Turn signals flash too fast
 

Hey,

I bought some of those LED taillights for my '97 and now the blinkers flash too fast. I tried to find a heavy duty flasher for my truck and no one can find one for me (AutoZone, Western Auto, and NAPA). I do have the factory towing package and figured it would already have a heavy duty one for a trailer. Thoughts??

Thanks.

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dseibert,
'97 XLT S/C, 4.6L, 3-4 Bell Tech Drop, K&N Filter and Air Box Mod, Leer Cap,
17" AR Atlas wheels w/255/55/17 front, 275/60/17 rear.
Dark Toreador Red...you know Maroon!
(see page 5 of the Owner's Gallery bottom picture)

I think the fast flash is an indicator of a bulb being blown out. The truck may sense a higher electrical resistance from the LED tail lights and think it is blown out.
Jeff

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1999 F-150 Lariat 4X2
Reg cab Short box Styleside
5.4L 3.55ls
Deep Wedgwood Blue/Silver
Lund Interceptor hood shield
VentVisors
Class III hitch
Ford molded mud guards
Soft tonneau cover
Factory CD with changer (thanks Dusty)
Tinted windows
Factory fog light kit

http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...ton54home.html

Actually the resistance is less, 20 Ohms for the LEDs and 24 Ohms for the light bulb. Yeah you are correct the lighting system is drawing more current and the truck does think a bulb is out but I was wondering if anyone knew of a heavier duty flasher and/or some other fix. I tried to find a resistor to put inline but they proved too big and fragile for a truck application.

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dseibert,
'97 XLT S/C, 4.6L, 3-4 Bell Tech Drop, K&N Filter and Air Box Mod, Leer Cap,
17" AR Atlas wheels w/255/55/17 front, 275/60/17 rear.
Dark Toreador Red...you know Maroon!
(see page 5 of the Owner's Gallery bottom picture)

I recall my '97's towing package saying something about it having a heavy duty flasher that's supposed to eliminate that fast blinking flash.

The only thing I can think of will require that you cobble something up using a relay and another source of power for the tail lights.

Just grasping at straws, but maybe a trailer towing expert like U-Haul might have something you're looking for.

YES! The same thing happened to me! Just yesterday, I converted my 3157 sockets into 1157 and put in some LED bulbs. Now that thing blinks like crazy! It's annoying. It's a FORD not a Civic! I don't want them to blink fast. If anyone has found out about this please let me know!!!

Thank You!
Alex T.
emailme@f150fanatic.com

This is what an installation guy told me and it made sense. Our trucks will have a fast blinker or a blinker that will stay on when a bulb is out. This even happens when one of the fillaments on the 3157 bulb goes out as well. It's asking for less power, therefore indicating to the computer that it is blown out. Well since the LED Bulbs use less power, they're requesting less power and the computer they're connected to thinks they're blown out. I still have to try it, but I think that if I put a regular 1157 Bulb it should work fine, I'll let you know.

Anybody else with any information on this, please let us know.

Oh, it flashes off and on fast. I was thinking all this time it was flashing as though it was overloaded. That particular flashing pattern is very flash on, then somewhat normal off time.

Maybe you can find the specs for the led flashers and get somebody who's good with electronics to figure out what size resistor to ground that you would need to make up for the difference in load.

What happens in a standard or heavy-duty bi-metallic flasher is that when a bulb burns out, it doesn't draw enough current to heat up the contact and cause the contact to open. (i.e. the signal doesn't flash) When you connect an extra load, the current thru the flasher increases (e.g. when pulling a trailer wired directly into the taillignt circuit or when there is a short in the wiring) and the flasher flashes really fast. That is exactly what is exactly what is happening to yours... the decreased resistance iscausing an increased current through the flasher, causing it to blink too fast.

Solutions... My best suggestion is to find a Murray's Auto Store in MI and get a electronic flasher It will flash the same speed whether there is 3 or 30 lights on the circuit. The problem with this is then you are allowing extra current through the wires... Not a good idea. My best suggestion is to go to radio shack and buy a 4 ohm resistor that can handle the current draw needed to run the light... it might take some trial and error, but by bringing the resistance back up, you decrease the current through the flasher and slow the blinking.

Let us know what you find.
-Joe-

One more thing... I believe that with the factory trailer-towing package, there is a seperate system of relays fed off the main electrical circuit for the trailer lights. That way, the extra electrical load isn't put on the vehicle's flasher circuit and the lights blink the same speed. Not positive, but I'm pretty sure....
-Joe-

Some guy at PepBoys told me that they didn't have any relays for the 2000 Ford. And that the flasher already in there was most likely an electronic flasher. ?!HELP!?

Answer to Fast Flash Bulb Out
 

here is a diagram on how to fix the fast blink bulb out indicator problem when adding LED bulbs.

Link:

http://www.stewartm.net/bulbout.gif

Mike

stewartm78 did the DIY wya of the load resistor kits from the LED bulb companies.
Same exact thing, except stewartm78 paid a whole lot less for it. :D

This shows the $14.99 way of doing the same thing, I guess those connecotrs are real expensive :D

http://store.yahoo.com/dpstore/loadresistors.html

Save the 12.59 from the above URL, and go to Radio Shack and get the individual resistors.
Remember to get the higher wattage resistors, so you don't smoke them.:D

note
 

:-) and one more friendly note. Make sure you mount the resistors safely as they do get hot. Well aobut as hot as a 40 watt bulb :-)

Mike :)

Mike,

You mean I cannot hold it in my hand ? :D

Steve

hey guys... excellent idea and ti works... the guy in discount auto parts was "psoitive" there was no solution to teh fast blink from LED's... he told em to get over it... i rubbed this one in his face thanks alot!

Danny;)