LED Tail Lights
- Thread starter Smitty
- Start date
Smitty - My experience is LEDs may not offer enough load for the flasher (I am guessing you have a mechanical one) to operate properly. The only way to know for sure (since you have bulbs up front) is to try. But, with the cost of LEDs verus bulbs, that can be an expensive try.
If the flasher doesn't work right, more load can be added by installing a resistor (of proper size) in parallel with each tail light.
There are electronic flashers available, but in 6-volt they are hard to find. Others here may have a source, I don't.
Ron/IA
If the flasher doesn't work right, more load can be added by installing a resistor (of proper size) in parallel with each tail light.
There are electronic flashers available, but in 6-volt they are hard to find. Others here may have a source, I don't.
Ron/IA
Paul in Colorado
Senior Member
If the flasher will work with no tail light bulb, it will work with LEDs. A higher power bulb in the cowl lights will help if you are using them as turn signals.
AL in NY
Well-known member
Yes you will. Here are a couple of options.
I posted this information in a thread late last week:
Go to www.6vrelay.com They have one that will work on 6 or 12 volts........$25.00. This is a two lead flasher and works with LEDs.
If you are handy with electrical stuff, you are make a flasher:
Here is a drawing of how to build your own 6 Volt flasher. It was posted here by Tom Wesenberg a coupe of years ago.
Tom's drawing wasn't to clear for me, so I looked up the relay. Polls 1&4 are the coil, poll#6 is center contact for #5(normally closed contact) and #7(normally open). Same for #9 is center poll for #8(NC) and #10(NO). So any 6 volt two contactor relay will work.
I posted this information in a thread late last week:
Go to www.6vrelay.com They have one that will work on 6 or 12 volts........$25.00. This is a two lead flasher and works with LEDs.
If you are handy with electrical stuff, you are make a flasher:
Here is a drawing of how to build your own 6 Volt flasher. It was posted here by Tom Wesenberg a coupe of years ago.
Tom's drawing wasn't to clear for me, so I looked up the relay. Polls 1&4 are the coil, poll#6 is center contact for #5(normally closed contact) and #7(normally open). Same for #9 is center poll for #8(NC) and #10(NO). So any 6 volt two contactor relay will work.
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Pat Martone
Senior Member
This does not address Smitty's question, but for those who are considering adding independant LED directionals and 4-way flashers, I can recommend Logolights, which can be used in 6v or 12v vehicles.
The system is completely independant of other vehicle lighting and wiring so they are easy to add and remove; the LED directional lights fit nicely into the space between the upper and lower horizontal bumper bars; both directionals can be turned on for the appearance of 4-way flashers, and the small signal/indicator unit which easily mounts magnetically under the dash rail lights-up and beeps so you know they're on.
At $200 from Snyder's, the Logolights system is not cheap, but my car's electrical system was such a mess that I wanted to have totally independant directionals and wiring, and I am happy with them.
The system is completely independant of other vehicle lighting and wiring so they are easy to add and remove; the LED directional lights fit nicely into the space between the upper and lower horizontal bumper bars; both directionals can be turned on for the appearance of 4-way flashers, and the small signal/indicator unit which easily mounts magnetically under the dash rail lights-up and beeps so you know they're on.
At $200 from Snyder's, the Logolights system is not cheap, but my car's electrical system was such a mess that I wanted to have totally independant directionals and wiring, and I am happy with them.
Mike Kelley
Junior Member
When I installed my LED tail lights, they did not draw enough current to activate the 6v flasher in my turn signal system. I had fron bumper turn signal lights. Talked to Walt Bratton about it, since the turnsignal wiring harness came from his store. He said that sometimes replacing the front turn signal ligth bulbs with Utilitech #30127 5.4 watt, 6v bulbs will increase the current draw sufficiently to activate the flasher.
Tried them and they work, cost 5 bucks from Lowes.
Tried them and they work, cost 5 bucks from Lowes.