Installed Led Bulbs And Resistor Load Kits, And Now My Lights All Glow When I Hit The Brakes?
01-29-2009, 08:17 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Posts: 34,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Okay, I'm confussled, and a bit pissed off now.
I bought LED bulb replacements about 5 years ago from SuperbrightLEDs.com , installed them, and promptly lost my cruise control. After figureing out that the bulbs were the culprit, I replaced with regular bulbs and bought the resistor load kits from them. I finally found some bulbs recently that were a decent price and shine out the sides and top, and bought those, installed them with the load kits, and while my cruise now works, I have a wierd side effect.
Every time I hit my brakes, key in or not, all the lights on the car glow. Not bright, but you can see it.
Any ideas?
I emailed the folks I bought the LED bulbs from and they have no clue, but are looking into it. I emailed SBL and got the runaround and of course, they blame it on the bulbs (though this didn't happen before I installed THEIR load kit).
Here's the email conversation.
I had CC'ed them into my conversation with the folks I bought the LED bulbs from, hence his above reply. I don't know why he ignored my question...
If I still have my bulbs from SBL, I'm going to put them back in and then see if they'll help, I'm assuming I'll get the same BS I'm getting now.
So, rant over, any ideas?
I bought LED bulb replacements about 5 years ago from SuperbrightLEDs.com , installed them, and promptly lost my cruise control. After figureing out that the bulbs were the culprit, I replaced with regular bulbs and bought the resistor load kits from them. I finally found some bulbs recently that were a decent price and shine out the sides and top, and bought those, installed them with the load kits, and while my cruise now works, I have a wierd side effect.
Every time I hit my brakes, key in or not, all the lights on the car glow. Not bright, but you can see it.
Any ideas?
I emailed the folks I bought the LED bulbs from and they have no clue, but are looking into it. I emailed SBL and got the runaround and of course, they blame it on the bulbs (though this didn't happen before I installed THEIR load kit).
Here's the email conversation.
QUOTE
I have all of the rest of my LED's from you installed and I have to say, I'm frigging impressed. The only issue I've had at all is that LED bulbs in my brake lights make the cruise inoperative. I used a set of resistor loads on them to get the cruise to work again, but now when I hit my brakes, all the lights in my car and outside other than the headlights glow. This happens whether or not the car is running or even turned on. They don't light up to full power, but is rather odd and I don't want any future problems. I installed the loads by following your DIY document on how to do it. Thanks for the great products.
Jeremy
Jeremy
QUOTE
Hello Jeremy,
You must have us mixed up with V-LEDS. I couldn't find any orders
for break lights from us.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
You must have us mixed up with V-LEDS. I couldn't find any orders
for break lights from us.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
I had CC'ed them into my conversation with the folks I bought the LED bulbs from, hence his above reply. I don't know why he ignored my question...
QUOTE
No, no mixup. I haven't ordered from you guys in awhile Mat, I just copied and pasted my conversation with VLed's into this one. I bought LED load kits from you guys, goodness, must have been years ago now, but finally found a use for them. I forwarded this to you guys to see if you had any idea why the installation of the load kits would be doing this to my lights. Figured maybe someone else had it happen before. Sorry I included all of the old emails, it was early and my coffee hadn't hit yet. I've still got several LED kits from you guys in different areas of my car too. Do you want me to see if I can find my order information from then? I got rid of the brake bulbs I was using then because I needed my cruise, I didn't think the load kits would fix that. Now that I've had time to do some searching and investigation, I finished converting my whole car to LED bulbs and installed the load kits.
QUOTE
The load resistor won't or shouldn't cause any issues as it's
simply acting as a load on the electrical system to simulate an
incandescent bulb.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
simply acting as a load on the electrical system to simulate an
incandescent bulb.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
QUOTE
Wow Mat, I know that it shouldn't, but it IS. I fully understand what they do. I followed the directions exactly. Before they were installed, stock, you can hit the brakes and the brake lights go on, even with the keys out, but this is all the lights in the car. Is there anyone else there I can ask for advice or might have some ideas here?
Jeremy
Jeremy
QUOTE
Jeremy,
I'm the tech support. The load resistors are simple devices that
as long as you have them installed correctly they will work. It
may be your LED bulbs. From what I'm reading you're using LED
bulbs from another company. We cannot really trouble shoot the
issue when you're using another company's LED bulbs.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
I'm the tech support. The load resistors are simple devices that
as long as you have them installed correctly they will work. It
may be your LED bulbs. From what I'm reading you're using LED
bulbs from another company. We cannot really trouble shoot the
issue when you're using another company's LED bulbs.
Thanks
Mat
Super Bright LEDs, Inc.
superbrightleds.com
If I still have my bulbs from SBL, I'm going to put them back in and then see if they'll help, I'm assuming I'll get the same BS I'm getting now.
So, rant over, any ideas?
01-29-2009, 08:30 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 3,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2000 tiburon
weird. i have no clue bro. thats why i've been shyin away from it because i dont understand the whole resistors and crap with LED bulbs. i've allways just used plain regular LED blubs that use the 12v source and i never had any problems, but your doing something alot more complicated then any LED project i've ever done
01-29-2009, 08:30 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Posts: 34,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Additionally, I should mention that when the bulbs were installed, this was NOT an issue, it didn't happen till I put the load kits in place.
01-29-2009, 08:37 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 3,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2000 tiburon
when you take the load kit off is that when the CC stops working?? if so i would just take it off and live with it till you need to go on a trip.
01-29-2009, 08:42 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Posts: 34,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
It's not really complicated Optimo, I just replaced all of my bulbs with LED bulbs.
The resistor load kits are simple. Here...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html
They are near the bottom of that page.
Installation is just 2 crimps, as shown here.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/pdfs/...istor_info.pdf
Maybe that'll help folks help me out.
The resistor load kits are simple. Here...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html
They are near the bottom of that page.
Installation is just 2 crimps, as shown here.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/pdfs/...istor_info.pdf
Maybe that'll help folks help me out.
01-29-2009, 08:49 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 3,285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2000 tiburon
"Load Resistor Kits
One Load Resistor is required for each bulb
LED bulbs may cause some vehicles to indicate a bulb is burnt out (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this
by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This can be remedied with load resistors wired across the LED bulbs to simulate a filament bulb load."
from what they are saying on the site its for when vehicles have a bulb out warning light. we dont have that so i'm still not sure why we would use these. i can see how it could help to show proper resistance in the circuit but i would just try it with out those.
it seems like your saying when you dont have these your CC dosent work but that seems like the lesser of 2 evils and you can allways switch it back when you go on trips.
edit: found this on the site "DO NOT use LEDS without a current limiting resistor in series with the LED. The forward voltage rating is TYPICAL and can vary from part to part, so while some LEDS may work fine just connected to a battery of the proper voltage, others will be overdriven and be destroyed.
ALWAYS USE A RESISTOR IN SERIES WITH THE LED OR LEDS"
so i guess they allways advise using them with LED's not just if you have a bulb sensor or not.
redz i would wait on DTN he knows alot about this kinda stuff. i'm not really that knowledgeable when it comes to this aspect of electronics.
One Load Resistor is required for each bulb
LED bulbs may cause some vehicles to indicate a bulb is burnt out (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this
by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This can be remedied with load resistors wired across the LED bulbs to simulate a filament bulb load."
from what they are saying on the site its for when vehicles have a bulb out warning light. we dont have that so i'm still not sure why we would use these. i can see how it could help to show proper resistance in the circuit but i would just try it with out those.
it seems like your saying when you dont have these your CC dosent work but that seems like the lesser of 2 evils and you can allways switch it back when you go on trips.
edit: found this on the site "DO NOT use LEDS without a current limiting resistor in series with the LED. The forward voltage rating is TYPICAL and can vary from part to part, so while some LEDS may work fine just connected to a battery of the proper voltage, others will be overdriven and be destroyed.
ALWAYS USE A RESISTOR IN SERIES WITH THE LED OR LEDS"
so i guess they allways advise using them with LED's not just if you have a bulb sensor or not.
redz i would wait on DTN he knows alot about this kinda stuff. i'm not really that knowledgeable when it comes to this aspect of electronics.
01-29-2009, 08:51 AM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Posts: 34,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
In their LED warnings page for car use, they talk about the cruise issue too.
It's not that big of a deal, I just wanna know and they aren't helpful at all.
It's not that big of a deal, I just wanna know and they aren't helpful at all.
01-29-2009, 08:56 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2006 Pontiac GTO
Do you by any chance have the exterior lights wire and the break light wire plugged into an alarm? Some alarms use both circuits, there might be some current leakdown through the alarm?
Just to check, when you installed the load resistors, you didn't touch the taillight wires, just tapped the brake wires and the ground wires correct? I would expect exactly what you are describing to happen if you accidentally put the resistor between the brake and taillight wires (instead of brake and ground).
Just to check, when you installed the load resistors, you didn't touch the taillight wires, just tapped the brake wires and the ground wires correct? I would expect exactly what you are describing to happen if you accidentally put the resistor between the brake and taillight wires (instead of brake and ground).
01-29-2009, 09:24 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico, USA.
Posts: 34,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, 2004 Kia Sorento, 2010 Kia Soul
Well, I've got a viper alarm and it does make the lights go off when you arm or disarm it.
As for the other, Role Reversal helped me out, but he said he was sure it was the right set of wires because we checked it out with a multimeter several times first. We did the actual wires near the taillights, just like the PDF.
As for the other, Role Reversal helped me out, but he said he was sure it was the right set of wires because we checked it out with a multimeter several times first. We did the actual wires near the taillights, just like the PDF.
01-29-2009, 01:01 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2006 Pontiac GTO
I would check if having the exterior lights on or off affects the cruise. If cruise only works when exterior lights are off, then I'd check those wires again..