LED brake light, blinking brake indicator

Has anyone else had this problem? Everything WORKS but when I turn the lights on the brake light indicator blinks like it does when the brake light is not plugged in. It all works just fine but the blinking light is a little annoying. If I dont turn the head light on then it does not blink and still lights up when the brakes are applied. Seems kind of odd. I'm wondering if I need more resistance on the parking light circuit to make it stop.

Ron

AR15Ron wrote:

Has anyone else had this problem? ...

It's a very common problem that has come up often.

There is a natual resistance in the regular light, and that's how the brake light "failure indicator" (the blinking light) works. If it detects a very low draw, like an LED or a burned out regular bulb, it thinks that the bulb is burned out.
I actuall solved it by putting *just enough* LEDs on the circuit to cause it to detect the draw. I added a license plate rind with another LED on it and it solved my problem.

Now, I know nothing about electronics, so I don't even know what that means, I just know it worked... Other people have added resistors or whatever, others have removed the failure indicator, others have removed the bulb from the dash...

Good luck!

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm gonna try and find some more LED's to plug in. Seems like a waste to use a resistor. I like the indicator that tells me the brake light is on so I'd like to keep it working. It's kind of funny that the brake light doesnt make it flash only the parking lights. Think I'll go check ebay for a license plate frame or something I like that idea.

Ron

AR15Ron wrote:

...Think I'll go check ebay for a license plate frame or something I like that idea....

No guarantees, no promises...
It just *happened* to work for me, I cannot say why...
And I don't know if it matters, but the LED taillight I'm using is the Radiantz 1.85" Direct Base LED cluster from Custom Dynamics, with this license plate ring LED:



Post edited by: Biquetoast, at: 2007/04/14 08:42

You need to add resistance to the line!!! Search online, this is a common function of Ohm's law. Assuming you can do some light soldering; if you supply me with the stats of your new blinkers I can try to help you out...

I just don't want to add resistance when I can just add lights instead
Resistance = heat = a waste of electricty

I can't and/or won't argue taste! Yes, adding LEDs to the circuit would increase the resistance on the line... IMO, I wouldn't drive a Christmas tree...