Hyperflashing after installing LED brake/turn signal lights
I see others are working on curing the hyperflashing issue, but I'll donate my 2 cents worth here anyway. I composed this essay before discovering the threads here! So, I may have a bit of redundancy here, sorry. What I have read so far is helpful, but the cure still appears challenging.
Like all of us TDI'ers, we all strive to eek the best economy and performance from our cars. Since HID and LED illumination is gaining ground in newer model cars and trucks, I retrofitted my beetle with some of the newer technology recently. I installed HID low beam headlamps, and replaced all 6 brake/running/turn signal lamps with LED's. I used cheap Chinese LED equivalent's
of the common 1156 and 1157 lamps. The original front running/turn signal lamps were amber tinted, and had a special base "pin" configuration that is offset, so my amber LED bulbs would not fit the socket! So, I ground off the offending pin and left the pin that does the electrical connection intact. Seems to work ok. I quickly learned a couple of things. 1) the front running/signal LED's had very little brightness change when I had the running lights on and activated the turn signals! (due to cheap Chinese junk) To help improve the brightness differential, I installed 60 ohm 1 watt resisters in series with the leg supplying power to the running LED segments. 2) the other, and currently unsolved issue is "hyperflashing" when using the turn signals, OR the hazard (4-ways). Doh! The flasher unit now thinks I have a burn't out lamp! Grrrr. Totally forgot about this! Yes, the shade tree fix is to install load resisters on every lamp to fool the flasher, BUT, hey, this is NOT the proper fix for us economy enthusiasts is it? The load resisters totally defeat one of the main reason's to retrofit to LED's......to reduce current draw! Using load resisters does nothing to reduce the current draw and simply sheds the power as heat! You see, the average Edison turn signal or brake light bulb draws in excess of 2 amps EACH X 4 = 8+ amps! The LED's, all total, draw <1amp without using the fakeout load resistors! The better fix to hyperflashing is to modify the flasher unit so it looses the current sensing circuit! OK, for you purists out there, yes, if a bulb goes out, the flasher will no longer indicate it by going bizzerk, but remember, LED's, when NOT over driven, can last upwards of 30K + hours! An occasional walk around the car with the hazard flasher on will give a good indication if any lights are dead, no biggie. NOW, the punch line: Does anybody know how to modify the flasher unit to stop hyperflashing? A replacement flasher unit? Yes, they do make LED flasher units for many popular cars, the ones' that look like relays. I have not ran across any information on how to fix a VW LED conversion hyperflashing issue yet. Anybody been there? At the very least, could someone with access to a wiring diagram for the 2001 beetle be able to supply me with the hazard flasher units wiring configuration? Unless someone chimes in that knows of a "no load resister" fix, please post it or I'll have to go at it alone! In conclusion, between HID headlight conversion (or LED if you can find a kit), and refitting all incandescent lamps to LED's, you can reduce current consumption BIG TIME! Look at it this way; Driving around after dark, with all your lights on uses upwards of 20amps! You're burning diesel fuel to spin the alternator, which has to generate those amps! Convert to HID/LED lighting, you drop that current down to around 8 amps maybe? If you ran just your 4-way flashers with regular Edison lamps, you may expect about 7 or 8 hours before your battery throws in the towel. Run your 4-ways on all LED's? You lookin at like 4 days before battery dies? BIG difference. I took the old school 1157 dual filament bulb, hooked up to a laboratory 12 vdc power supply and measured nearly 3 amps both filaments lit. Took one of my LED 1157's and it wouldn't even raise the current meter needle! What does that tell ya! Thanks! Looking forward to hearing from anybody, or feedback in general. Hey we're changing out light bulbs at home, why not your car?
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