The Beer Baron

I have a couple Dual Intensity LEDs from Grote, and I want to use them for marker and turn signals. What I need to know is can I wire the positive lead to both the parking lamp hot and turn signal hot to achieve my goal? Or would this arrangement cause a short in my system? Obviously I would wire the ground lead to the ground on my existing parking light.

Toshbar

If it is a 'dual intensity', it should have two positive leads. One would be for parking light and the other would be for blinker/brakes depending if it is front or rear.

If you wire it as you described, intensity will never change, since both parking and blinker/brake wires send 12v. The way bulbs have different intensities is in the bulb filament or the LED resistance, not by receiving differing input voltages from the vehicle.

Furthermore, if you wire the two positives into one, you'll be sending power to each circuit when either is energized; Eg: when you turn on your headlights, both your parking lights and brake/blinkers will be illuminated, which you don't want.

The Beer Baron

It only has one positive lead, so I guess that sorts that.

I always figured dual filament, or in this case dual intensity, would be 12v constant, 14v peak/intermittent so to make it flash. Thanks for the clarification - but this begs the question "How does it work?"

I guess it's just turn signals for these lights. Now I have have to go out and buy more LED lights, dammit.

jwmustang

If its filaments it would be 2 of them. Both light (get 12v) to get brighter. Then only one gets 12v for normal lights. (driving lights)

Toshbar

One filament, the blinker/brake one, is actually brighter than the parking light filament. If the parking lights are off, and you hit the brake, only one filament lights up, the brighter one.

keithmcelhinney

You can get a circuit to do the dual intensity thing:

http://www.radiantz.com/Dual-element-circuit-p/19.htm

I use them on my motorcycle. You need to get the proper one for the amount of leds in the strip. They work great.

-Keith