Vled Triton Hyperflash Problem

IA 5HO

New member
I hope you guys can help me with this problem.  I think Dalum has possibly been having a similar problem but I'm not sure.

I currently have a set of the Amber/Amber switchback Triton V3 LED lights with the new 2010 and up Ford socket adapters (the ones with the F etched on the socket end).  Not sure if this matters, but I do not have DRL's active in the system.

When I first tried installing them, I didn't know I needed the fuse installed to activate the internal resistor.  Without this and the car not running and just in accessory mode, I would not get hyperflash for the turn signals until I would turn on the head lights via the switch while the turn signals were going. 

After then talking to Jake at Vleds, I added the fuse and seemed to fix the problem while the car engine was off and turning on the head lights with no hyperflash.  So then I thought I had everything good.  Tidied everything up and headed over across town.  Then right away the first time I turned on the signal while the engine was running, I get hyperflahsh.  I could kind of override the hyperflash by hitting the turn signal for the lane change (which would hyperflash), and then actually turning on the turn signal right afterwards (which would flash normal).   

So then after talking to Jake again, he suggested the 25Ohm 25W Resistor for 2010 and up Ford DRL fix.  So once again I wired up everything and tried finding a good ground point for the resistor.  After doing this, I don't get hyperflash when the engine is off, and noticed that the turn signal brightness is significantly dimmer than what it was without the resistor.  To the point where it's barely noticeable.  So then when starting up the engine and having it running, I still have a hyperflash problem (as well as the turn signal back to normal brightness).  I let the hazard lights run for about 5 minutes as Jake suggested this and kept checking the resistor which never even got warm.  So I thought maybe my ground was bad but I have tried 3-4 different locations to other ground studs by the fuse box and bolts to the fenders and chassis but still have the same outcome.

So at this point, I don't really know what to do.  I don't really know a whole lot about electrical stuff and what could be causing the problem.  Jake has said he has done as much troubleshooting as he can over the phone without having the car there to look at.  I've tried calling around to about 8 local places to see if anyone could be of help with pretty much zero luck of anyone knowing anything about this stuff.

Let me know if you guys have any advice on trying to fix this problem.  :wall:
 
Hmmm...I'm by far no electrician either, but a couple things strike me as odd here:
As far as I know you shouldn't have to ground the resistor. The holes are there for mounting only. The resistor should only have a positive and negative wire, and if hooked up correctly, should be wicked hot in a matter of about 20 seconds. A resistor is basically an insulated lightbulb. It draws the same energy as a halogen...that's why the car doesn't hyper flash your LEDs...it thinks there are the correct number of working bulbs in the system.

Also, you mentioned something about installing a fuse also? What, where, size, why, how?

Can we get some pics of your set-up, or even just more description of when it happens and what you have wired up?

 
Here is the link of the resistor I have from Vleds.

http://www.vleds.com/v3-triton/parts/gen2/resistors/ford-drl-fix.html

If you zoom in on the picture, you can see that one end of the resistor is wired into the orange wire of the cross over which Jake said was the turn signal circuit.  On the other end of the resistor is only a eye connector.  I guess they call it a ground ring which you are supposed to attach the end of it to the chassis to ground it.  Instead of wiring it into the ground of the light circuit?

And when I mention the fuse, for the controller part of the system, there is a plug wired into it where you can insert a 5 fuse into it that is supplied.  I believe this is done to complete the circuit for the internal resistor in the control unit which is to help with DRL's maybe?  I'm not quite sure but Vleds told me to keep this installed.

And at the moment when I have everything wired up, even with our without the resistor, I get hyperflash only when the engine is running and I assume with with full voltage.  So when the car is off and just accessory mode on, everything seems to work fine.  I'm not sure if that is because of the lower voltage coming from the battery without the alternator going or what.

I can maybe later tonight show how I have been trying to wire stuff up.
 
Well you've made it further then I have, I haven't even contacted Jake again yet.

Take a meter and turn the hazards back on.  Put black where you grounded the resistor and red where you tapped into led's harness.  If you have a cheap meter it might not show the voltage since it switches on and off so fast but you should see something happening on and off with the turn signal.  Thats just to make sure the resistor is on the correct wire.

Make sure you tapped the wire between the socket and the controller and not the controller and the led for the resistor.

Some other makes of cars you needed to ground the resistor to chassis to make them work so i'm glad you tried it that way first.  My next trial would be to move the ground side of the resistor to the ground in the harness between the socket and the controller.  The BCM may measure the current on the common (ground wire) and thats why mine would stop hyper flashing when I switched on my parking lights.

Since the turn signal has a low duty cycle I wouldn't think the resistor would get hot.  With the car set to drl on they are on 100% of the time and should get very hot.

If all the wiring checks out and you tried moving the resistor ground to the ground in the harness the next step would be relay isolation.  I think something in the control circuit is just  messing up the BCM and relay isolation is the only way to fix that.  This is also how i believe Jake has said to use the led's with the cars del's on.
 
Alright, so a small update.  as you suggested Dalum, I took a volt meter and measured from where the resistor splices in and then to the bolt on the fender I tried using as a ground earlier.  I got a reading jumping up and down between about 5 and 10 volts with the flashers on.  So I assume it should have been good.  Then I decided to spice the ground hook back into the black wire on the spice.  I figured if I ruined the resistor/wires by doing this, $10 isn't that bad to waste.  Got it wired back in, turned on the engine, and so far have not gotten any hyperflash!  So right now I'm gonna head back out and keep testing it to make sure and maybe wire up the passenger side too. 

In the meantime, if anyone can help give me direction on how to hook up the white wire into the positive headlight wire.  Or where this headlight wire is.  Or if anyone thinks I shouldn't bother being they are amber/amber unlike the while/amber switchbacks.  The only problem I may have is that when driving they are so bright, they give a slight yellow tinge everything you see.
 
IA 5HO said:
Alright, so a small update.  as you suggested Dalum, I took a volt meter and measured from where the resistor splices in and then to the bolt on the fender I tried using as a ground earlier.  I got a reading jumping up and down between about 5 and 10 volts with the flashers on.  So I assume it should have been good.  Then I decided to spice the ground hook back into the black wire on the spice.  I figured if I ruined the resistor/wires by doing this, $10 isn't that bad to waste.  Got it wired back in, turned on the engine, and so far have not gotten any hyperflash!  So right now I'm gonna head back out and keep testing it to make sure and maybe wire up the passenger side too. 

In the meantime, if anyone can help give me direction on how to hook up the white wire into the positive headlight wire.  Or where this headlight wire is.  Or if anyone thinks I shouldn't bother being they are amber/amber unlike the while/amber switchbacks.  The only problem I may have is that when driving they are so bright, they give a slight yellow tinge everything you see.

I didn't have the trouble that you and many had... Glad you made it work!... I didn't use the 50% reduction (white) wire, but just screwed the bulb focus all the way in... no body flashes me and It acts driving lights... Just run it!

I'd call them and tell them what you did so the info can be used to help others.  Just my 2 cents
 
I guess I spoke too soon, seemed to be working fine,  but now it is just back to the old ways with the hyperflash again.... :blowup:
 
The only place to get the headlight wire is between the bcm and the headlight.  If you search I posted stuff for bigmac I think to do it.
 
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