Halogen to LED - Resistors and Tazer Programming

[HarrisonK]

Hi All. I’ve been looking for a definitive answer and can’t find one so hoping you can help:

My Jeep came stock with halogens. I’ve upgraded all the lights to aftermarket LEDs (Oracle heads, tails, fogs, and Morimoto fenders). The fenders and tails have resistors and have given me non stop problems. My shop is certain that I do not need to Tazer program because I have resistors. They say if I Tazer program, the Tazer program and the resistors will cancel each other out and the lights wont work at all.

What is the best option here:
(1) Keep the resistors installed on the fenders and tails and Tazer program for LEDs;
(2) Remove/uninstall the resistors on the fenders and tails and Tazer program for LEDs; or
(3) something else entirely?

Note: I’m getting rid of the Oracle tails ASAP and replacing with Combat Off-road. Please do not turn this thread into an anti-Oracle thread. We already have one of those.

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[NortonJTSS]

Option 2 is what you want. In theory the resistors should work, but since they don't for whatever reason, uninstalling them and then using a tazer to change everything to LED should clear it up. My truck came stock with halogen everything and now I have all LEDs working no problem with the Tazer.

 

[stingrey]

My 2020 also came with halogens all around. I also installed Oracle headlights, tail lights and Morimoto fender lights.
I did not use the resistors and I reprogrammed with the Tazer JL. (Option 2 in your list)
Everything has been working perfectly for years.

 

[Supazuk]

My 2020 also came with halogens all around.

FYI If you don't have LED the headlights and fog lights bulbs are they only bulbs that are Halogen, all the other lights are incandescent bulbs (markers, tail plate, lights) I Keep seeing and hearing people say Halogen taillights ( not a thing) you have taillights on a vehicle with halogen head lamps

 

[NY JT]

Hi All. I’ve been looking for a definitive answer and can’t find one so hoping you can help:

My Jeep came stock with halogens. I’ve upgraded all the lights to aftermarket LEDs (Oracle heads, tails, fogs, and Morimoto fenders). The fenders and tails have resistors and have given me non stop problems. My shop is certain that I do not need to Tazer program because I have resistors. They say if I Tazer program, the Tazer program and the resistors will cancel each other out and the lights wont work at all.

What is the best option here:
(1) Keep the resistors installed on the fenders and tails and Tazer program for LEDs;
(2) Remove/uninstall the resistors on the fenders and tails and Tazer program for LEDs; or
(3) something else entirely?

Note: I’m getting rid of the Oracle tails ASAP and replacing with Combat Off-road. Please do not turn this thread into an anti-Oracle thread. We already have one of those.

I agree Otion 2 worked for me on my 2020 JL Rubi. No issues at all.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

My 2024 Sport S came with all LED except for the headlights. But I’ve since replaced with MORIMOTO TWO STROKE 3.0, H13, that are pricy for LED at $225 pr. But go in without removing the grill, just the airbox. They have the resistors built in, everything fits inside the housing. The bulbs have a fan that runs backwards and sends the warm air towards the outer lens to help prevent ice and snow buildup. The low beams were blinding till I lowered them to a point 2” lower than the measured center of the lights at 50’, plus I had my wife follow me and a friend in his Vette, to see if the glare was an issue, but was totally under the rear lip of the car, heading towards each other in a huge parking lot still no issues whatsoever with glare. However the high beams totally lights up the darkest roads into daylight! As far as I can see, further than I can read the signs.

 

[stingrey]

FYI If you don't have LED the headlights and fog lights bulbs are they only bulbs that are Halogen, all the other lights are incandescent bulbs (markers, tail plate, lights) I Keep seeing and hearing people say Halogen taillights ( not a thing) you have taillights on a vehicle with halogen head lamps

You are correct.
However if you are changing non LED tail lights to LED tail lights you have 2 choices. Resistors or use a device to tell the vehicle you now have LED tail lights. This is what I told the OP.

I used the Tazer JL Mini to set the lights to LED so there is no need for any use of resistors.

 

[NortonJTSS]

FYI If you don't have LED the headlights and fog lights bulbs are they only bulbs that are Halogen, all the other lights are incandescent bulbs (markers, tail plate, lights) I Keep seeing and hearing people say Halogen taillights ( not a thing) you have taillights on a vehicle with halogen head lamps

Not true base sport models and lower trims that have the old school looking tail lights are halogen bulbs. I took them out and replaced them with LED bulbs

 

[Supazuk]

Not true base sport models and lower trims that have the old school looking tail lights are halogen bulbs. I took them out and replaced them with LED bulbs

those bulbs are incandescent they are not halogen
Halogen: A halogen lamp is an incandescent lamp consisting of a tungsten filament sealed in a compact transparent envelope that is filled with a mixture of an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen, such as iodine or bromine. The combination of the halogen gas and the tungsten filament produces a halogen-cycle chemical reaction, which redeposits evaporated tungsten on the filament, increasing its life and maintaining the clarity of the envelope

incandescent: is an electric light that produces illumination by Joule heating a filament until it glows. The filament is enclosed in a glass bulb that is either evacuated or filled with inert gas to protect the filament from oxidation

while both are technically incandescent lamps, Halogen lamps have several disadvantages, including high heat generation, short lifespan, and sensitivity to fingerprints, which can lead to reduced lifespan and even bulb explosion
incandescent lamps are dimmer lower heat and very reliable


Halogen bulbs would melt a tail light assembly

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Halogen: A halogen lamp is an incandescent lamp consisting of a tungsten filament sealed in a compact transparent envelope that is filled with a mixture of an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen, such as iodine or bromine. The combination of the halogen gas and the tungsten filament produces a halogen-cycle chemical reaction, which redeposits evaporated tungsten on the filament, increasing its life and maintaining the clarity of the envelope

Yes, they do run HOT. The halogen bulbs in my car's fog lights run crazy hot. (glass lenses)
Halogen lights in some old shop lights I have could start fires.

 

[Supazuk]

Yes, they do run HOT. The halogen bulbs in my car's fog lights run crazy hot. (glass lenses)
Halogen lights in some old shop lights I have could start fires.

funny as I put that post up, I was thinking only shadow could articulate this better than me... I take this as a compliment.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

funny as I put that post up, I was thinking only shadow could articulate this better than me... I take this as a compliment.

Your explanation was as good and complete as it gets. And the point about not touching the glass envelope - not everyone realizes that. The "oils" from your finger can cause heat to concentrate in that area causing rapid, uneven glass expansion - yeah, what you said.

 

[DFWJTR]

I had halogens as well. I’m now running Quake LED fender chop DRL’s, Diode Dynamics Elite Max headlights, Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro Fogs, and Oracle flush tails. Almost everything has resistors, but I still programmed all lights to LED through Tazer settings as I had minor pulsing. Most modern vehicles have pulse width modulation electronics systems, so even resistors can’t always smooth that out, depending on application/resistor specs. I left the resistors in the places that had them. I simply changed settings to LED and haven’t had any issues in doing so. You may need to change settings back and forth a couple of times. Ensure that you do the proper sleep cycles to save all Tazer settings.

 

[ORACLElights]

I had halogens as well. I’m now running Quake LED fender chop DRL’s, Diode Dynamics Elite Max headlights, Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro Fogs, and Oracle flush tails. Almost everything has resistors, but I still programmed all lights to LED through Tazer settings as I had minor pulsing. Most modern vehicles have pulse width modulation electronics systems, so even resistors can’t always smooth that out, depending on application/resistor specs. I left the resistors in the places that had them. I simply changed settings to LED and haven’t had any issues in doing so. You may need to change settings back and forth a couple of times. Ensure that you do the proper sleep cycles to save all Tazer settings.

Looks great!!!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had halogens as well. I’m now running Quake LED fender chop DRL’s, Diode Dynamics Elite Max headlights, Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro Fogs, and Oracle flush tails. Almost everything has resistors, but I still programmed all lights to LED through Tazer settings as I had minor pulsing. Most modern vehicles have pulse width modulation electronics systems, so even resistors can’t always smooth that out, depending on application/resistor specs. I left the resistors in the places that had them. I simply changed settings to LED and haven’t had any issues in doing so. You may need to change settings back and forth a couple of times. Ensure that you do the proper sleep cycles to save all Tazer settings.

Resistor is voltage in minus drop of the resistor = voltage out. So as what's coming in fluctuates, so will the output.
I suppose they could use very specific diodes in parallel to achieve the desired increase in current flow and stabilize the voltage a bit.
But a resistor in parallel to increase the flow through the circuit to emulate an incandescent bulb- I can't see that being a stabilizing factor for the voltage at the LED.

I'd have to look at the specs, but I believe the tail and certain other lights are regulated to something a bit over 13 volts.
Otherwise with the wide voltage swings these charging systems can see, some days lights would be super-bright and others much dimmer.

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