ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum

ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Technical Discussion - Beginner / Repair => Topic started by: tonyman246 on September 09, 2010, 10:21:18 AM

Title: tail light question
Post by: tonyman246 on September 09, 2010, 10:21:18 AM
-i cut out my rear fenders all the way out. (like a fourwheeler)
-i removed the stock tail lights
-i have l.e.d. tail lights i want to use which are mounted in the tail gate
-they were wired correctly (the same as the stock lights)
-now they don't work. i don't understand?

I'm thinking something to do with amperage? are the l.e.d's not pulling the right amount of power? its very frustrating
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: fordem on September 09, 2010, 11:57:07 AM
What vehicle is this, and what doesn't work on it?

With most Suzukis turn signals are separate from stop & tail - LED turn signals will give problems if used with a conventional filament flasher type flasher, because of the low current draw, but stop & tail should work just fine - you can get LED type flashers if that's your problem.
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: wildgoody on September 09, 2010, 09:45:17 PM
LEDs are polarity sensitive, try reversing the wires, Suzuki lights
work backwards from what you think lights should

Wild
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: Skyhiranger on September 10, 2010, 06:43:35 AM
Some LEDs LED light assemblys are polarity sensitive.
I would guess the LEDs are not drawing enough amps to "trigger" the flasher (if they are not flashing, like they should).  
If they are not working at all, then you either need individual lights for the park/brake lights and turn signal lights, or you need to wire in a trailer converter to get them to work, or you have something wired wrong.
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: fordem on September 10, 2010, 06:58:05 AM
ALL LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are polarity sensitive, as in fact are all diodes - and Suzuki tail lights work just like any other vehicle - a +12V feed from the switch to the light and the other side grounded - it is the headlights that are wired differently (switched ground).
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: Skyhiranger on September 10, 2010, 07:03:35 AM
ALL LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are polarity sensitive, as in fact are all diodes - and Suzuki tail lights work just like any other vehicle - a +12V feed from the switch to the light and the other side grounded - it is the headlights that are wired differently (switched ground).

I just bought and installed some LED lights from harbor freight.  I wasn't sure which way they needed to be wired, so I hooked them up to the battery to check.  IT DIDN'T MATTER....they lit up no matter how I hooked the wires up.  So while LEDs themselves may be polarity sensitive, there are at least some LED light assemblys that are not....I corrected my previous post to make it read correctly.
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: jow003 on September 10, 2010, 07:29:45 AM
can you use brake lights as turn signals if you splice the wires?

how do you get the LED lights to draw enough to "trigger" the turn lights?
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: Skyhiranger on September 10, 2010, 07:35:08 AM
can you use brake lights as turn signals if you splice the wires?

how do you get the LED lights to draw enough to "trigger" the turn lights?

I believe you have to use a trailer converter.
Use a different flasher (one made for using with LEDs).
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: wildgoody on September 10, 2010, 08:39:41 AM
ALL LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are polarity sensitive, as in fact are all diodes - and Suzuki tail lights work just like any other vehicle - a +12V feed from the switch to the light and the other side grounded - it is the headlights that are wired differently (switched ground).

I knew about the head lights, but I made an assumption that the entire wiring system followed with this
same logic, which is in fact according to electrical theory correct, electricity in a DC circuit flows from Neg
to Pos, not the other way, this you can verify with a Diode, because it is in effect a 1 way valve, only allowing
current to flow in one direction.

I have come across some LED lighting assemblies that were indifferent in their wiring, there is some built in
circuitry to allow them to be wired either way and be more user friendly, I bet they had too many returns
with people saying these stupid lights don't work  ;)

To fix the problem, verify the polarity of the wires, and follow the directions on the package  (if included)
and you should have no trouble. If there are no directions then use a 12V power source like your battery
and touch the wires to the terminals, you will quickly figure out if the light is polarity sensitive or not, then
hook up the wires to the appropriate ones at the back of the truck, and for turn signals, you need to use
a heavy duty flasher, these are the ones that do not require a load to work properly, and because LEDs
have nearly a zero load the regular flasher will do nothing, the lights should just stay on, no flash

Wild
Title: Re: tail light question
Post by: ack on September 11, 2010, 09:59:43 PM
Also, take a look at this post thread:

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=19178 (http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=19178)

Trailer converters are not the best solution.  They tend to mess up the function of the emergency flashers and do other weird things.

The best solution is individual lamps (either LED or incadescent) for each circuit per the OEM wiring system.

Natually, if you go LED, the best way to fix fast flashing is to replace the flasher unit with a Tridon EP34 (the EP35 is rumored to be a better choice for LEDs at all four corners).

As the above post mentions, ballast resistors are a BAD SOLUTION for fixing LED fast flash.  They waste energy and can cause a fire if improperly installed or unable to dissapate the heat generated. Always go with an electronic flasher unit designed for LEDs!

I hope that this helps!