Turn signal indicator

[Mesa Mike]

I plan to put LED turn signal(s) and high beam indicator lights on the dash. Do I need to put a resistor or fuse between the source and the lights? These are really small litghts.

[Jeff Kleiner]

No resistors on the ones I used. Let me tell you this though; the same thing that makes them good on a bright sunny day (visibility) makes them a major annoyance at night. They are TOO BRIGHT and sear into your eyes! Your choice but I would not use them again.

Jeff

[Pierre B]

I second Jeff's comment about the brightness of LEDs. I would add that these lights can behave strangely when we try to dim them. They are current-driven and theoretically be dimmed by using a variable resistor or potentiometer. This works best when there is only one LED per dimming circuit. These things don't behave like incandescents, though, in that when the current is reduced (i.e. to dim the light), the intensity falls off very very slightly initially, and then suddenly rapidly goes to black. Also, two LEDs from the same batch and from the same manufacturer will not necessarily behave similarly with attempts to dim them.
Personally, I would keep LEDs off my dashboard. There should be no mystery here in that anycan can temporarily wire up one of these with clip leads and test the brightness at night in a regular street car. Just Google "how to dim LEDs" for more information. Good luck.
One more thing. LEDs when viewed in the dark (at night) leave what is called a 'flash trail.' Run your eyes through and past the red LED taillights of a car in front of you and you will see firsthand how that works. LEDs have a blinking characteristic, much like fluorescents do on alternating current. That LED peculiarity leads to the possibility of the light seeming to blink in its dimmed state.
Take a look at http://www.ledsmagazine.com/features/1/12/6. That may provide you additional useful information regarding this matter.

[3kcarbon]

The ones that came with my kit seem just fine.

[PG_Cobra]

To dim LEDs you need to pulse them to reduce the overall ON time. The human eye integartes the totat light output and provided it is pulsed above 25Hz you won't see a flicker.

Pulse width modulation (PWM) is how you vary the ON/OFF ratio.

One controller I found at Amazon, I'm sure there are others:

http://www.amazon.com/Dimming-Controller-LED-Lights-Ribbon/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1311953288&sr=1-1

[Mesa Mike]

thanks for your replies guys.

[smeltz]

Can you tell me where I can get these LED Turn signal indicators at? I rarely drive the car at night so not a real big concern. Thanks

[Mesa Mike]

Radio Shack sells them in various colors.