LED License plate bulbs...

DieselGolf

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Location
Windsor Ontario
TDI
Jolf TDI
hey guys i baught LED license plate bulbs from ECStuning, there made by ZIZA. anyway i took out my stock incandecent bulbs and put these in and im constantly popping the fuse for the license plate bulbs which is apperently on its own fuse. 5amp fuse i believe fuse number 4. ive tried a 7.5 amp fuse also and that one pops too. its doesnt do it right away but after about 5 min they both go out at the same time.? any ideas?

any help would be appreciated!
thanks
Milan
 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
That doesn't make much sense as LED's are supposed to draw a fraction of what an incandescent bulb does. I imagine each bulb contains a series of LED's but even then, the total amperage should total less. You could test w/a multimeter I suppose but I'd just call ECS and ask them what the heck?
 

diredesire

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Location
Vancouver, WA
TDI
2003 Golf TDI GLS 4dr, White 5-spd
That doesn't make much sense as LED's are supposed to draw a fraction of what an incandescent bulb does. I imagine each bulb contains a series of LED's but even then, the total amperage should total less. You could test w/a multimeter I suppose but I'd just call ECS and ask them what the heck?
A Diode in forward bias mode can draw a TON of current as its resistance is basically zero. I'm assuming this LED module is designed with an inline resistor? If not, then that's a pretty bad design :eek:. Can't comment until I see a link/PCB, but this is definitely not normal behavior...
 

jetlagmech

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2009
Location
Toledo, WA
TDI
2010 jetta
If I was working on my car first thing I would do is remove the plate bulbs and see if fuse is still blowing. then if it is then you probably have a shorted wire somewhere.

if it doesnt blow then plug in the old bulbs to see that it still doesnt blow then start putting in LED's one at a time. you could have a bad LED or maybe a plug that messed up changing the bulbs. It happens, the plugs out in weather for years then the corroded terminals screw up when the bulbs are messed with.
 
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