Code 3 710 Flasher - 2014 Ram 1500??

[SIFD7101]

Good evening everyone, I've researched and racked my brain on this one for a while with no positive answers yet.  I recently received a new Code 3 710 headlight flasher and wanted to install it on my truck, a 2014 Ram 1500.  After doing some reading, I'm at a bit of a loss, I'm hearing mixed results as to whether or not a headlight flasher will work on the new Ram Trucks..  I have everything installed and wired, aside from splicing into the headlight wiring, time got short and with 3 wires running to each high beam lamp, I wanted to take a night to look it over and be sure I was going the right direction.  Any information would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[ERM]

Why 3 wires?  Did you test to see if your truck was positive switched?  Did you verify if the ground is present at all times at teh bulb?

This is an isolated flasher, as long as it's connected as directed.  Tell us what you did and we'll tell you if it was right or wrong.  Time got short, OK, but if something fries, then I guarantee you'll make the time to fix it.  Hold off on turning it on and tell us what you did.  I'm curious why 3 wires per headlight.

Tony

 

[SIFD7101]

Thank you for the reply, I should have been a little more thorough last night on what I had done and what had me confused.  Darkness approaching and not being exactly sure why each socket has 3 wires ( guessing maybe something to do with the bulb out detection or possibly the automatic headlights? ) is why I put the install on hold. I installed everything per the instructions, however I did not connect to the headlights at all, I wanted to seek proper guidance before I risked damaging anything.  I believe it is positive switched, I will however check to be sure.  I know SoundOff has a flasher they recommend for the Ram trucks, which is a positive switched isolated flasher to avoid back feed into the computer system. In the installation manual for it, specifically regarding the Dakota, Durango and Ram, it states: This product requires the proper installation of the Night-Time Cutoff circuit. This circuit is controlled by the black wire exiting the Flasher. The black wire must be wired according to the installation drawing and instructions. Failure to do so may result in head damage to the vehicle’s headlamp housings at the owner’s expense. The Headlamp Flasher will ONLY operate when the headlamps are
switched to OFF position. Whenever the headlamps are activated, the Flasher WILL NOT function. It is the responsibility of the installer to make certain the vehicle operator is aware of this situation        Not sure if this is something that has changed over the years or not.  Federal signal has the same statement on their flashers for 2002 and newer Ram, connected to the parking light. 

The 710 flasher has a similar option to cut out the flasher by connecting a positive wire to terminal F.  I'm wondering if maybe I need to connect this particular feature to get the same results?  I do not have daytime running lights, however I do have automatic lights at night and with the wipers activated, that will be a bummer. 

 

[SIFD7101]

Okay, update. Upon inspection this morning in better lighting, I realized the 3 wires running in split off inside the housing, so it was a ground, high beam and low beam, just like any other vehicle, my mistake there. System is positive switched, always grounded. Installed the flasher just as the Code 3 instructions say, did not hook up the parking light override (optional per instructions) Once everything was connected and inspected, I put in a fuse and tested. First test was with the headlight switch off, all worked as it should. Second test was with the low beams on, everything worked as it should there as well, high beams override the flasher as they should. Ran the flasher for a while both ways, no errors, no heat problems, no electrical issues. So far, seems to me that it all works just fine if done by the instructions provided.

 

[ERM]

The flasher is designed to be an isolated flasher, so therefore the connections you have done are correct.  What you need to be concerned with is if the low beam and high beam filaments share the same bulb.  If this is the case, when both filaments are lit, they generate more heat and in turn, melt the surrounding plastic parts.  This is one of the reasons for the night-time cutoff on these vehicles.

Good job on the install though.

 

[SIFD7101]

Awesome, that's what I hoped to hear.  During the cleanup portion, my buddy that helped with the install questioned if maybe the dual filament bulbs might have been where the problem was coming in with overheating and damaging the housings. I have the quad headlamps with dual bulbs, so I couldn't personally see any way it could cause any damage being hooked to the separate bulb as indicated in the installation guide.  Thank you for all the help!

 

[nerdly_dood]

What you need to be concerned with is if the low beam and high beam filaments share the same bulb.  If this is the case, when both filaments are lit, they generate more heat and in turn, melt the surrounding plastic parts.  This is one of the reasons for the night-time cutoff on these vehicles.

Even with two separate housings, the heat can still affect it. I've got an '01 Suburban formerly used by a fire department, and the headlights are a little bit bubbly-melted from the headlight flasher. (Which is still there, just some of the wires are cut...) Probably didn't help that it was used in summer heat with six liters of Vortec fury not too far away, plus heat from the radiator.