dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 #1 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) OK I have the resistor connected to the BLINKER WIRE, and then to the same ground in the plug. The blinker blinks but no running light. Changer back to 1157 (with R still installed) and have blinker and running light as they should be. Change to DIFFERENT LED and (still) have blinker but no running light. 4 different LEDs do this. Doug Edited January 11, 2015 by dna9656
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #3 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) I have 1157 and 1156 in LED and Incandescent (regular) bulbs. The regulars work fine. When checking the led the blinker side works fine, the running light side does not work even though power is present at the terminal in the socket. Take out the LED and the regular bulb works fine. use 4 different LEDs with same bad results. The only thing that makes sense to me is that the terminals on the bottom of the LED are un-even, but I ruled that out with DIRECT connections. Edited April 24, 2015 by dna9656
Flyinfool Posted January 11, 2015 #4 Posted January 11, 2015 Lights are to easy, this has to be something so simple we are overlooking it. I sure wish you lived closer.
MidlifeVenture Posted January 11, 2015 #5 Posted January 11, 2015 Maybe some photos of what your doing and working with, I do robotic phone support and sometimes a photo helps a million in trouble shooting.
djh3 Posted January 11, 2015 #6 Posted January 11, 2015 What about ground. what if the resistor was in ground circuit? I dunno as I have not used these.
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #7 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) What about ground. what if the resistor was in ground circuit? I dunno as I have not used these. The resistor is connected to the blinker lead then the other end of the resistor is connected to ground. IAW the diagram I found on the 'net. Edited January 11, 2015 by dna9656
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #8 Posted January 11, 2015 Lights are to easy, this has to be something so simple we are overlooking it. I sure wish you lived closer. Me too.
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #9 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) Maybe some photos of what your doing and working with, I do robotic phone support and sometimes a photo helps a million in trouble shooting. I have 1157 LED: this is what I'm doing: I have ONE R (3 ohm, 50 watt) between the blinker lead and ground. No difference if 1156 LED or 1156 regular bulb is installed in back. There is only ONE resistor installed on the FRONT 1157, there is no resistor installed in the rear on the 1156. https://www.google.com/search?q=diagram+to+connect+resistor+for+1157+LED&tbm=isch&imgil=ulAqg8gYE7ZKfM%253A%253BuKS77pZ82GRMUM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.plasmaled.com%25252Finstructionsled.htm&source=iu&pf=m&fir=ulAqg8gYE7ZKfM%253A%252CuKS77pZ82GRMUM%252C_&usg=__J_Z0DwZATRdcwAUmaIPHkpUu07k%3D&biw=1280&bih=561&dpr=1.5&ved=0CCsQyjc&ei=sRGyVIzqM4_ZoATfkIJw#imgdii=_&imgrc=ulAqg8gYE7ZKfM%253A%3BuKS77pZ82GRMUM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasmaled.com%252Fimages%252FLED_bulb_fix.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasmaled.com%252Finstructionsled.htm%3B504%3B470 Edited January 11, 2015 by dna9656
bkuhr Posted January 11, 2015 #10 Posted January 11, 2015 What are the specs of the resistor you are using, and is it actually hooked up to the circuit? If it is it should get warm to hot when turn circuit is on. I suspect your resistance is too high, not providing enough amp load for the flasher to work correctly.
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #11 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) What are the specs of the resistor you are using, and is it actually hooked up to the circuit? If it is it should get warm to hot when turn circuit is on. I suspect your resistance is too high, not providing enough amp load for the flasher to work correctly. The BLINKER (on which the resistor is connected)_ is 3 ohm/ 50 watt. The BLINKER is NOT the problem; it's working. The running light is not working. So the resistor is NOT the issue. The issue is NO RUNNING light even though current is there. Edited January 11, 2015 by dna9656
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #12 Posted January 11, 2015 What about ground. what if the resistor was in ground circuit? I dunno as I have not used these. The resistor is connected to the blinker lead then the other end of the resistor is connected to ground.
bkuhr Posted January 11, 2015 #13 Posted January 11, 2015 The BLINKER (on which the resistor is connected)_ is 3 ohm/ 50 watt. The BLINKER is NOT the problem; it's working. The running light is not working. So the resistor is NOT the issue. The issue is NO RUNNING light even though current is there. Ok, sorry mis-understood issue just running lights side of 1157 led bulbs All I can think of is maybe a mis-alignment of the contacts on the bottom of the bulbs with the contacts in the sockets. Are all the LED bulbs you have from the same manufacturer? Have you electrically tested both contacts on the bulb actually light?
djh3 Posted January 11, 2015 #14 Posted January 11, 2015 With a volt meter check and see what you have at socket. Then maybe try jumper wires to your bulbs. As was mentioned maybe a contact problem. Regular bulbs are working, I know some of the LED I have got have smaller contacts.
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #15 Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) With a volt meter check and see what you have at socket. Then maybe try jumper wires to your bulbs. As was mentioned maybe a contact problem. Regular bulbs are working, I know some of the LED I have got have smaller contacts. As near as I can tell it HAS to be the LEDs. I have a "gut kit" for the socket of a dual contact (1157 style) socket. It consists of a base plate 2 wires (they pass through the base plate and are soldered to the 2 terminals in the terminal base that is keyed to fit in the socket ONE WAY for polarity purposes), a spring (pushes the terminals UP towards the locked in bulb), and the terminal base (the non-conductive disc you see when looking into a 1157 style socket. I have held this thing to the bottom of the 1157 LED; visually ensuring terminal contact on both terminals on the bottom of the LED at all times while grounding the LED with a alligator clip, wire, and another alligator clip to the ground in the lighting circuit. The BLINKER side of the LED works, the running light side DOES NOT work, swap out the LED with a REGULAR bulb and it all works. Now what I have not done is connect a LED to the 1156 in the back, as it is a blinker only bulb I have 2 1157s in the center tail light for running and brake light. So it should not be a player... So I would think that there is something wrong with the LED but 4 (same brand same supplier) LEDs? Unlikely yet possible. Is there something wrong with my wiring on the bike? It all works with regular bulbs, all checks out with a test light. Near as I can tell the terminals on the LED must be slightly out of the proper clocking position, it's close enough for the blinker to work but out of position just enough that the running lights don't work. BTW the rear 1156 LED does NOT have the resistor, it's flashing just like it's supposed to as the regular bulb does with the LED and resistor installed or with the regular bulb (1157). I'm going to swap out the bake/running lights in the center rear with these blinker/running lights in the front and see what happens, they are working, they are a different MFR too. Will advise. Edited April 24, 2015 by dna9656
Money Venture Posted January 11, 2015 #16 Posted January 11, 2015 Did you check the polarity of your LEDs to make sure they are correct?
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #17 Posted January 11, 2015 Did you check the polarity of your LEDs to make sure they are correct? Well the #1157 is inherently polarized with it's bayonet lugs, it's going in the socket one way, so because the blinker side works that means the base is (to enough of a degree that the blinker can operate) of the LED is correct more or less. I will do a polarity check (to see if the diode in the LED is properly polarized) when I go out there to swap out the bulbs as mentioned before. Remember that diodes allow power to flow in ONE direction only, those LEDs used as dash lights, running lights, some times 3rd brake lights, (190, 186, etc) can be installed with the polarity 180 degrees out, they won't work, so rotate the bulb 180 degrees and try again.
Bob and Mary Posted January 11, 2015 #18 Posted January 11, 2015 Not real knowledgeable about LED s but is it possible that the LED bulb has a built in resistor, So the blinker works because it needs a lot of resistance, but having the additional resistor is too much for the tail light by itself?
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #19 Posted January 11, 2015 Not real knowledgeable about LED s but is it possible that the LED bulb has a built in resistor, So the blinker works because it needs a lot of resistance, but having the additional resistor is too much for the tail light by itself? The running light side comes on when hot-wired. I Swapped out the 1157s I have in the rear tail/brake application and the thing worked like it's supposed to. So it must be the LEDs have the terminals on the bottom of the LED improperly clocked.
dna9656 Posted January 11, 2015 Author #20 Posted January 11, 2015 New info: I bought some LEDs at the auto parts store. Now with this LED I get no blinker unless the running light side is disconnected and NO light (running) if it is connected. Seems to me I have some kind of feed back/or short out going on. I have running lights on the front sides, rear sides and on the trailer hitch. The read running lights are spliced into the circuit up front (I think) so apparently I need to go through the circuit. Can anyone provide me with a diagram of where I should do all this connecting? I have the LED marker lights (shaped like the original reflectors) on the saddle bags and the side guards on the engine and on the bling out on the fender. Disregard the rear amber running lights (in the directional/blinker housings) they are no longer functional, they were 1157s they are back to 1156 lights. See photo:
Flyinfool Posted January 12, 2015 #21 Posted January 12, 2015 The LEDs that you have, do they emit a white light? OK just for giggles. Strip off about a half inch of the insulation from a piece of wire. (Not a real heavy wire maybe a 18-22AWG) Stick that stripped end into the socket along with the bulb. Connect the other end of this wire direct to battery negative.
dna9656 Posted January 13, 2015 Author #22 Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) The LEDs that you have, do they emit a white light? The LEDs are amber, supposedly they cannot emit a white light...I will try your suggestion of a direct ground. OK just for giggles. Strip off about a half inch of the insulation from a piece of wire. (Not a real heavy wire maybe a 18-22AWG) Stick that stripped end into the socket along with the bulb. Connect the other end of this wire direct to battery negative. The light does work indicating the ground is good, but I think there is some kind of loop some place, it makes me nuts; as I have explained prev. the terminals in the socket both check good for power; the one is steady and the other flashes until you put the LED in the socket. The original (Ebay) LEDs flash but no running light, the Store bought ones don't flash unless you disconnect the running light power, THEN they flash, this seems like a bad ground someplace.... I will give that a try but after that I'm going to gut the whole (additional) running light circuit and put in an entirely NEW (additional) running light system; ALL running lights will get power from their respective sides from the FRONT running lights, the left side will power from the left front and the right side from the right front running light. I think some of the existing system may be tapping in to the tail light. Somewhere on this site I read that is a BOZO No -No. My plan is to power the trailer hitch and saddle bag LEDs along with the engine side cover and fender running lights right off the wire that goes to the 1157s and use ONE ground that is used by the respective left or right side. Edited January 19, 2015 by dna9656
jdross440 Posted January 13, 2015 #23 Posted January 13, 2015 LED's have to have the polarity(±) correct or they will not light whereas incandescent bulbs don't care. Check the polarity of the wiring in the socket.
Flyinfool Posted January 13, 2015 #24 Posted January 13, 2015 There are many that have bought the cheap LEDs on ebay. Not many people, if anyone, ended up happy with them. All LEDs are not created equal. With the rapid advances in LED technology there may be some good LEDs available on ebay, but there is still a lot of misadvertised junk still there. Most ebay adds do not give enough technical info to be able tell the good from the bad. If the LED puts out white light you very likely will not be happy with the end result. The LED color must match the lens color in order to work properly.
bkuhr Posted January 13, 2015 #25 Posted January 13, 2015 Just gotta ask, with all the bulb swapping. You have not by accident stuck a 1156 bulb in a 1157 socket. If so this could cause your cross voltage issue
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