LED's can be aggrevating

[minendrews68]

There is a lot to know about putting LED bulbs into our vehicles. I went to our local O'reillys auto parts and asked about a led bulb for the DRL in my 2007 Chevrolet 2500. They gave me a 3157 clear bulb. Everything looked great for about 3 days. Then it started flickering. I called the company that made the bulbs and asked them about what was going on. They informed me that GM sends some sort of "pulse" signal to these bulbs and they don't recommend using them for the DRL's. I did call O'riellys first and asked them, they said it should work. I then called Superbrightleds.com, and they also told me that the stock 3157 bulbs do not work for the DRL, but they did have one that would. Lesson learned, problem solved. Just wish I'd known sooner.
I'm also putting leds in my sons Jeep Grand Cherokee. Here, I need load resistors (as well as in my 68 Camaro. So, everyone, look into what your putting your leds in and do some research before just buying and installing.

Carl

[TheJDMan]

Carl,
I recently completed a total LED lighting update on Dust Off. Now I'm in the middle of doing a complete LED interior light update including the instrument cluster and steering wheel DIC switches on my 2007 Classic Silverado 2500HD Duramax. I have been slowly loosing dash lights as they burn out and rather than buy new cluster and switches I found a number of great DIY threads on how to install LEDs. You might find this interesting.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/71-information-place/19-do-yourself-useful-articles-product-reviews/470985-led-interior-swaps.html

[minendrews68]

Steve,
Man, don't I know about all the lights going out in my Silverado. I tried going to the website you had in your post, it said I wasn't logged in. I guess I'll register and look. I am interested in the led replacements for the dash, door panel, and all the ones in my steering wheel have give it up. What color is yours? Mine has almost 208,000 miles on it. I was changing oil around the 160k mile and decided to replace the transmission fluid. I drained it, and it looked as clean as the new fluid I replaced it with. I called Allison and asked them about it and the tech asked me why I replaced the tranny fluid. I said, I really thought it was time. He proceeded to tell me it wasn't necessary. Wow.. I do like the remote filter on the trans. I change it about every other time I change oil. Let me know how your led change out goes if you don't mind.

On Dust Off, did you have to install the resistors to add a "load" to keep the blinkers from blinking too fast? I did notice that in my son's Jeep and one of my interior led's that they still glow a little after they go off. The two map light in the overhead console doesn't do it. Go figure.

[David LaBuda]

I converted the interior lights in my 2005 Sierra to blue LEDs. I had zero experience with soldering when I started but it really wasn't that difficult.

Here are some links to instructions I used:
http://www.silveradoss.com/forums/topic/69672-the-official-led-how-to-guide/
http://www.performancetrucks.net/forums/show-shine-discussion-129/led-dash-swap-install-instructions-03-08-classic-silverado-454247/

[TheJDMan]

Carl
By all means register, the DieselPlace.com is a great resource for all things Duramax. I go by the same user name there. I have three Autometer Cobalt gages on the A pillar so I'm doing all my dash gages with blue LEDs to match. Do you tow a lot with your truck? If so you might be interested in the DIY on how to activate the factory turbo brake for about $15 worth of parts.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/71-information-place/19-do-yourself-useful-articles-product-reviews/542826-how-activate-factory-turbine-brake.html

On Dust Off I used Trucklite LED headlights and the Digitails rear kit and front turn signal kit as well as all four side marker lights I had to install no load LED flashers for both turn and hazard.

David,
Thanks for those links. One of them I had seen the other I had not.

Here's my truck.
105432

[Decline]

JD, always making it look easy! I plan to use LEDs on my '69..Will look into digitails

[sweet motion]

I got a 69 Camaro and I am halfway through the process of doing their sequential LED taillights-nothing can describe how awesome they are except 1 million oh my God's! It's pricey but that's life owning a 69 Camaro- directions are spot on you can't screw it up just take your time and remember to install of the electronic flashers and your fuse box everything is written out for you he will love them

[minendrews68]

Ok, on another note.. Today, since I didn't have my brake switch hooked up, I crawled under my dash (or I should say I had my son crawl under my dash) and hook up my brake light switch. After doing so, I hit the brakes and to my surprise my side marker lights, and my parking lights, and my dash lights all came on. I'm thinking, well crap!, now what? I looked at my wiring and thinking this all looks right. After some more research I decided to take my led can lights brake light bulbs out and replace them with the incandescent ones. Problem solved! I have no idea what just happened. I know that if they blink too fast you have to use a load resistor, but I've never heard of this problem. I thought turning them around might solve the problem but the 1157 bulb can only go in one way.
Has anyone else ever heard of this problem? Any help would be appreciated..

Oh, sorry, this was on my '68 Camaro, not my truck. I guess I should've started a new thread.

[bryant]

that sounds like a bad ground in the bulb. it back feeds the power from the brake light filament through the running light filaments when the bulb loses ground.

[minendrews68]

I thought that, but with the stock incandescent bulbs, they work perfectly. Or are you talking about a bad ground in the led? When I didn't have the brake light switch hooked up everything worked ok. So it must be in the braking part of the led's.

[all wired]

Ok, on another note.. Today, since I didn't have my brake switch hooked up, I crawled under my dash (or I should say I had my son crawl under my dash) and hook up my brake light switch. After doing so, I hit the brakes and to my surprise my side marker lights, and my parking lights, and my dash lights all came on. I'm thinking, well crap!, now what? I looked at my wiring and thinking this all looks right. After some more research I decided to take my led can lights brake light bulbs out and replace them with the incandescent ones. Problem solved! I have no idea what just happened. I know that if they blink too fast you have to use a load resistor, but I've never heard of this problem. I thought turning them around might solve the problem but the 1157 bulb can only go in one way.
Has anyone else ever heard of this problem? Any help would be appreciated..

Oh, sorry, this was on my '68 Camaro, not my truck. I guess I should've started a new thread.

I just ran into the same issue in a customer's 70 C10 Pickup. The problem is that the 1157 LED replacement bulbs (and prob other "dual purpose" bulbs) use a microchip to control the LED's intensity (bright for brake, dim for parking). So what happens is when you hit the brake, the microchip will feed back roughly 10v into the parking light circuit. This is more than enough voltage to light up any LED marker lights. It can also cause regular incandescent marker light bulbs to light up dim. The more incandescent bulbs in line, the lower they will light up.

This same feedback can cause your turn signal indicators on your dash to light up if you replace the front marker lights with 1157 LED replacements.

One way to fix it is to install diodes on the brake and parking lights to each bulb, but keep in mind that you would need to put at least a 3-6 amp diode for each to prevent the diode from blowing out if the bulbs were ever switched back to incandescent.

I'm actually working on a tech video for you tube explaining and demonstrating this issue. I'll post a link when its finished up.

[minendrews68]

I'll be watching...