LED headlight wiring question

[saffy]

I bought used LED headlights for my 2000 tj but have 3 questions.

1) Are LEDs literally just plug and play into the wiring harness? For some reason I thought you needed wiring modifications, but I just took the 3 prong connector from the headlight and plugged it into the wiring harness.
2) The right headlight flickers on and off, especially when I jiggle this 3 prong connector. Anyone know a cheap replacement for this 3 prong connector so I can just cut out the connector and splice in a new one? Or is the green connector from the headlight special in some way to accommodate the LEDs?
3) Anyone have any idea what this extra spade connector is coming out of the headlight? My original headlights did not have this wire and I don't see a place to plug this in anywhere on my harness.

 

[JustDandee]

that extra lead could be for DRL (daytime running light). they are used lights but do you know if you have those. maybe a front shot of the light if you dont know.

try cleaning the connects real good to see if the flicker goes away

 

[WestCoastDan]

LED headlights are not magical, nor is the voltage encrypted or unique in any way.
They are no different from incandescent or halogen in that they need 12v and ground in order to function.
IF your battery, charging system, and wiring harness are in good order, then output fluctuations in one new LED headlight are connection related.

Make sure the tabs on the offending light are clean and making good contact in the 3-hole socket.
If a tab is slightly bent or misaligned it can cause poor contact and thus the light will indicate an issue by flashing, flickering, pulsing, etc.
One more area with LED lights that are prone to failures are the actual connections from the wiring to the PCBA.
Cheap lights will have little or no quality control, and poor solder contacts will be more prevalent than on higher-priced options.

The best way to determine if the failure is ‘internal’ to the lamp assembly would be to swap right & left units and see if the issue follows the light, or remains on the same side of the vehicle.
If it remains, then there is probably an issue in the factory plug.
If it follows the light, then make sure the tabs are straight, clean, properly aligned, etc.
If the flicker remains after swapping sides, then the issue is probably internal to the assembly and most likely not repairable.

 

[CreepinDeth]

I bought used LED headlights for my 2000 tj but have 3 questions.

View attachment 447039

1) Are LEDs literally just plug and play into the wiring harness? For some reason I thought you needed wiring modifications, but I just took the 3 prong connector from the headlight and plugged it into the wiring harness.
2) The right headlight flickers on and off, especially when I jiggle this 3 prong connector. Anyone know a cheap replacement for this 3 prong connector so I can just cut out the connector and splice in a new one? Or is the green connector from the headlight special in some way to accommodate the LEDs?
3) Anyone have any idea what this extra spade connector is coming out of the headlight? My original headlights did not have this wire and I don't see a place to plug this in anywhere on my harness.

I had to cut off and replace my OEM headlight plugs from corrosion & deterioration. So I used the adaptor harnesses that came with my LED headlights and spliced them in, and heatshrank all connections. This also helped to elongate a short harness that needed to be lengthened anyways

I strongly advise anyone to cut off your old deteriorated plugs and do the same. The passenger side is the hop point for the wiring of the drivers side. So you have double wiring there. Keep that in mind when choosing crimps

I didnt bother with my DRO halos yet
It will come later

Whenever possible ALWAYS eliminate bad terminations. Especially if they give you new ones

 

[NCLife]

@saffy Did you get the answer to this question? Was it the part about potentially being for DRL's? What did you do with it? I have the same thing and have it hanging loose.

3) Anyone have any idea what this extra spade connector is coming out of the headlight? My original headlights did not have this wire and I don't see a place to plug this in anywhere on my harness.

 

[WestCoastDan]

I'll bet a crisp dollar bill that the reason you don't have a place to connect the wire coming out of the lights is because TJs didn't come w/ DRL.
The DRL circuit will use the same ground as the rest of the lamp.
Just put power to the wire and you'll have them.
That of course, will mean running a switch, or a DRL sensor.

You need to add something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM10MXY/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Jerry Bransford]

@saffy Did you get the answer to this question? Was it the part about potentially being for DRL's? What did you do with it? I have the same thing and have it hanging loose.

3) Anyone have any idea what this extra spade connector is coming out of the headlight? My original headlights did not have this wire and I don't see a place to plug this in anywhere on my harness.

If it's black that's the ground wire. Its spade goes under the screw threaded into the sheet metal right behind the headlights.