Question Regarding 194 LEDs in Corner Markers

[df2x4]

So I've noticed that one burnt out corner marker bulb by itself generally isn't enough to trigger hyper-flash in the blinkers indicating that a bulb is out. Would both of them? Has anyone ever removed both corner light 194s and observed that? The reason I ask is I was thinking about putting LEDs in just those two sockets. I Googled around a little and saw that 194 bulbs draw around 3.8 watts, while the other bulbs in the circuit draw between six to eight watts at least.

What I'm getting at is this; would it be possible to put LEDs in the corner markers only and have the rest of the system function properly with stock bulbs and no hyper-flash without swapping flasher relays?

 

[df2x4]

And a side question... If replacing both of the corner lights with LEDs does result in hyper-flash, would it be possible to correct that by upgrading to brighter 3457 bulbs in the tail lights? Those use around two watts more on each filament than the stock 3057s, which seems like it would offset nicely.

 

[delta_p]

I think would work ok. It's LEDs on the park or turn usually a problem because the don't draw much current look like no current/no bulb. You kind of already showed a low current/no current marker won't hyperflash. Just make sure to put it in the right direction if it is polarised.

 

[df2x4]

Thanks. I did a little more digging and a 3457 bulb draws 1.54 watts more on the dim filament and 1.28 watts more on the bright filament than a 3057. This means a 5-6 watt increase on the circuit compared to running four 3057s. As I mentioned earlier a standard 194 bulb is 3.8 watts, so both of them would take 7.6 watts to run. The LEDs I'm looking at using for the corners are estimated to consume around 0.3 watts each for a total of 0.6. Combining that with the 5-6 watt increase of the 3457 tail light bulbs should put me within one watt of the factory power consumption on the flasher circuit.

I'm curious to try the 3457s in the tail lights so this is the route I'm going to take. I'll try the LEDs in the corners before switching those out though, just for fun.

 

[Awest623]

Just get the electronic flasher relay and don't worry about wattages. The wiring isn't designed to run higher wattage bulbs in the tail lights, nor are the tail lights designed to handle the extra heat. If you want brighter, go with LED

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[98chevy2500SS]

If you get the 194 LEDs, make sure you get the non-polarity ones. I had tried some polarity-sensitive Sylvania LEDs and they didn't work very well on my trucks.

https://www.amazon.com/Alla-Lightin...a+lighting+194+led+bulb&qid=1581949844&sr=8-8

 

[df2x4]

Just get the electronic flasher relay and don't worry about wattages. The wiring isn't designed to run higher wattage bulbs in the tail lights, nor are the tail lights designed to handle the extra heat. If you want brighter, go with LED

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Changing the flasher relay is exactly what I do not want to do. I like the resistance based flasher that tells me when I have a bulb out, and by taking the corner marker 194 incandescent bulbs out of the equation I'll be removing the only two bulbs that don't draw enough current to trigger it when they blow. All while remaining 0.09A under the current draw of the factory flasher circuit, less than half of one 194 bulb. EDIT - And getting brighter tail lights in the process by upgrading to 3457s.

On that note... Concerning extra heat, the stock 3057 bulbs draw 2.1A max at 12V. The 3457s draw 2.2A. I seriously doubt that an extra 0.2A of current draw in each tail light is enough for heat to be a concern in the housings. By the same logic I don't see any wiring issues either. 16AWG wire can carry 5A (more than double the current of a 3457 bulb) up to 15ft with less than 3% Voltage drop.

 

[df2x4]

If you get the 194 LEDs, make sure you get the non-polarity ones. I had tried some polarity-sensitive Sylvania LEDs and they didn't work very well on my trucks.

https://www.amazon.com/Alla-Lightin...a+lighting+194+led+bulb&qid=1581949844&sr=8-8

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be using these.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20x-T10-19...s-License-Light-12V-Amber-Yellow/122820225929

I haven't tried these amber ones yet (The Coronavirus outbreak has delayed shipping on some things from China) but I'm running white versions of them in my license plate lights and they work great. Not sure if they're polarity sensitive or not but if they are I got lucky a few times.

 

[df2x4]

The corner marker LEDs still haven't showed up but I did get some 3457 bulbs put in the red truck's tail lights tonight. It's not a huge difference but it is noticeable. A nice simple upgrade IMO. I'll try and remember to take some before and after pictures when I do the same to the Suburban.

 

[MSCustoms]

I did the 4 corner mod with leds and each side wired in parallel with each other and I dont have hyper flash