• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

turn signal/ marker light problem

firestomper

New member
20
0
1
Location
manahawkin new jersey
replace all of the original lights with new LED lights, also changed the flasher and turn signal switch. Before the change out all of the old style lights worked has they should. how that they have all been changed to LED turn signals do not work. any ideas on what I may have done wrong? Thanks in advance.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,246
1,179
113
Location
NY
Some flasher units will not work with led lights.
 

TOBASH

Father, Surgeon, Cantankerous Grouch
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
3,584
3,494
113
Location
Brooklyn, NY
From what I know:

You may need flasher relay(s) that accepts LEDs. Most flashers function once there is an electrical draw. LEDs use such a small amount of current that they are unable to activate a flasher relay.

What you need are flasher solenoids that are specifically made to turn on and off whether or not there is a current draw. In other words, you'll need flasher's that are made to work with LEDs.

Best,

T

EDIT - Post # 5 has the best answer
 
Last edited:

ryanruck

Active member
427
46
28
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I see you said that you replaced the turn signal switch. Did you replace the bulb in the the switch with an LED bulb?

I know that with certain flashers, that's needed to get everything to operate correctly. It's a BA9S bulb.

I've got one of these in my switch indicator.
 

86humv

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,700
501
113
Location
Texas
LED light test :
Tested the directional lights and found :
With all four Grote led's , and a incandescent light bulb in blinker switch : thermal switch made by Swiss controls [ 12418344 ],
Aurora Cord [ 11613631 ], and Riverside Mfg. [ 11613631 ] lights work as they should.
The Nartron 11613631 won't work, unless you change the 1819 incandescent bulb in the blinker switch with a 28 vdc LED bulb.
First pic is a Nartron
Second pic is others listed above.
DSC_000136.jpgDSC_000137.jpg
 

dmetalmiki

Well-known member
5,523
2,028
113
Location
London England
Unless you have sufficient resistance (at the 'bulb' end) you will not have them flashing. (remember?) when one flasher light bulb goes duff, and then I either nothing will flash, or on some vehicles the single remaining bulb front or rear flashes erratically. Replace the 'duff' bulb, and alls well again with a steady flash. So, as said you need a resistor in the circuits. And all will be well again. Actually some LED kits come supplied with resistors for just that reason.
 

VVFD

New member
22
1
3
Location
Vanderpool, Texas
Guys, I need a little assistance with a blinker problem. Searched a bunch of msgs and didn't see an answer.
We have '93 M988 with incandescent turn signal bulbs. Blinker will not work until truck has been driven enough to get warmed up.. then they seem to work most of the time until driven next. Took blinker switch apart and found gray wire on the spring contact board loose. It appeared to be a 'cold' solder joint; but on second thought it might have overheated enough to soften the solder up enough to pull loose. Re-soldered the wire and put the switch back into service. Checked, cleaned, and tightened cannon plug on the switch... also checked, cleaned, and tightened cannon plug into the blinker control box. Still have the same problem.
I'm suspecting the blinker control box is bad.
To change the blinker box, it appears there are two screws to get it out. With the blinker switch removed, I can get to the right side screw... I'm guessing that I need to remove the master light switch to get to the left screw. Anyone been through this that can give some pointers?
Also, does anyone know which blinker control box I need or do I need to pull the old one out to get a part number off the box?
 

VVFD

New member
22
1
3
Location
Vanderpool, Texas
Sorry 86humv, I re-read all the posts of 02/07/17 in this thread and did not find the info that I need help with. Must be somewhere between the lines of text that I can't see.
 

Beerslayer

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,054
55
48
Location
Tualatin, Oregon
This:
Searched a bunch of msgs and didn't see an answer.
And this:
Blinker will not work until truck has been driven enough to get warmed up.. then they seem to work most of the time until driven next.
Today sadly, search engine is not my friend. I searched the entire site using Google with this string:
led turn signal flasher site:steelsoldiers.com

And found lots of threads by people who didn't use search and asked the same question over and over,,,

I've got LED lights on my M923, put in the LED flasher unit with the fins 7 years ago and it worked fine for a few years. Now it doesn't work until the truck has been driven for a while. I don't see the answer in the thread above or anywhere else.

For someone with experience with this specific problem, is the flasher faulty? Hate buying expensive parts if I don't need them.

Already checked the grounds and other connections, obvious stuff.

Ideas?

Thanks!
 

VVFD

New member
22
1
3
Location
Vanderpool, Texas
This:

And this:

Today sadly, search engine is not my friend. I searched the entire site using Google with this string:
led turn signal flasher site:steelsoldiers.com

And found lots of threads by people who didn't use search and asked the same question over and over,,,

I've got LED lights on my M923, put in the LED flasher unit with the fins 7 years ago and it worked fine for a few years. Now it doesn't work until the truck has been driven for a while. I don't see the answer in the thread above or anywhere else.

For someone with experience with this specific problem, is the flasher faulty? Hate buying expensive parts if I don't need them.

Already checked the grounds and other connections, obvious stuff.

Ideas?

Thanks!
I to am interested to see some answers from the experts that have experienced and fixed this problem.
 

86m998

New member
8
0
1
Location
Groton, MA
I am having similar issues. 1986 M998 turn signals just stopped working & brake lights at same time. Confirmed all bulbs are good. Turn signals turn on but don't flash. Hazards switch does nothing; doesn't even turn them on solid. While diagnosing I notice brake lights will come on when pedal is depressed fully with significant pressure. I believe from other posts that the flashing module for turn signals if different than the one for turn signals so I think it's too coincidental that both would fail at same time. Any ideas?
 

Milcommoguy

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
1,710
2,265
113
Location
Rosamond, CA
Not to sure what your trying to say. There is only one flasher unit or same for turning as for emergency hazards. Don't have a spare?? Quick check. It is a 3 wire device. One of the wires is ground = pin C, One is power, pin A and the other is interrupted - flashing output, pin B to a LAMPS / LOAD.

My quickie Flasher, Turn control switch & Service Lighting Switch Test>

Things to know:

Service Lighting Switch sends power to Turn Signal Switch.

Turn Signal Switch sends power to the Flasher when selected and does a lot of switching (hows that for an explanation) But in this case breaks the brake lighting and adds in the flasher for the left/right/hazard feature.

Flasher pig tail connector.connector.jpg


Here we go>>>

Get your VOM.

SERVICE LIGHTING SWITCH select to STOP LIGHT position (this switch MUST be working in ALL positions (not black out) and could be the beginning of problems.

This switch feeds power to all lighting and horn. With the goings on inside, can be a headache. If you can "honk" the horn in the STOP LIGHT position it will work for this test. DO NOT use the BLACK OUT position.

Can you honk the horn? GOOD

Is the Turn Signal SW mounted well and grounded?

Do the brake lights work? Push the peddle, GOOD (with or without connector to flasher) NO... bad Brake SW or Turn Signal SW or wiring.

Measure voltage at PIN B with switch above in STOP LIGHT and TURN SIGNAL SW in each of the left / right / hazard position. NO voltage? Bad Turn Signal SW or wiring.

Got voltage? NEXT

Connect a jumper wire from pins A to B on the 3 wire flasher pig tail connector above. (solid number 14ga house wire about 3 inches formed into a U and easy to do, poke it in A & B)

All lamps with a PROPERLY working turn signal control switch when selected left or right or hazard will light corresponding SOLID ON good lamps front and rear. If not BAD Turn Signal Sw. or wiring.

Backing up.... GOOD above ??? Check "PIG Tail" leads with VOM. PIN C to ground, a very low resistance 1 ohms or less.

Meeting all of the above, find a good flasher.

Don't over think it. There's a lot going on in these switches. Yes, you can shot-gun the whole process, But I like to narrow it down and know what's going on... divide and conqueror, process of elimination.

These tests should take less than the time to remove the rusty connector and find the A/B/C pins. first time a little longer, CAMO
 
Last edited:

Milcommoguy

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
1,710
2,265
113
Location
Rosamond, CA
ME BAD... Re-read your post and know that battery feed is continuous thru the PCB or Protective Control Box, next on to a circuit breaker, then to the Lighting Selector Switch. There is a lot going on in that switch mechanically to make or break circuits as needed. Any connection (pin-plug-wire) linking these components can be a potential problem adding to the mix. It's is hard to diagnose electrical problem (especially intermittent) with magic results on thirty year old equipment over the internet... without jumping in and working forwards and sometime backwards to a successful repair.

And things can get really sideways over the internet. Good Luck, CAMO
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks