Gatornapper

In other cars I've put in LEDs with ballast resistors using stock flashers with no problems. In my 944 S, I decided to go with LED flasher. Bad move.

My LEDs came from superbrightleds.com for years - high quality, Taiwan, low price. I got an LED flasher from them. It works fine when headlights/parking lights are off - but 1157 on front corners stay on and do not flash if parking lights are on.

I went to Advance Auto and tried 2 different LED flashers: EP34 and then EP35. Novitas I think. They did same thing.

Called superbrightleds.com and they said I needed LED flasher for Euro cars & they sent me one. No good - does the same thing. Tried original flasher, of course it did same thing. That's 5 different flashers that won't work, 4 made for LEDs.

I'm an EE but don't understand why 1157 LEDs won't flash with any of the LED flashers. LED flashers are supposed to fix this problem. Superbrightleds.com has no idea either and no solution.

I know - I can install ballast resistors on signal lights and use conventional flasher. Would rather find a flasher that will work.

Anyone here have any ideas? Otherwise, all LEDs work fine. Flashers work fine in daytime with lights off.

TIA,

GN

Zirconocene

I am not an EE, so apologies if this is not totally related, but is it an issue with the relay? Those are little black boxes to me, but I was always under the impression that certain LEDs required a compatible relay. It may just be that the resistor you're talking about is built into those relays but like I said, they're literal and figurative black boxes to me.

Cheers

Gatornapper

Sorry. When I wrote "flasher" I meant "Flasher relay". They are almost always referred to as just flashers - but they are indeed relays.

So I tried 4 flasher relays specifically made for LED lights.........

GN

Zirconocene

The only other things I have to offer are from the wiring diagram. The ground for the turn signal is MPIV, so maybe a little cleaning and DeOxit there, and the harness connections, might provide a cleaner signal for the relay to work? Again, not an expert, but my understanding is that the on/off behavior is dependent on the voltage difference and the lower activation requirements for the LED itself may be contributing to being able to differentiate the states. Since the "ceiling" has been dropped significantly relative to standard incandescents, maybe if the "floor" is too high, the circuit is not able to distinguish and cause flashing.

Good luck, no matter what.

Cheers

Gatornapper

Also just tried Novitas EP36 flasher - same results. That's 5 flasher relays for LEDs that don't work.......

Cleaning sockets is worth a try - can't hurt - who knows?

Petza914

I've screwed around with LEDs long enough where I no longer try to use them in the turn signal bulbs or for brake lights that are monitored by the bulb controller (like in the 928s). If doing clear lenses is the reason for the LEDs, then use Chrome bulbs that illuminate the right color behind the clear lens. The chrome coating makes them invisible behind the lens and they flash the correct amber color. GP Thunder from eBay is by go-to supplier for these 1156 and 1157 bulbs.


Clear side markers are on the way too



928 with clear corner lenses and GP Thunder 1156 bulbs (Euro version uses the corner light for turn signal only)



Another 928 that got the clear corner lenses and clear side markers treatment (side markers have amber LEDs as they're not monitored)



Another 928. This one being black got the smoked front and rear side makers with LED bulbs, but the front clear lenses with GP Thunder 1157s.

Gatornapper

Petza914 -

Quite a sweet collection there. A different drive for every day almost. 3 is my limit (3 car garage) but I do also have 5 motorcycles (down from 8).

All LED's in my 914 with no problems, using ballast resistors. May have to go that route on the 944 S. No problems with any LED's except from turn signals.

Don't have clear lenses on front turn signals, would love to get some. Also for side marker lights. Later on that......have clear on my '11 Cayman S........

GN

Petza914

Thanks a lot. Have 2 997s (one a RUF R-Kompressor), a Misha widebody Cayenne turbo S, and a 914 too...so literally, one for each day of the week, though one of the 997s is my wife's (it's pink pearl) and the 944 S2 is my son's that he just got for Christmas as his first car, so we've been doing some little projects on that one together.
.

On the 914 I used the Spokeworks LED plates kit and they are much brighter and fantastic. They did require a special LED turn signal flasher relay to work correctly. The side parking lights with the car off and turn signal engaged also doesn't work correctly where it should only illuminate the side the turn signal is moved to, but rather illuminates all 4 corners no matter whether it's moved to the left side or right side, but in the US, I never use that feature, so don't really care.

orig944

The turn signals work, unless the parking lights are on, correct? In each corner of the car, the parking lights and the turn signal lights share a common ground path. It is likely that these paths have too high of a resistance, such that the ground side of the LED is no longer close enough to ground, and the resulting reduced current through the LEDs is not enough to trigger the flasher. There are two places to look on each corner. Each corner module has a connector, and a place where the ground wire is connected to the body. Check and clean all of these. If that doesn't fix it, it is possible that Porsche used too small of a ground wire, which still worked for the bulbs, but not for your LEDs. Also, once fixed, make sure it still works with the parking lights on and the brake depressed. The rear modules also have the brake light current going through the same ground wire.

Gatornapper

Not a ground issue. Flashers work fine with parking lights off, don't flash with lights on. Lots of discussions with LED source all conclude only solution is to add 50W ballast resistors to real turn signal lights. They will be here Friday, so will report when installed - should be easy - Blk/wht (left) and Blk/Grn (right) wires are easily accessible in rear hatch area as is ground.

GN

Petza914

Be careful where you mount the resistors as they get really hot. The metal ones are designed to be screwed to a metal surface to act as a heat sink.

walfreyydo

I put (rear) LED turn signal bulbs into my S2 and they work fine. The only issue is the rate of the flashing has doubled (which is what happens when one of the halogen bulbs burn out). So the car doesnt recognize the LED bulb, but the increased flash speed doesnt bother me.

I have not changed out the fronts yet, so maybe this will cause the issues you describe on your car.

PS - those LED plates for the 914 are really cool! Wish they made them for the 944!

Gatornapper

?????? What LED plates for 914?

Something like this that was on my 924 Turbo?


GN

Petza914

Yep, spokewerks is the company. Wished they made them for the 44 too.

Gatornapper

I thought the spacing between rear lights on both 924 & 944 were identical........????