Converting over to snowflake taillights

[kk5150]

all props go to fluxcap, im just posting it. enjoy. i know it helped me a whole lot.

[fluxcap]

Glad it helped. On my winter to-do list is cleaning up the wiring and re-doing some of my connections. Alot of those ugly connectors were supposed to be temporary, but I got lazy and never went back to do them correctly.
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

[kk5150]

helped!! it put my car back in "legal" status
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1969 bay window 1915cc(sold)
1963 bug (o\_!_/o)

esde"Then air gets to the copper, it oxidizes, resistance builds, and there you are with weird electrical gremlins." too true

[madman mike]

Wouldn't you know I'm doing the exact same thing to my 65 as we speak..Spent the last week screwing around with relays, etc. This is the fix!
Does it need one trailer switch per side or does the one do both sides?
thanks
Mike

[Buck Naked]

One trailer converter takes care of it all.
Thanks again to fluxcap.
_________________
Be unique, like everyone else.
'63 Beetle Ragtop

[madman mike]

...Help! I'm having a hard time finding one of these trailer converters..is that the name by which they go by? Where did you get yours? Lastly..so all three functions work from the two wires..turnsignal and brake (same filament) and running light.

thanks in advance.
Mike

[Buck Naked]

Found mine at the local Napa parts store. Manufactured by HOPKINS TOWING SOLUTIONS; Part # 48845. Called a trailer wiring converter.
And yes, all 3 functions from 2 wires; its like a little `brain` that interprets the car input ( 3 wires ) to bulb output ( 2 wires ).
Here is the installation instructions for the ptece that I used matbe it will clarify stuuf : http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/doc/48845.pdf
_________________
Be unique, like everyone else.
'63 Beetle Ragtop

[madman mike]

You're the man! Got it..after 2 weeks of horsing around with relays, etc..managed to find a switch at a local truck supply shop.

I'm gonna share a post on retrofitting euro headlights into US buckets to get a turn signal, running light, and halogen bulb all integrated in the bucket..

Will post link once I compile pics and figure how to post .

thanks
Mike

[lucille66]

Just wanna say, this is the best thread ever. I picked up a pair of CLEAN OG snowflakes w the vw/hella glass lenses at this last pomona meet. I also picked up the Hopkins trailer light converter at autozone, the same model in these pictures. Super easy to do, just follow the instructions, and you will have flashers, brake lights, and tail/running lights.

[motokraut]

Just followed these directions... Thank you all for your input, my white '64 'Snowflake' is now wearing a pair of snowflakes!!!!!! [/img]

[Apeshoot]

Okay... I tried this today since my 63' has been without turn signals since I bought it. The PO wired it, and after replacing relay, bulbs, turn signal lever, wiring, yada yada... I need help.

2012-10-19 20.06.34 wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr
Following the post, I put everything exactly as the photos, checked everything 3x and still can't get flashing signals out back. I have one indicator working and that is the passenger side front. Great if you are oncoming in front of me at a light and I need to turn right. Anywhere else, not so much.

2012-10-19 20.06.20 wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr
This is everything put together after I disconnected the trailer converter from the master cylinder lead and back to where it was originally.

2012-10-19 20.44.22 b wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr
This is the red and black wire from the master cylinder to out back of the car. When this is wired into the trailer converter, I get nada. When it's plugged in ala original, I get running lights and brake lights. That's it.

2012-10-19 20.43.52 wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr

2012-10-19 20.04.51 wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr
This is what's happening out back in the engine bay...

2012-10-19 20.03.41 wiring by Apeshoot, on Flickr
This is what's happening at the fenders. The difference from the OP's setup being all of the wires are original to what was on the car and those LED's with the electronics inside were put on by the PO.

I'm not an electrician, so this has me going round and round. I'm pretty good with schematics, but unless it's in front of me on paper, I can't "see it". The driver side indicator not flashing I surmise is a rusted out housing, because I have tried cleaning the connections, changing the bulb, tracing the wiring for breaks etc, checking and cleaning up the ground, and still no flashy. So like I said, all that's flashing on the car is the passenger side front indicator.

Any help GREATLY appreciated in advance!

I dropped 210$ to have a shop check it out and get it to the point before I tried this ( they only had the one signal flashing but got the car running again and told me there just wasn't any way to get them flashing) and I'm about broke (over 900 spent today in all) at the moment from additionally having the rear brakes redone and having the rear bearings replaced as well.

Just want to keep from having to hang my arm out the window anymore.

EDIT: I have a 2 prong flasher, 3 wire turn signal switch, 12v.

[dschup]

I've ran into issues trying to use a normal flasher relay with LEDS. Try a few regular bulbs. You may need what I think is called a no-load flasher. Again, try regular bulbs first, its cheaper. Hope you get it fixed, try tackling one signal at a time. start cheap, work your way towards expensive...

[Apeshoot]

[Apeshoot]

Just tried switching the LED's with 1157LL's and got the same result. With the trailer converter hooked to the brake lead, no brake lights but the taillights work. Still no flashing except the passenger front. Switched the brake lead back to the red/black lead to the back and I get brake lights and taillights and still no flashing except the passenger front.

[Flavio]

Do these Trailer Converters work with 6 volt ?

[wayne1230cars]

I could not get the converter #48845 to work with the 6 volt system. I had a broken 6 wire turn signal switch on my 1960 with original tail lights. I tried to use a 1962 3 wire switch and the converter with no success. I eventually found a NOS 6 wire, 1960-61 switch and used that. This was 2 years ago. I did phone the toll free help line and they felt that 6 volts was a problem with the new converters. They had changed the internal circuitry some how and 6 volt operation became a problem. That was my 6 volt experience with this particular converter. Perhaps other converters might still work with 6 volt??
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1960 beetle
1970 beetle convertible

[Apeshoot]

Still don't know what I'm missing here...

2012-10-20 12.07.14 by Apeshoot, on Flickr
Everything up front:

Input side of TC

Master Cylinder to Red on TC.
GRN/BLK to Green TC - Pass FRT blinker out
BLK/WHT to Yellow TC - Driver FRT blinker out

Output side of TC

BLK/GRN to Green TC to Rear Pass. side block to RED wire to Left terminal of bulb

BLK/WHT to Yellow TC to Rear Driver side block to RED wire to Left terminal of bulb

FUSE BOX:

2012-10-20 12.07.37 by Apeshoot, on Flickr

2nd from left terminal to GRY/RED to Rear Pass block to GREY wire to Right side of bulb

2012-10-20 12.07.54 by Apeshoot, on Flickr

2012-10-20 12.08.05 by Apeshoot, on Flickr
Pass side block

2012-10-20 12.08.17 by Apeshoot, on Flickr

3rd from left terminal to GRY/BLK to Rear Driver block to Grey wire to Right side of bulb

BLK/WHT/GRN to L on flasher relay with the Blue lead back to the speedo light

Black wire from last terminal on Right of fuse block to X on flasher relay

With this I get:
Key off - headlights on = both tails burning no brake no blink

Key on - headlights off = Pass lights when brake pressed no Driver
Driver rear on no blinking left blinker on. No FRT
Nothing on Pass rear but front blinking RT blinker
Right PASS rear brake light only

That's it. Any help, please?

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

It sure sounds like you have an issue with either grounds, or misrouted circuits. Try grounding the bulbs on the body, not the fender. Fender grounds can sometimes be "lost". You can easily run a jumper from the engine to your current bulb ground. This goes for ALL 4 Fenders. So ground the fronts on the main body. One bad ground can create havoc for the rest. Also have you tried regulular good old fashioned bulbs. LEDs, can backfeed if just so happen to have a bad one or two...or....
One additional tid bit of information. I have made this conversion many times over the years. "Some" not all, trailer converters require the taillamp and ground ciruits to pass through them as well to operate properly. . That means the brown, and white wires.
Also are you using LEDS on all 4 corners? If so you will need a LED specific flasher, as LED's dont require the current (AMPS) or load to trip most flashers properly.
_________________
aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
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Rebuilt to drive not decorate
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[Apeshoot]

[fabricator john]

ive done this a few times works flawlessly,, just gotta hinkey backwards the dash blinky light john