replacement light bulbs

wa8yxm wrote:

Gonzo42 wrote:
I started looking for LED replacements for spares and reliablility but I soon found that in my case the turn signals have to be the incandescent variety or the turn signal timer won't work properly. The timer module is not replaceable without changing the entire switch assembly. Howeve I did find LL (long life) versions at Autozone and Walmart so I have those as spares.

Note: if you clean the contacts on your bulbs and the contacts in the sockets use ONLY a white pencil eraser. If you use a pink eraser, the red phosphorus in it will promote corrosion.

Two answers and a question: First the question "TIMER?"

Second the flasher unit should be easily replacable, kind of like replacing a fuse.. A HD flasher should work fine with LED lights since it needs very little load to flash (SD flashers get weird with low load.

Second. They sell a resistor (Believe it or not) that "Simulates" an incandescent lamp so the turn signals work normally.. Does nothing but make heat, but it does last a lot longer than a lamp bulb will.. Kind of defeats the purpose though in my opinion.

NEWER vehicles do not use the old time "flasher can", instead the Body Control Module or BCM as some manufacturers call it actually times the flashes to the proper DOT specs.

The BCM checks to see if the bulbs are drawing the correct amount of current and varies the flash rate to hyper speed if it detects ONE bulb worth of current not being drawn.

BCM is not reprogramable nor replaceable to fix the flasher rate.

That is the reason for the add on resistors, the resistors simulate the correct amount of current drawn for at least TWO bulb filaments.

Technically speaking changing to LEDs and adding the resistors is defeating a safety feature. The LEDs can and WILL go bad and the resistors will cover up the fact that your turn and brake lights are not working properly..

Older vehicles (early 2000 and before) used a flasher can which is replaceable. The standard one used the current drawn through the bulbs to heat a bimetal strip in the can.

Once the strip heated to a predetermined temp it would bend and open the contacts.

When the contacts open no more current would flow and the strip would cool and eventually close to make the circuit once again.

Then the cycle would start again.

The standard flasher can often could be replaced by a HEAVY DUTY can which was designed for three or more bulbs. Typically needed for vehicles while towing since the trailer lights would make the standard flasher go to fast...

As far as the OPs concern about automotive bulbs going away... Not in the current laws is there any ban on what is known as "specialty" type bulbs which automotive bulbs will fit into..