'95-'97 CHMSL Ballast Workaround

[97Sandbox]

Hey y'all! Not sure what I did, but after swapping my '97 tailgate onto my '00, the neon CHMSL is not working. To be perfectly honest, I can't remember the last time I checked its functionality when it was on my '97...

Anyhow, I multimetered my way around the harness and found that the ground is good and I'm getting 12+ volts (with brake pedal depressed) at the connector before it plugs into the ballast. This leads me to believe the issue lies within the ballast itself.

After some searching, it seems there are a few straightforward options:
- LED replacement lamp for ~$150
- DIY LED conversion (some members have done this with good results)
- ebay used ballasts (questionable longevity and they cost ~$120-300
- salvage yard ballast (may or may not work, I'd expect it to cost $10-25)

Easiest option seems like the LED swap while the cheapest (but a gamble) is to swap in another OEM ballast.

I'm curious though if another generic 12Vdc/28W ballast could work (this one on Alibaba appears to be a possible candidate). Anyone ever try another ballast? I've always liked the uniqueness of the neon CHMSL, but maybe I need to get with the times and just go LED.

Thanks for any insight or suggestions!

 

[toypaseo]

I think the ballast out of the pick-a-part yards I go to would be $17, if they consider that a "module".

Currently, my third brake light is out. Unknown if it is the ballast, or the neon bulb (had moisture inside the housing). I have a junkyard unit that I already converted to LED, that just needs to be sealed up and installed someday...

 

[J_C]

The ballast you linked appears to be for fluorescent tubes, which may have a high startup voltage but settle down to a much lower voltage than neon uses, so I doubt that ballast is going to work, or last long if it floats the voltage up to enough to drive the tube.

I'd get a spare housing from a junkyard then DIY a red LED strip in it. There are weatherproof connectors on ebay or Amazon for cheap if you need a new connector, though if the LEDs aren't driven hard, and the housing is sealed up again, they should practically last forever so hard wired wouldn't be out of the question to me.

 

[97Sandbox]

Thanks for the replies! After your recommendations and reading through some diy LED conversion threads, I agree diy LED looks like the way to go. I'm headed to the local salvage yard to scrap my '97 tomorrow -- might skim the yard for a 2000s GM minivan (and a bunch of Explorer parts) while I'm there!

 

[97Sandbox]

Had a bittersweet goodbye with my '97 today, but I picked up some goodies at the salvage yard including the LED strip from an Oldsmobile Silhouette!

Tried to grab a CHMSL lens from a '97 Mounty, but one of the three bolts was rusted and ripped out of the back of the lamp so I passed on it. I'll see if I can find another, but I may just use the one I already have since I know I'll never be going back to neon. Sounds like a good task to add to my wintertime projects list!