6 volt LED tail lights/flasher question
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Rockingham, VA
6 volt LED tail lights/flasher question
Has anyone with a 6 volt system used LED tail lights? I've heard they require a special flasher, but I have standard bulbs for the park and front turn signals. Would those still work with the "special" flasher for LED lights in the back? 
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Sturbridge,MA
LED
Not sure they make 6 volt LED but as long as you have incandesant bulbs in the front to create heat the LED should work. If you had all LED your regular flasher would not work as it requires heat to switch on and off and LED dont generate heat. Hope this helps
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
LED's will work on 6 volts but the resistance of the circuit needs to be adjusted to give rated current for the particular LED's you are using. I don't think anyone is making a direct replacement LED fixture but they are simple to make. If you are making LED's for the rear, may as well make them for the front, as you can get white LED's, then use the proper flasher for both.
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: OR and UT
I have plenty of experience with electricity and electronics (thanks to Uncle Sam) but I don't have the time to sit down and do this from scratch.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
There is lots of information on connecting LED's on line. The LED's will have a voltage drop rating, probably 2.0 or 2.2 volts and a normal current draw is 20 milliamps, you can increase this to 30 ma to make them a little brighter. Use OHMs law to figure out what resistance value you need to give you 20 - 30 ma.
Do a search on building LED lights.
Good luck
Do a search on building LED lights.
Good luck
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Rockingham, VA
Thanks guys. FortyNiner, that's the replacements I was thinking about.
My question is, do I need a different flasher if I'm using those only in the rear? From what I've read in multiple places, if the front lights are all filament bulbs and the rear are LED, the standard flasher will work. But if all the lamps are LED, the flasher has to be electronic. That's what I'm trying to verify before I buy anything. And Pa&Nic51 answered that question.
But has anybody done this? LEDs are expensive, but touted to last a long time.
I don't want or need them up front, as those lights are quite bright. But my taillights and brake lights leave a lot to be desired.
My question is, do I need a different flasher if I'm using those only in the rear? From what I've read in multiple places, if the front lights are all filament bulbs and the rear are LED, the standard flasher will work. But if all the lamps are LED, the flasher has to be electronic. That's what I'm trying to verify before I buy anything. And Pa&Nic51 answered that question.
But has anybody done this? LEDs are expensive, but touted to last a long time.
I don't want or need them up front, as those lights are quite bright. But my taillights and brake lights leave a lot to be desired.
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Logistics Pro
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From: Austin
This LED Flasher problem is one I wish I had known about earlier this summer. My turn indicators stopped working - I replaced the flasher thing twice - I checked everything - tore apart the steering column looking for ground problems, etc. Stupid rear LED lights ..... Grrrrr.. This one was super frustrating...
Ben in Austin
Ben in Austin
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From: Western NY
The problem with LED lights is that they don't draw enough current to cause the flasher to operate normally. Adding some artificial resistance is all that is needed. A properly speced resistor from your favorite electronics part store needs to be added near the fixture.
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Lead Driver
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From: Rockingham, VA
When you installed them, did you use an LED type flasher?
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Lead Driver
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From: Rockingham, VA
Ben, are you saying you had LED taillights working with a regular flasher but then they stopped? Or did they stop working when you started using the LED lights?
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
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From: Austin
Hey Joe,
The flashers worked for a while with LED tailights - then
one day they just stopped working. Took me a while to figure out what
happened. Not sure what that tells you about your install - my truck is 12 volt.
Good luck over there.
Ben in Austin
The flashers worked for a while with LED tailights - then
one day they just stopped working. Took me a while to figure out what
happened. Not sure what that tells you about your install - my truck is 12 volt.
Good luck over there.
Ben in Austin
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Fallon,NV & Bainbridge OH
Joe,
I went through this on another vehicle. The problem is the resistance generated by the circuit, which usually has two incandescent bulbs in each side, plus the indicator light in the dash. Running one LED and incandescent usually will not supply the needed resistance to either flash or sequence the light properly. Yes you can wire in resistors to make the standard flasher work but if you are bringing the lights (LED) into the 21st century why not bring the flasher along also. I highly suggest getting a LED flasher and be done with it. That is what I did.
I went through this on another vehicle. The problem is the resistance generated by the circuit, which usually has two incandescent bulbs in each side, plus the indicator light in the dash. Running one LED and incandescent usually will not supply the needed resistance to either flash or sequence the light properly. Yes you can wire in resistors to make the standard flasher work but if you are bringing the lights (LED) into the 21st century why not bring the flasher along also. I highly suggest getting a LED flasher and be done with it. That is what I did.