Led Turn signals?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 69
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From: Sullivan Missouri
Led Turn signals? How would i go about making my front turn signals leds? Because if i just put an led in there it will not flash because i assume it does not require hardly any power and the car thinks the bulb is burnt out and just stays on, no flashing.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Did you try searching first? It's not like you are the first to ask.
You have two options - replace your flasher with an electronic one or add load resistors to restore the electrical load for the stock thermal flasher.
You have two options - replace your flasher with an electronic one or add load resistors to restore the electrical load for the stock thermal flasher.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If you aren't planning to replace the rear bulbs as well then a Tridon EL12 flasher should be sufficient. It is available from any auto parts store or even Walmart.
If you replace more than just the front bulbs you will need a flasher specifically designed for LED. You can find them online under various names... LED Flasher, No-Load Flasher, etc. Sites that sell LED bulbs usually carry the flashers (superbrightleds.com has them) and Amazon also has them. You need a 2-pin flasher for it to be a plug-in replacement.
You can also make a 3-pin flasher such as the Tridon EP34 work. It has the advantage of being available almost everywhere but you have to add an extra wire to make it work in an F-body. The three pins are labeled B, L and E - Battery, Load, and Earth (ground). You need to add a wire from the E terminal to a chassis ground like a bolt under the dash.
If you replace more than just the front bulbs you will need a flasher specifically designed for LED. You can find them online under various names... LED Flasher, No-Load Flasher, etc. Sites that sell LED bulbs usually carry the flashers (superbrightleds.com has them) and Amazon also has them. You need a 2-pin flasher for it to be a plug-in replacement.
You can also make a 3-pin flasher such as the Tridon EP34 work. It has the advantage of being available almost everywhere but you have to add an extra wire to make it work in an F-body. The three pins are labeled B, L and E - Battery, Load, and Earth (ground). You need to add a wire from the E terminal to a chassis ground like a bolt under the dash.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Things that you may have heard about LED bulb compatibility with GM DRLs don't apply to F-bodies. The compatibility problem they refer to is GM's use of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) on newer models as a method of controlling power to the lamps. It is based on providing square wave (digital) pulses of power to run an analog load such as an incandescent bulb filament. The switching is done fast enough that the bulb doesn't actually flicker on and off but rather lights at the average of the pulses.
LEDs aren't analog - they're digital. And they also react to changes in power very rapidly which is why they work well for strobes. But they don't react to PWM the same as a normal bulb and the rapid switching causes them to fail prematurely. But F-bodies don't use PWM - they just have full 12 volts to the socket at all times so the "GM DRL" incompatibility doesn't apply.
However, LEDs (like all electronics) are sensitive to heat. Many inexpensive LED bulb don't have sufficient heat dissipation built in. They're fine for intermittent use like turn signals but fail because of the heat under constant use such as in DRLs.
Your LEDs didn't fail because of the "GM DRL" incompatibility but because they were too hot for too long. Look for higher quality LED bulbs that have heat sinks. V-LEDs has only recently added bulbs like that. superbightleds.com has had them for several years now and they come with a 2-year warranty - twice as long as almost everyone else. I've had a pair installed for three years without any issues.
LEDs aren't analog - they're digital. And they also react to changes in power very rapidly which is why they work well for strobes. But they don't react to PWM the same as a normal bulb and the rapid switching causes them to fail prematurely. But F-bodies don't use PWM - they just have full 12 volts to the socket at all times so the "GM DRL" incompatibility doesn't apply.
However, LEDs (like all electronics) are sensitive to heat. Many inexpensive LED bulb don't have sufficient heat dissipation built in. They're fine for intermittent use like turn signals but fail because of the heat under constant use such as in DRLs.
Your LEDs didn't fail because of the "GM DRL" incompatibility but because they were too hot for too long. Look for higher quality LED bulbs that have heat sinks. V-LEDs has only recently added bulbs like that. superbightleds.com has had them for several years now and they come with a 2-year warranty - twice as long as almost everyone else. I've had a pair installed for three years without any issues.
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Things that you may have heard about LED bulb compatibility with GM DRLs don't apply to F-bodies. The compatibility problem they refer to is GM's use of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) on newer models as a method of controlling power to the lamps. It is based on providing square wave (digital) pulses of power to run an analog load such as an incandescent bulb filament. The switching is done fast enough that the bulb doesn't actually flicker on and off but rather lights at the average of the pulses.
LEDs aren't analog - they're digital. And they also react to changes in power very rapidly which is why they work well for strobes. But they don't react to PWM the same as a normal bulb and the rapid switching causes them to fail prematurely. But F-bodies don't use PWM - they just have full 12 volts to the socket at all times so the "GM DRL" incompatibility doesn't apply.
However, LEDs (like all electronics) are sensitive to heat. Many inexpensive LED bulb don't have sufficient heat dissipation built in. They're fine for intermittent use like turn signals but fail because of the heat under constant use such as in DRLs.
Your LEDs didn't fail because of the "GM DRL" incompatibility but because they were too hot for too long. Look for higher quality LED bulbs that have heat sinks. V-LEDs has only recently added bulbs like that. superbightleds.com has had them for several years now and they come with a 2-year warranty - twice as long as almost everyone else. I've had a pair installed for three years without any issues.
LEDs aren't analog - they're digital. And they also react to changes in power very rapidly which is why they work well for strobes. But they don't react to PWM the same as a normal bulb and the rapid switching causes them to fail prematurely. But F-bodies don't use PWM - they just have full 12 volts to the socket at all times so the "GM DRL" incompatibility doesn't apply.
However, LEDs (like all electronics) are sensitive to heat. Many inexpensive LED bulb don't have sufficient heat dissipation built in. They're fine for intermittent use like turn signals but fail because of the heat under constant use such as in DRLs.
Your LEDs didn't fail because of the "GM DRL" incompatibility but because they were too hot for too long. Look for higher quality LED bulbs that have heat sinks. V-LEDs has only recently added bulbs like that. superbightleds.com has had them for several years now and they come with a 2-year warranty - twice as long as almost everyone else. I've had a pair installed for three years without any issues.
Last edited by Empatho; Jul 15, 2014 at 06:52 PM.
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The ones I bought aren't available anymore but they are similar to their 3157-xHP28-T. It's bright and it has 360 degree output (important because of the angle the bulbs go into the housing).