[Mgs] LED Tail Lights

Paul Hunt paul.hunt1 at blueyonder.co.uk
Tue Apr 28 01:56:45 MDT 2009


I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.  They are designed to flash anything
from one to four bulbs i.e. are apparently load independent but at least one
needs to be incandescent to draw sufficient current to operate the units we
use.  Because of this hazard flasher units could in theory be used to flash
turn signals and overcome the problems of bad connections.  But hazard
flashers have an additional (as well as no 'bulb failure warning') safety
hazard when used as turn signal flashers.  When you operate the turn signal
with the correct flasher unit the lights come on *immediately*, then start to
flash off-on-off-on.  But when you turn on hazards there is a significant
pause with no lights before they start flashing on-off-on-off.  That pause
outweighs many times any gain in illumination time of LEDs compared to
incandescents and is a massive safety hazard.  It goes against the
improvements made by pedal operated brake switches as opposed to fluid
pressure and third brake lights to name but two.  Cars with OE LEDs probably
use a 3-wire electronic hazard flasher unit which is completely independent of
lamp load, as the LED specific turn flasher unit seems to be.

Paul.
  ----- Original Message -----
  Now I'm curious if the emergency flasher module will flash LEDs. I just
might get some and give it a try.


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