more lamps in that circuit.
So if you go the led route and you choose to put in a different flasher designed for the reduced circuit load here is some info.
So with that being said, The EL12 flasher you and everyone is buying is probably being made by Tridon. There own literature says that it is a Electro-mechanical flasher (not electronic).
I just searched all over the internet and I can't find the reference to the catalog I saw yesterday at advance auto parts that says tridon offers a true electronic LL-552.
I am not affiliated at all with this company or product. It just saved me a lot of time and money to get the effect I wanted and I want to save other F-Body enthusiasts the frustration!
I know for sure that the following works. I wasted enough money, if just bought this to begin it would have been cheaper, you can find it on amazon.
No Load Adjustable Pulse Flasher
by Keep It Clean
Product Description:
CONVERT TO LED! Keep It Cleans No Load Flasher is great for LED taillights! Plugs directly into our Wiring Panel Systems and all other brands of fuse panels. Features fully adjustable speed control to customize your blinker speed. These flashers retain the reliability of a 552 flasher along with staying extra cool, consuming very little power and extra long lasting life!
I bought it from:
Flying Hammer Hot Rod Parts $39.95
+ $5.49shipping
My review on amazon:
This flasher exceeded the products statements. Not only is it adjustable for flash rate but also for voltage rise and fall. This flasher allows you to slow the flash rate down with LEDs. I have 100% LEDs and went through 4 other brands of electronic flashers. They all had various levels of effectiveness but none of them were slow enough for my sequential taillights to look like I wanted them. Its expensive but works. If I add up the flashers I bought though its cheaper
05-27-2009, 10:55 AM
#6
I have LEDs to put in ALL the lights...I thought the point of upgrading to the EL12 was so the flashers would work with LEDs. They still won't? Is the one on Amazon the only solution?
Between all the LEDs and 3 sets of HIDs and two sets of eurohousings damn if this hasnt gotten expensive quick!
Between all the LEDs and 3 sets of HIDs and two sets of eurohousings damn if this hasnt gotten expensive quick!
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05-27-2009, 11:20 AM
#8
Would this one work, I know its not adjustable...but thats the only difference isn't it?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=400051059962
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=400051059962
05-27-2009, 11:57 AM
#10
LEDs Whether the EL12 you buy will work or not depends on the draw your lamps place on the circuit.
All LEDs are not equal. I have 7 watt leds ($25 a piece). Yes, my lamps would blink with the EL12 I bought at advance auto parts. It even would blink after I put in my sequencials. It just blinked faster than I wanted. I put the flasher in that came with my kit. It blinked slightly slower than the EL12 from Advance Auto. It was also a EL12. So I found a link on how to install a variable resistor in the flasher. I bought the resistor and then when I took the flasher apart I saw that it wasn't electronic but electro-mechanical. I then took another EL12 apart and it was constructed different but still not all electronic.
So to answer you question as to whether your lamps will flash with an EL12. It depends on the draw of your lamps and which EL12 you end up with.
See if Advance Auto Parts can get you the LL552 Tridon.
The Flasher you found on ebay should work, it is the base flasher for the one they convert to adjustable. the one I bought.
Ed
All LEDs are not equal. I have 7 watt leds ($25 a piece). Yes, my lamps would blink with the EL12 I bought at advance auto parts. It even would blink after I put in my sequencials. It just blinked faster than I wanted. I put the flasher in that came with my kit. It blinked slightly slower than the EL12 from Advance Auto. It was also a EL12. So I found a link on how to install a variable resistor in the flasher. I bought the resistor and then when I took the flasher apart I saw that it wasn't electronic but electro-mechanical. I then took another EL12 apart and it was constructed different but still not all electronic.
So to answer you question as to whether your lamps will flash with an EL12. It depends on the draw of your lamps and which EL12 you end up with.
See if Advance Auto Parts can get you the LL552 Tridon.
The Flasher you found on ebay should work, it is the base flasher for the one they convert to adjustable. the one I bought.
Ed
05-27-2009, 03:35 PM
#15
NEXT ISSUE...in about two weeks. Actually they pushed it back a little so my car and Cecilia's (lilhotrod96) car would be in the same issue. Her car will be featured as the "My Pontiac and Me" story. That will be pretty sweet being in the same issue!
ACTUALLY...its in the current issue as well...page 14 or 15. It has a picture of me and the car and says that I took Best Of Show at the Wide Track Warriors show in Orlando this past Feb.
ACTUALLY...its in the current issue as well...page 14 or 15. It has a picture of me and the car and says that I took Best Of Show at the Wide Track Warriors show in Orlando this past Feb.
05-28-2009, 09:40 AM
#17
i placed a bid and won it for 17 and some change. the shipping suxks but it is the cheapest. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/No-Lo...mZ200345204422
once i get this i will post pics and tell you if it is a good one or not.
once i get this i will post pics and tell you if it is a good one or not.
06-15-2011, 05:53 PM
#19
wondering if the HD-12 Flasher will work with LEDs... is this the new part number?? i cant find any EL-12 anymore. read the specs....
http://www.tridon.com.au/Products/Pr...G=478&P=104171
http://www.tridon.com.au/Products/Pr...G=478&P=104171
06-15-2011, 05:58 PM
#20
Old thread...
The EL12 is electromechanical, not electronic, as stated above. It works with LEDs in front or rear, but not both, because it only requires 1 bulb to flash at proper speed.
From doing some searching the EFL1 is supposed to be a drop-in electronic flasher replacement, LED compatible. I have not tested this, I do not know for sure, but that's the info I've gathered.
The EL12 is electromechanical, not electronic, as stated above. It works with LEDs in front or rear, but not both, because it only requires 1 bulb to flash at proper speed.
From doing some searching the EFL1 is supposed to be a drop-in electronic flasher replacement, LED compatible. I have not tested this, I do not know for sure, but that's the info I've gathered.