woody3882

The 94 corvette has been running great with all the "Gremlins" taken care of, so I decided to install the LED tail/turn lights in the rear. After they were installed I found that they must have resistors installed on each of the tail lights to allow them to blink. No big deal, I contacted the vendor of the LED bulbs and bought the four required 50 watt resistors and installed them, they work great, very bright, one happy camper until I was reading that resistors can get extremely hot and possibly cause a fire. After dwelling on that I am tempted to pull the LED'S and resistors out and go back to the 1157 glass bulbs.
Am I being overly cautious or are my fears validated. How hot do the 50 watt resistors actually get. Has anyone out there done the same upgrade and how are they doing ?
Any input or advise is greatly appreciated
Thanks
Woody

ghlkal

Adding a resistor is one way to fix the problem.

Another way is to get a "flasher module" designed for low resistance (like LEDs). I have the LED flasher relay in mine, and the LED tail lights work fine. You can get these for $10-15.

64Scout

Sometimes the electronic flasher doesn't work with LEDs, but there is a mod you can do to make it work.

woody3882

TO: 64 Scout And what would that mod be ?
Also I just had the FSM and Mitchel's schematic out and found that the tail light flasher is located behind the instrument panel on the dash. I rebuilt the screen display on the dash a few months ago which also required removal of the dash. A real PITA. had to remove dash pad, lower steering column, remove most of the dash panels, etc, etc.

Cliff Harris

What resistance value are these resistors? It should be marked on one side. Usually it's pretty obvious. I have a vague recollection that they are usually 4 ohms, but that could be wrong. If they are in fact 4 ohms, then they would dissipate 36 watts at 12 volts. 36 watts is pretty hot. Grab a lighted 40 watt light bulb and you'll see what I mean...

64Scout

yup, it's been my opinion that converting to LEDs to save power isn't worth it if you add resistors to the circuit.

As for that blinker mod, http://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthr...ED-flasher-mod

gdgeorge

In my '93, the flasher is located on the passenger side, behind the knee bolster. That's like three screws (and the hidden one under the fascia around the fuse box). I *thought* the '94s were the same.

Best,
Jerry

Christi@n

Resistor it is not necessary...

Just buy the right bulbs


Synetic usa carry them...i've got mine from them in red colour... Very bright

Hot Rod Roy

The lingo used here isn't quite right. There may, or may not, be some confusion. The "tail lights" don't need resistors. The "tail lights" don't blink. Only the brake/turn signal sections of your new LED lights need the resistors. The brake lights are double purpose for brake and turn signals.

Christi@n

I'm running rear tail/stop/turn led bulbs wirhout any type of resistor....
Still they work same way both with stock flasher or led flasher...anyway i've no trouble...

The only trouble i've got with led bulbs was the front parking/turn amber bulbs due to they are connected togheter with the front side marker for repater function. In that type of signal (only with alternating blinking when parking lights are on) there's a changing in the electricity flow (for that wiring) so led bulbs (except for some particular type that cost 200$) cannot support this inverted electricity flow, they don't blink and stuck on.

The led bulbs i've purchased have an internal driver that works as stabilizer

woody3882

My flasher is definitely located in the instrument panel behind the dash, (94) The books show it there and I can hear the "clicking" not worth the removal hassle. I like the idea of the Red bulbs that Christi@n recommended, I think I will pull the resistors and give the red bulb LED lights a try. When then are in I will update this post
Thanks to all, greatly appreciated.

xrav22

Flasher is behind

Hot Rod Roy

xrav22, that's your four-way emergency flasher. Your turn signal flasher is behind the passenger side knee pad, near the back of the fuse panel.

woody3882

To: Hot Rod Roy I believe xrav and I are correct, According to Mitchel's Auto Repair locations section:
HAZARD FLASHER RELAY: "Behind right side of dash near cruise control module".
TURN SIGNAL FLASHER RELAY: "Behind instrument panel left of steering column".
(Also this is where I can hear the clicking when flashers are on.)

We are talking about a 1994 C-4, I believe Hot Rod Roy is chatting about the early C-4

Woody

Christi@n

Hi woodyi sent you the pm, did u received?

woody3882

I got the PM already ordered
Thanks again
Woody

Hot Rod Roy

Woody, my comment was directed at Mr. Xrav, who has an '85. I don't know the '94, but Xrav's panel sure looks a lot like my '84! Us "early" guys need to be careful about comments on the later C4's.