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LED directional signal lights and flasher


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Sorry if this is a well known topic, but I couldnt get the search function to accept LED! ????

 

I replaced the brake and directional signal bulbs with LED ones on my TR4a. I purchased the bulbs, and electronic flasher, from Moss-US. However the Moss catalog said not to use an LED bulb for the dash indicator light, so I retained the stock bulb there.

 

The brake and directional lights worked fine except for one small issue. When the directionals were turned off, the dash indicator bulb continued to flash. This would last from 5 to10 seconds, with the indicator light slowly dimming until it went out.

 

So I went to a local auto parts store and bought a small LED bulb that would slide inside the green dash lens, and wired it to the socket. Now when I turn off the directionals, the dash indicator continues to blink two additional times, then goes out. I can live with this, but why it does this, bothers me.

 

Has anyone run across this issue using LED bulbs for the directional signals?

 

Thanks

 

Jim

Edited by Tr4aJim
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Could be a function of the new flasher unit Jim. On the 4A the flasher unit gets its power through the bulbs. The original electro-mechanical unit will lose power immediately once you switch the flashers off and the dash tell-tale doesn't provide any current to keep it running. It sounds as though a conventional bulb in the dash provides enough current to keep the new electronic flasher unit running for some time. The LED replacement would take much less current so the unit runs out of power sooner.

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Yes, it's the flasher unit, have seen this on ones over here too. Can you send a photo of the unit - if it is the sort I suspect, then I can offer a possible solution.

 

Bob.

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I understand that the indicator light needs to be not polar sensitive, as the light is powered ether positive or negative. That's perhaps why moss don't recommend to change it.

John

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I understand that the indicator light needs to be not polar sensitive, as the light is powered ether positive or negative. That's perhaps why moss don't recommend to change it.

John

Not on the 4A John where the dash repeater is driven by a dedicated pin on the flasher unit, but true on the 6 where the supply to the light is reversed depending on whether you are indicating right or left.

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I thought so ! that sort does normally give 1 or 2 extra flashes with either LED warning bulb or the standard one.

I had one which carried on flashing (& clicking) for quite some time after cancelling, that turned out to be a bad solder joint on R4 (a 10K resistor).

 

To reduce the "extra flashes" change the 4.7uF capacitor to a 2.2uF one. This will then give either 1 or no extra flashes.

 

Good luck

Bob.

 

P.S. I am assuming it's a -ve earth part, if +ve earth the resistor number may be differant

Edited by Lebro
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