Resistors are too rare

[AaronGAGT]

I know there are people this site that used resistors on the rear turn signals to stop the hyperflash... but I have been running into problems even finding them.

I've gone to a 2 local hobby stores and 2 radio shacks. Neither of them carry 6 ohm 10 watt resistors nor do they have them on their websites.

So i started looking on the internet for some... the closest thing I could find was 6.8 ohm 10 watt resistors.

And on top of that, they're the wire wound ones... are those ok?

[ViperGTSR]

CLEARLIGHTS.COM aaron!!! didnt i post this before? lol

[Gimli]

Originally posted by AaronGAGT
So i started looking on the internet for some... the closest thing I could find was 6.8 ohm 10 watt resistors.

And on top of that, they're the wire wound ones... are those ok?

They'll be perfect!

[AaronGAGT]

thanks you 2 kiddos :thumbs:

BAh!! clearlights.com and autolumination.com only sell the 6.99 kit. I just want some resistors from a place like radioshack and do it myself for like .99!

Would 10 Ohm 10 Watt resistors be too much juice?

[Gimli]

Originally posted by AaronGAGT
Would 10 Ohm 10 Watt resistors be too much juice?

Nerver tried 10 ohm. There's one way you can find out though, TRY THEM! :D

Let us know the result...

[Dan00GPGT]

They would let less current flow (if the resistors are placed in series). More resistance, less current.

[bulldoger]

The higher the resistance the slower it will flash.10 ohms should not be to out of line.

[STRMurphy]

you could always add smaller resistors in series to get the same effect. Im about to try this mod as well, and Im just going to do the math to get the resistance I need. If you dont know how to figure out resistance values when using more than one, just PM me and Ill give you the info you need. (Pays to be a nuke sometimes :)

[AaronGAGT]

Originally posted by bulldoger
The higher the resistance the slower it will flash.10 ohms should not be to out of line.

So if I used a 6k ohm resistor, it would flash slow as hell?

as opposed to a 6 ohm resistor flashing somewhat regular?

[2000blkgagt]

try http://www.mcmelectronics.com/ they have just about anything you may be looking for...if its not on their web site call them...they most likely have what your looking for

[bulldoger]

6K(6000 ohms) I doubt would flash at all.Probably more along the lines of 20 to 30 ohms would be the highest you could go.If you really want to save money go to the local dump and tear open an old TV set.:D

[AaronGAGT]

Originally posted by 2000blkgagt
try http://www.mcmelectronics.com/ they have just about anything you may be looking for...if its not on their web site call them...they most likely have what your looking for

wow... sweet find!! Hope seth see's this... might be useful for him

[2000blkgagt]

Originally posted by AaronGAGT
wow... sweet find!! Hope seth see's this... might be useful for him

a buddy of mine repairs alot of electronics. and he gets most of his stuff from them...everytime i have needed something they have had it or can get it.....

[badassgrandam99]

aaron... check it out... Load resistors here too http://store.yahoo.com/dpstore/loadresistors.html ...that's the same site that Sik found a pic of the APC GA tails (yes, there is now a pic) ...it's also on this forum (in the Appearance section)

[AaronGAGT]

Good find steve... But I actually found some at radioshack!

[badassgrandam99]

oh sweet... i think i'll go look today for em :)

[fschambe]

Originally posted by bulldoger
The higher the resistance the slower it will flash.10 ohms should not be to out of line.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Wrong-oh! The higher the resistance the faster it will blink... Remember before the resistor there is infinite ohm load in the circuit and you have your rapid blinking, so as you decrease the ohms your blink rate will also decrease. BUT if you go too far the amperage starts to get too high then you will blow a fuse, think of a short circuit with 0 ohm, burnt fuse...

[swordfencer]

Originally posted by fschambe
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Wrong-oh! The higher the resistance the faster it will blink... Remember before the resistor there is infinite ohm load in the circuit and you have your rapid blinking, so as you decrease the ohms your blink rate will also decrease. BUT if you go too far the amperage starts to get too high then you will blow a fuse, think of a short circuit with 0 ohm, burnt fuse...

ehhh? :confused: :confused: wtf

[bulldoger]

hmmmmm............ I was always taught that as the resistance goes up the current(amperage) decreases.The flash rate is dependent upon the current draw.As current increases the flash rate increases.Ex: 1 light goes out and the flash rate slows or deminishes completely.Hmmmmmm...but then I could be wrong.Or I could be right.Maybe 25 years as an electronic tech I'm just burnt out from too much resistance <:)

[swordfencer]

I=V/R :D

[STRMurphy]

I think fschambe is just AFU. Best way to find out though is just to try it and see what happens...

[fschambe]

Originally posted by bulldoger
hmmmmm............ I was always taught that as the resistance goes up the current(amperage) decreases.The flash rate is dependent upon the current draw.As current increases the flash rate increases.Ex: 1 light goes out and the flash rate slows or deminishes completely.Hmmmmmm...but then I could be wrong.Or I could be right.Maybe 25 years as an electronic tech I'm just burnt out from too much resistance <:)

Dude, you taught your rectum to type for you?!?! Ok, seriously, let's think ground zero, the stock bulbs had a certain amperage, now we decrease the amperage by using led's and all of a sudden they are flashing faster... 25 years of theoreical data does not replace 2 years of empiracle data...

[bulldoger]

hmmmm.........lets see an LED ( light emitting diode).Do they not conduct ? As in current draw?

[Gimli]

The higher the draw, the slower it'll blink. That's why when a bulb burns out the turn signals flash twice as fast (to le you know you have a bulb out).

Anyway I've fixed my own problem with my back turn signals, needed a lower resistance resistor (got a 5 watt/2.7 ohm resistor in there and it fixed it). That's probably because there are 2 bulbs on the back harness instead of 1 on the front harness.

[craig02GAGT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but this ten watt resistor idea has me a little worried. If we combine ohms law with power formula to find what wattage the resistor is using.... (warning to everyone: formulas and math about to be used)

P = V * (V/R)

V = 13 (roughly)
R = 10 ohms

You get 16.9 watts. It already exceeds the wattage limit of the resistor (10 watts) at 10 ohms (it should be ok though, since it is always going off and on and not building up as much heat). If you were to put a less resistive resistor in there, say 5 ohms, the watts shoot up to 33.8 watts. Having LEDs and resistors on my blinkers I can tell you the resistors get really hot. Anyone think this is a fire hazard? Anyone prove my math wrong? I have had enough thinking for the day... :rolleyes:

[STRMurphy]

thus by raising the reistance value you drop power, making it less hot, and shouldnt that make it blink slower?

[craig02GAGT]

No, at least not on our cars. Anyone with a burnt out blinker on our cars will tell you it blinks fast. The way to prove it is to remove a bulb for one of the blinkers and see if it blinks slow or fast.

Your way of thinking was true on most older cars.. I remember having an 82 Plymouth Relient (don't laugh, it was the car that tought me how to work on cars out of necessity) that would do the exact thing you described... If a bulb burnt out it would blink really slow. The Grand Ams we own are so electronic that their are only two blinker speeds, fast and normal. If you put in leds and slowly bring the resistance from 10 ohms down to about 5 or so, when you get in the "ok " range it will suddenly go from fast to normal with no inbetween.

[Gimli]

I've been running the 10 watt in the front for almost a year now without any problem. The ABS piece behind the light assembly doesn't even show any sign of heat.

I'm now running 5 watt in the back though, with a 2.7 ohm resistor (which, according to your formula, should require 63 watt, way overboard). I don't seem to have a problem as of now but I'll keep an eye on it just to be sure.

There's enough room in the back though that my resistor isn't touching anything or isn't less than 3 inches away from anything but the wires that go to the headlight. I'm also using flameproof ceramic resistors.

[craig02GAGT]

I have been running 4 ten ohm, ten watt resistors connected in parallel in my rear drivers side blinker, since I replaced both bulbs with LEDs. I have had no problems. I also have 3 one ohm ten watt resistors in series in my passengers side rear (I sold my local radio shack out of 10 watt 10 ohm resistors). I have also had no problems with them. I mounted both sides away from anything flammable and they seem to work ok, even though both sides are exceeding their watt limits. I think the only reasons are they seem to survive are because they are well venilated and are only working half the time.

I am only worried about this issue since a lot of people seem to install 5 watt resistors or less (I have seen as small as 1/2 watt) and think its fine. If not installed correctly its a fire hazard. At least your 5 watt ceramic resistors are flameproof and are mounted as far as possible from anything flammable, as are my 10 watt.