Wait to Start light (WTS) Light in the dash...Alternative?

Fredrickson

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(skipping all GP controller bypass conversation..)

The little red WTS light in the dash is in my line of sight but blocked by steering wheel.

I popped the facecover off to see what was in there.. and saw the incandescent bulb in the plastic cradle.

Which wires on the controller activate the light, (that pigtail thing?)

My idea is to add an LED to the side of the cluster, so;
1) it is solid state, not incandescent, and won't burn out
2) I can see it better.

Has/does anyone use it to drive an LED?
 

Farmer Rock

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The WTS light is powered by the blue wire on the GP controller,with that wierd looking connector in the middle of it.I am assuming you still have the factory GP setup. I have manual plugs in my trucks, and hooked up the WTS light, so it comes on when I activate the GPs. I don't see why you can't change to an led setup if that's what you are asking.


Rock
 

Farmer Rock

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Also, an led light, will draw less power then the incandescent,so that ain't a problem.



Rock
 

IDIBRONCO

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Could you also use the power wire for the factory light in the instrument cluster to power the LED?
 

quickster

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I'm using led's to light my rear plate. Tied it into the original wiring for those lights. No problems, but I needed to find a good ground, otherwise they would be dim.
 

nelstomlinson

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You can put LED bulbs into the dash light sockets, and into the wait to start, etc lights. I recommend doing that. I like green LEDs in the dash.

As IDIBRONCO said, you could find which wire powers the WTS light and tap that to power another LED in another location. Two LEDs are going to draw less power than one incandescent.

I just lean my head to the side for 10 seconds to watch the WTS, because I'm lazy.
 

Fredrickson

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@Farmer Rock yes, I still have the factory wts set up

@IDIBRONCO The dash wts light wiring looks a bit fragile. (back in the day, when I made model cars, to add working headlights, I added what were called "grain of wheat bulbs". These look like those) I thought I would connect something 'further upstream' rather than futz with something in the dash.

@nelstomlinson The bulbs are different, they are not those standard 194 bulbs.. these have thin leads wrapped around a plastic cradle, and are not potted in anything.

Standard LED's are normally under 5v, so if I don't use an automotive LED, I would just put a resistor inline with the power.

sounds like the blue wire is the winner.. I will tap into that, and run a lead to a convenient spot.

I replaced my glow plug controller, and all the GP's a few months ago.. so now the WTS light is on what seems to be longer than before.

I may be a bit paranoid, but the heard schpritzing fuel on an energized glow plug is bad.
 

The_Josh_Bear

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I may be a bit paranoid, but the heard schpritzing fuel on an energized glow plug is bad.
What does that mean? You're saying maybe it's bad for the fuel to spray on an energized glow plug?
If that were true the afterglow cycle wouldn't be a thing. You want your GP's to cycle off so your starter can actually turn the engine over as the GP's take hundreds of amps in-rush current then something below 200A by the time they are hot. I've never measured the current when fully hot.
 

Fredrickson

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This is why I probably should not believe what I read on the internet.

I had read somewhere that fuel sprayed on an energized glow plug cause the tip to crack. Hence why waiting for the WTS light to go off is important.

That's for the information @The_Josh_Bear
 

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