Latest topics
» Any takers - convert your Scampby Mk3rob Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:47 pm
» Mk2 on Ebay Q***ANJ
by Rum Tum Tugger Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:45 am
» Mk2 on Ebay - Essex
by Mk3rob Sun Apr 15, 2018 2:09 pm
» NOS Spitfire fuel tank for sale
by Rum Tum Tugger Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:50 am
» LAUGHTON SHOW
by wezgit daan saaf Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:31 pm
» Garden find
by Rum Tum Tugger Wed Apr 04, 2018 4:33 pm
» Coffee / Tea debate
by Rum Tum Tugger Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:17 am
» New MoT rules from May 08
by Mk3rob Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:30 pm
» Mk3 project oop norf
by Rum Tum Tugger Thu Mar 29, 2018 9:58 pm
LED rear lights
Page 1 of 1 • Share •
LED rear lights
Thinking of using combination LED lights on the rear of Florence, has anyone used them ? read somewhere that you may have to add a load resistor to regulate the flashing interval on the indicators ?
Martin & Nettie- Number of posts : 1216
Location : Runcorn
Job/hobbies : Former SOC President and Secretary - its up to Mr Wezgit & Nettie now
Registration date : 2008-06-25
Re: LED rear lights
Ever since I got my Scamp I had probs with slow indicators, made even worse when I was towing something.
I bought the led indicator bulbs and now have no probs. (You have to be careful of the locator pin position though).
well unless you count the flasher unit going last month and having steady orange lights with no flash
I bought the led indicator bulbs and now have no probs. (You have to be careful of the locator pin position though).
well unless you count the flasher unit going last month and having steady orange lights with no flash

Mk3rob- Number of posts : 2289
Age : 61
Location : Wolves
Job/hobbies : DIY, Cars, reading and survival!!
Registration date : 2008-05-19
Re: LED rear lights
That's right about the resistors: the standard flasher depends for its operation on the 2-amp current taken by the filament lamps. LEDs take a lot less current, so either a resistor has to be added to make up the electrical load, or the flasher has to be replaced by a low-current LED-compatible one. A couple of points arise though, especially if you have a trailer.
Firstly, the law requires that you can tell if a bulb has blown: the normal system complies by flashing at double speed. This may not apply to LEDs, which don't (routinely) fail like normal bulbs. However if your Scamp is anything like mine, failures are more usually the result of vintage wiring & dodgy contacts than blown bulbs, and it's useful to know about them. Your resistor-loaded system isn't going to detect these, and I don't suppose a LED-compatible flasher will either.
Secondly, for towing, the system must not only handle the extra load, but tell you when 3 indicators are being driven so you can still tell if one has failed. You can use a heavy-duty flasher with an extra pilot lamp, or a slave relay with a built-in bleeper (which also allows a low-current flasher on the car to work with bulbs on the trailer). Either way though, with LEDs, failures won't be detected.
Life gets complicated at times, don't it?
Firstly, the law requires that you can tell if a bulb has blown: the normal system complies by flashing at double speed. This may not apply to LEDs, which don't (routinely) fail like normal bulbs. However if your Scamp is anything like mine, failures are more usually the result of vintage wiring & dodgy contacts than blown bulbs, and it's useful to know about them. Your resistor-loaded system isn't going to detect these, and I don't suppose a LED-compatible flasher will either.
Secondly, for towing, the system must not only handle the extra load, but tell you when 3 indicators are being driven so you can still tell if one has failed. You can use a heavy-duty flasher with an extra pilot lamp, or a slave relay with a built-in bleeper (which also allows a low-current flasher on the car to work with bulbs on the trailer). Either way though, with LEDs, failures won't be detected.
Life gets complicated at times, don't it?
Last edited by Rum Tum Tugger on Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
Rum Tum Tugger- Number of posts : 917
Age : 74
Location : Ivinghoe, Bucks/Beds
Job/hobbies : Retired computer boffin, Morris musician
Registration date : 2008-06-25
Regsmonster- Number of posts : 433
Location : England
Job/hobbies : I like to do things differently.
Registration date : 2008-06-20
Re: LED rear lights
http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/rectangular-led-stop-tail-indicator-reflector-pair
Thanks Reg, I was looking at these, as they are similar to ones originally fitted to Florence and incorporate the reflector
Thanks Reg, I was looking at these, as they are similar to ones originally fitted to Florence and incorporate the reflector

Martin & Nettie- Number of posts : 1216
Location : Runcorn
Job/hobbies : Former SOC President and Secretary - its up to Mr Wezgit & Nettie now
Registration date : 2008-06-25
Re: LED rear lights
Bob,
I remember a Fiat Strada I had years ago used to flash a small graphic on the dash if a bulb has blown
I remember a Fiat Strada I had years ago used to flash a small graphic on the dash if a bulb has blown

Martin & Nettie- Number of posts : 1216
Location : Runcorn
Job/hobbies : Former SOC President and Secretary - its up to Mr Wezgit & Nettie now
Registration date : 2008-06-25
Re: LED rear lights
'K' has LED tail lights (Hella) and the 110 has LED side lights and stop/tail lights that are identical to the standard Lucas ones. I can't fault any of them :-)
TRR Motorsport- Number of posts : 1320
Location : GREAT Britain
Job/hobbies : Being British!
Registration date : 2008-05-19
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum