Has anyone installed Switchback (Dual Color) LED Turning Lights?

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I've doing a lot of research and it seems impossible to have switchback LED turning lights without having to install the load resistors. I would like to know if anyone have found a way around this; I don't want to modify any of the original wiring in my car (2014 CX-5 non-tech). I would highly appreciate any input. Thanks.
 
Yes.. actually in the thread right at the top titled "LED lighting thread". I have them myself. It's really not a big deal to add a resistor. It's a reversible modification that's as simple as remving the wiretap. I eventually had mine hardwired because I wanted a permanent connection.
 
Yes, I have switchbacks. You won't have to alter original wiring if you use crimps. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to install both. Totally reversible and untraceable. I may have a set of 6ohm resistors with crimps I will be selling soon. I have gone front and rear signals with full LED's, so I switched to 3ohms.






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Thanks guys! And great pics; your cars looks great with the switchback. I decided to go for them. I want all my lights to be LED, it looks so much better. Already did all interior lights, low beams, high beams and fog lights. Had to do quite a lot of research to get decently bright low & high beams but they are working great. The side markers/parking lights ruins the whole look with the amber light, so switchbacks will do the trick.
 
SayNoToPistons said:
Yes, I have switchbacks. You won't have to alter original wiring if you use crimps. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to install both. Totally reversible and untraceable. I may have a set of 6ohm resistors with crimps I will be selling soon. I have gone front and rear signals with full LED's, so I switched to 3ohms.

So, if you go with LED's front and rear you'd only need 3Ohm resistors?? What if I use a canbus bulb (built in resistor) in the back and the switchback in the front with no resistor, would that work??

And what kind of bulbs (front & back) and resistors did you get? If you don't mind me asking. All the ones I've seen online are 6ohms; and of course I'd prefer to have 3ohms, less heat/resistance.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
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StewieCO said:
SayNoToPistons said:
Yes, I have switchbacks. You won't have to alter original wiring if you use crimps. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to install both. Totally reversible and untraceable. I may have a set of 6ohm resistors with crimps I will be selling soon. I have gone front and rear signals with full LED's, so I switched to 3ohms.

So, if you go with LED's front and rear you'd only need 3Ohm resistors?? What if I use a canbus bulb (built in resistor) in the back and the switchback in the front with no resistor, would that work??
Click to expand...

You will need a resistor for the non canbus.
Click to expand...
 
StewieCO said:
Thanks guys! And great pics; your cars looks great with the switchback. I decided to go for them. I want all my lights to be LED, it looks so much better. Already did all interior lights, low beams, high beams and fog lights. Had to do quite a lot of research to get decently bright low & high beams but they are working great. The side markers/parking lights ruins the whole look with the amber light, so switchbacks will do the trick.
Click to expand...

What did you end up using for the lows and highs? How is the beam pattern?
 
StewieCO said:
SayNoToPistons said:
Yes, I have switchbacks. You won't have to alter original wiring if you use crimps. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to install both. Totally reversible and untraceable. I may have a set of 6ohm resistors with crimps I will be selling soon. I have gone front and rear signals with full LED's, so I switched to 3ohms.

So, if you go with LED's front and rear you'd only need 3Ohm resistors?? What if I use a canbus bulb (built in resistor) in the back and the switchback in the front with no resistor, would that work??

And what kind of bulbs (front & back) and resistors did you get? If you don't mind me asking. All the ones I've seen online are 6ohms; and of course I'd prefer to have 3ohms, less heat/resistance.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Basic ohm's law and V=IR.

Yes, a 6ohm bulb will be equivalent to one incandescent bulb, whole a 3ohm will be equivalent to two incandescent. Two front LED turn signals = two 6ohm load resistors. Vice versa for the rear. Four LED turn signals = two 3ohm resistors OR four 6 ohm resistors. The front area easier to tap, so go with two 3ohm. 50watts should do the trick. Granted the load resistors will exchange power into heat, there is most than enough room in the front fenders to have them just dangling with solid crimps.

I am using a TYPE 2 (white LEDs shuts off during amber LEDs engaging while signaling) white/amber switchbacks with some absurd number of SMDs. 120 LED's each I believe. Can't complain about them for the $30 something i got them for.
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vroom said:
What did you end up using for the lows and highs? How is the beam pattern?
Click to expand...


After a lot of research and a few returns; I end up with the following:

Low Beams: https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

High Beams: https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

Fog Lights: https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)


For the low beams I wanted something with a bit higher quality since they are used a lot more, so ordered the set with the fans to make sure nothing overheats. For the high beams I used the set listed above; they are quite bright.

My personal opinion about using these lights; they are not as bright as a HID set but definitively are brighter than halogen, I see much better. Also, the color makes it very comfortable to see at night. With the reflector we have on the CX-5 the low beams still have the nice cut-off and doesn't bother incoming drivers. I am happy with the switch to LEDs.

If you decide to do it; make sure you install the bulbs with the LED chips oriented vertically (up and down) seems to work better.

Also, please note that if you have the non-tech cx-5 you will loose the DRL's since LED's don't work at a lower voltage than 12V. Make sure you remove fuse #51, so you really deactivate the DRL's. I just leave my lows on all the time for DRLs until I figure something else.

Let me know if you have any more questions.
 
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SayNoToPistons said:
StewieCO said:
Basic ohm's law and V=IR.

Yes, a 6ohm bulb will be equivalent to one incandescent bulb, whole a 3ohm will be equivalent to two incandescent. Two front LED turn signals = two 6ohm load resistors. Vice versa for the rear. Four LED turn signals = two 3ohm resistors OR four 6 ohm resistors. The front area easier to tap, so go with two 3ohm. 50watts should do the trick. Granted the load resistors will exchange power into heat, there is most than enough room in the front fenders to have them just dangling with solid crimps.

I am using a TYPE 2 (white LEDs shuts off during amber LEDs engaging while signaling) white/amber switchbacks with some absurd number of SMDs. 120 LED's each I believe. Can't complain about them for the $30 something i got them for.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much! I ordered exactly the same ones you have (at least form the pics). Also order the rear ones and 3ohm resistors. I will let you know how it turned out. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks a lot StewieCO!

I had started a thread here looking for information on these with very little luck. You answered most of my questions. If ever you have the time, I'm sure many of us would apreciate a picture of the lows and highs pointed at a wall (preferably white) a few yards in front of the car (maybe post it in the other thread as to not hijack this one). Beam pattern quality can be very subjective, so this would help us juge by ourselves if we want to invest into these.

As for the highs/drl problem, I think a saw some that would adjust to voltage, but I'm not sure... That would be great though, since I don't want to sacrifice my DRLs on my non tech (even if I have a foglight led strip that acts as DRLs also)...
 
vroom said:
Thanks a lot StewieCO!

I had started a thread here looking for information on these with very little luck. You answered most of my questions. If ever you have the time, I'm sure many of us would apreciate a picture of the lows and highs pointed at a wall (preferably white) a few yards in front of the car (maybe post it in the other thread as to not hijack this one). Beam pattern quality can be very subjective, so this would help us juge by ourselves if we want to invest into these.

As for the highs/drl problem, I think a saw some that would adjust to voltage, but I'm not sure... That would be great though, since I don't want to sacrifice my DRLs on my non tech (even if I have a foglight led strip that acts as DRLs also)...
Click to expand...



I sure can. As soon as I receive the resistors (hopefully today) I will install the rest of the lights and take some pics; weather permitting of course.
 
Ok, I need help. Just installed my switchbacks and resistors. The colors are backwards. White lights when I engage the turn signals, amber lights for my parking.

Are my switchbacks bad?
 
Googled the issue and I think I may have just ordered the wrong bulbs. Although the site never stated it, I may have ordered Type 1. I ordered Type 2 and should be getting them soon.
 
I'll be ordering the ones from eBay that look like VLEDs' V3 Tritons at the lens only. I'm totally not sold on the 60/120 SMDs for lack of brightness and finicky operation.

They're $45 shipped with resistors + taps, and there are at least a few vendors in the US so shipping is only a business week or less. :)

Will include pics when finished!
 
And one more question... Why don't hyper flash canceler modules work with switchbacks?

I've searched and no one has explained this anywhere.

Wouldn't someone have at least built one that used a basic 1157 extension cable / plug / socket set with a resistor "hard wired" into it in appropriate fashion?

And how would you use crimps without altering wiring? Aren't crimps meant for that very purpose?
 
Anyone here who knows how to pull out the P13W DRL`s (Techpack Xenon) to change them for LED SMD 18..........?? I`ve tried but not succeed in it.........The BOOK said: Turn counterclockwise, but that is not going to happen ????
 
IronMan0737 said:
Wouldn't someone have at least built one that used a basic 1157 extension cable / plug / socket set with a resistor "hard wired" into it in appropriate fashion?
Click to expand...

I've been asking myself the same thing. Many of these are obviously aimed towards tungsten fillament to LED mods, why can't we find true plug & play units that already have the proper resistance wired in. I realy don't like screwing with my wireing, especially with taps that are known to corrode and screw up your electrical system (especially here where salt is used on the roads almost 6 months a year). This is the main reason I am not getting these right now.
 
VROOM: Exactly. I'd recommend buying an 1157 extension set yourself and then tapping the resistor into that, and then properly wrapping and securing the connections and assembly (rather than alter the OE wiring). I can't actually guarantee that doing all this would work, but I can't see why it wouldn't. In the meantime, the bulbs I bought work great, and I actually like the hyper flash. It's not too fast, maybe 2.5 times quicker than a regular blink. I think people can see the blinks better, especially during maneuvers because the quickness of the blinks makes it so someone physically can't turn their head toward and away from me in between signal flashes.

MARCEL: To loosen the P13W, get a 15mm open-ended wrench to loosely "grab" the black socket at the rear of the bulb and gently use its torque to loosen the bulb. Holding the wrench in the middle of the shaft or all the way at the closed end, it should take very little force to accomplish this. :)
 
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