LED Tail Lights - Adding Resistors

Pilotdave

Pilotdave

Well-known member
After installing Signal Stat 900 turn signals a few years ago, I recently converted the tail lights to LED units. The flasher is the old style bimetal type, and the flash rate is quite high. Today I tried to add a 25 watt, 6.5 ohm resistor in parallel to the flasher circuit wiring near the tail lights: one lead attached to the turn signal/brake wire, the other attached to ground. This made zero difference in the flash rate, and I'm hoping to find some hints that will correct this. Any and all ideas are welcome!

Thanks much.
Dave
 
While I've never heard of a Signal Stat 900 (what ever that is!), the usual fix for this is you get yourself an electronic flasher unit. They are made for LED lights and their low energy consumption.
 
The Signal Stat 900 is a US-made turn signal brand. Synder's catalog pictures it (or one just like it) on page A-170 of their 2021 catalog.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried the electronic flasher units with no luck - I've read on here that they're very sensitive to electronic noise from the engine, though there may be a way to shield them.

I'm hoping to get some ideas about what I did wrong installing the resistor - according to the videos online I've done it correctly.......and it's a very simple concept that logic says should do the trick!

Thanks.
Dave
 
Thanks for the link, shew01. The resistors I have are similar, though lower wattage and slightly higher resistance.

I think I've installed the resistors correctly - if anyone has done this and could comment on how I installed them, it'd be a real help.

Thanks!
 
My turn signals are front cowl lights with the O.E. type bulbs, rear are tail lights with
L.E.D. lights. I have a 6 volt system and use a standard 6V flasher unit. My flashers,
right turn, left turn, and emergency flashers works perfectly. My flasher controller system
is made by "EVERLASTING".
John
 
Dave, I've done the same as you with a 12V neg ground conversion. I'm using a 50W, 6 ohm resistor at each LED tail light. The results are acceptable and what I would call "normal". Same Signal Stat system. Sound like mine are wired just as you describe --- one end to the turn signal wire and the other end to ground. Maybe add a little resistance -- 6.5 ohms isn't much.
 
Last edited:
Dave, you didn't say if you were 6 or 12 volt. I am running 12 volts and found this flasher that works for me perfectly with a Signal Stat 900.
 

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If you are still using incandescent front lights for the turns, then just replace them with higher candle power bulbs. They'll be available locally or from the vendors. When the 3 cp are replaced with 10cp bulbs there is enough resistance to fire the thermal 535 flasher. I use the cowls and parks as front turns.

I've tried the resisters and electronic flashers too, thats why I just change bulbs.

However since I've played with this there is supposed to be a flasher that will work on 6v, but, I haven't tried it.
 
Thanks very much for all the suggestions. The car is 6v, + ground. The front flashers are the amber lights that mount between the bumper bars. I'll check their wattage and/or see if there's a higher wattage version of the bulb for them.

The 6.5 ohm resistors installed in parallel is intended to lower the resistance of the circuit, thereby increasing the current flow enough to make the flasher unit happy. Thus far the results are defying Ohm's Law!
 
Pilot Dave,

Check the ground connection using an ohm meter. I chased a problem with my resistors until I found that what I assumed was a good ground point was not. If that does not work, try a resistor with a lower resistance. You can buy these online that are used for modern cars that are converted to LED's.

The flasher modules made for LED's sometimes have a different pinout. Check the letters on the module to see if the pins are in different places. You can wire up an adapter to change the pinout or rewire the socket. Try the adapter first to make sure the LED flasher will work with your car. Also, check the wattage or amperage of the LED flasher module to see if it will handle the current of your turn indicators.
 
Your resistors are the right size, I suspect bad ground to the battery. (The return current has to go all the way.)
 
CarlG said:
Dave, you didn't say if you were 6 or 12 volt. I am running 12 volts and found this flasher that works for me perfectly with a Signal Stat 900.
Click to expand...

That is the same flasher I use in my "self wired" hidden system. I hate the look of the add-on turn signal switch.
 
I have a 6 volt positive ground system with LED directional lights and I've been using this electronic flasher for a couple of years with no problems.
 

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I believe that the resistors are only needed if the flasher flashes too SLOW. The resistor increases the current that goes through the bi-metal switch which results in it heating up faster increasing the flash rate.


Bob
 
I didn't know you were using the bumper bar lites. I thought you were trying to use the original lights. I think the bumper lites are LED and would then probably need an electronic flasher.
 
Pilotdave said:
After installing Signal Stat 900 turn signals a few years ago, I recently converted the tail lights to LED units. The flasher is the old style bimetal type, and the flash rate is quite high. Today I tried to add a 25 watt, 6.5 ohm resistor in parallel to the flasher circuit wiring near the tail lights: one lead attached to the turn signal/brake wire, the other attached to ground. This made zero difference in the flash rate, and I'm hoping to find some hints that will correct this. Any and all ideas are welcome!

Thanks much.
Dave
Click to expand...

What has changing the tail lights got to do with the turn indicators?
 
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