LED indicators

[AllAlloyCup]

I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that LED bulbs
Can have problems with earth leakage?

I’ve fitted indicator LED bulbs in my tailboard
Of the Cup and run an earth cable to each
bulb holder, as well as the live feeds to each bulb.

Problem is when I feed power to one indicator bulb , the other side
Also comes on. Not much use for indicating!! The earths are commoned
Up at a post that links back via a trailer cable to the negative post of the battery

Perhaps the solution involves diodes? But not found a diagram
on the web yet so may have to go back to supplier for advice.

Anyone had this problem and resolved it?

The bulbs are pretty bright though and the stop/tails ones are working fine and not affected

Regards


Bill G

[jboy964]

Bill, advice given here may help http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.co...g-leds.php

John

[AllAlloyCup]

Hi John

Thanks for the link, I think I bought some of the bulbs from them.

They list a LED fix flasher kit but doesn’t say how
Or what that does?

It’s cheap enough so will phone them on Monday to
see if my problem will be fixed by that particular kit.

I think the problem is sending voltage to one bulb leaks enough
Current into the earth return wire to power up the other bulb?

But It’s not affecting the other LED bulbs on the rear lighting board
which also use the same earth circuit though??

I’ll try putting filament bulbs in just to check it’s not MY wiring!!

Pretty sure it’s not.

Regards
Bill G

[Stuart Giles]

Do you have a single repeater bulb for the indicators in the car? These are wired between the left and right indicator circuits where there is a 2 pin flasher unit. The repeater bulb lights from the powered side and gets its earth via the unlit bulb filaments on the other side, this setup won't work if LEDs are substituted for conventional indicator bulbs.

[AllAlloyCup]

Hi Stuart

I’m not at that stage yet, I’m just working with testing
The tail board now.

My LED stop and tail led bulbs are working fine and independently
via a 7 core trailer cable, but not the indicators, feed power
to one connector and both bulbs come on. They share a common earth
Through the metal number plate and metal bulb housing.

Difficult to see how I could insulate the bulb holders
To fit diodes to both + and - sides of the bulbs?

Regards

Bill G

[spannerman]

Some LED bulbs have bridge rectifiers in them so will work on negative or positive earth your problem is the earth.connection it only has to have a small restance in it to course this type of problem? A lot of years ago I. Did my apprenticeship as electronics engineer ? .5 of ohm is all you need.

[Nick Lettington]

I recently fitted LED sidelight/indicator, headlamp and dash illumination bulbs in the ORT. I was very surprised to find that with the switch on, the dash bulbs illuminate slightly even with the battery disconnected. I guess the reaction between dissimilar metals is generating a small current as my car gently disolves... or is the capacitor in the distributor likely to be discharging through them?

   

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Bill,

Nigel H-W has sent me the following advice for you...

“Hello Ruairidh, I'm on a magnetizing trip just now and can't log on to A7 Friends on this computer. Re the problems with LED indicators; my Hillman had similar problems, traced to interference from unshielded wire to the fuel pump - electrical noise in other words, it doesn't take much. Perhaps you could mention it if you think it's worth it. Hope all's well, Nigel”

[spannerman]

Have you got a light in dash switch or in dashouse remove bulb and test ?

[AllAlloyCup]

Hi folks

All I have just now is the tailboard and a 7 core feed to it,
No flasher unit, repeater bulb etc.

Will phone the supplier today to see if they can suggest a solution.

Regards

Bill G