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LED swap wiring puzzle! -- SOLVED!:)

rolling18

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I dont know where else to turn, unable to search for anything similar so far with search words I used..
heres the skinny:
2001 M1123

all I wanted to do is swap the rear lights to LEDs
seemed simple enough....

1st problem..
the housing that came on the truck only has 4 wires going to the assembly (yanked all that mess out of the bulb housing replaced the lens with the LED / wiring unit.

2nd:
the military leds I bought have 5 wires all going to a resin potted one piece thinner enclosure.

3rd: and the kicker part!
the led replacements DO NOT HAVE NUMBERED WIRES!!!! (only the GND)
previous owner cut them off for his civi project GRRRRR...whyyy??

anyway, I am unable to get the right combination to make all the functions work!!

I got the front lights swapped but that was easier as they had most of the label tags.

anyone know how to determine what wire goes where WITHOUT labels? and How??
thanks!
 
Last edited:

Mogman

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The 5th wire is the ground unlike the original that grounded through the mount, put the ground to the neg of a battery and all of the other wires to positive one at a time, if all functions do not work the light is bad.
 

Mullaney

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I dont know where else to turn, unable to search for anything similar so far with search words I used..
heres the skinny:
2001 M1123

all I wanted to do is swap the rear lights to LEDs
seemed simple enough....

1st problem..
the housing that came on the truck only has 4 wires going to the assembly (yanked all that mess out of the bulb housing replaced the lens with the LED / wiring unit.

2nd:
the military leds I bought have 5 wires all going to a resin potted one piece thinner enclosure.

3rd: and the hard kicker part!
the led replacements DO NOT HAVE NUMBERED WIRES!!!! (only the GND)
previous owner cut them off for his civi project GRRRRR...whyyy??

anyway, I am unable to get the right combination to make all the functions work!!

I got the front lights swapped but that was easier as they had most of the label tags.

anyone know how to determine what wire goes where WITHOUT labels? and How??
thanks!
.
You might check the new LED bulb to see that it actually works. Many LED bulbs have a fuse - and it will blow if you accidentally reverse polarity because you didn't know. Make yourself some test leads with alligator clips on each end and about a foot of wire. The other thing you want to do is go to a "known good" testing position. Straight off the battery in your truck or car is a good start... Negative to the known (for sure) ground. Then one of the other wires to the (known) Positive.

Next you are going to have to "chase down" the wires on one "light bucket". You also need to confirm the ground - and if your PO happens to have decided that the back of the truck will make a good ground - and you don't know for sure that you have a good ground, you will be working hard for nothing. You have got to follow the wires to their known good position.

ALSO, you may want to consider a solid state flasher when your turn signals don't work as they should.

The short version from @Mogman was posted just above this post.
 

rolling18

Active member
621
75
28
Location
Portland, OR
The 5th wire is the ground unlike the original that grounded through the mount, put the ground to the neg of a battery and all of the other wires to positive one at a time, if all functions do not work the light is bad.
wow that was fast!
yes each wire lit up a different light
(couldnt tell witch function was stop/ turn/ or park though....
 
Last edited:

rolling18

Active member
621
75
28
Location
Portland, OR
.
You might check the new LED bulb to see that it actually works. Many LED bulbs have a fuse - and it will blow if you accidentally reverse polarity because you didn't know. Make yourself some test leads with alligator clips on each end and about a foot of wire. The other thing you want to do is go to a "known good" testing position. Straight off the battery in your truck or car is a good start... Negative to the known (for sure) ground. Then one of the other wires to the (known) Positive.

Next you are going to have to "chase down" the wires on one "light bucket". You also need to confirm the ground - and if your PO happens to have decided that the back of the truck will make a good ground - and you don't know for sure that you have a good ground, you will be working hard for nothing. You have got to follow the wires to their known good position.

ALSO, you may want to consider a solid state flasher when your turn signals don't work as they should.

The short version from @Mogman was posted just above this post.
I did as both of you suggestd to first se IF the lights function.. YES all came on one at a time.. i did not see any fuse it all encapsulated in resin.
i tried this on a stand alone battery.. each wire worked.
 

Mogman

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wow that was fast!
yes each wire lit up a different light
(couldnt tell witch function was stop/ turn/ or park though....
You should be able to distinguish what light it what by looking at it, of course the brake/turn will be the brightest followed by the tail/parking light, ETC.
 

rolling18

Active member
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Location
Portland, OR
You should be able to distinguish what light it what by looking at it, of course the brake/turn will be the brightest followed by the tail/parking light, ETC.
that makes sense... bu how do I label
a wire number to the wire so I can match it to the truck wires? (like 21, 22, 23, ect. ect.
 

Mogman

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that makes sense... bu how do I label
a wire number to the wire so I can match it to the truck wires? (like 21, 22, 23, ect. ect.
Download the TM with the schematic then you will have the wire numbers you need, you could also use the original light to make a "cheat sheet"

 

rolling18

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Location
Portland, OR
UPDATE!

My sincere thanks to you people, We have success!
got the wires labeled and matched up and almost everything works! yes.
I like to report back and keep interested parties updated

now the only problem I have left is the turn signal!! arr..
when I activate the turn signal.. it does not flash only increases in brightness... as per another suggestion I wired a resistor between the flasher wire and ground and started flashing !!
so... looks like we're good to go.

the people in this forum never fail to impress me,.. great team work to all! who chimed in and helped.
I hope I can help someone here out someday .
 
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