using bulbs with different current

If I replace my 6w sidelights with longer life LED bulbs taking a few milliamps, presumably the ship-board computer will think the bulbs have blown and will continue to annoy me by saying so every time I turn them on.

Is there a way to tell the computer to expect low current drain from the sidelights and not flag an error?

year 2000 E320 cdi

Reply to
Nihil
Loading thread data ...

Yes, put an inline resistor of the difference and that will make the Headlight relay believe the normal bulb is in there. If the LED's fail it will still show a drop and the light will come on.

Reply to
macdrone

The normal bulb takes about 0.5 Amp And the LED probably 0.05 Amp So the resistor in parallel with the led must take about 0.45 Amp to appear normal, say 27ohm, and dissipate about 6 Watts.it may get as hot as a bulb.

If the LED fails, assuming it goes open circuit, the current will change by

0.05Amp and I doubt the computer will detect this.

I also doubt that Mercedes have the possible use of LED's programmed into the current range of cars yet.

But it will come soon, probably with a model change and possibly with the change to 42Volts which has often been suggested.

Alec

Reply to
Alec

You meant to say in Series right?

gamini

Reply to
gw

No

There will be a resistor in series with the LED but if it is a 12V LED it will be inside the LED. If it is not a 12V LED the you will have to add a resistor to limit the LED current.

I was referring to a resistor in parallel with the LED (or LED with series resistor) which is added to deceive the car computer into thinking that a normal bulb is fitted.

Reply to
Alec

Thanks to all from the originator of this post. I understand that a resistor in parallel to shunt 0.5 amp would fool the computer into thinking there would be a normal bulb there. And, yes, there will be another resistor insider the LED, but this is not my concern.

The trouble with this is that

1 an external parallel resistor would be difficult to install on the wiring loom, 2 there would be no warning of a bulb failure, though LEDs last a long time.

I had thought that I read in a thread on Xenon headlight bulbs that it was possible to tell the computer to use different limits of acceptable current. Is this really not possible?

Reply to
Nihil

Reply to
Alec

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.