The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Led taillights

Has any one used the replacement 12v led taillights to replace 1157 bulbs, using a regular flasher?

I've heard of hyper flash on turn signals. A resistor is recommended when this occurs.

As I understand a regular flasher won't work...not enough current (not voltage) flows through and the bi-metallic strip doesn't get hot enough to operate...at least not properly. I would just buy the led flasher. It is completely different (as are the led bulbs) and will work correctly with them. I would also not combine incandescent and led bulbs in the same circuit.

Thanks, will look into it.

I'm just about to order some LED tail lights. Both my back lights were burnt out and the flasher still worked just fine with front lights only. I don't think my flasher is a LED flasher; probably a heavy duty one. Anyway, I'm sure that the LED lights will be OK with this flasher as it works with or without a load.

In shopping for LED lights, I see some are rated for 12 volts and some are rated for more than 12 volts (e.g. 18 volts). The ones rated for more than 12 volts are a bit more expensive, but I think it's a good investment since the alternator can put out up to 15 volts. The burn out problem was mentioned by some reviewers.

I recommend SuperBrightLeds as a source.

I have had good results using a standard bimetal flasher if I only replace the front or the back with LEDs. If you want to replace both, just get an electronic flasher for $5.

I dislike the resistors because they increase the current draw and dump all of that extra energy into heat.

@Fibonachu

The lights come in 3 colours; white, red, amber. Did you use red or white bulbs for the rear brake/turn/running lights? The light fixture has a red lens. White bulb may be too white even with a red lens. Red bulbs may be too dark with the red lens.

I put custom LED housings in the rear that have running, brake/turn, and backup lights in one. I can get pics later.

In the front, I experimented with amber and white with both amber and clear lenses. I decided that I liked the amber lenses better cosmetically and both white and amber bulbs looked basically the same behind them.

The white bulbs behind the colored lenses are brighter than the colored bulbs behind them because the LEDs are single wavelength and the color does not quite match the lens color. That results in more of the light being absorbed by the lens.

The white does wash out the lens color a hair, but I couldn't tell the difference unless I was looking for it.

If you get good quality bulbs, either the colored or white ones will be plenty bright behind your colored lenses.

Does that answer your question?

Thanks. I ordered the white ones. I'm using using housings which are reproductions of the 1954 stock ones.

I added these LEDs to the holes at the rear end of the bed rails. They function as brake lights and turn signals

Here is my setup.