LED Turn Signals?

[ExpeditionAndy]

I bought the switchback LEDs for the front turn signals, disabled hyper flash in ForScan and yet I couldn’t get them to work at all. I returned them...


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How so? Wouldn't light or wouldn't change color?

 

[gixer2000]

I bought the switchback LEDs for the front turn signals, disabled hyper flash in ForScan and yet I couldn’t get them to work at all. I returned them...


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Not to ask a stupid question but did you flip them in the socket?

 

[Muddy Bean]

They wouldn’t light at all. Not in turn signal mode, not in parking light mode. Nothing nada. And I did indeed flip the bulbs. I was bummed.

These are what I bought. Maybe I bought the wrong ones?

Partsam 2PCS 4157 3157 3156 3456 Switchback Dual Color High Power LED Front Turn Signal Light + Load Resistor Amber/Yellow White Led Bulbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U7F7NDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_camJAbNPDJ8ZP

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[ExpeditionAndy]

They wouldn’t light at all. Not in turn signal mode, not in parking light mode. Nothing nada. And I did indeed flip the bulbs. I was bummed.

These are what I bought. Maybe I bought the wrong ones?

Partsam 2PCS 4157 3157 3156 3456 Switchback Dual Color High Power LED Front Turn Signal Light + Load Resistor Amber/Yellow White Led Bulbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U7F7NDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_camJAbNPDJ8ZP

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You bought the wrong ones. This is what I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4NF20Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If I remember correctly you need the 7443 bulb, not the 3157 the owner's manual calls for 7444NA but the 7443 switch backs are what you need.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Oh. Duh. I had no idea. Ok that explains everything.


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[Adieu]

Well resisters need to be mounted to something metallic. If not they can't disperse heat the way they were designed. Mounting them to a surface that will not transfer heat is how load resistors melt!

Also why would it matter if its a switchback? There's no more plastic than a traditional led bkinker

If someone wires a resistor incorrectly into a switchback DRL, you're almost guaranteed to eventually start a fire.

On account of the white being always on.

 

[Adieu]

You bought the wrong ones. This is what I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4NF20Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If I remember correctly you need the 7443 bulb, not the 3157 the owner's manual calls for 7444NA but the 7443 switch backs are what you need.

No he didnt


I have the Partsam 3157/etc. In my '09. It is a solid bulb with good colors and brightness for a reasonablr price, and does work very well... never bothered trying to defeat hyperflash on mine

 

[Adieu]

I forget what module I found the rears in forscan but the guys from the forscan group said the relay doesn't exist and can't do the fronts without resistors. I actually ordered the relay listed (ep11 I think it was) and spent 3 hours trying to find it before searching Google and the forscan group months later. Maybe it's on the lower end model but not on the limited.

Same story with SSV, ordered it but didnt find no relay

 

[gixer2000]

If someone wires a resistor incorrectly into a switchback DRL, you're almost guaranteed to eventually start a fire.

On account of the white being always on.

I disagree! For starters they are not a drl and are actually a parking light so unless someone never shuts them off they still are not always on. Second they are designed to dissipate heat through the aluminum body to a metal mounting surface which then absorbs that heat.

So to recap fires start from poor installation and not following directions.

I'd be more concerned with a bulb that has the load resistors built into the bulb. Do they have anything to handle the heat transfer? Maybe the frame that the Leds mount to,maybe the male socket(if it's even aluminum) but where does that heat go? Its stays right there and could melt the female socket(on the car side) if it got hot enough.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

No he didnt


I have the Partsam 3157/etc. In my '09. It is a solid bulb with good colors and brightness for a reasonablr price, and does work very well... never bothered trying to defeat hyperflash on mine

View attachment 23889

The 3157 bulb does not work in the 2015-2017 Expeditions.

 

[Adieu]

I disagree! For starters they are not a drl and are actually a parking light so unless someone never shuts them off they still are not always on. Second they are designed to dissipate heat through the aluminum body to a metal mounting surface which then absorbs that heat.

So to recap fires start from poor installation and not following directions.

I'd be more concerned with a bulb that has the load resistors built into the bulb. Do they have anything to handle the heat transfer? Maybe the frame that the Leds mount to,maybe the male socket(if it's even aluminum) but where does that heat go? Its stays right there and could melt the female socket(on the car side) if it got hot enough.

Come to think of it I have no clue how switchbacks work inside... is it operated by some sort of pulse, or by two separate sets of hots, one for blinker one for DRL/decorative park light/whatever

 

[gixer2000]

Come to think of it I have no clue how switchbacks work inside... is it operated by some sort of pulse, or by two separate sets of hots, one for blinker one for DRL/decorative park light/whatever

Depends on the manufacturer. Some are separate Leds but in the acme switchback that I have now it's Basicallly dual Leds within the same round housing. So if you look at each led you'll see a clear side and an Amber side and they use mosfets to switch when the blinker is powered. If they use any delay on or fade on technology then you get into pulse width modulation.

 

[Adieu]

Depends on the manufacturer. Some are separate Leds but in the acme switchback that I have now it's Basicallly dual Leds within the same round housing. So if you look at each led you'll see a clear side and an Amber side and they use mosfets to switch when the blinker is powered. If they use any delay on or fade on technology then you get into pulse width modulation.

Not what I meant

How is the "blink the blinker" signal sent, same wire that feeds the white, or two dedicated hots one for white one for amber?

 

[gixer2000]

Not what I meant

How is the "blink the blinker" signal sent, same wire that feeds the white, or two dedicated hots one for white one for amber?

Yes it's 2 separate wires.

 

[deweysmith]

Yep, even the incandescent bulbs have 2 filaments, one high and one low. The vehicle powers the low circuit for parking/marker lamps and the high circuit for turn signals.

The chips are probably built so that one side of the chip is + for a white LED and - for an amber LED and the pin attached to the low circuit goes through one direction, the pin on the high circuit goes the other way. The same principle as colored/white lights on a pre-lit LED Christmas tree.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Ok so since we are on the subject and deweys comment got me thinking, I am wanting to split my brake and turn signals. For several reasons that I honestly don’t want to get into on here...but because my 2015 seems to have even the lighting controlled by BCM’s how can I do this and do it right? I can mount the amber LED bulbs behind the reverse lamp lens and just put the reverse lamps somewhere else...that’s the easy part. How do I actually separate the signals though? can I tap into the turn signals on the side mirrors to do this?


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[gixer2000]

Ok so since we are on the subject and deweys comment got me thinking, I am wanting to split my brake and turn signals. For several reasons that I honestly don’t want to get into on here...but because my 2015 seems to have even the lighting controlled by BCM’s how can I do this and do it right? I can mount the amber LED bulbs behind the reverse lamp lens and just put the reverse lamps somewhere else...that’s the easy part. How do I actually separate the signals though? can I tap into the turn signals on the side mirrors to do this?


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I'm sure it wouldn't be easy. I was thinking the same on my 07 because I'm planning to retro some taillights but haven't come up with a way to do it yet.

However they do it with the navigator so it might be worth comparing the schematics and see if its just programming alone .

 

[Flexpedition]

Muddy & Gixer: Tekonsha 118158

Look this up and I believe it will solve your dilemma. Your trailer wiring harness under the rear bumper will be the source. You'll run new left and right turn leads. Split the units stop output and run new wires for brake circuit. Park and reverse will use the existing source.

The only foreseeable objection is the side mirror LED and newfangled amber rear blinker could be out of sequence, or timing. Its $22 on Amazon so worth piddling with.

I thought about adding amber turns to my boat trailer and this would fit the bill. Just consider the rear of your Expedition becoming the trailer and it'll make sense. Hopefully.

 

[gixer2000]

Muddy & Gixer: Tekonsha 118158

Look this up and I believe it will solve your dilemma. Your trailer wiring harness under the rear bumper will be the source. You'll run new left and right turn leads. Split the units stop output and run new wires for brake circuit. Park and reverse will use the existing source.

The only foreseeable objection is the side mirror LED and newfangled amber rear blinker could be out of sequence, or timing. Its $22 on Amazon so worth piddling with.

I thought about adding amber turns to my boat trailer and this would fit the bill. Just consider the rear of your Expedition becoming the trailer and it'll make sense. Hopefully.

unfortunately this combines the brake/turn for a vehicle that has separate brake and blinker. on the 07 all of this trickery is done in the sjb and cant really see and easy way to divide it all up. if i really wanted to pull apart the wiring and add a relay i probably could get it done but not sure its even worth the effort.

i'd have to pull CLS24/CLS20 out of the sjb and get them to a flasher relay then figure the rest out from there

 

[Muddy Bean]

So I’m assuming the led mirror turn signals are not getting 12v? If they are why not tap into those?


Gixer, if you can sort out how to do this properly so there’s no phantom blinking of the brake lights etc when turn signals are used...I really would love the info. I really want to make this happen...

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