Full LED toy home

[Nam]

Hi John,

Thanks for the info. I may just leave the turn signal alone for now. It seems to work okay.

I am more concern about the tail lights since the fuse keeps on blowing

[90toydolphin]

could be way off, but if it's blowing instantly then are you sure they are all coming on for a moment? maybe jump with wire and have someone checking to see if all are coming on. if the wire you use to jump gets warm there is probably a short. maybe a bulb has actually shorted out? maybe it wouldn't come on at all and tell on itself as the culprit? if you haven't already making a physical inspection of all the lights on that circuit, tail and clearance lights probably. just some thoughts that may or may not help.

[90toydolphin]

one other thought, test continuity from light side of the fuse holder with fuse out, not the hot side from the battery, to a good ground somewhere, if there's continuity then there's a short.

[stamar]

I haveexperience with putting an led. Light in a tail light that blew regularly in my bmw and it solved it.

No logic to it but it did

We got the same interior lights nam with the same things that don't fit. I just put them in without soldering.

I used the bayonet adapter pulled it in half put one in the top one in the bottom

And I used the adapter that is like a small version of the 1141 I. Pushed the metal sppring to it.

[stamar]

My flasher lights front and back work with the stockk flasher box.... no problems.

Anyone have a problem like that? Waiter? I don't think that problem exists for toyhomes

On the other hand I feel like the brake lights aren't changing enough in luminence and might need to create a custom light

[waiter]

Regarding the fast blinking turn signals after converting to LEDs, I believe Bajadulce mentioned he had the same problem when he converted his turn signals to LEDs (fast blinking).

When I originally started researching the LED compatible flasher, the only Toyota flasher that was LED compatible cost about $40. COUGH GAG. (more on this later)

A visit to my other source of Toyota Info, the ToyotaNation forums, I found many who were asking the same question, AND, several instances where people converted their existing electronic flashers. I didn't find anyone who had converted the same model as mine, so I started experimenting and this resulted in the subsequent writeup about how to modify this particular flasher.

A little more information on this subject.

Most older mechanical flashers won't flash at all, They just turn on bright and stay there. You might find these in older vehicles, maybe all the way up to early, mid 80s (maybe even later).

The electronic flashers from late 70's to maybe mid 90s had the "Bad Bulb" circuit that would blink fast if the turn signal circuit wasn't drawing the correct current. When you bought a replacement flasher, you specified how many bulbs were in the turn signal circuit, i.e. 2 or 3 or 4, etc, etc. as the circuit measured the current flow to determine if a bulb was burnt out.

If you buy a replacement flasher, double check to make sure its LED compatible. ALSO, on my 88, the OEM flasher has a different mount base (and of course, a higher price), but after looking at the actual pin out, it looks like a standard 3 pin flasher (LED compatible) might work..

ONE LAST WORD TO WISE - LED Flasher or LED replacement bulb - One trick some vendors use is to add a load resistor to the LEDs or the flasher assembly to make them draw the same current as a regular bulb. Although this will solve the fast flash problem, one of the main reasons I went to LEDs is to reduce my power consumption. I suspect most people in the automotive world do not go to LEDs for this reason, so adding a load resistor to the LED isn't an issue.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[zero]

ONE LAST WORD TO WISE - LED Flasher or LED replacement bulb - One trick some vendors use is to add a load resistor to the LEDs or the flasher assembly to make them draw the same current as a regular bulb. Although this will solve the fast flash problem, one of the main reasons I went to LEDs is to reduce my power consumption. I suspect most people in the automotive world do not go to LEDs for this reason, so adding a load resistor to the LED isn't an issue.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

.

Easy fix and not custom wiring needed. Just buy an HD flasher.

A standard OEM flasher is a load-sensing circuit breaker and is designed to trip at a precise load. When there is less load - like one bulb out - less amp draw and it fails to trip - i.e. no blink.

All is needed is a HD flasher until. Very common and easy to get at any auto parts store. It will blink no matter what am draw it is hooked to. Just about any vehicle that tows a trailer ought to have it anyway. E.g. the Tridon EP37 blinks the same with just on LED or 16 standard bulbs. Many brand out there. They used to cost $8 each and now are substantially more but what isn't? Just make sure you replace with the same # of prongs. HD flashers come in two prong and three prong.

The Tridon® EP37 is a heavy duty electronic turn signal flasher that operates at 12 V. that is designed to handle up to 16 lamps of load. The EP37 is LED compatible and is proudly made in the U.S.A. by Novit Technologies Inc.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tridon-Heavy-duty-electronic-flasher/_/N-255s?itemIdentifier=193121

Here is one from U-haul for $3.

http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Hitch-accessories/Towing-safety/12V-Heavy-Duty-Flasher?id=4072

[Totem]

hmm I wonder if I could use that to solve my issue on my mercedes... they are quite strict on the e300td for voltage sensing as a "feature" that tells you a bulb is out on the heads up screen. its super annoying because it blacks out the heads up and you cant see your other data anymore. its often trips for no reason. mercedes says this is to show a bulb is near failure; that the filiment in the bulb will actually draw a different current near death signalling "bulb failure".

I only have this problem if I turn my lights on. Ive checked every single bulb in the car; all are working. My main issue though is that I want to add a trailer wireing harness for it as I had a hitch installed. the hitch installer told me that this car requires a special kit from Germany and they havent been made in years and are impossible to find.

maybe i could get a new flasher...

[Derek up North]

Although this will solve the fast flash problem, one of the main reasons I went to LEDs is to reduce my power consumption. I suspect most people in the automotive world do not go to LEDs for this reason, so adding a load resistor to the LED isn't an issue.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

But how big of a 'hill of beans' does the power consumption of your flashers add up to?

[zero]

hmm I wonder if I could use that to solve my issue on my mercedes... they are quite strict on the e300td for voltage sensing as a "feature" that tells you a bulb is out on the heads up screen. its super annoying because it blacks out the heads up and you cant see your other data anymore. its often trips for no reason. mercedes says this is to show a bulb is near failure; that the filiment in the bulb will actually draw a different current near death signalling "bulb failure".

I only have this problem if I turn my lights on. Ive checked every single bulb in the car; all are working. My main issue though is that I want to add a trailer wiring harness for it as I had a hitch installed. the hitch installer told me that this car requires a special kit from Germany and they havent been made in years and are impossible to find.

maybe i could get a new flasher...

I've seen the little converter boxes on Mercedes for trailer hookups. That on 90s MBs. Don't know about stuff newer then 2000. The MB Bosch box is usually $70-$80. There are USA made equivalents. Hopkins makes them. #46255 or #46365 but check their current catalog. Usually $35-$45. Called a "sold state trailer converter."

[Totem]

mines a 1998, the guys said the boxes were junk and triggered the bulb failure warning; a googling on reviews seemed to confirm that on some. I will look for the bosch.

[Nam]

Thanks for the help. I did not think there were a real short since the fuse does not blow right away and hooking up the AMP meter showing 9.6A load.

I went and removed all the bulbs I could, including all top clearance lights and tail lights. What's left are instrument lights, front marker lights, and two small rear marker lights (the lower ones). Current draw drops to 1.6A so I am think the sort is either somewhere in the light bulbs or inside one of those rusty lights.

I will put LEDs on wherever I can and clean out the rest to reinstall lights and monitor the current draw. However, I think the circuit will be ok

Nam

'90 Itasca

could be way off, but if it's blowing instantly then are you sure they are all coming on for a moment? maybe jump with wire and have someone checking to see if all are coming on. if the wire you use to jump gets warm there is probably a short. maybe a bulb has actually shorted out? maybe it wouldn't come on at all and tell on itself as the culprit? if you haven't already making a physical inspection of all the lights on that circuit, tail and clearance lights probably. just some thoughts that may or may not help.

[Nam]

Out of all solutions, I like John MC's the best since it's very cheap and easy to carry out. The down side is when the LED goes out, there is no way to tell but LED is supposed to last longer than we do for signal uses so that may not be a problem.

The old mechanical flashers relies on the current draw to heat up a little springy contacts. When there is enough current to heat it up, it becomes soft and releases the contact to turn of the lights, when it cools down again, it will make contact again thus to make flashing...with LED, I don't think it will heat up at all, no flashing.

I also enjoy the ticking sounds too....it's telling me that I have my signal on.

I have seen resistor on LED to increase load...pointless for what we need.

But since the signal lights are not being used often and we only use it when the vehicle is running so power consumption isn't an issue in my opinion.

Nam

Regarding the fast blinking turn signals after converting to LEDs, I believe Bajadulce mentioned he had the same problem when he converted his turn signals to LEDs (fast blinking).

When I originally started researching the LED compatible flasher, the only Toyota flasher that was LED compatible cost about $40. COUGH GAG. (more on this later)

A visit to my other source of Toyota Info, the ToyotaNation forums, I found many who were asking the same question, AND, several instances where people converted their existing electronic flashers. I didn't find anyone who had converted the same model as mine, so I started experimenting and this resulted in the subsequent writeup about how to modify this particular flasher.

A little more information on this subject.

Most older mechanical flashers won't flash at all, They just turn on bright and stay there. You might find these in older vehicles, maybe all the way up to early, mid 80s (maybe even later).

The electronic flashers from late 70's to maybe mid 90s had the "Bad Bulb" circuit that would blink fast if the turn signal circuit wasn't drawing the correct current. When you bought a replacement flasher, you specified how many bulbs were in the turn signal circuit, i.e. 2 or 3 or 4, etc, etc. as the circuit measured the current flow to determine if a bulb was burnt out.

If you buy a replacement flasher, double check to make sure its LED compatible. ALSO, on my 88, the OEM flasher has a different mount base (and of course, a higher price), but after looking at the actual pin out, it looks like a standard 3 pin flasher (LED compatible) might work..

ONE LAST WORD TO WISE - LED Flasher or LED replacement bulb - One trick some vendors use is to add a load resistor to the LEDs or the flasher assembly to make them draw the same current as a regular bulb. Although this will solve the fast flash problem, one of the main reasons I went to LEDs is to reduce my power consumption. I suspect most people in the automotive world do not go to LEDs for this reason, so adding a load resistor to the LED isn't an issue.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[zero]

Out of all solutions, I like John MC's the best since it's very cheap and easy to carry out. The down side is when the LED goes out, there is no way to tell but LED is supposed to last longer than we do for signal uses so that may not be a problem.

The old mechanical flashers relies on the current draw to heat up a little springy contacts. When there is enough current to heat it up, it becomes soft and releases the contact to turn of the lights, when it cools down again, it will make contact again thus to make flashing...with LED, I don't think it will heat up at all, no flashing.

Mechanical flashers are just self-resetting circuit breakers that trip very time the lights blink off. If the total amp load on a given vehicle OEM is 10 amps - then a 9-10 amp circuit breaker "flasher " is used. If a bulb goes out, less amps and no "blink.' If there is a short and too much amp draw - it blinks faster. The difference between a flasher and a common circuit protecting circuit breaker is the quality of the bimetal strip and contacts. Circuit breakers in flasher are "fast blow" and made to endure constant use. Circuit breaker for circuit protection are "slow blow" and made for infrequent use.

A mechanical HD (heavy duty) flasher is not load -dependent. Blinks at the same rate regardless if just a few LED bulbs or 20 incandescent bulbs. Still mechanical but has it's own power circuit not dependent on the vehicle lights. They've been around for 70 years at least and have hardly changed. There are also more expensive electronic flashers that have no moving parts - i.e. all based on semiconductors and ICs.

The trailer-light converters are just relays of a sort. Made to operate trailer lights by using the tow-vehicle as a light "trigger" only and draw no current from the tow vehicles light circuit.

One note on LEDs. They do not last forever. They are diodes and can fail just like any diode can. I've had a few go bad in one year of intermittent use. Average life though is much greater then any incandescent or CFL I know of. LEDs have a average live of 40-50K hours of steady use and are not damaged by constant "on" and "offs" as are incandascents and CFLs. I had a moose skull hanging on top of my barn for 10 years that has two LEDs for eyeballs. One LED burnt out this winter. They only turn on at night when the barn lights are on. In 10 years, they probably have 7000-8000 hours of use on them. That is the average life of a CFL. That being said, I've had CFLs fail in less then 500 hours of use. I guess that's why life is expessed as an "average." One other note: LEDs if made for AC use have extra electronics to use both ends of the Hertz Cycle and have additional compenents that can fail other then the diode itself.

[stamar]

Its possible the tail and the front flasher leds I got from two different sources are actually resistored to work with old flasher boxes.

I will do an experiment someday not in the near future at all

If they are then they are using as much power as incandescents but require no projects so they are still niice. But. Not what I was shooting for.

At least my marker and interior lights are verified low power.

I'm not going through much money and time just to get the juice for those four bulbs in the near future. Definitely not experimenting.

If anyone going down this road finds the ebay source for non resistor loaded tail light bulbs from china, and they should be cheaper, let us know and ill order them.

This is another reason to use the wafers for interior lights and not the 1141 bayonet bulbs.

I have two 1141 bulbs in my interior I use as night lights and leave on 24 hours. I now suspect they use a lot more power than my smd wafers and this is why.

[waiter]

Stamar, if you have access to an ammeter, measure the current draw of those LEDs you got and lets see if they have load resistors in them. As for the LEDs, I'm obviously interested in longevity, but the main reason for me going with LEDs was the reduced power requirements.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[stamar]

I take it back only in the back is the turn lamp the same as the parking lamp.

So its on all the time and if it haas a load resistor it wastes power. The same amount as two interior lights.

In the front the turn signal only comes on when turning. Prime bulb for not changing to led at all ever. .

Only the back bulbs need either a load resistor or an expensive project

[stamar]

I will do exactly that someday. More likely to start with the ones I'm using for interior lights

[stamar]

I would still buy them for a buck sixty apeice as longevity bulbs but I got them for power reduction. For instance I'm not buying them for my car for longevity...

[Stevo]

I understand changing interior lights to LED's, but whats the point in changing the exterior lights to LED's?

[waiter]

Steve, I changed mine for two reasons,

1) Durability, My existing sockets taillight were bad, intermittent lights and they would burn out faster. I hard wired my LEDs so they do not use sockets.

2) Lower current drain on the electrical system. All running lights consume about 10 amps, LEDs replacement consume less than 2 amps. Less work for the alternator, more amps to charge the coach battery.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Maineah]

When I was a kid I worked at a local gas station they serviced school buses every time one came in it had clearance light issues when I bought my Toy home one of the first things I did was replace all of them with LED's because 50% did not burn now when I turn the lights on I just smile because they are all lit. RV lighting is marginal to begin with the fixtures are really pretty poor if the automobile lighting was like that no one would be able to sell cars.

[Stevo]

That makes a lot of sense and thank you. How did you hard wire your LED clearance lights? Did you solder them directly to the wire?

[waiter]

I soldered mine.

Here is a link to how I did mine ALSO tail lights

Running Light LEDs

Tail Light LEDs

and, what the heck

Interior LEDs

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Maineah]

Yes I soldered mine too and sealed them with shrink tubing.

[stamar]

I replaced all my marker lights with led lights in order to have more power go into the deep cycle when driving at night.

i just used the existing fixtures. I feel confident that if you put in some grease in the existing fixtures they would last for life from here.

i replaced the tail lights because ... well its the exact same amount of power as an interior light so the exact same amount of power savings.

some people actually drive more at night than they use the interior lights so it might save more power really. Most wont though I agree.

The best ones are the interior lights the ones you use regularly not necessarily all of them. then all the exterior lights.

on the opposite end I have to ask you why do you want incandescent bulbs anywhere on your rv?

Its at the point now where led bulbs are pretty similar or even cheaper if you buy them from the right source.

the led that they sell you as equivelent to the incandescent bulb it replaces has light that travels farther in a color that is more visible too for what it matters so its not only going to use 10% of the power its brighter. they use estimates that underestimate leds for replacements for the most part. all of my lights are bbrighter.

Id replace the turn signal lights too. The only reason stopping me isnt price, its just that i dont want to commit the labor of replacing a bulb that probably wont ever burn out anyway.

Its still better in led and a bargain. back up lights too.

[stamar]

This is related to led interior lights.

I just got a brand new mmakita drill set, li ion.

I have some old nimh dewalt drills too though.

Theses sets sometimes come with a flashlight. Its sold seperatelyy too.

They are starting to sell this flashlight with an led bulb for 60 bucks.

Here's my tiip for the day you can get that bulb in led for less than a dollar. Then your workplace flashlight can literally last 2 days on a 3ah battery and its rechargeable, in 30 minutes no less.

Get two and recharge the, when the car is running you hhave the most effieicent lighting.

All the drills are the same for this like hitachi and milwaukee and harbor frieght even has a super cheapie for 10 bucks. But I recomend the makita because the charger is most effecient.

When using a car ro recharge it that makes a lot of difference.

[stamar]

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BML185W-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Flashlight/dp/B000V2H8Y8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361579059&sr=8-2&keywords=makita+light

heres what I mean

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXLM04-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Flashlight/dp/B009G48A8A/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1361579115&sr=1-2&keywords=makita+led+light

youll notice one is just basically the same thing but with an led bulb. Sort of taking advantage of american ignorance on leds, an led requires no sort of special equipment and it fits where older bulbs work.

whereas believe it or not this one comes with a led flashlight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cordless-drilldriver-and-flashlight-kit-38-18-volt-68287.html

the batteries are just 12 dollars. for the purpose of a light nicd batteries are fine comparred to lithium because you dont work with it. unfortunately the drill itself is a peice of crap.

the reason I wouldnt go this route is only this : I have to recharge my makita batteries every day anyway. this harbor frieght thing I would be putting some energy just into lights.

when I give it more thought

So right now my rv doesnt really drive too much and the single solar panel isnt actually good for recharging my drill everyday and leaving the lights on.

But my work truck recharges my drill batteries everyday for free.

Also lithium batteries per square inch are just so much more powerful than a lead acid battery weighing 60 lbs. Anyhow by cutting the power usage down to zero i can get a little more realistic on a solar powered laptop.

[WME]

Don't know what this would do, but its an easy do for brighter tail lights. http://www.ronfrancis.com/products.asp?dept=94

They also have parts to rebuild some lights.

[stamar]

i do not believe thats a problem.

In the tailights im using there are leds pointed out for this theory anyway.

its true that leds sort of spot out vs incandecents make a round light. this is why leds are so much better for tail lights than old light bulbs imo. its not a problem it requires no fix.

[Maineah]

You may want to check the voltage rating of your LED's before hooking them up to an 18 volt battery. Lion batteries are very light but not with out problems the cheap stuff had a nasty habit of catching fire (cell phones,laptops etc) I believe that has been mostly addressed however the threat does exist. I remove all my Lion's as soon as they are charged from the charger. Recharging a large Lion such as a car type battery is extremely critical it's probably best not to mention Lion batteries to a Boeing 787 engineer.

[stamar]

oh ya for me in particular im using drill li ion batteries. I have a tablet and a cell phone too.

Ive had quite a few li ion batteries die this year I think of them as extremely expensive semi disposible things.

if there were a cheap car li ion battery think id like one.

But actually Im shopping for some new rv deep cells I should put that project together soon and Ill ask about which deep cells to get next.

[stamar]

well i charge them in a truck every day. Its a pretty common practice among the other people doing my job not dangerous so far as I know...

[Maineah]

Dude everyone uses them. the point is they are not ready for cars etc. yet maybe you might start with an AMG battery first. It's costing Boeing billions of dollars to deal with Lion battery thermal runaway that should be a clue. As I said before the small battery problem has been mostly solved but I will continue to remove them from my charger once they are charged. I value my house too much.

[stamar]

I hear you....

In this case the drill batteries are not used because they are lithium so much as that they are charged every day whether I want them to or not.

Designing the perfectauxillery light might be more like a coleman led lamp, and they definitely have them, with nicd batteries you recharge somewhere that's free to you.

a drill battery apart from being very expensive is also very unreliable as one cell dies its garbage time where as nicd batteries dies slow and are replaceable seperaely for cheap.

A drill battery is designed for low weight, and normally its also designed to die fast like a peice of crap neither of whhich makes a good flashlight