Indicator relay for LED bulbs
Turbo Mini Forums

Just put 2 led bulbs in my volvo's rear clusters, and now they fast like a bulb has gone out.

Ive heard this is problem, as the relays think a bulbs out (maybe due to lack of resistance in leds??)

Anyhow, how do I go about getting a flasher relay that wont do this?
how can you tell the ones that detect a bulb is out from ones that dont?

Cheers

Joe

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

I thought the leds from the likes of helfrauds etc that replace a normal bulb had a resistor or a circuit board built into them just for this reason.

im using some cheapish bulbs bought from hong kong, so prob not got that :(

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

Just modify a GM one

http://www.ken555.plus.com/gtm/march09.html

I noticed this when I had the wing-mirror of my folks civic disconnected. The wing-mirror had an LED bulb and the lights still flashed at normal speed when it was disconnected. I assumed it was because the LED was a much lower current draw than a standard bulb and therefore had little impact on the time taken to energise the coil in the relay.

Maybe, because they are drawing less power to be illuminated then there is more residual current in the circuit to energise the relay coil and therefore it takes less time.

I have no idea if that is true or not but it makes sense to me

On 12th Nov, 2009 Paul S said:

I think Gary OS has taken over my role as the forum smart arse

Well, surely all you need is a resistor to make the flasher think there is still a bulb fitted?

good tip ken, but tbh id like to just buy one and fit it lol, lots readily available on ebay for about £15, but i suspect they can be got for less fromt he motorfactors once i figure out what model have them.

TD, you more than likely right, but as the bulbs a sealed unit, i dont fancy my chances of succesfully taking it apart

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

I opened the relay, took out the capacitor, replaced it with a 'bigger' one.

Did the trick, very cheap too.

Dazed and Confused....

most modern flasher units will keep a constant flash rate over a very wide current loading, if you pop the lid off one you will see an IC (probably an 8 pin package) and circuit chances are this type will be ok with the LED bulbs.

whats a relay doing with an intercooler!!

turbo muthafuggin relay!