replace standard bulbs with LED ones

[Downeaster]

retiredgentleman, do you have a specific Walmart part number or SKU for that taillight? I surfed their site and saw some similar items, but not that particular one.

I'm very interested in making this mod to my '79.

 

[weekendrider]

Downeaster I believe this is it.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Blazer-6-10-LED-Oval-Stop-Tail-Turn-Light-Red/16880527

 

[retiredgentleman]

retiredgentleman, do you have a specific Walmart part number or SKU for that taillight? I surfed their site and saw some similar items, but not that particular one.

I'm very interested in making this mod to my '79.

The company that makes them is PM Peterson........www.pmlights.com.
model # V420KR-5, made in Taiwan, DOT approved, 100,000 hour rated life.
I was just in Walmart the other day and saw the same model that I have. I think they sell a ton load of them.

Just thinking out load...............100,000 hours...........thats 50 years @ 8 hrs/day, for 5 days a week. The LED will still be working long after I kick the bucket

Your alternator will be real happy!

 

[retiredgentleman]

Downeaster, here's a few pics of how mine is mounted. I used come 1/8" aluminum, which I cut to fit under the rubber grommet. Its only the rubber grommet that holds the LED to the aluminum piece. The aluminum piece is bolted to my stock tail light bracket. A hole was cut in the aluminum for the wires to pass through. I also had to install a small LED licence plate light that is mounted just below the tail/brake LED.

 

[Downeaster]

Outstanding!

Thanks to all for input.

 

[Downeaster]

Okay, I picked one up at Wallaby World today.

Haven't done a great deal of investigating yet, but I'm a bit confused by the wiring. What's with the battery in the wiring harness?

Will this thing run off 12v (that is, just hooked to the existing wiring harness) or do I need to make some mods?

 

[Downeaster]

Crap. Upon further investigation, it's pretty obvious that the unit I picked up at Walmart is NOT the same one. 10 vs 8 LED's, wider, big honkin' plug hanging out the back.

I need to study on the situation some more, but I'm not seeing a way to mount this thing that won't look like a turd floatin' in a punch bowl.

I'll look again next time I get to Walmart.

BTW, the battery is wired into a switch. It appears to be for test purposes.

 

[weekendrider]

Downeaster,
All of the units(regardless of # of LED's) will be the same physical size.
They are marketing to a specific use (trailer lights).
A quick way to tell if I'm full of shit, look at all the trailers as you go about your day.
You'll see most are a standard size regardless if they are condesent or LED.

It wires in direct. The hmmm load supressors are all ready built in the unit.
I ran into that adding the led on the back of the board for the tag light in the link I sent you.
Yours is a sealed unit(all are anymore) with a included wiring pig tail that plugs to the fixture. It should have 3 wires ground, tail, and brake light. You can use some jumpers off your battery to figure out which is which. You will be able to tell the difference.
You add bullet connectors to plug into your system if it still uses the old style.
If the newer plug style you can get blades from Mikes. Remove the blades from the old fixture and slip the new bladdes in the old plug. All this is probably clear as mud. Sorry.

It does kinda stand out on the older models with the stand alone fixture on the back.
Again the reason I sent the link. Rob a board from a round one, trim to fit, silicone next to the lense face so you don't lose light to refraction? Close to the face is how I did it.

Or you could source the round chrome grab bar from an '81 and it would mount on the bar. But then you would need to source a tag light only braket to light your tag.
The choppers should be able to provide one.

 

[XSLeo]

I have converted most of my lighting to LED's. The headlight is a Candle Power replacement unit that uses an H4 bulb. The dash lights are still incandescent, they don't draw much any way. The less draw of the LED's lets the H4 bulb light just fine and still have plenty to charge the battery. Just be sure all the connections in the headlight circuit are up to the task, clean and tight.
On running LED turn signals, don't use load equalizers. They are just resisters to bring the very low load of the LED's up to match the load of the stock bulbs.
Get your bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com use the LF1-S-flat flasher they sell. Remove the wires from the plug, then plug them right into the socket the strock flasher was plugged into. Red or grey wire goes to the brown wire in the socket, the black goes to the brown/white wire.
Easy peasy.
Leo

 

[leodr]

Hey I'M back.
Just bought led lights for my signals and an electronic flasher and guess what, it is not working. All lights come on very dim and flash. What could be the problem. Flasher is an electronic one I bought at princess auto SKU 8172744 rated 1-10 bulbs, 1-10 amps circuits rated 20 amps at 12VDC , 2 prong. What do I do???

 

[Grinder]

It could be that your flasher is still rated too high for LED's. This is the one I'm using and it's rated from 20MA to 25 A ( 1000 MA = 1 amp) and is LED compatible. Check your LED's for an amp rating. If two of them is less than 1 amp, that could be your problem. The 1157 LED bulb I'm using for my tail light is only 235MA or about 1/4 amp.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=NF_EL12L2_0325430597

 

[XSLeo]

I agree with Grinder on this. LED bulbs draw very little amps. Some as low as .45 amps. With a 1 amp minimum your LED's might not get the flasher to work.
Another thing you might want to check is battery voltage. If it is low that can keep the flasher from working.
I'm using the LF1-S-flat flasher from www.superbrightleds.com $8.95 Not sure on shipping. I got my bulbs at the same time. I bench tested this flasher and will flash just one LED bulb. It can handle up to 150 watts of light bulbs, regular or LED. It has been working great for several years. The one thing I found is that it don't like being very close to the ignition coils, especially a high output coil. It flashed very funny when next to my Green Monster coil. I just moved it as far away as I could, it now hangs on the front of the battery box.
Leo

 

[leodr]

I agree with Grinder on this. LED bulbs draw very little amps. Some as low as .45 amps. With a 1 amp minimum your LED's might not get the flasher to work.
Another thing you might want to check is battery voltage. If it is low that can keep the flasher from working.
I'm using the LF1-S-flat flasher from www.superbrightleds.com $8.95 Not sure on shipping. I got my bulbs at the same time. I bench tested this flasher and will flash just one LED bulb. It can handle up to 150 watts of light bulbs, regular or LED. It has been working great for several years. The one thing I found is that it don't like being very close to the ignition coils, especially a high output coil. It flashed very funny when next to my Green Monster coil. I just moved it as far away as I could, it now hangs on the front of the battery box.
Leo

thanks to both Grinder and XSLeo. I do not know what the load s are for both the led bulbs and flasher are (not on packaging). I have asked for them from Princess Auto wher I bought them and I hope they get back with info. One thing though these amber bulbs I bought are side mount so they are not as bright... is there anyone that makes them shiny 90 degrees ???
/Leo

 

[Downeaster]

Regarding my taillight, after looking at the available complete units, the amount of work to mount them and the probable finished look, I ordered a 1157-LED bulb from Amazon and just popped that in the stock lens assembly.

Viola! Done, < 1 minute of work, stock appearance retained, brightness gained and current draw reduced. Marginally more expensive at $18-ish for the bulb plus shipping but well worth it for me.

Turn signals are next...