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Vanillagurilla
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2017
Posts: 1061
Location: California
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 Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:23 pm Post subject: Brake/ tail light question |
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| So I wired up some led tail lights on the baja today and the brake and tail lights share the same wire. Now when I press the brakes the running lights in the car come on, dash, gauges, front marker lights. Any ideas how to fix it? Resistance problem because of the leds? |
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anobii
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2015
Posts: 59
Location: Franklin Co VA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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You need a set of diodes at the minimum. Diodes are basically a one way valve for electricity. That will fix back feed into your running lights.
You gotta get creative if you need your lights to stop, turn, and tail. They can do all three, but only one or two at a time. |
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Vanillagurilla
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2017
Posts: 1061
Location: California
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 9:35 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| anobii wrote: |
You need a set of diodes at the minimum. Diodes are basically a one way valve for electricity. That will fix back feed into your running lights.
You gotta get creative if you need your lights to stop, turn, and tail. They can do all three, but only one or two at a time. |
Thank you, I know what diodes are but how do I go about choosing which ones I need? I'd rather not have to but another set of lights for brake lights if I don't have to, one set looks clean.
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anobii
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2015
Posts: 59
Location: Franklin Co VA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 9:47 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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Believe me i know! I despised the idea of a separate set of signals or brakes. I went almost 2 weeks trying to wrap my head around making them work. All said and done I ended up with a simple trailer 2 wire to 3 wire converter box and 3 led load resistors to make it work. The load resistors are required because the trailer box is designed to function after an existing set of tail lights. The resistors simulate the three circuits.
The only other option i could come up with was a really expensive digital programmable tail light controller box that does wig wag. It was like $80-100 if I recall. |
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Vanillagurilla
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2017
Posts: 1061
Location: California
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| anobii wrote: |
Believe me i know! I despised the idea of a separate set of signals or brakes. I went almost 2 weeks trying to wrap my head around making them work. All said and done I ended up with a simple trailer 2 wire to 3 wire converter box and 3 led load resistors to make it work. The load resistors are required because the trailer box is designed to function after an existing set of tail lights. The resistors simulate the three circuits.
The only other option i could come up with was a really expensive digital programmable tail light controller box that does wig wag. It was like $80-100 if I recall. |
Hmm, maybe I can figure out another set of lights then. I have a 4 led pod I want to use for my reverse light but I think the reverse switch is bad. Didn't get anything on the connector when putting it in reverse and I didn't check to see if it worked before. |
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katalla
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2006
Posts: 442
Location: los angeles
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:32 am Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| I used the trailer adapter, and a digital flasher so that the turn signals work at a regular speed. |
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Dale M.
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20379
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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You need trailer adapter that separates the functions for stop and turn signal.... You can not use single (same filament) in bulb as you found out, VW design (originally) uses a seperate filament for each function....
http://www.signaldynamics.com/tri-star-turn-signal-to-brake-light-conversion-module/
https://www.delcity.net/store/Trailer-Light-Conver...tsQAvD_BwE
OR you can fab up more complex relay system....
Might want to check out some of the hot rod or kit car sites that does "wiring kits" to see if there is different solution...
Note: LEDs are polarity sensitive, if you hook them up wrong they dont "light"....
Also LEDS generally require "electronic" flasher for turnsignal as they do not draw enough current to trigger older style thermal flasher... You can get around this by possibly adding load resistor to LED lamp circuits...
Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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Dale M.
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20379
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:47 am Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| anobii wrote: |
You need a set of diodes at the minimum. Diodes are basically a one way valve for electricity. That will fix back feed into your running lights.
You gotta get creative if you need your lights to stop, turn, and tail. They can do all three, but only one or two at a time. |
Diodes are not enough becasue if you press brake lights it will over power you turnsignal when turnsignal are on and stop them from blinking, just like without any controller....
You need controller with sort sort of LOGIC inside...
Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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anobii
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2015
Posts: 59
Location: Franklin Co VA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| Quote: |
Might want to check out some of the hot rod or kit car sites that does "wiring kits" to see if there is different solution... |
I had figured out that In order to make the 3 wire lights do their thing with out a control box it would take a 7 wire signal switch and a pair of flasher relays. I had already gotten a replacement oe signal switch so i made due. They make 7 wire universal signal stalks and theres many diagrams available for different light combinations.
Last edited by anobii on Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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anobii
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2015
Posts: 59
Location: Franklin Co VA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:24 am Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| Dale M. wrote: |
| anobii wrote: |
You need a set of diodes at the minimum. Diodes are basically a one way valve for electricity. That will fix back feed into your running lights.
You gotta get creative if you need your lights to stop, turn, and tail. They can do all three, but only one or two at a time. |
Diodes are not enough becasue if you press brake lights it will over power you turnsignal when turnsignal are on and stop them from blinking, just like without any controller....
You need controller with sort sort of LOGIC inside...
Dale |
I was thinking just about the back feeding to the running lights problem. Now that i think about it that was the least of the issue. Lol, with the running light on it wouldn't change intensity if the brakes were pressed. Signal and brakes together and tail/running by itself is how most are done with the controller box.
To the OP, if you can live with it, the very easiest solution is to add another light for signals. Then theres no controllers or resistors required. Just an electronic relay for leds and your done. |
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Fenix
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2016
Posts: 468
Location: St Louis
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| Dale M. wrote: |
| anobii wrote: |
You need a set of diodes at the minimum. Diodes are basically a one way valve for electricity. That will fix back feed into your running lights.
You gotta get creative if you need your lights to stop, turn, and tail. They can do all three, but only one or two at a time. |
Diodes are not enough becasue if you press brake lights it will over power you turnsignal when turnsignal are on and stop them from blinking, just like without any controller....
You need controller with sort sort of LOGIC inside...
Dale |
Yeah, you need to make sure the LED lights are wired to perform all three functions. Unless they have PWM circuits built in LEDs are essentially all on or all off, yes they can be dimmed with reduced voltage to a point but only within reason. That's why you see some of the lower end lights have some LEDs that light for brakes and others for blinkers. There are some really "affordable" ones on ebay and amazon that are only brake lights, they are wired to be both brake and tail, but are not actually wired internally to work as such. There are online LED and Diode calculators that will help you determine diode needed. |
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Vanillagurilla
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2017
Posts: 1061
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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| Ok fellas I made it real easy and it works like a charm. I got a vehicle converter for a trailer and a trailer Y harness. Pulled the passenger harness to the drivers side and worked it from there. Wired the factor brake wires together and the factory tails together then wired those to the converter so they were 1 wire each. Next wire in the left and right signal wires to the controller, don't forget the grounds and done. I used a trailer harness so when I have to remove my engine cage on my baja I have a flat 4 connector to unplug, a ground I connected using a spade connector and that's it. Thank you guys for the trailer converter idea. I found mine at autozone for $15, Hopkins part number #48895. |
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Vanillagurilla
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2017
Posts: 1061
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Brake/ tail light question |
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This was on a 69 so your wires might be different colors.
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