LED oddities

[Jeff]

After Sydney's latest downpour, I have had some odd things happen to my Defender.

Last night I had to go out at night, and I noticed the interior light, which I recently changed to a LED bulb, was glowing ever so slightly while the switch was in the door position, but the door shut. When I turned it to off, the light went out completely.

Then this morning, I walked up to find my light bar was on. The switching power only comes on with the ignition, but the main power to the relay comes straight from the battery. I pulled the fuse from the relay ( a cheap relay from Jaycar with built in fuse) and it went off. I haven't had a chance to look to see if it is water or some other problem. Would water get in and short a relay?

Jeff

:rocket:

[RVR110]

Last night I had to go out at night, and I noticed the interior light, which I recently changed to a LED bulb, was glowing ever so slightly while the switch was in the door position, but the door shut. When I turned it to off, the light went out completely.

Same thing happened when I switched the interior lights to LED on my car. I measured the current at about 0.01 amps, so I decided it wasn't an issue. I assumed it was something to do with the electronic circuitry that dims the interior lights... But I'm guessing that your Defender doesn't have that so maybe it's something else. It was very dry when this happened on my car, so I wouldn't necessarily associate it with the recent weather - possibly just a co-incidence that you changed/noticed it when it was raining.

[Aaron IIA]

It could be water in the door switch conducting a little.
Aaron

[sam_d]

There could be some water getting in the relays/fusebox under the bonnet if the rain has been that hard or you've gone through some puddles.

Last year I did a short water crossing - the water was briefly over the bonnet - but enough water found it's way in to the fuses and relays under the bonnet that my defender started doing odd things. Even though the car was switched off, the fuel pump kept starting up but the worse thing was the horn suddenly sounding in the middle of a quiet campsite.

Just check the seals to the fusebox under the bonnet to start.

[Rurover]

But I'm guessing that your Defender doesn't have that so maybe it's something else.

Yep, Defenders (well later ones at least) do have dimming of the interior lights a few tens of seconds after the doors are closed, and when the ignition key is turned on.

They even have central locking and power front windows!!

Alan

[digger]

I think he was referring to the fact the original poster has a 1998 deefer...

[Dervish]

It could be water in the door switch conducting a little.
Aaron


Almost certainly this.