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View Full Version : Which Turn Signal Wires are Pos & Neg?



ulflyer
06-25-2012, 06:47 AM
I've ordered a pair of LED's to stick on the mirrors of my RT SE and will wire them to the turn signals. Tired of trying to see the little green lights in the dash when in heavy traffic.

captblack
06-25-2012, 06:57 AM
If I remember right, the ground is black for both mirrors. Be sure to check your led leads to get the right polarity - mine were not marked but a 9 volt battery worked well.

BLUEKNIGHT911
06-25-2012, 07:37 AM
Since I don't know what I'm talking about concerning these things I have done the HONORABLE thing and deleted it.....MAX made me do anyway:roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

Bob Denman
06-25-2012, 07:43 AM
Good thing to know! Thanks! :thumbup:
I always wondered if it mattered, "which got hooked to what"... :shocked:

Huntindawg1962
06-25-2012, 08:35 AM
some LED's are finicky about polarity by nature of how a diode works. The if I recall the wires they are both black but the positive has a colored stripe on it - that is the one for the red for sure. If these are not polarity sensitive, then it won't matter. That worked on mine.

bitsy224m
06-25-2012, 08:46 AM
I PUT THE STRIP OF LEDS AROUND THE EDGE OF THE MIRROR HOUSING AND DRILLED A SMALL HOLE AT THE TOP AND JUST STUFFED THE WIRES IN AND PULLED THEM OUT THE BIG HOLE WHERE THE SPYDER WIRES COME OUT AND MATCHED THE WIRES....ONE SOLID BLACK AND ONE WHITE AND BLACK....PURCHASED LIGHTS AT AUTO ZONE.....YOU DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THE MIRROR HOUSING APART.....

billybovine
06-25-2012, 09:13 AM
A good example of the importance of polarity of LED bulbs. There have been many posts on this board with people changing their fender tips bulbs for LED bulbs and complaining they don't work. Thats because of the bulb design you have a 50 - 50 chance of plugging them in the right way.

SPYD1
06-25-2012, 09:27 AM
It is (was) a common issue that the wiring was kind of funky on these wires by color on which ones were hot and grd. Mine were one way on the left side and opposite on the right. You need to test them.

Arr MiHardies
06-25-2012, 10:23 AM
In my experience the polarity of LED'S doesn't matter...... it's a just that a completed is circuit is necessary.......power flows in, power flows out so to speak...I also did something similar to you and the LED'S are not color coded for the reason I stated......Mike...:thumbup:

Led = Light Emitting Diode. Diodes only allow electricity to flow in one direction. Polarity is very important. On most led strips, the positive wire is either red or black with a white stripe.

Bob Denman
06-25-2012, 11:55 AM
:shocked: Now you've got my head to hurtin'; Sparks... You can get different colors out of the same critter just by twisting its tail in the other direction?? :shocked:

Sarge707
06-25-2012, 12:59 PM
It is (was) a common issue that the wiring was kind of funky on these wires by color on which ones were hot and grd. Mine were one way on the left side and opposite on the right. You need to test them.
:agree: When I had to tap into the turn wires for the fender tips Mod EACH side was different? Test them.

ulflyer
06-25-2012, 01:32 PM
Thanks for feedback folks. I ordered from Oznium and they say their LED"s are marked:
"The silver wire is 12v +, and the gold wire is 12v - (ground). If you accidentally reverse them, nothing bad will happen. "

I'll put the gold on the black wires on the premise that black is most likely ground.

Bob Denman
06-25-2012, 01:33 PM
I like explosions... http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_14_7.gif :shocked:

viperryder
06-25-2012, 02:54 PM
Most LED's will have a small flat on the ridge around the base. Thsi will tell you which is the + side of the LED. Hope this helps.

BLUEKNIGHT911
06-25-2012, 07:06 PM
I put single bulb (?) led's on my dash as indicator lights.......I tested them ( foolishly I suppose ) the oldfashioned way I attached them.....they worked ....then I reversed them to see if they got brighter or dimmer......no change.....they each had only two unmarked black wires and no instructions......Please tell me why they are working , I honestly want to know.....and they are working and have been for months.......Mike....:thumbup:

BLUEKNIGHT911
06-25-2012, 10:25 PM
A single led will only work if it is properly connected, plus and minus.
Diodes block current in one direction and allow it in the other.
Diodes are the device that allows AC (alternating current) to be converted to DC (direct current).

If an LED is connected backwards no current flows and it does not light.
A LED connected backwards in a low voltage circuit suffers no effects, since the Reverse Voltage (the voltage a Diode may safely be reverse connected) is usually several times greater than the 12V.

If you take two LEDS and connect them opposite each other then one will light and the other will not.
Reverse the connection and the other will light.

That is, in all probability, what you have.

So Roger, are you saying my LED"S are working because the power is only 12 volts ?....and I don't understand about connecting two led's opposite each other ?...are they now in series connection.......mine are seperate with each turn signal indicator circuit....Mike

Bob Denman
06-26-2012, 06:42 AM
Sparks: :2thumbs: YOu actually make it clear enough that I can understand it! (And I barely know which fingers to not stick into the electrical outlets in my home... :opps:)

BLUEKNIGHT911
06-26-2012, 03:31 PM
Thanks for all the help clearing this up.....now that I don't know any more than before ( not your fault ) #1 ..I will wipe out my post so no one will be hurt or maimed......#2....I would be very surprised if the manufacturer of what I bought (cost $ 2.95 ) from china by the way , went to trouble of making it foolproof.....and #3....in the words of Rhett Butler....frankly I don't give a damn ...:roflblack:......They work , I am clueless as to why , but no longer care...Mike...:gaah:

sinkhole
06-26-2012, 03:37 PM
Right signal... Black = ground, Black/Yellow = Positive
Left signal... Black = ground, Grey/Pink = Positive

ulflyer
06-27-2012, 03:03 PM
The set I ordered from Oznium.com came today and I tested them on the batt terminals to make sure they worked. The only way they would light is with the ground touching the hot side with the plus on a ground. Got to get some posi-taps before I try the install. Looks like hardest part will be fishing the LED wires behind the mirrow to the Signal light wires.