Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - LED problem

Piwoslaw · 11-27-2009, 11:07 AM

I installed a 12V LED in the dash today to indicate whether my DRL's are on, but it burned out after about a minute. The LED had a 10k resistor soldered in series on the + lead, other than that it was just hooked up to the car's electrical system (12.4V engine off, 13.8V engine on). The resistor was to make it dimmer. After a minute of testing with the engine on it suddenly burned out. Earlier it worked just fine on the workbench with a DC supply of 12V-15V.

Any ideas as to what could have happened? Could it be fluctuations in the car's electrical system (I wasn't revving the engine)? Any suggestions as to how to wire the next LED, so it lasts a little longer? Remember: I'm no good with electronics, so be nice when explaining.

Thanks

11-27-2009, 11:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
Piwoslaw aero guerrilla Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 3,747 Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp 90 day: 58.1 mpg (US) Thanks: 1,325 Thanked 749 Times in 476 Posts	LED problem - what's wrong? I installed a 12V LED in the dash today to indicate whether my DRL's are on, but it burned out after about a minute. The LED had a 10k resistor soldered in series on the + lead, other than that it was just hooked up to the car's electrical system (12.4V engine off, 13.8V engine on). The resistor was to make it dimmer. After a minute of testing with the engine on it suddenly burned out. Earlier it worked just fine on the workbench with a DC supply of 12V-15V. Any ideas as to what could have happened? Could it be fluctuations in the car's electrical system (I wasn't revving the engine)? Any suggestions as to how to wire the next LED, so it lasts a little longer? Remember: I'm no good with electronics, so be nice when explaining. Thanks __________________ e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be What matters is where you're going, not how fast. "... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell [Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread