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Message started by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 01:23:13

Title: LED turn signal issue
Post by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 01:23:13

I ordered the LF1-S-PIN flasher from superbrightleds.com for my LED turn signals. I simply changed the bulbs to leds with the stock housing. I'm decent with electronics, but this one has me stumped.

With the stock flasher, all LEDs work and flash very rapidly.

With the LF1-S-PIN flasher, all LEDs flash normally, except the rear left turn signal which doesn't light up AT ALL. IF I switch only the rear left led to a stock incandescent, all lights flash normally. The LED isn't burned because when I switch the bulbs from left to right it works fine.

I have LEDs in the speedo housing and they flash normally with the LF1-S-PIN flasher.

It can't be the wiring, otherwise the light wouldn't work at all, even with the incandescent bulb.
It can't be the LED because I know for a fact that it's not burned.
It can't be the flasher because the front and speedo turn signals would be malfunctioning as well...what am I missing?

I appreciate any help. Thanks.

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by SimonTuffGuy on 05/25/12 at 04:49:29

Is the bulb in backwards by chance? I have some LED parking lights in my WRX and if the bulb is in the wrong way, it doesn't light up... Maybe when you're swapping from the left to the right, the bulb is being turned the correct way?

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by Dave on 05/25/12 at 05:00:08

I agree with SimonTuffGuy. LED lights are sometimes sensitive to the polarity. Perhaphs switching the wires on the side that doesn't work will solve the problem.

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 07:36:00

72484C4E4F75544747665458210 wrote:

I know what you mean, but that's not possible with the rear turn signals on the Savage. The positive is on the tip and the whole barrel is negative. Think of a household LED light bulb. You can't screw it in backwards.

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by SimonTuffGuy on 05/25/12 at 07:40:06

It's been forever since I've looked at the OEM rear bulbs and I couldn't remember what was what.

Did you pull out a volt meter and check voltage on each of the lights with the stock flasher and then your LED specific flasher? Maybe it's just not getting enough power there for some reason?

Maybe something wrong with the LED flasher itself? Any chance the company will send a replacement to test with from that itself being faulty?

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 07:59:40

32080C0E0F35140707261418610 wrote:

Did you pull out a volt meter and check voltage on each of the lights with the stock flasher and then your LED specific flasher? Maybe it's just not getting enough power there for some reason?

I checked the individual stock light contacts on the Savage. AS all the turn signals were blinking, I removed the incandescent bulb, checked the voltage (varied between roughly 2 volts minimum and 12 volts peak), and placed the LED light in the "working" housing and NOTHING. While it was still flashing, I swapped the LED from the rear right into the rear left spot and it didn't work. Then I changed turn signals with the switch from left to right, and did the same thing with the right side and everything works fine. All lights flash (front, tank and rear) whether it's incandescent or LED or any combination on the right.

This begs the question:

What is different about the left turn signal circuit vs the right turn signal circuit in the Savage?

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by thumperclone on 05/25/12 at 08:28:29

bad flasher?works with incadesent in lr socket but not leds the board has a bad resistor or cap

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 08:55:25

Just figured it out. STOCK wiring was backwards...I noticed the little (-) sign on my voltmeter that I usually don't pay attention to...

But that's so weird because the LED worked with the stock flasher with the reverse polarity...seriously. It shouldn't have...

When you think you've seen it all, you really haven't.

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by 360k+ on 05/25/12 at 09:31:44

Polarity is very important when measuring DC voltages; especially when diodes and transistors are concerned.

In any case, here is the Chinese manufacture's theory of operation which should clear things up considerably...

"If it doesn't show up with the malfunction signal no more. And caused that the burnt bulb in erroneous judgement due to the small power consumption for LED BULB. Once use the type only for LED bulb of flasher that can affective tricks the car computer and solved flashing fast or burnt bulb indications." :-?

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by feelinjunky on 05/25/12 at 09:44:49

Haha, that's a good one! I see those on eBay all the time.

Title: Re: LED turn signal issue
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/25/12 at 09:59:44

464053581814121318210 wrote:

In any case, here is the Chinese manufacture's theory of operation which should clear things up considerably...

"If it doesn't show up with the malfunction signal no more. And caused that the burnt bulb in erroneous judgement due to the small power consumption for LED BULB. Once use the type only for LED bulb of flasher that can affective tricks the car computer and solved flashing fast or burnt bulb indications." :-?

It's too early in the day for that... like pre-alcohol...