Switchback bulbs

[TomoHawk]

Higuys,

Has anyone seen or tried the white and amber switchback bulbs on any vehicle? Could the bulb be used on the S30, and would it work without modifications?

I think it would work on my modern car, with the clear turn indicators, but the 280Z has amber covers on the front indicators, and red lenses on the rear indicators.

[TomoHawk]

I got a pair of the switchback bulbs, and it's ether a scam, or they will not work on the S30 for the front turn indicators.   The problem is the design:  they are basically just 2 LEDs connected to a common  ground.  That means when turn on the parking lamps, the switchback bulbs light up white, and when you urn on the turn signal, they light up both white and amber.  They are supposed to light up either white OR amber (white for the parking lights, then fully amber for the turn signals, then back to white.)

 

I suppose they were designed for modern cars with a special circuit that turn the parking lights OFF when the turn signal is flashing,  but om the S30, the parking light stay ON when the turn signal is flashing.

 

I don't think there is a way to get these bulbs to work on the S30 without substantially modifying the parking lamp- turn signal  circuit with new switches.

[TomoHawk]

After reading a number of posts on discussion forums, I think I have an possible solution:

 

If you hook up the wiring the opposite way, you can get these LED bubs to light up amber for the parking lamps, and then bright white  for the turn signals, but that's the opposite of the way they were 'designed' to work;  they are supposed to light up white for parking/marker and amber when you turn on the turn signals.

 

But I also read in a few posts that the front parking lights are supposed to be amber?  I'm not too well read on the lighting regulations.

[Captain Obvious]

I think it's a federal reg. No red on the front. No white on the rear. Helps you determine if a car is heading towards or away from you.

 

The "exception" is white back-up lights, but in that situation it's OK because even though it's the rear of the car, it's actually headed towards you.

[TomoHawk]

that means these Chinese switchback bulbs are illegal in the U.S. because they light up white in any situation.

 

I will put in some amber 1157 bulbs, or some amber 1157 LEDs.  I read a mention of a 6Ohm, 50W resistor between Gnd and the turn signal wire,  to fix the switchback problem, but I thought that was supposed to fix the quick-flashing problem you get with LED turn signal bulbs.  I just don't have any ceramics left in the parts can.

Edited May 8, 2015 by TomoHawk

[Captain Obvious]

Don't forget that you can put a filter over the white and still be legal.

 

In the front, you could put an amber lens over a white bulb and have an amber result. Same process for red in the rear, like most brake lights. White bulb, red filter.

[TomoHawk]

It appears that the (cheap) bulbs you get  from eBay are just that- cheap LED bulbs, even thought they are labelled something fancy.  Real switchback LED bulbs cost in excess of $50 a pair.  The cheap LED bulbs have just LEDs, but the real switchback bulbs have some kind of electronic circuitry so the LEDs turn on &off properly.

 

So I think I will look for some 'normal'  amber 1157 LED bulbs.

Edited May 9, 2015 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

I did finally get some switchback lamps that work the way they should on the S30.
 
The LED switchback lamps I got came with a pair or 6Ohm, 50W resistors, used to make them flash at the correct rate, but after installing the Tridon 34 flasher, they won't be needed.  I thank God that these were very affordable for only $20, not the usual $70, so I can even get a spare set, not that you're going to "need it" ( because LED lamps supposedly last 100,000+ hours) but spare bulbs are good to have.
 
Keep in mind that you need a turn indicator with a clear lens for these dual-color (white & amber) lamps to be useful, but if you do, these will give a new way to use your turn indicators.  You might even try them on your daily driver;  they are very popular on the asian imports.