1st gen turn signals to running lights with Switchback LEDs (a how to)

I bought a set of the Morimoto 3157ck's and only the white chips with switched constant power would work. The amber blinker side would not work on either side whether I turned the the constant power side(white chips)on or off. I currently run LED amber blinkers with the load resisters to stop the hyper blink so I know it's not my end with the issue.I wanted the switchback feature so I ran the third wire to my socket and these bulbs didn't work out.They are sending me another set so I'll see if these will work as they should arrive tomorrow.

 

Well for anyone that cares the second set of Morimoto 3157ck switchbacks from TRS do the same as the first set.The amber blinking side will not work on my 02' no matter how I put them in. Now I'm going to order the VLEDS and see what happens.

 

I have the VLED just haven't put them in yet.

 

So my VLED 3157CK Switchbacks came in and what do you know they work.I got the 6K HVA's and seem pretty bright in the daylight.I would stay clear of the Morimoto's. One thing to note is Motimoto's have 2 ground wires on there 3157ck and VLED'S only have 1 ground wire.

 

Looks good. What do you think of the brightness of the HVA (high visibility amber) LEDs? I thought the 2nd gen VLED switchbacks had very bright white LEDs and fine/OK amber LEDs. Good to see they are trying to bring the amber brightness up.
The 2nd gen VLED switchbacks are now obsolete. The HVAs are the new version. The VLED part # is 3157CK_42_HV_WA_5K for the 5K color.
http://www.vleds.com/3157ck-42-hv-wa-5k.html I updated the OP with the part# info too.

After 15 months on the 2nd gen VLED switchbacks, I noticed by passenger side bulb looked very dim (white LEDs). It looks like it over heated. Nine of the fifteen white LEDs have a black burnt looking mark near the center of the LED of various size/darkness. Strange thing is the driver's side bulb looks fine and there are no signs of black marks on them. I contacted VLED to see if I could buy one replacement bulb yesterday and that is when I found out the 2nd gens are obsolete and they are now selling the HVA bulbs. The 1st gen switchbacks lasted me about five years. I only got 15 months on the 2nd gen. I offered to send pictures of the failed LEDs to them, but they just e-mailed back with a link for the new bulbs and said the 2nd gen were no longer being sold. So I'll post the pictures here.

Burnt VLEDs (the yellow colored LEDs emit white light..... well they did at one time)


Burnt VLEDs (nine of the fifteen white emitting leds were damaged)

 

I'm impressed with ambers brightness,all I have to compare with is the JDM ASTAR's from Amazon that I had on previous to the VLED and these are noticeably brighter.The 6K whites were even brighter than I expected.

 

Hello mtucker. Really need your help. PLEASE. I live in Fontana ca , not far from you. Can I please hire you to make my corners blink just like yours. I have spent over $500 with two custom audio shops and they just can't figure it out. The last shop got close. They got them to blink but were not uniform. Top corner would blink than VLEDS switchback would and I don't want that. I want mine to perform and look just like yours. I don't want to drill out another hole and put in a another bulb. I understand you have not posted exactly how you did your corners and I truly respect that. You said it was a custom circuit you made not easy to copy. Again I congratulate you, 4 techs have not been able to crack your code. Can I please hire you to make my beautiful new 2004 TRD Tacoma corners blink as nice as yours? Please help a Tacoma brother out.

 

It is hard to say no when you ask so nicely. I'll send you a PM...... and welcome to Tacomaworld.

 

The new VLED switchbacks arrived yesterday VLED part # is 3157CK_42_HV_WA_5K. Since I had the older 2nd gen version, it was easy to compare the amber brightness between new and old. On the left is the new switchback bulb and the old (2nd gen) on the right. I consider amber to be a mix of orange and yellow. The new switchback leans a little bit more towards the yellow side and the old has a bit more orange.
Their HVA (high visibility amber) claim is real. The amber is much brighter than the older version. The pictures shows the difference OK, but in person it is very noticeable. The white was already quite bright on the 2nd gen version and the HVA version seems to be equally birght.

 

Anybody havr pics of the light output?

 

Hello Matt. I'm trying to do the same as mtrucker only im trying to go with fogs "only" on bumper n convert my corners into turn signals. Howcan i go about it bro?? Would really appreciate your help?? Thanks in advance.....

 

Looks like I am four months late. Maybe you got it going. If you just want the corners (next to your headlights) to be blinkers, you can disconnect the hot wire from the corner light and replace it with the hot wire from the turn signal light. Then when you use the turn signal your corner light will flash. For fogs in the stock turn signal location, you could just run 12V that comes on with the ignition to the stock turn signal housing so you have a steady 12V that comes on with your ignition. You could keep the stock yellow bulb in there for a yellow fog light or replace with a white bulb.

 

4 months late! Are pregnant?

 

Hey @mtucker, I just decided to do this with my 2001, and I used 3157 switchbacks from SuperBrightLEDs.com. I got them in and wired the resistors for the hyperblink issue, and the turnsignals work just fine. when I wired the 12v from the parking lights down to the turn signal housing, I began blowing the running light fuse. I tried everything I could think of to solve the issue but ended up disconnecting the white side of the new switchbacks out of frustration (and necessity for running lights because I commute a lot at night). Do you think this could be a grounding issue or just the wrong type of lamp? I saw earlier in the thread about CK versions of the VLED ones, and I want to get this to work but I'm out of ideas as to why I can't get the fuse to stop blowing. I even tried upping the amperage of the fuse and it continued to blow the fuses up to 20amps, and I don't feel safe going any higher. Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Here's the switchbacks that I bought if you want to check them out and see if they're wrong or not: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ed-tower-b-type-wedge-retrofit-car/1777/4121/

 

Yes, using the wrong bulb type (standard 3157 instead of 3157-CK) will blow fuses. frizzman (page 6 I believe) talked about blowing fuses when he bought the non-CK version of 3157 bulbs. If you are up for it, you could take apart your two standard 3157 bulbs and rewire them to match the CK pin configuration. Superbright also sells a CK version (that I haven't tried) https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...tion-45-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit-car/903/

I noticed the bulbs you bought were listed as "type B". It looks like Superbright calls switchbacks that alternate between amber and white (during turn signal flashing) type B. They call Type A switchbacks that alternate between amber and off during turn signal flashing and then solid white when turn signals are off. I prefer amber to off for turn signal, but if there is an option make sure you get the style you prefer.

Here is a thread on converting non-CK pinout to CK pinout (done by another member) https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/convert-non-ck-3157-led-bulbs-to-3157ck.321201/

Matt

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ7hcGp2S8E&feature=youtu.be

 

So I installed the 3157 Switchback LED bulbs and the driving light works but I blow the turn signal fuse when I turn the turn signals on. They are the 3157 not the 3157 CK . I have not put a resistor in it yet but you should still get the hyper Flash. Would changing the prongs to convert the bulb to 3157 CK resolve my issue?

 

Anyone have a current part number for this?
Will this work by relocating into the side marker light?

 

The only 3157 CK bulb VLED sells now seems to be this one. V6_KIT_WA_3157CK http://www.vleds.com/v6-triton-wa-3157ck.html It is on pre-sale. $120! I didn't mind paying $70 for their old switchbacks that were brighter and higher quality than the competition, but $120 is getting a bit much. The "CK" option limits us a lot on what is out there.

Just to be clear
We need the "CK" style bulbs (AKA SWACK style) as our sockets are a bit different from the standard 3157 style socket.
If you are handy, you could buy a non CK version and rewire the bulb. I haven't done this, but others on this thread have.

 

I have seen people doing that but I never have been any good with wiring anyway. Little hesitant to do what's on this thread to begin with.
I may just do this mod then.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/01-04-blinker-relocation-mod.305152/
Cut and paste, I can do that...

Already running an LED in the side light, just upgrade to LED on the blinker and then route it up.