Electrical question : Led turn signals

3.6rs

3.6rs

Well-known member
I have a 6V relais for my turn signals.
Can I replace the front bulbs by LED lamps ?
Will this work with the relais ?
 
It depends on how the relays and flasher are wired into the circuit. Are the relays used to lower the current on the turn signal switch?
I made my own flasher to be totally independent of lamp load and still flash at a given rate.
I also bought an electronic flasher that will flash with only an LED bulb for a load.

Do you have a schematic of your turn signal that you can post?
 
I'm not sure what you mean by relais or relay.

I like the change to rear LEDS. Fronts would probably be fine also. But the glitch is the flash rate determined by the flasher unit.

I've been unable to find an electronic flasher that will work correctly. I've had to add additional conventional higher candle power lights to the front [ park and cowl] to be able to fire a thermal flasher.
 
Look at my thread #17 in post below Has anybody done it?.
Rule of thumb: old style flashers which are used to flash incandesent lamps only work with lamps using lots of amps. LED lamps use very small amounts of amps (milliamps) which prevent the old style flasher from flashing. To use an old style flasher with LED lamps a resistor is required to be added to the ciruit. The resistor adds the needed amps to make the old style flasher work. A single LED lamp (not a cluster) will consume approx. .020amps whereas a 25 watt incandesent lamp consumes approx. 3.0amps.
Switching to LED lights helps to reduce the load on the generator substantially plus they remain at constant brightness with changes in RPM.
 
3.6rs said:
I have a 6V relais for my turn signals.
Can I replace the front bulbs by LED lamps ?
Will this work with the relais ?
Click to expand...

If you have a "6v turn signal relay" that looks like this; https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...RAhVkllQKHSSUBJ04ZBAzCDQoMjAy&iact=mrc&uact=8
NO, this type of relay depends on a minimum amount of current draw to heat the element that makes it flash, LEDs do not provide this draw.

Now, if you have a "6v turn signal relay" that looks like this; https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...hXHzlQKHTd3A2A4rAIQMwgTKBEwEQ&iact=mrc&uact=8 either in 2 pin or 3 pin, then YES, this relay will flash at a constant rate because inside it is a 555 timer circuit that does not depend on the current draw to give you the flash.

As I have only seen the second relay in 12v, it is not to say they are not out there in 6v. If indeed you do have this second relay and are still running the "positive" ground stock system, caution needs to be taken because this unit is polarity sensitive, meaning that the little pigtail that needs to be "grounded" is going to be the "Negative" input, not the "Positive" that your system is. So, when it says to put the "Fused Power lead for your lights on terminal 'P'", make sure that that terminal is provided with + which in this case is Chassis, or "ground". The pigtail lead will need to be hooked to the turn signal switch, NOT under a screw in the car.

I hope that makes sense, it is early in the morning for me and my brain is depending on spell checker.
 
DaWizard said:
If you have a "6v turn signal relay" that looks like this; https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...RAhVkllQKHSSUBJ04ZBAzCDQoMjAy&iact=mrc&uact=8
NO, this type of relay depends on a minimum amount of current draw to heat the element that makes it flash, LEDs do not provide this draw.

Now, if you have a "6v turn signal relay" that looks like this; https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...hXHzlQKHTd3A2A4rAIQMwgTKBEwEQ&iact=mrc&uact=8 either in 2 pin or 3 pin, then YES, this relay will flash at a constant rate because inside it is a 555 timer circuit that does not depend on the current draw to give you the flash.

As I have only seen the second relay in 12v, it is not to say they are not out there in 6v. If indeed you do have this second relay and are still running the "positive" ground stock system, caution needs to be taken because this unit is polarity sensitive, meaning that the little pigtail that needs to be "grounded" is going to be the "Negative" input, not the "Positive" that your system is. So, when it says to put the "Fused Power lead for your lights on terminal 'P'", make sure that that terminal is provided with + which in this case is Chassis, or "ground". The pigtail lead will need to be hooked to the turn signal switch, NOT under a screw in the car.

I hope that makes sense, it is early in the morning for me and my brain is depending on spell checker.
Click to expand...

It is the first relay I have. (the old style)
 
CT Jack said:
Look at my thread #17 in post below Has anybody done it?.
Rule of thumb: old style flashers which are used to flash incandesent lamps only work with lamps using lots of amps. LED lamps use very small amounts of amps (milliamps) which prevent the old style flasher from flashing. To use an old style flasher with LED lamps a resistor is required to be added to the ciruit. The resistor adds the needed amps to make the old style flasher work. A single LED lamp (not a cluster) will consume approx. .020amps whereas a 25 watt incandesent lamp consumes approx. 3.0amps.
Switching to LED lights helps to reduce the load on the generator substantially plus they remain at constant brightness with changes in RPM.
Click to expand...

What kind of resistor is it that I need ?
Do I need to put "in line" with the LED or "parallel" ?
 
3.6rs said:
It is the first relay I have. (the old style)
Click to expand...

Like stated, it will not work with LEDs unless there is something else provided to give it the current load needed to heat that element to make it flash.

On the other hand, you may want to seek out the second style and see if that is available to work with 6v.

Since I changed my car over to 12v, I haven't needed to research that.
 
DaWizard said:
Like stated, it will not work with LEDs unless there is something else provided to give it the current load needed to heat that element to make it flash.

On the other hand, you may want to seek out the second style and see if that is available to work with 6v.

Since I changed my car over to 12v, I haven't needed to research that.
Click to expand...

OK, thanks
 
3.6rs said:
What about this ;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6V-12V-Indi...ash=item282155767d:g:oV8AAOSwmLlX7N3I&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I would say NO to that one.

2 reasons, first check where it is coming from and imagine recourse if it breaks your car.
Second, I have never seen a relay that worked for both 6v and 12v systems for LEDs. The lack of current draw from the LEDs requires an internally timed switching and with only 2 terminals I doubt this would do the trick.

Hey, do you have a schematic of how your lights will be wired?
If so, please post it here so I can see if any I have found will work.

Because IF this is how your wireing is, this one will work http://www.ebay.com/itm/6V-LED-Flas...ash=item4b0b9bab45:g:3kkAAOSw44BYHLLv&vxp=mtr
 
Last edited:
3.6rs
If you add the resistor it must be in parallel with the led to increase the current draw for the flasher to work.
 
DaWizard said:
Sorry, but I would say NO to that one.

2 reasons, first check where it is coming from and imagine recourse if it breaks your car.
Second, I have never seen a relay that worked for both 6v and 12v systems for LEDs. The lack of current draw from the LEDs requires an internally timed switching and with only 2 terminals I doubt this would do the trick.

Hey, do you have a schematic of how your lights will be wired?
If so, please post it here so I can see if any I have found will work.

Because IF this is how your wireing is, this one will work http://www.ebay.com/itm/6V-LED-Flas...ash=item4b0b9bab45:g:3kkAAOSw44BYHLLv&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw this one too
 
You can add a resistor to the LED to fire a thermal flasher such as a 535 or possibly a 552, but, just increasing the candlepower of other incandescent bulbs such the fronts as previously mentioned is all thats needed. If you need LEDs for the front lights too, then the resistors will probably be needed since I can not find a 6v electronic flasher that will work correctly.
 
I am wondering if you could fabricate set of turn signal indicators to mount under the dash that used incandescent bulbs. It would add both the needed amps and functionality.
 
pgerhardt said:
I am wondering if you could fabricate set of turn signal indicators to mount under the dash that used incandescent bulbs. It would add both the needed amps and functionality.
Click to expand...

Actually you could, but that small of a bulb will do next to nothing to help.

Now, that is providing you are using something the size and wattage of dash light bulbs. IF you were to use a pair of tail light bulbs, it might work, but odds are even using only one bulb per side, it would flash rapidly.
 
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