I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Gotta love that wiring . . .
Post Reply
Danno

I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Post by Danno »

Well, it's pretty common, but it didn't occur to me until a light (fitting expression) went off in my head.

LEDs will not work for signal lights on the FIAT. That's why I've been having conversion problems (new LED lights). The signals won't work AT ALL if you throw an LED into the line (just doesn't draw enough electricty). oh well, it's an easy fix, I just have to throw a load resister into every line to make the system THINK there is a normal light in the circuit. Just one more added expense to the project :roll:

For now I'm ditching the light work that I've been messing with and instead throwing the stock rears on until I KNOW I have the time and parts to put the cool lights on. I still need to get a welder to fill the holes, so I'm just going to have to wait.
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Post by rlux4 »

Bummer Danno. I am not an electrical whiz, so I have a question. Will you have to calculate the resistance needed to fool the system, and if so, then I assume they have resistors of varying . . . resistance? Yes?
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
Danno

Re: I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Post by Danno »

rlux4 wrote:Bummer Danno. I am not an electrical whiz, so I have a question. Will you have to calculate the resistance needed to fool the system, and if so, then I assume they have resistors of varying . . . resistance? Yes?
Ron
yesh, you are right on. You don't have to be exact though (usually), just close. It's been a while since i looked at the things, I remember there being several universal types that fit most wattages.
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Post by rlux4 »

Wow, I learn something new every day. Thanks Danno.
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
baltobernie
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 3466
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: I should have known (RE: My LED Tails/Brakes/Signals)

Post by baltobernie »

Something like this?
http://led-r-us.com/icpw/2amp.shtml

I was in the LED industry for many years, but retired before the advent of packaged LED aftermarket lamps. I can tell you that LEDs are current-driven, not voltage-driven like incandescent lamps. There is some circuitry inside the packaged lamps to provide a constant-current output to the individual LEDs, but I don't know the particulars. Replacing the Fiat flasher with an electronic unit (unaffected by load) would be one solution, but I don't know the intricacies of the Fiat circuit. Probably would be easier to plug in load modules like the ones linked above.
Post Reply