No tail lights...discovered burned out leds

[30FordA50]

Hey everyone,

I installed the 6v LED kit that slides behind the original lens from Brattons last year along with a 3rd brake light. I loved the combination and never thought that I would have a problem. When getting tuned up for the parade my brother noticed that I had no rear lights and wouldn't you know, all the LEDS are toast!

These units are plug and play into the original system. Is there some sort of load breaker that I should have installed to prevent them from blowing out?

Thanks for the help!

- Dennis

[Mike V. Florida]

There is no reason, except for high voltage, that i know of that will cause this to happen. Bad chassis grounds? Lose battery connections?

[SeaSlugs]

generator spike will fry em, LED's are kinda dumb and will accept as much current as you give them - till they burn out....

[Kevin in NJ]

Just in case look at the solder joints. Some times the joints on the board break.

As mentioned, the led requires current limiting. Voltage spikes could burn them out. I would also check your connections to your battery and frame. They may need to be cleaned.

[emf]

I have mentioned a similar problem with my LED's in the past. I can't prove it, but I think a bad ground on the generator has caused a voltage spike that fried them... I installed a ground wire from the generator case to the engine and the problem never returned. Try it...

Frank

[C26Pinelake]

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The company told me it was a power surge and totally my fault and not theirs! Wayne

[30FordA50]

I am running an alternator if that helps anyone shed might on my problem.

So my replacement LED lights came in the mail today and they look like the ones that I believed were fried. There is black smeared over the rear solders on the circuit (I assumed that meant they were toast). I'll have to try them in my cowl sockets and see if that gets a response from the original LEDs.

It seems weird that they would not go on and the originals fire right up when connected.

Does anyone know of or have an idea to have a voltage cutout to prevent the same thing from happening again?

[Tom Wesenberg]

You should be able to find a 6 volt limiter on ebay, and install that to the power wire for the LED's. Just search "6 volt regulator" or "6 volt limiter".

Anyone using an alternator should give the engine a rev to make the alternator kick in BEFORE you turn on any lights or step on the brake (brake light). It could help save the bulbs from a voltage spike.

[Chris in CT]

Hey Dennis, One suggestion that you can file in the back of your mind. No, two actually. Is your alternator a one-wire? If it is, then the alternator comes on line with a "bang" when it reaches a certain rpm. You could re-wire the alternator to be a 2 or 3 wire unit, which means that it comes on as soon as your ignition key is turned, and "softly" introduces power into the electrical system.
Second, all modern electronic equipment on your Model A should be wired directly to the battery post - use whatever switches or fuses you need in the circuit. Reason: you want a stable, "buffered" 6 or 12 volt supply to your electronic equipment, not a supply that may have spikes, ripples, or voltage inconsistencies in it. The battery in this case will act very much like a condenser, smoothing out ripples in the electric circuit before they reach sensitive electronic equipment. N.B. All modern electronic equipment is "sensitive". Happy Motoring!

[katy]

You should be able to find a 6 volt limiter on ebay, and install that to the power wire for the LED's. Just search "6 volt regulator" or "6 volt limiter".

Try a LM7806 if negative ground or LM7906 if positive ground.

[30FordA50]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Hopefully I won't be asking about this again