LED lighting relay

mep1811

Gentleman Adventurer
I am wiring some LED lights on my trailer. Do I need to use a relay or can I just use a switch ?

Thanks
 

crismateski

American Adventurist
with out knowing what you are using there is no way of saying for sure, but it would take a lot of led to need a relay
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
That might draw an amp. No worries about needing a relay if you are using them for area lighting.



The issue with LEDs needing a relay is that sometimes they don't draw enough juice to activate the "thermal type" switching relay in the turn signal / emergency flasher unit.

Sometimes when you change out 1156/1157 lamps in the tail lights and turn signals you need to replace the thermal type flasher relay with an "electronic type" flasher relay which just flashes at a preset rate and doesn't depend on getting heated up by the load of the incandescent lamps.


EDIT: Superbright sells the flashers:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/flashers.htm
 
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