Modding TB tail light boards for non-SRCK LEDs

[kardain]

According to the OS, should be a .10ohm 5w resistor in place of the metal band if running LED in front or rear, .15ohm 5w if running LED on all 4 corners.... well, I tried with a .15ohm and hosed my OEM flasher (the magic smoke escaped)

I'm one of the LM487 + load resistor group (6 ohm 50w to kill hyperflash). NAPA brand.

 

[DFWWIZ]

So this flasher will eliminate the hyper flashing. But with mine I have after market tails with LEDs and they already have the resistor incorporated into the tails. I have switchbacks up front with added resistors. Just not sure where this puts me if I remove the front resistors and add this flasher.
Electronic LED Flasher LM487 - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight

 

[Blckshdw]

So this flasher will eliminate the hyper flashing. But with mine I have after market tails with LEDs and they already have the resistor incorporated into the tails. I have switchbacks up front with added resistors. Just not sure where this puts me if I remove the front resistors and add this flasher.
Electronic LED Flasher LM487 - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight

... it's fine, because my Depo tails have built in load resistors in them. So my switchbacks up front play nice. ...

 

[MAY03LT]

It half works... For me, it's fine, because my Depo tails have built in load resistors in them. So my switchbacks up front play nice. If you read through the LED Flasher thread on the OS, some people say they have LEDs in front and back, and it works... Others say they have LEDs front and back with the LED flasher, and it doesn't work, until they added load resistors to it. No real definitive stance on what the deal is. I would try testing that theory at one of our meets, but everybody is either stock bulbs, or has aftermarket projectors or tails that have the built in load resistors in em already

Edit: But if you have LEDs in front OR in back, with the flasher module, then it works as expected.

I was hoping you would chime in.

Ok, thanks for clarifying that! Hmmmm, my TB has all stock factory turn sig stuff, and I will have some spare LEDs after the dorman project is done, so maybe I'll be able to do some R and D in the not so distant future.

 

[DFWWIZ]

"No real definitive stance on what the deal is."

My point exactly.

 

[Blckshdw]

"No real definitive stance on what the deal is."

My point exactly.

If you have either headlight or tail light assemblies with built in load resistors for the turn signals (Halo projector, Depo, ICPW, etc), LED bulbs in the turn signals for the opposite end, and the LM487 module, you will not have hyperflashing. The unconfirmed scenario is if you are using stock housings, and putting LED bulbs in front AND back, with the LM487.

 

[MAY03LT]

White LEDs + red lenses = pinkish light output. Now if you're comfortable with that.... Nah, stick with the red LEDs, so you don't get flamed

I took this quote from the vendor thread so it doesn't go OT.

Never knew this. Looks like my first non-SRCK protos are gonna be tested with a touch of pink. BOSS?

 

[DFWWIZ]

I took this quote from the vendor thread so it doesn't go OT.

Never knew this. Looks like my first non-SRCK protos are gonna be tested with a touch of pink. BOSS?

You'll be fine. Unless you got some thin skin weak red tails, they will be red even with white SMDs.

 

[Matt]

I took this quote from the vendor thread so it doesn't go OT.

Never knew this. Looks like my first non-SRCK protos are gonna be tested with a touch of pink. BOSS?

Hellooo saylor!

 

[MAY03LT]

You'll be fine. Unless you got some thin skin weak red tails, they will be red even with white SMDs.

Thanks. Yeah I bought some white non-SRCKs to test on these boards since I haven't really ventured too far out into the realm of exterior LEDs myself. Sounds like Matt might be rocking your red LEDs in the finished product.

Hellooo saylor!

LMAO!

 

[Matt]

Sounds like Matt might be rocking your red LEDs in the finished product.

 

[DFWWIZ]

So finally got my boards today-10 sets and took one apart. Its just like the pic posted earlier.

The top side is on left

now, if I have this firgured correctly, the brown wire is constantly hot. And looking at the drawing of the SRCK circuit its just labeled incorrectly with regards to positive and negatives; since our BCM is ground reference all signals are sent as a grnd. With that being said the white is brake light, green is park lights and blue is turn signal. I've got this figured out now how I can make the middle bulb a park light also so it will be on too and then go brighter as the turn signals is flipped on since it has a 3157 bulb.

 

[Blckshdw]

Kevin, 2 words my man UNIVERSAL REMOTE!!!

 

[kardain]

Brown is ground. All the rest are correctly labeled and switched 12v+

 

[DFWWIZ]

Brown is ground. All the rest are correctly labeled and switched 12v+

I beg to differ. The reddish/brown is getting 12V + current all the time. Our bcm sends out grd signals which grounds the lights causing them to light up. Ray tested this out when he was attempting to put the Cree SMD bulbs in. He probed the contacts with a test light and found this was the way they are.

 

[MAY03LT]

I did the same tests, the strip is ground, park/rev/turn/brake is positive.

[video=youtube;oKalk-uRwrI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKalk-uRwrI[/video]

 

[Sparky]

Maybe it has something to do with the years... like how my 02 front sockets are totally wired wrong!

 

[kardain]

He probed the contacts with a test light and found this was the way they are.

This is why favor dmm over test lights.

On my 06, key on lights off, all connectors at the socket show 0 volts. If it were hot at all times, the lights would not function correctly when the switch is off (read as: staying on)

 

[Sparky]

According to the wiring diagrams everything is switched +12V (aside from the single ground of course).

... but then, the diagrams also said my front sockets were wired normally too, so who knows what GM decided to do with some of these trucks

 

[Rdjr]

Hey guys Ray here, I check everything with a DMM and I swear when I checked the strip read to hot and the firing signals were ground. Maybe my eye we playing tricks on me or I had it upside down but I'm pretty sure I had it the right way and it read -12 with the red on the firing sides and +12 with the black on the firing side so I said o shit that's weird. I want to go check again but I'm at work but will check as soon as I can.

 

[MAY03LT]

According to the wiring diagrams everything is switched +12V (aside from the single ground of course).

... but then, the diagrams also said my front sockets were wired normally too, so who knows what GM decided to do with some of these trucks

Yeah the diagrams match up to 07 (I didn't check 08s or 09s, but IIRC that dorman fits all 02-09s so they should be the same).

And yeah, I read up on you and Matts experiences. I wish I could get one of those in the shop to compare to mine.

Hey guys Ray here, I check everything with a DMM and I swear when I checked the strip read to hot and the firing signals were ground. Maybe my eye we playing tricks on me or I had it upside down but I'm pretty sure I had it the right way and it read -12 with the red on the firing sides and +12 with the black on the firing side so I said o shit that's weird. I want to go check again but I'm at work but will check as soon as I can.

What's good man. No worries, we're all learning about this stuff here and sharing what we know. Well, except for TXBlazer, he mastered this shit like a BOSS back in 08.

 

[DFWWIZ]

Yup its all good here. We may differ a bit at times on points of view but at least it doesn't go into a feeding frenzy like another forum I used to frequent alot.

 

[SBUBandit]

You guys should check out this thread, nice mod to the taillight board

http://gmtnation.com/f33/djoness-custom-tail-light-configuration-2706/#post55530

Groundshock, looks like all you'd need to make is an exact copy of the one side of the board, the lid if you will, out of stainless, and it would work.

 

[MAY03LT]

Direct to you from Hong Kong....non-SRCK LEDs:wootwoot:

Now that I have these suckas I can get to rewiring these boards.

Added the pins for dual parks.

 

[MAY03LT]

I finished the proto last night and just now had time to fire it up. It's alive! I'm waiting for dark scary time to get a vid of the LED board vs the halogens.

So, the ms paint masterpiece in the first post has the correct pinout for an OEM board. Those have the metal strips and sockets mounted to the bottom (flat side) of the board. The dormans have the wires and sockets mounted to the top (hole side) of the boards. If you were looking at a dorman from the wire side, the brake/park and turn/park is reversed. I'll whip us some more ms paint awesomeness later.

Also, anyone know why the turn signal flashes fast now? This is not a joke.

 

[Blckshdw]

Also, anyone know why the turn signal flashes fast now? This is not a joke.

You have load resistors or the LM487 flasher module installed?

 

[Sparky]

Also, anyone know why the turn signal flashes fast now? This is not a joke.

Hmm. "This is not a joke" written in purple text...

Mind = Blown

 

[Blckshdw]

Damnit!!!

 

[MAY03LT]

You have load resistors or the LM487 flasher module installed?

Purple text my friend!!!

edit - darn I guess you knew before I posted this lol

 

[Blckshdw]

I owe you one, just you wait...

 

[MAY03LT]

Dual park non-SRCK LEDs - left
Dual park halogens - right

I couldn't get a good pic of the parks/brakes on. They all made it look like the brake on the left wasn't on.

I think this is why....

The LEDs on the "face" come on in park and/or brake. The difference between bright/dim is in how many bulbs on the inside are on. The camera couldn't pick up the difference from straight on even though I could while taking the pic. This might be old news to folks who are more familiar with LED mods but this is all new to me.

So yeah, gonna keep rolling and get on the other one. And the dormans are 9001 times easier to mod then the OEMs.

Also, if anyone has some suggestions for some better non-SRCK LEDs that I could use for testing purposes that would be cool.

 

[Sparky]

I always thought the spider LED bulbs would look cool.

 

[LordBear]

if some one built idiot proof quad led tails that all u had to do is hook up and everything still worked right..i would be first in line..lol...all though my wallet may slap me on the back of the head a few times.. my brain goes in to melt down mode every time i try reading in to the led threads

 

[kardain]

I always thought the spider LED bulbs would look cool.

I wish I had 4 of these, but haven't found any in a couple years.... They would fit perfectly. Nice and bright too.

if some one built idiot proof quad led tails that all u had to do is hook up and everything still worked right..i would be first in line..lol...all though my wallet may slap me on the back of the head a few times.. my brain goes in to melt down mode every time i try reading in to the led threads

PM sent

 

[Blckshdw]

I wish I had 4 of these, but haven't found any in a couple years.... They would fit perfectly. Nice and bright too.

I had my eye on those a while back, when everyone started picking up the 5 arm LED bulbs (wanted to be different) Only place I ever found them was V-LEDs. I assume since they had such a short run, that's a sign of some sort?

Edit: Oh wait, they do still sell them. They are discontinued though, so they won't be restocking...
**clicky**

 

[Matt]

Kev has them. Wix.com LEDS created by dfwizleds based on auto-repair-express | Wix.com

 

[Matt]

Also, if anyone has some suggestions for some better non-SRCK LEDs that I could use for testing purposes that would be cool.

Drew,

Kev has one pair that I'm getting, I could have him ship them to you instead. You'll only need the one pair to test one board at a time.

Matt

 

[MAY03LT]

Drew,

Kev has one pair that I'm getting, I could have him ship them to you instead. You'll only need the one pair to test one board at a time.

Matt

Thanks Matt! I don't think I will need them to finish yours. I know I have the polarities correct and that any non-SRCK will plug right in. I'm really just looking for a "good" pair for myself for testing any future boards that I might do, and to take some better comparison pics of dual-park-halogens and dual-park-LED boards.

So, on those spider-thingys, are there any dim/bright differences when looking at them as if they were mounted to a board?

 

[kardain]

I had my eye on those a while back, when everyone started picking up the 5 arm LED bulbs (wanted to be different) Only place I ever found them was V-LEDs. I assume since they had such a short run, that's a sign of some sort?

Edit: Oh wait, they do still sell them. They are discontinued though, so they won't be restocking...
**clicky**

The reds were discontinued and out of stock a long while ago... Its been since at least early 2010 since I've seen red 3157's anywhere.

They are a PITA to install and take out due to the springs are a bit too heavy duty for the arm boards, probably were discontinued due to design or poor sales...

 

[LordBear]

too bad...i like those... quick easy mod with out taring chit apart.