Turn-signal help
 

Hey guys,

I converted my turn-signals to switchback LEDs years ago (stay white while on and switch to yellow when flashing). So far back in fact I don't recall who I bought them from. They may even be out of business.

I need to replace one of the resisters, however, I don't know what I need. They resister itself is not labeled with anything. I called American Muscle who sells a similar set. In there install video I saw the same looking resister. However, when I called them, they didn't know much about their own "manufactured product" (their words). They couldn't even tell me the specs of the resister they make (according to the tech - which I doubt they actually make as they probably buy them in bulk). I would have been willing to take the risk and just buy one, but they wouldn't do that.

Can anyone shed some like on the resister needed? And where I can purchase one? I live in the middle of no where, so unless they sell them at home Depot, it will have to be an online purchase.

Thank you.

probably this kit...
https://www.diodedynamics.com/led-re...-kit-pair.html

Walmart has load resisters back in their lighting section with the LEDs.
You get a pack of two, but you can replace one. All it does is satisfy the
load condition for the SJB. I don't use them, and all my LEDs wort just fine.

When I shut the car off, the rear two outer, center brake, and side markers stay on
very Very VERY dim till the car goes to sleep, which is about 5-8 minutes.
Does not bother me a bit, that current is there with or without the LEDs. You
would not see the incandescent lights glow, because the current is too low
for them, but LEDs, it's just enough. On my '13 Jetta, just the reverse
lights stay on the same way.

The problem is, the load resister may be higher wattage than the bulbs would use.
They should be no more than 25 watts each side. Incandescent bulbs, Low (parking
lights) side is ~8.3 watts. High (signal / brake) side is ~27 watts. The resisters go
on the high side for dual filament. 3157, like for front signal, is just high, so it splices
in. They install PARALLEL.

I don't use them. I use LEDs for lower power consumption. Adding load resisters
saves nothing, and defeats that purpose. So if I can't use LEDs without load resisters,
then I am not going to use LEDs.

That is really silly unless you are driving an electric only vehicle like a Tesla, or your car is a drag vehicle in which you manually charge the battery prior to the race with nothing on the accessory belt drive (the short belt option, flywheel to waterpump, manual rack steering). The alternator is already spinning and generating electricity, most of its potential goes to waste.
People get LEDs in ICS vehicles because they provide a cooler pattern or brighter light. The resistor is to prevent hyperflashing, If the OP does not have a hyperflashing situation, he does not need the resistors.

None of that applies to parked, car OFF, and your parking lights are on for visibility. It does
apply to every little bit of wattage you can get to your hi-powered audio system, where EVERY
SINGLE WATT counts.

Hyper-flash? So what, why does that matter as long as the they WORK. The faster flash actually
draws more attention. Also, my '08, no resisters, no hyper flash. My '12 Jetta SE? The dash
indicator lights hyper-flash after the second full flash, but the outside signals do not. All my other
Jettas did the same thing. It's only 2 flashes per second -vs- one, whoa, can't have that...

I can leave my parking lights on ALL NIGHT, and be able to start the car in the morning with
LEDs. I have done it, with two vehicles to test it. One of my Jettas, there was a problem
with the light switch. When it got cold, for some reason, the parking lights would turn on, and
I'd wake up to a dead battery. I put ALL LEDs in the car, never happened again. I'd go outside,
all the parking lights and the city lights (now LEDs) would be on, but no dead battery.

Simple math:
Parking; For the mustang, all six rear tail lows will be on, for 4 amps. Add the four
194 side markers for another 3.8 watts x 4 = 1.2amps, for a total of > 5 amps of
current draw, with just the parking lights on. With LEDs, that's reduced to .92 amps,
LESS THAN 1 amp, with a savings of > 4 amps for your audio system.

Now, if you want to talk Headlamps? LEDs or HIDs without load resisters?
55 watts is 4.6 amps, hi-beams 5.4 amps, for incandescent (halogen). You'd
be saving at least 20 amps with headlamp LEDs or HIDs, WITHOUT load
resisters.

SO, as I said, if I need load resisters, I ain't using them. I don't care how pretty the lights
look; that's not my purpose. It's all lower power consumption for me. Leaves more watts
for amplifiers and radio. EVERY watt counts with amplifiers.

@08'MustangDude... I didn't realize you were into competition audio, in that case you would be best served using a higher output alternator (200+ amps rather than the stock 160 Amps) and a giant battery relocated to the back (for size and to be closer to the AMPs to smooth out the peaks).


The purpose of "hyperflash" is to let you know one of your turn signal bulbs is not working (however with the resistors, you would never get the hyperflash even if no bulb in the socket), if you regularly check all your turn signals, then yeah, no big deal. HID headlights draw way more power than the normal incandescent headlights, but that's another story.

I found the site above, and this one: https://allxenon.com/led-load-resistors/

But I wasn't sure if those were the right draws as my resister didn't have a label like these do.

Has anyone bought from either of these places?

Looks like amazon has them too now that I know what to search for....

Looks like a better deal through amazon, but Diode Dynamics is an authorized mustangforums vendor... and you can message them through the forums. https://mustangforums.com/forum/memb...-dynamics.html

WALMART has the load resisters, as I said.... $14.88 for a pair, something like that.

I am very particular about my Audio systems, I want crisp clear sound. With my Charger, I added
a second battery for the the Radio and amps, and 12V sockets. They were all on a separate battery.
The fuse relay center was in the trunk to, so it was easy to wire the audio and AUX ports to the second
battery.

I know what hyperflash is for, but for LEDs, It does not bother me one bit...

As far as a 200AMP alternator, most ECUs and BCMs and such regulate the current anyway, and adding
more amps doesn't pass through the car unless updated for a 200 AMP alternator. This does not apply
to electric steering, that current is passed separately. Not sure if it is true with the Mustang, but if I
wanted to update to the 200 AMP alternator on the Charger, I had to program the ECU for it.

Bass is where you need the amps, and when I upgraded to an AGM battery, totally changed the bass
response and how hard it hit. Current recovery and constant was better with the AGM battery.
I am not there with the Mustang, I was content with the Shaker. I went with an Eonon android radio
and it totally woke the system up, and bass was 100% better. I plan to amp the deck speakers is
all. I put Infinity speakers there, and can barely hear them, and they're 3-ohm. I put Kicker 4ohm
in the doors, sounds much better. I have the amp for the deck, just needs hooked up when the
weather breaks.

I will not use load resisters, it defeats the purpose of switching to LEDs for lower power consumption.