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Replacing bulbs with LED's

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Old Aug 12, 2012 | 12:35 PM
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Default Replacing bulbs with LED's

Thinking about replacing the bulbs in my tail lights and turn signals (I have euros) to LED's. I saw something about some sort of problem when doing this and having to add a hyperflash resistor. Anyone know anything about this? Is this needed and is each resistor only good for one LED? Thanks, JD
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Old Aug 12, 2012 | 01:53 PM
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LED's will typically cause hyperflash because your car sees their lower resistance as a bulb failure.

You can take care of this in one of two ways:
1) Add a resistor in series with EACH light you upgrade or,
2) Add whats called a Hyperflash Harness. This installs under the steering wheel and will take care of any LED install on the entire car.

Do a google search for the Hyperflash Harness. Most hits will be back on the forum and that will help you find who carries them... now just hope they are in stock
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Old Aug 12, 2012 | 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by mdiiulio
LED's will typically cause hyperflash because your car sees their lower resistance as a bulb failure.

You can take care of this in one of two ways:
1) Add a resistor in series with EACH light you upgrade or,
2) Add whats called a Hyperflash Harness. This installs under the steering wheel and will take care of any LED install on the entire car.

Do a google search for the Hyperflash Harness. Most hits will be back on the forum and that will help you find who carries them... now just hope they are in stock
When I added my LED Halo taillights, I installed the second option listed - easy to install and works like a charm - no hyperflash.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 01:24 AM
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And its actually a Flasher Bypass, so you are no longer routing the signal current through the hazard switch in the center of the dash (which is a pain to change if it goes out) so you wont ever have to fix that.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by mdiiulio
LED's will typically cause hyperflash because your car sees their lower resistance as a bulb failure.

You can take care of this in one of two ways:
1) Add a resistor in series with EACH light you upgrade or,
2) Add whats called a Hyperflash Harness. This installs under the steering wheel and will take care of any LED install on the entire car.

Do a google search for the Hyperflash Harness. Most hits will be back on the forum and that will help you find who carries them... now just hope they are in stock

OR

You can do nothing. I do not mind the hyperflash when using my turn signals and even think that the fast blinking is more visable for other drivers to see.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 12:36 PM
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I'm considering the harness. The problem is that sometimes the speed varies from slow to fast and goes back to slow. It's annoying and probably looks weird for whoever is watching from outside to see the change in blinking speed.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by mosimann
I'm considering the harness. The problem is that sometimes the speed varies from slow to fast and goes back to slow. It's annoying and probably looks weird for whoever is watching from outside to see the change in blinking speed.
I've had the hyperflash harness installed for about two years now. I have LED's front and back and the flash rate has always been the same no matter how long they blink, never had a problem.
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 08:48 AM
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So, because I have euros (turn signals have their own bulbs) I can leave those with the stock bulbs and change the tail/brake bulbs to LED's and have no hyperflash issues. Is this the right assumption?
Will a LED even work to replace a double filiment bulb (tail/brake) and how?
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 08:50 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnnyDee
Thinking about replacing the bulbs in my tail lights and turn signals (I have euros) to LED's. I saw something about some sort of problem when doing this and having to add a hyperflash resistor. Anyone know anything about this? Is this needed and is each resistor only good for one LED? Thanks, JD
Hyperflash harness is the way to go!
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 10:40 AM
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For the C5 stick to the harness. It costs more, but installs really easy and you don't have to worry about heat that the resistors produce.

Personally I wouldn't waste the time or money adding plug in leds to those tails. There isn't much benefit.

I do suggest them for the front. Stock bulbs get hot and usually melt the lenses.
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by JW@JWMotoring.com
For the C5 stick to the harness. It costs more, but installs really easy and you don't have to worry about heat that the resistors produce.

Personally I wouldn't waste the time or money adding plug in leds to those tails. There isn't much benefit.

I do suggest them for the front. Stock bulbs get hot and usually melt the lenses.
The only reason for switching to LED's for tail/brake is the addition of tinted covers. So I'd like the added brightness of the LED's, but will LED's work to replace 2 filiment bulbs?
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Jistari
And its actually a Flasher Bypass, so you are no longer routing the signal current through the hazard switch in the center of the dash (which is a pain to change if it goes out) so you wont ever have to fix that.
A definte benefit. I changed the flasher once.....PIA - no more.
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 05:48 PM
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for what it's worth, when i added just my halo led tail lights, i purchased the hyperflash "kit", but never installed it because it just wasn't necessary. there was no change in the flash rate at all. when i decided to add additional led lighting, however i installed the kit without even testing anything else not wanting to take the chance it was needed. you can always just change out the flasher to one of the new digital ones and you won't have the problem either.
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