Need turn signal flasher help

I'm looking at changing my bulbs out to LED's, especially since my tail lights arent that bright and I've always been worried some jackass will rear end me. I need to get an electronic flasher, but I dont know what the right one is.

This is a link to the ones superbrightleds.com have.. does anyone know which will work?

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/flashers.htm

i use 2157's for my bulbs

1973 454 MONTE wrote: i use 2157's for my bulbs

Hmm, Maybe thats an optional solution. Im pretty sure I have 1157's in mine still.

You know you have to splice this little doodad in line for the LED bulbs to work .I believe its called an unloader. The electronic flasher alone wouldnt work for me .Unless I did something wrong.

Finally a thread that's more into my realm.....

1st off heres how the "old" style thermal flasher works...



When you push the turn-signal stalk down, the thermal flasher connects to the turn-signal bulbs by way of the turn-signal switch. This completes the circuit, allowing current to flow. Initially, the spring steel does not touch the contact, so the only thing that draws power is the resistor. Current flows through the resistive wire, heating up the smaller piece of spring steel and then continuing on to the turn-signal lights. At this point, the current is so small that the lights won't even glow dimly.

After less than a second, the small piece of spring steel heats up enough that it expands and straightens out the larger, curved piece of spring steel. This forces the curved spring steel into the contact so that current flows to the signal lights unimpeded by the resistor. With almost no current passing through the resistor, the spring steel quickly cools, bending back away from the contact and breaking the circuit. The cycle then starts over. This happens at a rate of one to two times per second.

Now when you replace your old 1157 bulbs with LED ones you have significantly decreased the current demand in the circuit which causes the resistive wire in the thermal flasher to barely heat up at all.

Electronic (solid state) flashers:

Solid state flashers are similar to the thermal flashers with the exception that a solid state switch (e.g. MOSFET) is used for lamp switching in place of
the electromechanical relay.

Now be careful when you purchase an electronic flasher unit. Most sold for automotive use still are looking for a higher current demand because of the incandescent lamps. (ever notice that when you have a bulb burnt out in newer cars the remaining bulbs flash faster?)

The unloaders mentioned above are usually just an additional resistor wired in series to increase the current draw to make them flash normally with LED bulbs, these can be a hazard because this resistor is going to get hot so you want to keep it away from anything combustible.

The safer alternative is to buy an electronic flasher that is made for LED's like this one....

http://www.anythingtruck.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Category_Code=HTP-LITE&Product_Code=580-44891

It will fit in the round hole in your fuse block and you don't need the extra resistor.

Great info Chuck! I moved this to the G3tech section & gave you some street cred. This will definitely come in handy for others later on.

Thanks for the informative post biomedtech! I think I'm going to try Chris' idea first with the 2157's and see how they are. Last time I changed bulbs in that car I was in high school. There are all different ones in the tail lights lol.

How clean is the reflector? If the seal is compromised, dust can get inside and reduce the reflectivity of the chrome, or the chrome plating could be pitted or flaking off. I've had a couple of cars that just cleaning the inside of the housing makes a lot of difference.

Has anyone done a full LED setup on their breaklights? I've been interested in something like that but I kinda wanna see what it looks like first.

Is there a paint you can use to touch up the silver reflective part? I'll have to clean mine out too.

INDY, I had put red LED's in my tail lights once, not knowing the turn signals would work. But as far as light output goes, it looked good. My tail lights back then were old and faded on the tops. The red leds made them light up like new again. But I had to return the bulbs since the signals were inop.

JiMi_DRiX wrote:Is there a paint you can use to touch up the silver reflective part? I'll have to clean mine out too.

INDY, I had put red LED's in my tail lights once, not knowing the turn signals would work. But as far as light output goes, it looked good. My tail lights back then were old and faded on the tops. The red leds made them light up like new again. But I had to return the bulbs since the signals were inop.

Did you ever find a solution to that, or did you go back to the original setup? I know my dad has a set of LED brake lights and turn signals on his VTX, so there's definitely a solution for the turn signals...

Jimi, other then silver paint, or some very expensive plastic chrome plating, what about some chrome/mirror tape? Might look funky all pieced together but once under the lens u wouldn't be able to tell and u would get that bright reflection off of it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrome-Mirror-Vinyl-Tape-3-wide-x-25-feet-Silver-/370196507537?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56316e6b91

IndyG3 wrote:

JiMi_DRiX wrote:Is there a paint you can use to touch up the silver reflective part? I'll have to clean mine out too.

INDY, I had put red LED's in my tail lights once, not knowing the turn signals would work. But as far as light output goes, it looked good. My tail lights back then were old and faded on the tops. The red leds made them light up like new again. But I had to return the bulbs since the signals were inop.

Did you ever find a solution to that, or did you go back to the original setup? I know my dad has a set of LED brake lights and turn signals on his VTX, so there's definitely a solution for the turn signals...

You can get the correct flasher or resistors to wire in-line with the turn signals. I just didnt know that back then. I'm sure he's done one of the two.

orange Juiced wrote:Jimi, other then silver paint, or some very expensive plastic chrome plating, what about some chrome/mirror tape? Might look funky all pieced together but once under the lens u wouldn't be able to tell and u would get that bright reflection off of it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrome-Mirror-Vinyl-Tape-3-wide-x-25-feet-Silver-/370196507537?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56316e6b91

That would probably work. I dont remember what kind of shape mine are in, but that would probably give an even better reflection tan the stock silver paint either way. I'll have to see if I can find some and try it out.

Chris, did you mean 2357's? I got some bulbs today and thats all I could find, not any 2157's.

Juiced, I found some reflective silver paint, its $6. My only concern is it holding up to the heat of the bulbs. I might get some and try it out.