Patrick - LED Taillight problems

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

But ERA uses a pretty specific flasher unit and I don't know what would be appropriate to try as a substitute. I think the extra load with the lights on allows the flasher to function correctly somehow even though they are separate circuits. Basically, I'm back to surrender - 'no mas'.

There is nothing unique about the ERA wiring schematic. It's very, very straightforward. The "load" that is needed to trip the old fashioned mechanical flasher unit which, in turn, repeatedly interrupts the current to the trailer relay, comes from the front bulbs. So, you should only use old fashioned filament light bulbs up front. The trailer relay can be temperamental and it's a little tricky to test outside of the car. So, your best bet, when replacing the trailer relay, is to install the three inputs to the relay, while it just hangs down right there in the driver's leg area, and then "test wire" your lights with short, 1 foot long runs to your lights, that you have removed, and that are now just sitting on the driver's floor board. Just make sure you have a clean temporary ground wire running to those lights as well (for temporary ground wires, I always just run a long alligator clip wire directly to the negative battery terminal). Let me say it again, there are only three wires going in to the trailer relay, and two wires going out, and only the brake lights and turn signals are involved in this circuit. The parking lights have nothing to do with this. The circuit is ridiculously easy to test if you do it this way -- and testing it this way will "red flag" a wiring problem between the trailer relay and the back of the car. A nice, high-output, trailer relay, suitable for use in the ERA, can be bought off Amazon or the 'net. Look for 3-2, and "Heavy Duty." Here you go, this one would do just fine:

Ultra-Fab Heavy Duty Relay 3-2 Tail Light Converter 6-amp 36-947001 by Ultra-fab Products, Inc. for $10.97 : Rural King