LED Conversion and E4OD TC issues?
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 7
From: Camby, IN
LED Conversion and E4OD TC issues?
I'm new here. I searched, but didn't find this. So, I'd appreciate some grace if I missed it.
I'm the proud new owner of a '95 F-150 4x4 Super Cab (yeah...I'm bragging a little...) and I'm going through the truck. I'd like to switch to LED where I can, but don't want to run into an issue with the E4OD.
I already know about needing a new flasher for the turn signals.
Thoughts?
I'm the proud new owner of a '95 F-150 4x4 Super Cab (yeah...I'm bragging a little...) and I'm going through the truck. I'd like to switch to LED where I can, but don't want to run into an issue with the E4OD.
I already know about needing a new flasher for the turn signals.
Thoughts?
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 7
From: Camby, IN
OK...probably just found my answer. Guess I didn't look long enough. Seems I'll be sticking with old fashioned bulbs for the 3rd brake light.
If anyone has a better idea, I'd love to hear.
Thanks in advance.
If anyone has a better idea, I'd love to hear.
Thanks in advance.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
They used to sell load resistors for the LED bulbs. You wire it across the new bulb and it makes the circuits in the truck "think" there is a regular bulb in there, but instead the LED bulb is in place. Not sure why you want LED bulbs, but of course if you are doing it to lighten the load on the bulb circuits, the resistor negates that.
If it's for longevity of the bulbs, I have mixed feelings on that also. LED technology is great and has been around for years. But the way China makes everything now, I have had a lot of failures with LED bulbs that should have lasted forever. It's not the technology, it's the manufacturing and poor design practices.
If it's for longevity of the bulbs, I have mixed feelings on that also. LED technology is great and has been around for years. But the way China makes everything now, I have had a lot of failures with LED bulbs that should have lasted forever. It's not the technology, it's the manufacturing and poor design practices.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 7
From: Camby, IN
Thanks Dave, I like LED's because good quality LED's lessen the load on the circuit and are typically brighter. I've used LED's in everything since I bought my 89 Bronco II, and as long as I buy good quality bulbs I've been happy with the results. I use the correct flasher, so I don't need to use a resistor for turn signals.
Based on what I read here about the TC issue, I don't see adding a resistor making LED's viable. Again, if anyone has a better understanding...let me know.
What I'd really like is a strobe for the 3rd brake light...
Based on what I read here about the TC issue, I don't see adding a resistor making LED's viable. Again, if anyone has a better understanding...let me know.
What I'd really like is a strobe for the 3rd brake light...
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,971
Likes: 2,731
From: Virginia
The resistor will make the truck's circuits think there is a regular bulb in there. The resistor will load the circuit down just like the original bulb did, making everything work.
People have multiple problems with LED lighting. You mentioned a torque converter problem that I do not know about, but there is also a problem with the cruise and ABS circuits being tied into the brake light circuit. These other systems will sometimes present a "ghost" or very low voltage into the brake light circuit. This very low power voltage is not enough to light a regular bulb, so there is no apparent problem. But a LED bulb takes so much less current to run, all of a sudden the brake LED's are glowing dimly all the time. A resistor stops this. It diverts this small voltage around the LED and to ground, just like the regular bulb did.
People have multiple problems with LED lighting. You mentioned a torque converter problem that I do not know about, but there is also a problem with the cruise and ABS circuits being tied into the brake light circuit. These other systems will sometimes present a "ghost" or very low voltage into the brake light circuit. This very low power voltage is not enough to light a regular bulb, so there is no apparent problem. But a LED bulb takes so much less current to run, all of a sudden the brake LED's are glowing dimly all the time. A resistor stops this. It diverts this small voltage around the LED and to ground, just like the regular bulb did.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Likes: 7
From: Camby, IN
I understand what the resistor does. I'd probably not go to the trouble of wiring one into the circuit just to use the LED, though. Just like I wouldn't do the same to run flashers. In that case, using an electronic flasher resolves the issue and is an upgrade over the mechanical flasher used for incandescents.
I'm not interested in making things more complicated.
I'm not interested in making things more complicated.
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