żżżżżżż DRL Switchback Failure ???????
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,367
Likes: 211
From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Nice outside the box thinking using the OEM bulbs instead of load resistors.
What we need to know is how much of a load (watts) is the LED providing.
This load, when paralleled with a 6 ohm resistor (or OEM lamp) is presenting a lower total load that the computer may sense as an impending short and the computer is reducing the voltage of the circuit to protect itself and the wiring.
And we (I) don't know how sensitive the computer is to an improper load.
This computer controlled reduction in operating voltage may be causing the switch in the LED 'bulb' to malfunction, depending on the sensitivity/design of the switchback LED itself.
If the computer is using some form of variable resistance to protect itself, you should be able to use a meter and see what the circuit voltage is with the LED's turned on.
However, if the computer is using some form of pulse-width-modulation (turning the circuit on/off at a very high speed) to control the load, then you won't get a usable meter reading.
This scenario makes sense because there is no fuse in the circuit and the computer has to protect things somehow. Various switchback LED's may be more or less susceptible to this resulting variation of power from the computer.
Regarding the other part of this topic. for those who are still considering this mod, if you use LED's for the turn signals, you must use some form of a dummy load (usually load resistors) to fool the computer into not hyper-flashing the circuit.
And just like a regular light bulb, the resistor is going to get very hot. You just have to install them so they have room to dissipate all the heat.
What we need to know is how much of a load (watts) is the LED providing.
This load, when paralleled with a 6 ohm resistor (or OEM lamp) is presenting a lower total load that the computer may sense as an impending short and the computer is reducing the voltage of the circuit to protect itself and the wiring.
And we (I) don't know how sensitive the computer is to an improper load.
This computer controlled reduction in operating voltage may be causing the switch in the LED 'bulb' to malfunction, depending on the sensitivity/design of the switchback LED itself.
If the computer is using some form of variable resistance to protect itself, you should be able to use a meter and see what the circuit voltage is with the LED's turned on.
However, if the computer is using some form of pulse-width-modulation (turning the circuit on/off at a very high speed) to control the load, then you won't get a usable meter reading.
This scenario makes sense because there is no fuse in the circuit and the computer has to protect things somehow. Various switchback LED's may be more or less susceptible to this resulting variation of power from the computer.
Regarding the other part of this topic. for those who are still considering this mod, if you use LED's for the turn signals, you must use some form of a dummy load (usually load resistors) to fool the computer into not hyper-flashing the circuit.
And just like a regular light bulb, the resistor is going to get very hot. You just have to install them so they have room to dissipate all the heat.
Last edited by Knob Jockey; Feb 19, 2012 at 08:32 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,298
Likes: 1,153
From: Klein TX
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Ok I'll chime in.
I have LED switchbacks with those SAME gold resistors. And they work perfectly.
LIGHTS OFF:
DRL's are solid amber.
Turn signals are amber-off-amber-off-amber-off
LIGHTS ON:
DRL's are solid white.
Turn signal White-amber-off-amber-off-amber-off-amber-off....
I think you soldered your resistor to the wrong wire, hence why you are getting the cross voltage to the other LED bank when your turn signals are on. If I remember correctly you need to solder the resistor to the middle wire to the ground wire. Recheck the instructions and your set up.
That resistor gets HELLA hot. They will burn your fingers. Yes, filament light bulbs will burn your finger too. I ended up soldering longer wires to the resistor, drilling holes in my frame in the engine compartment and then mounting the resistors there.
I have LED switchbacks with those SAME gold resistors. And they work perfectly.
LIGHTS OFF:
DRL's are solid amber.
Turn signals are amber-off-amber-off-amber-off
LIGHTS ON:
DRL's are solid white.
Turn signal White-amber-off-amber-off-amber-off-amber-off....
I think you soldered your resistor to the wrong wire, hence why you are getting the cross voltage to the other LED bank when your turn signals are on. If I remember correctly you need to solder the resistor to the middle wire to the ground wire. Recheck the instructions and your set up.
That resistor gets HELLA hot. They will burn your fingers. Yes, filament light bulbs will burn your finger too. I ended up soldering longer wires to the resistor, drilling holes in my frame in the engine compartment and then mounting the resistors there.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 589
Likes: 3
From: Pacifica Ca
"Lights-Off?" meaning the DRL's as well -or not? When my amber DRL's are on the flash is a weak amber ... so you are saying yours are solid amber, and flashing to black/off ... since they are already amber??? The signals work right when you force the DRL's to be off (or in hyper mode), but that's a pain to do. I only soldered the resistor wire back on to the resistor, the scotch-locks are on the wires as prescribed, and the link below is a great way to hook it all up. So again, in daylight, your DRL is amber and flashes amber to black/off, then solid amber again after signaling?
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
From: Richmond TX
Same here. I'll deal with the hyper flash until there is a better solution. This is not a DD so I deal with the hyper flash
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
I found these on ecklers site. I'll check it out and get back to you guy's
http://htsmall.ecklerscorvette.com/a.../sku/52951.jpg
http://htsmall.ecklerscorvette.com/a.../sku/52951.jpg
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 727
Likes: 53
From: Rincon GA
Ok, I need some input here on my issue after installing these last night. On the left side, when parking lights are turned on (not headlights), the bulb is WHITE, not amber. When the blinker is activated it works as it should (amber-off-amber-off). When the turn signal is turned back off, back to WHITE. The bulb is NOT solid amber.
On the right side, when I turn on the parking lights it lights up white, but when activating the turn signal, the light goes out and does not come back on until the turn signal is turned back off. No hyper-flashing (rear tail light flashes normal speed), it just doesn't light.
When I hit the unlock button on the fob, the left hand side gives two quick amber flashes (like stock), right side does nothing.
I have the 50w 6ohm resistors installed the same on both sides. In parallel as required. Thoughts??
These are the Version 2 switchbacks from JWMotoring.
On the right side, when I turn on the parking lights it lights up white, but when activating the turn signal, the light goes out and does not come back on until the turn signal is turned back off. No hyper-flashing (rear tail light flashes normal speed), it just doesn't light.
When I hit the unlock button on the fob, the left hand side gives two quick amber flashes (like stock), right side does nothing.
I have the 50w 6ohm resistors installed the same on both sides. In parallel as required. Thoughts??
These are the Version 2 switchbacks from JWMotoring.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 727
Likes: 53
From: Rincon GA
I hate to say it but I'm not sure. I believe I only checked it with the parking lights turned on and the headlights on. I metered out the resistor and it reads correctly at 6 ohms. I'm going to look into it some more this afternoon when I get off work. Could the white portion of the bulb be good and the amber portion not?
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Verdad Gallardo
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
Likes: 267
From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
Ok, I need some input here on my issue after installing these last night. On the left side, when parking lights are turned on (not headlights), the bulb is WHITE, not amber. When the blinker is activated it works as it should (amber-off-amber-off). When the turn signal is turned back off, back to WHITE. The bulb is NOT solid amber.
On the right side, when I turn on the parking lights it lights up white, but when activating the turn signal, the light goes out and does not come back on until the turn signal is turned back off. No hyper-flashing (rear tail light flashes normal speed), it just doesn't light.
When I hit the unlock button on the fob, the left hand side gives two quick amber flashes (like stock), right side does nothing.
I have the 50w 6ohm resistors installed the same on both sides. In parallel as required. Thoughts??
These are the Version 2 switchbacks from JWMotoring.
On the right side, when I turn on the parking lights it lights up white, but when activating the turn signal, the light goes out and does not come back on until the turn signal is turned back off. No hyper-flashing (rear tail light flashes normal speed), it just doesn't light.
When I hit the unlock button on the fob, the left hand side gives two quick amber flashes (like stock), right side does nothing.
I have the 50w 6ohm resistors installed the same on both sides. In parallel as required. Thoughts??
These are the Version 2 switchbacks from JWMotoring.
Send me an email (sales@jwmotoring.com) with your order details and we'll get a new one out on Monday.
** UPDATE** this wasn't a bulb from us, it was from another vendor.
Last edited by JW Motorsports; Oct 11, 2014 at 09:16 AM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 727
Likes: 53
From: Rincon GA
I am going to do some more troubleshooting this afternoon. Going to try swapping the non-flashing R/H side bulb into the known working L/H side headlamp. So there could be an issue with just the Amber portion of the bulb where-as the white could work fine?
I'm also going to extend the wiring up into the engine bay to get the resistors away from that small confined area. Even just after a few minutes of messing with them after installing them you could tell they were going to get HOT. I don't like the idea of them being so close to all that plastic. And there's so little room by the headlamps to mount them!
It's frustrating that they're not both working. They really are a cool upgrade!
I'm also going to extend the wiring up into the engine bay to get the resistors away from that small confined area. Even just after a few minutes of messing with them after installing them you could tell they were going to get HOT. I don't like the idea of them being so close to all that plastic. And there's so little room by the headlamps to mount them!
It's frustrating that they're not both working. They really are a cool upgrade!
Last edited by FRCEFED; Oct 11, 2014 at 09:19 AM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 727
Likes: 53
From: Rincon GA
Ok. So. Now I'm really confused. Now I've got the right side to flash amber when I lock and unlock the car, but it still won't flash amber when I activate the blinker function!!! The white portion functions as it should. Oh, and when do the dern DRL's actually come on? I've been doing this in the garage with the door open. Should that be enough light for them to kick on?
I have the resistors installed and they (at least the left side) are working properly.
I have the resistors installed and they (at least the left side) are working properly.
