Front LED indicators with resistor, not Flashing

[Diastolic]

So, I’m trying to put a set of led indicators into my 2015 focus. Fitting them without the inline resistor gave the hyper flash as expected (including the new led flashing) however putting the resistor (or decoder as it’s called) inline with the bulb, I again have the hyper flash but the led bulb doesn’t flash. 

This is is the same set I had in my fiesta’s rear cluster and they worked a treat. Any ideas on why when the resistor is in place the bulb doesn’t work and I get a hyper flash? 

 

These are the decoders 

2x BAU15S PY21W 581 LED Bulbs Canbus Error Free OBC Warning Canceller Fast Flashing Decoder Load Resistors Adapters https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ZICDYQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_i_gfe6AbTAVK4SR

[Diastolic]

Bump? 

[Stoney871]

How many resistors are you using?
If more than one on each side then you're using too many.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

[mjt]

I see in the questions & answers and some of the reviews of that product some users needed to install additional resistors to cure the hyper-flash. It all depends on the sensitivity of your car's detection circuit. To fully emulate an incandescent bulb you need around 6 Ohms, something like this, connected in parallel with the LED bulb.

[Diastolic]

19 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

How many resistors are you using?
If more than one on each side then you're using too many.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)
 

Just the one (linked in my post) 

 

13 hours ago, mjt said:

I see in the questions & answers and some of the reviews of that product some users needed to install additional resistors to cure the hyper-flash. It all depends on the sensitivity of your car's detection circuit. To fully emulate an incandescent bulb you need around 6 Ohms, something like this, connected in parallel with the LED bulb.

 

The thing is, when the resistor is connected the bulb doesn’t flash at all, but the dash panel and rear light hyper flash. It hyper flashes as expected when the led bulb is plugged directly into the bulb holder. I don’t know what ohm my current ones are, so will Get the multimeter out tomorrow and have a look see. 

[Stoney871]

Bulb or resistor polarity reversed possibly?

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

[Diastolic]

6 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

Bulb or resistor polarity reversed possibly?

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)
 

That was my first thought, however  the resistor is one of those that is built into another bulb holder unit that you simply connect together. I used them on my fiesta for the rear lights and they worked fine. And the bulb only fits one way 

[Jonro2009]

Is it possible to try the resistor and bulb at the rear? See if it something to do with the cars own wiring at the front not liking the new setup?

[Diastolic]

 

 

2 hours ago, Jonro2009 said:

Is it possible to try the resistor and bulb at the rear? See if it something to do with the cars own wiring at the front not liking the new setup?

I will absolutely give that a go. If it is the cars wireing how would I get around that? 

 

[Jonro2009]

It may be that the car is just being picky and does not like the resistor you have or the bulb itself. You could try a different bulb, go into Halfrauds and pick one up and then test it without the resistor and see if it does anything and then with the resistor. If it does the same then you can rule out the bulb (I know they worked in your previous car but you know what cars are like for rejecting LEDs, what works in one won’t always work in the next) if it hyperflashes without the resistor and doesn’t work with the resistor then it’s the resistor so try a different resistor. Once you have done that you can just return the Halfrauds bulb and get a refund. It’s going to be trial and error I think.

[JW1982]

The power consumption of the LED bulb + the load resisitor needs to be exactly the same (or at least very close to) the power consumption of the original light bulb otherwise the bulb check system will detect the LED bulb and load resistor as a defective bulb and cut off the power supply to the bulb.

 

The original indicator bulb has a power consumption of 21 Watts. With the engine running the battery voltage is approximately 14 Volts. 

The current of this bulb is 21 Watts : 14 Volts = 1,5 Amps 
The resistance of this bulb is 14 Volts : 1,5 Amps = 9.33 Ohm

 

To calculate the load resistor value it is important to know (measure) the power consumption of the LED bulb. For the example below I use a LED bulb with a power consumption of 6 Watts.

The current of this LED bulb is 6 Watts : 14 Volts = 0,43 Amps
The resistance of this LED bulb is 14 Volts : 0,43 Amps = 32,67 Ohm
 

To equal the power consumption of the original light bulb the power consumption of the load resistor must be 21 Watts - 6 Watts = 15 Watts

The current of this load resistor is 15 Watts : 14 Volts = 1,07 Amps 
The resistance of this load resistor is 14 Volts : 1,07 Amps = 13,07 Ohm

Note that in this example the load resistor connected in parrallel with the LED bulb consumes twice as much power as the LED bulb. This means that most of the power is converted into heat by the load resistor. It is important to use a high power resistor (the higher the better). Preferably a resistor with an heatsink that can be mounted onto the chassis/frame of the car.

[Diastolic]

5 hours ago, Jonro2009 said:

It may be that the car is just being picky and does not like the resistor you have or the bulb itself. You could try a different bulb, go into Halfrauds and pick one up and then test it without the resistor and see if it does anything and then with the resistor. If it does the same then you can rule out the bulb (I know they worked in your previous car but you know what cars are like for rejecting LEDs, what works in one won’t always work in the next) if it hyperflashes without the resistor and doesn’t work with the resistor then it’s the resistor so try a different resistor. Once you have done that you can just return the Halfrauds bulb and get a refund. It’s going to be trial and error I think.

 

1 hour ago, JW1982 said:

The power consumption of the LED bulb + the load resisitor needs to be exactly the same (or at least very close to) the power consumption of the original light bulb otherwise the bulb check system will detect the LED bulb and load resistor as a defective bulb and cut off the power supply to the bulb.

 

The original indicator bulb has a power consumption of 21 Watts. With the engine running the battery voltage is approximately 14 Volts. 

The current of this bulb is 21 Watts : 14 Volts = 1,5 Amps 
The resistance of this bulb is 14 Volts : 1,5 Amps = 9.33 Ohm

 

To calculate the load resistor value it is important to know (measure) the power consumption of the LED bulb. For the example below I use a LED bulb with a power consumption of 6 Watts.

The current of this LED bulb is 6 Watts : 14 Volts = 0,43 Amps
The resistance of this LED bulb is 14 Volts : 0,43 Amps = 32,67 Ohm
 

To equal the power consumption of the original light bulb the power consumption of the load resistor must be 21 Watts - 6 Watts = 15 Watts

The current of this load resistor is 15 Watts : 14 Volts = 1,07 Amps 
The resistance of this load resistor is 14 Volts : 1,07 Amps = 13,07 Ohm

Note that in this example the load resistor connected in parrallel with the LED bulb consumes twice as much power as the LED bulb. This means that most of the power is converted into heat by the load resistor. It is important to use a high power resistor (the higher the better). Preferably a resistor with an heatsink that can be mounted onto the chassis/frame of the car.

Just checked the resistors that my current LED deciders have and it’s 20ohms which my all accounts is too much by the looks of things... I’ll take one out as it’s 2 10ohm resistors and see how I get on lol thanks for all the information guys!

it is very much appreciated! 

[Diastolic]

An update for you all. 

From having a mess about when u plug the LED lights and the decoder into the cars bulb holder, it works fine... until you twist and lock the bayonet into place, that’s when it turns off. The bulb is not flashing when in the decoder because no power is going to the bulb as the is a cheap piece of crap

I have ordered some new ones with a different design and they should hopefully work fine. 

[Jonro2009]

If they do the same then check they are earthing properly

[Diastolic]

On 07/05/2018 at 11:23 PM, Jonro2009 said:

If they do the same then check they are earthing properly

How would I check they are earthing properly? 

[Stoney871]

On 07/05/2018 at 11:05 PM, Diastolic said:

An update for you all. 

From having a mess about when u plug the LED lights and the decoder into the cars bulb holder, it works fine... until you twist and lock the bayonet into place, that’s when it turns off. The bulb is not flashing when in the decoder because no power is going to the bulb as the is a cheap piece of crap

I have ordered some new ones with a different design and they should hopefully work fine. 

Possibly a terminal misalignment in the resistors bulb holder?