LED side mirror turn signals

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 07:30 AM

Ok, I finally got them installed. It's rather easy, with the exception of fishing the wire through the mirrors and door. But the thing I can't figure out is why do they come on as soon as the key is inserted to the on position? They blink with the turn siganls so I don't see how I could have it spliced into something else, do I need a resistor for them? Power for both was taken from under the interior fuse panels where the power for everything runs to the back. It's kind of cool having them on all the time but when I get out in the contry they are just to bright. I will post pics asap. anyone *cough* cherrington *cough* I need some help.
Also, I can't get them to turn on at any other time, not when switching to dims or parking lights, they key must be in the on position they just come on and go off with it... Resistor need?... They are just a 6" strip of the side emoting LEDs. I'm really confused by this...

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 08:42 AM

If they come on when you turn the key to on, you might have them wired to the wrong wires... Mine never required resisters cause they should be built into the strips. I'll check my wiring later today and let you know which two... I'll finally get to taking the pictures. haha

cherrington17 · 09-03-2011, 10:25 AM

ok.... a link to the product and a possible more detailed explanation of what wire you spliced into would be necessary. (color/location) if not pictures of where and how...

sounds like you spliced a constant on, rather then the timer wire for the turning signals.

From a quick look in the haynes wiring section, it looks like you want to splice a light blue wire for left, and a dark blue for the right.

This will make them blink ONLY when the turning signals are activated. (you'll probably need a load resistor though, to prevent hyper blinking) Before you splice those, I'd check them with a digital multimeter. Since they are after the timer, the 12V should "blink" at the same interval as your turning signal...and only when the turning signal is engaged.

Shiwnath · 09-03-2011, 10:39 AM

I agree with Cherrington. There should be 3 wires connected to each 3157 turn signal bulb at the front of your car. I cant remember if you splice into the Brown or Blue wire. I want to say Blue but I'm not 100% sure

cherrington17 · 09-03-2011, 10:58 AM

The directions I gave would be splicing into the wires coming out of the turning signal switch. You can find them under the dash somewhere. (rather then going through the firewall twice)

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 04:36 PM

I spliced into them where they run under the bottom door cover panel you step over to get it, to the ones running to the back. I checked both rear turn signals and spliced into the same wired as was running to them, drivers side, light blue with black stripe and brown, passenger side, dark blue and the larger brown wire. If I had spliced into a constant how they still be blinking with the turn signals?... http://www.oznium.com/side-emitting-led-strip a 6" red strip. it has 9 lights on it.

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 04:58 PM

New discovery- with no key in ignition or anything they will not blink with the turn signals when I hit the hazard lights... I can't even describe how much I'm confused by this...

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 06:19 PM

lol, if you want, we can meet up sometime this next week. I'll take a look at it for you. I will be in Olney tomorrow for a lake outing, if you want to come. It's with my church. We will be boating and such.

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 06:25 PM

I'm helping my dad get his wedding together tomorrow or else I would. If you could let me know what wires you spliced into and if I can't get it we'll have to meet up sometime.

cherrington17 · 09-03-2011, 06:57 PM

Those do appear to be the correct wires going to the rear turning signals.... but the brown is a signal wire for your parking break system. All those should be grounded via a black wire. Move your ground wire to a ground thats on the car's sheet metal (anywhere will work) and see if that changes things.

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 07:02 PM

I will let you know

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 07:36 PM

When running to metal it will not work, at all. So I tried splicing into the 3 diff black wires, one of them turned it on all the time but it would still blink w/ turn sigs, the others didn't work at all. None of the other brown wires would work either... So I for sure have one of the wires right? Right? Is it possible that the blue ones are the negative and I need to flip then splice into the proper black? That's about the only other thing I can think of...

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 07:45 PM

I'm going over to the car to take some pics right now.

Be back soon.

cherrington17 · 09-03-2011, 07:46 PM

test all connection separately with a continuity meter

OR

Test all separately to a known good ground. Something is a miss here.

cherrington17 · 09-03-2011, 07:52 PM

also.. is it possible you have your power and ground mixed up AT the LED strip?

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 08:18 PM

Oh! good point Cherr! I noticed. I believe the white strip is ground and the solid black is positive on the LED strips. I had troubles with them and found out that they are like that. You would think the solid black was ground (according to standard DC wiring, black is ground), but I do believe it is positive.

Went out and looked at the car (wife had it), and it shows the passenger side being the darker blue wire. there are two blue wires that run to the back, one is sky/baby blue, and the other is just blue. The regular blue wire is the one you want... The other side is a blue/black wire. The ground is definitely black going to the signals.

Also, a good rule to follow when dealing with prewired LEDs and LED strips.... Have a 9V battery handy to check which is pos. and which is neg.. This has saved me a lot of time in the past.

I've come across situations where some prewired LEDs were wired backwards.

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 08:27 PM

^cav, I got the same thing for my passenger side as well, my guess is i have the pos/neg flipped where I sodered in the wire extensions to get down there. My meter burnt in my house fire last year and I still haven't got another one yet, ima see what I can figure out, brb!

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 08:29 PM

Passenger side:

driver side:

cavaliers60 · 09-03-2011, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Rad17

^cav, I got the same thing for my passenger side as well, my guess is i have the pos/neg flipped where I sodered in the wire extensions to get down there. My meter burnt in my house fire last year and I still haven't got another one yet, ima see what I can figure out, brb!

That's probably what it is. Try switching them and see what happens.

Papa Rad17 · 09-03-2011, 09:07 PM

Fixed! Passenger side-dark blue and black w/ white stripe
Drivers side- light blue w/black stripe and black (idk if it matter which black)
They now blink with the turn signals all the time! I suppose if you want them as running/turn signal light you could do what I did originally lol.
Thanks for the help guys! I will get pics up tonight.
Cav, what are you doing to tonight? My buddy and I were going to hang out (he has an alero too) and I think a trip to vinncens might be in order.