Installing LED Taillights

[mackdog]

I am installing LED tailights on my club car electric. They use less voltage and are very bright. I found out that I need a special flasher for the blinker circuit if you are going to use LEDs for both front and rear blinkers. If you are only going to install LEDs in the rear you need to install voltage reducers for them to blink properly. I am building my own lighting circuit. Has anyone installed LED turnsignals? Any tips would be great.

Thanks,

Mackdog

 

[Car53whereRU]

Hello Mackdog... You are correct in the LED's using less current, About 1/10th the current of standard automotive bulbs. In addition you don't suffer the failures from vibrations common with automotive bulbs. I have changed all of my lamps to LED's except the headlamps.

In order to make your turn signals flash you will need to replace your thermal flasher unit with an electronic flasher. These are available at most auto parts stores for about $12 to $18. These like the LED's are polarity sensitive so you need to be sure to observe + & -.

In your post you mention having to install a "voltage reducer" in line with the bulbs to make them flash. The item is not a voltage reducer per se, but a resistor to compensate for the reduced current draw of the LED's. These are often used in automotive applications when LED's are installed on vehicles where the flasher function is performed by a lighting control module. In your application this resistor will not be required IF you replace the flasher as outlined above.

All in all the change over to LED's is not an inexpensive project however I think that you will see that it is certainly well worth the time and expense.

Car53...

 

[mackdog]

Thank you for the helpful tips. I am looking forward to installing LEDs into my cart. I already have 2 inch LED running lights in the bumper. My next step is to install 4 inch turn/stop tail lights in the body. I would like to make the cart street legal, but I am not sure what the rules are in MI. I started this craz with customizing carts a year ago. I am on my forth cart aready. I do not know what it is, but it seems to have taken over.......... I would show you some pics of my cart if I new how to add them to the forum.

Best Regards,

Mackdog

 

[Car53whereRU]

Sorry I can't help much with the photo posting problem. It took me forever to learn how to post and now It works OK for me but I don't know enough to tell someone how to do it, but I'm sure that someone here will jump in and help you as they did for me. Photos of my buggie are listed in the members carts section. I'm not sure what Mi. requires to be street legal. In Va. you can not license a cart for the street except for three small towns that have adopted local law. You could check with your state motor vehicle dept or MSP for info. Good luck on your lighting project and I will look for photos here soon. Car53...

 

[Keyguy]

mackdog,
Upload your pics to whatever pic host site you use( photobucket or whatever).
Click the IMG tag at the top of the post window, copy and paste your pic URL into the box and click OK.
That should do it.
If you have a pop up blocker this wont work.
In that case, use this code:

Jimmy B.