Accessory LED DRL & Turn Signals

[HeatXfer]

I added an LED light strip with sequential LED turn signals to the gap between the hood and the grill/headlights. It's one of those inexpensive stick-on light strips with turn signals built in. The white LED DRL strip definitely adds to front-end visibility, and the sequential turn signals are nice & bright, but the turn signals will only work correctly with the engine off (ignition on). When the engine is running only the first few LEDs in the sequence will briefly flicker while the OEM bulbs are working fine. The LEDs are wired in parallel with the stocks at the the Molex connector, no "hot-taps". I've read (somewhere) that the voltage to the signals could be either higher or lower than 12v when the engine is running and that might be enough to glitch the LED controller. I will be checking voltages to the signals tomorrow with engine on and off.

Any thoughts?

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[Big Blue]

Forum rule #1: pictures or it didn't happen.

You may be running into the problem of the trucks turn indicator pulsing faster than the sequential turn indicators can cycle. Maybe someone else has run into this and solved it.

 

[HeatXfer]

Forum rule #1: pictures or it didn't happen.

Oops! I tried this morning but the camera doesn't pick up the lights very well. I'll get a few tonight

 

[Motorpsychology]

Oops! I tried this morning but the camera doesn't pick up the lights very well. I'll get a few tonight

Maybe daytime traffic won't pick them up as well, either.

I don't know what your lights came with, but a common problem with converting to LED turn signals is hyper flash, where there isn't enough load from the LEDs to the flasher so they blink rapidly or not at all. AFIK, the Ranger doesn't have a flasher per se, but I think it is part of the body control module.
Working only with the engine off but ign on may have something to do with the auto start/stop (ASS). Just a guess. I would try the manufacturer's help line; maybe they have a solution or some type of adapter for ASS-equipped vehicles.

 

[HeatXfer]

Maybe daytime traffic won't pick them up as well, either.

I don't know what your lights came with, but a common problem with converting to LED turn signals is hyper flash, where there isn't enough load from the LEDs to the flasher so they blink rapidly or not at all. AFIK, the Ranger doesn't have a flasher per se, but I think it is part of the body control module.
Working only with the engine off but ign on may have something to do with the auto start/stop (ASS). Just a guess. I would try the manufacturer's help line; maybe they have a solution or some type of adapter for ASS-equipped vehicles.

Good questions. These LEDs are an add-on, not replacements and they're wired in parallel with the OEM signals and draw approx .6amps. Total circuit draw including the <2amp OEM bulbs is less than 3amps. I thought it might have something to do with the BCM, but so far I haven't found anything in the programming that would shed light on the problem (no pun intended). Both BMS and ASS are disabled.

I haven't measured the turn signal voltage yet, but I will today when I get a chance.

 

[airline tech]

I think the issue is with the LED strip itself, it has to have variable voltage of the 12 volt source. When engine is running you are overpowering the strip.
I have not specifically checked the turn signal circuit but in general power for any circuit unless it is a specific isolated circuit such as 5-volt REF for the various sensors, voltage will fluctuate to match alternator output voltage.
You need to check the operating specs on the LED strip

 

[HeatXfer]

I think the issue is with the LED strip itself, it has to have variable voltage of the 12 volt source. When engine is running you are overpowering the strip.
I have not specifically checked the turn signal circuit but in general power for any circuit unless it is a specific isolated circuit such as 5-volt REF for the various sensors, voltage will fluctuate to match alternator output voltage.
You need to check the operating specs on the LED strip

Agreed. I'm sure the electronics for the strip light are probably the lowest quality available, so even 1 volt out of range might be enough to cause problems. I didn't get a chance to check the voltage to the turn signals today. I'm home all morning tomorrow so I'll take the time to check it then.

Update: There's no difference in voltage to the blinkers with the engine running, but my meter isn't fast enough to see what the true peak voltages are during each 'flash'. I know I'm charging the battery at 14.5v, but the meter shows a consistent avg of 12.4v with the engine on or off. I can check with an analog but needle bounce may be just as hard to interpret. A shot in the dark: I tried disabling the dead-bulb hyperflash through FORscan to no avail. I've looked to see if there's a signal duration setting, thinking if I increase the 'blink' time that might solve the problem, but so far I haven't seen anything along those lines.

As airline tech suggested it might just be the light strip controller that came with this unit. The whole set-up is $15, but I'm not sure I want to spend another $15 to find out.....I might though.

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