LED Brake Lights

[RDM]

Yes, lights are on with the car off (or on).

Yes, cruise is still installed, though I've never used it.

The light doesn't decay overnight. When I open the garage door in the morning, they're still on.

It's late here now, but I will do the diagnostics in the morning.

Thanks!

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by 69porsche

Spoke,
I got my LED boards installed, the brake, side marker and turn signal they are fantastic!

I am looking at ordering the following but I need your advice before purchasing in terms of flasher requirement.
I will order a Front set of amber turn signals
Do I need a flasher? and if so which one do I need the single or dual that you offer on your website.
My car is 1985 -911 Coupe

Thanks for everything you are doing!
Gordon

Spoke,
I sent you a PM. Please check it. Thanks

[spoke]

Gordon,

For the flasher, you would use the dual turnsignal indicator version. The single indicator version is for the 914 '74-'76 years.

From your PM, you saide the driver brake light doesn't light. So just the driver side brake light doesn't work? The driver side running light does work? It might be that the button inside the vehicle socket is oxidized or bent backwards. Try cleaning both buttons and GENTLY pull them outward. You can clean them by scratching them with a small screwdriver. Do this with all power off in case you short the button to the side of the case while working on it.

[spoke]

Originally Posted by RDM

Yes, lights are on with the car off (or on).

Yes, cruise is still installed, though I've never used it.

My guess is the cruise won't work with the LED brake and 3rd brake lights. I worked with several 911 owners with cruise and to get the cruise to work with all LED brake lights we had to install a very low ohm, high power (6 ohm, 100W) resistor pigtail to make the LED brake lights work with the cruise. (could be any manufacturer LED lights)

So with the car running and no brakes applied, the 3rd brake light and the normal brake lights are very gently on? This is characteristic of the cruise control sense lead on the brake light wires. No one ever said their lights stay on after the car is turned off though.

If you don't use the cruise control and want to test this, try disconnecting the CC ECU and see if the leaking stops.

[RDM]

Here's the brightness of the third brake light, though the taillights are on so you can't see the two brake lights glowing.



Plus one of the front because it's beautiful.

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by spoke

Gordon,

For the flasher, you would use the dual turnsignal indicator version. The single indicator version is for the 914 '74-'76 years.

From your PM, you saide the driver brake light doesn't light. So just the driver side brake light doesn't work? The driver side running light does work? It might be that the button inside the vehicle socket is oxidized or bent backwards. Try cleaning both buttons and GENTLY pull them outward. You can clean them by scratching them with a small screwdriver. Do this with all power off in case you short the button to the side of the case while working on it.

Spoke,
Correct-my driver side running light does work, but not the driver brake light-so only the driver brake light does not work. I will try your suggestiont-However my regular bulbs when installed today worked just fine. I will keep you posted

[spoke]

Originally Posted by 69porsche

Spoke,
Correct-my driver side running light does work, but not the driver brake light-so only the driver brake light does not work. I will try your suggestiont-However my regular bulbs when installed today worked just fine. I will keep you posted

I've seen it happen where the buttons on the LED boards may not be as bulbous as those on the bulb. This could cause the loss of contact you're seeing.

[spoke]

Originally Posted by RDM

Here's the brightness of the third brake light, though the taillights are on so you can't see the two brake lights glowing.

Plus one of the front because it's beautiful.

Very nice car!

That glowing of the 3rd brake light is from the cruise control ECU. Good thing you don't use the CC as it wouldn't work now. We solved this issue with the 6ohm 100W pigtail which gets installed in the front trunk by the brake master cylinder. The resistor network (there's two 12 ohm resistors in parallel) gets connected from the brake light wire on the brake master cylinder to ground.

[spoke]

Making progress on the front running lights for my Porsche 356 friend.

This is the first LED board. The LED lens holders are now glued on and some test fitting has been done. The heatsink on the back of the board still leaves a lot of room inside the fixture for the switching converter board.

The LEDs burn about 16W and I've measured a temperature rise of about 40C. This is ok as even if the ambient temperature is 40C (104F), the LEDs will be running at a cool 80C. They're rated for junction temperatures up to 150C so shouldn't have any issues there. I will have to make sure the converter can handle the high temps.

[RDM]

Originally Posted by spoke

My guess is the cruise won't work with the LED brake and 3rd brake lights. I worked with several 911 owners with cruise and to get the cruise to work with all LED brake lights we had to install a very low ohm, high power (6 ohm, 100W) resistor pigtail to make the LED brake lights work with the cruise. (could be any manufacturer LED lights)

So with the car running and no brakes applied, the 3rd brake light and the normal brake lights are very gently on? This is characteristic of the cruise control sense lead on the brake light wires. No one ever said their lights stay on after the car is turned off though.

If you don't use the cruise control and want to test this, try disconnecting the CC ECU and see if the leaking stops.

I haven't made any electrical measurements yet, but here's what the brake lights look like with ignition off



I wonder what could be special about my car....

Do you have instructions and/or ordering info for the pigtail?

Many thanks.

[spoke]

Originally Posted by RDM

I haven't made any electrical measurements yet, but here's what the brake lights look like with ignition off

I wonder what could be special about my car....

Do you have instructions and/or ordering info for the pigtail?

Many thanks.

The pigtail is on my website under 911 stuff. It goes between the brake light switch on the master cylinder and its connector.

I don't have a schematic for your 911 so I can't help figure out why the cruise isn't turning off. I assume it's the cruise ECU not going dormant that the brakes stay on gently when the key is off. With bulbs you would never see any light although the leakage is still there.

If you're not using the cruise and you can find it (I think it's in the cabin on the passenger side under the glove compartment, try disconnecting it and see if the brake still light with the car off.

[dannyg911]

Originally Posted by spoke

I tried putting a piece of fluorescent lighting diffuser in front of the front sidemarker.

It definitely hides the LEDs especially when not lit up. Not sure of the look when lit. I'll have to see it more outside in the dark.

Looks Great!

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by spoke

I've seen it happen where the buttons on the LED boards may not be as bulbous as those on the bulb. This could cause the loss of contact you're seeing.

Jerry,
It seemed like my contacts on my rear driver side had to be pulled out to make contact and connectivity.

Issue: I am hyper flashing...in your previous post you mention that I would need a LED compatible EP 36 flasher....Once I get the flasher do I have to many ANY modification to the flasher or can I drop it in and go about my business? You mention in the other post (somewhere in previous to page 38 of this post) that you were going to buy some and modify them...Is this still correct? I am not a electrical guru.

Any suggestion on adding a FAQ on your website--with all these questions and answers fielded--you can direct them to your website and refer them to ...See FAQ #44 for your concern, etc, etc...you can literally just copy and paste all from these 38 pages and not reinvent the wheel

[69porsche]

Anyone who have these lights installed-can you asssist---I have the LED's installed on 1985-911 but now I am hyperflashing.

Can I just add a compatible LED flasher to stop this or do I have to make modifications to the flasher itself...there seems to be some contradiction on this from the other post.

Car is stock, model year 1985-911 Coupe. Thanks

[Canada Kev]

I just used Spoke's flasher that was LED compatible.

[spoke]

Originally Posted by 69porsche

Jerry,
It seemed like my contacts on my rear driver side had to be pulled out to make contact and connectivity.

Issue: I am hyper flashing...in your previous post you mention that I would need a LED compatible EP 36 flasher....Once I get the flasher do I have to many ANY modification to the flasher or can I drop it in and go about my business? You mention in the other post (somewhere in previous to page 38 of this post) that you were going to buy some and modify them...Is this still correct? I am not a electrical guru.

Any suggestion on adding a FAQ on your website--with all these questions and answers fielded--you can direct them to your website and refer them to ...See FAQ #44 for your concern, etc, etc...you can literally just copy and paste all from these 38 pages and not reinvent the wheel

Good idea for a FAQ section especially for the flasher. The flasher causes everyone issues.

The flasher needed is EP26. EP26 is as close to the OEM 911 flasher which is LED-compatible as any on the market.

The pins of EP26 are exactly the same as the OEM flasher and plugs right in to the flasher socket.

The only shortcoming of EP26 is the C2 pin doesn't connect to anything inside the unit. On some 911 models and all 914 models the C2 pin drives a center connection to the two turnsignal indicators in the tachometer. See the schematic below for the '73 914 which is electrically equivalent to some 911 models. In this diagram the K lead of the flasher is the same as the C2 lead on EP26.

Because C2 is open in EP26, I pop the lid of EP26 and connect C2 to ground. I do have the connection that I do on my website under tech articles.

[spoke]

Originally Posted by 69porsche

Anyone who have these lights installed-can you asssist---I have the LED's installed on 1985-911 but now I am hyperflashing.

Can I just add a compatible LED flasher to stop this or do I have to make modifications to the flasher itself...there seems to be some contradiction on this from the other post.

Car is stock, model year 1985-911 Coupe. Thanks

The flasher is EP26. It's available at many outlets including Autozone, Oreilly, Rock Auto, Amazon, etc. The C2 lead on EP26 is not connected and on some 911 models C2 is used and on others it is not needed. Don't know about the 1985 911 though.

I connect C2 to ground and resell EP26 although you can do this yourself. I have a tech article on my website of the change to make. It's quite simple if you have experience with soldering.

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by spoke

The flasher is EP26. It's available at many outlets including Autozone, Oreilly, Rock Auto, Amazon, etc. The C2 lead on EP26 is not connected and on some 911 models C2 is used and on others it is not needed. Don't know about the 1985 911 though.

I connect C2 to ground and resell EP26 although you can do this yourself. I have a tech article on my website of the change to make. It's quite simple if you have experience with soldering.

Spoke,
Honestly, I would rather buy a complete ready to plug in EP26 flasher from you than try elementary soldering that I have never done before....let me know how you want to proceed. many thanks.
Gordon

[69porsche]

Originally Posted by Canada Kev

I just used a flasher that was LED compatible.

So Kevin, you did not have to solder any wires within the flasher is what I am reading from your post?

[spoke]

Originally Posted by 69porsche

Spoke,
Honestly, I would rather buy a complete ready to plug in EP26 flasher from you than try elementary soldering that I have never done before....let me know how you want to proceed. many thanks.
Gordon

PM sent.