Making front marker blink on/off as turn signal w headlights on

[Crooked Designer]

I've replaced all bulbs with LEDs (and the turn signal relay with the appropriate one for LED bulbs) and everything works fine. However, if I have the headlights / running lights on, the front corner markers are pretty bright. I like this, until I turn on my turn signal. When I do, the corner marker stays illuminated and gets slightly brighter on the blink to indicate a turn. This is what the original dual filament bulb did, but the new LED amber BA9 bulb makes it harder to tell I'm signaling a turn.

I'd love to rewire the front corner markers so that they blink on/off instead of bright/brighter (only on the side I'm signaling for a turn. The other would stay on full.) Then when the turn signal turns off, the marker goes back to on full.

Anyone done this before and/or know how you would modify stock wiring to achieve this? Not sure how to accomplish this and couldn't find anything through search.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[PDXWesty]

You could re-wire the markers through a new relay that gets its trigger from the blinker power signal. When the blinker is on, the marker could go off. When the blinker is off, the marker is on. Not too tough if you understand wiring and relays. Lots of info on how to use these on the interwebs. Do some mock ups and see if you can make it work. Kind of a fun puzzle.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk01KY1qx53...ent=psy-ab
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[dougass]

Take a look at the link below... this is a writeup to the rear corner lights but the concept applies to the front corners.

I haven't had luck with the wiring trick (good with filament but not LED), and I am pleased with the Blinker Genie.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9363468#9363468
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'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[Crooked Designer]

Both good links. Thanks for the ideas. The rear side-marker is definitely a very similar problem (light on with headlights, unless turn signal, then blinks on/off) but it kind of combines both problems because it IS the turn signal in the front.

I'll definitely give it some thought and explore some options (probably with relays) unless someone out there has done it already. Will probably hook up the rear markers to blink as well. I've always thought that would be a good idea as the rear light cluster are not visible from the side.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[dougass]

Have you considered trying a different set of bulbs?

The effort to reward here might not be worth what you could spend $15 or $30 trying different bulbs.

If you insist on converting your dual filament front signals to single, the blinker genie is a superior option to relays (no moving parts, smaller & the logic is already done for you)
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'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[Crooked Designer]

[Crooked Designer]

Anyone want to take a stab at how to make the rear side and front markers blink on/off when the turn signal is on? I've highlighted the areas that seem relevant for this, but don't know where (and I guess how) the most logical place is to do this kind of modification.

(if you open the image in a new window, you'll be able to see more detail)

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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[Crooked Designer]

Seems like Blinker Genie 2 with constant power from track 46/47 and blinker power tapped from track 63/65 at the tail light harness could solve the rear side marker as turn signal part of this question. Apparently you can hook it up without turning them into running lights.

(note: I did read previous posts about hooking up negative of side markers to tail light turn signal positive. Seemed that a few people thought this was going to blow a fuse somewhere, so was looking for a different solution.)

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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[Crooked Designer]

I guess I'll just keep trying to figure this out solo hahaha..

Any idea if this would work using the blinker genie for the front marker/signal? Green areas indicate the blinker genie unit. Also pasted the wiring instructions for the blinker genie in the middle. This would be for the right turn signal. Would duplicate for left as well if this worked.

This solution pretty much remakes this socket into a single filament light bulb socket. Anyone know if you can even do that?

(also FWIW, I think there's a mistake in the Bentley. Says right parking light is on 41, when it makes most sense on 42.. if you're ever looking at that in the future and wondering why there is half of a dual filament bulb with no label.)
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[dougass]

This is exactly what I was suggesting, so you’re on the right track.

The blinker genie takes both signals (parking & blinker) and sends one output, effectively getting double duty from a single light. It is required to make the rear side markers function as such with LEDs (tap into the taillight harness for the blinker signal), and it will do what you want it to up front.

Up front - you don’t need to replace the dual filament socket with a single filament socket, more wasted time and effort. Cut both signal wires for the front side markers, the 2 wires coming from the vehicle both become inputs to the blinker genie, then determine which one of the wires from the socket you want to use as your single output, and whammy, all done.
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'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[DanHoug]

so.... playing the devil's advocate..

what's wrong with the incandescent? the alternator provides sufficient amperage to keep the battery charged at low speed so energy savings isn't an issue. LED bulb life has been iffy in my experience so you have not gained much over the Long Life bulb option for the 1157. the CRI for incandescent is better making it more visible in differing light. and they cost more!

incandescents have some properties that make them pretty nice... wide viewing angle, easily obtainable, inexpensive, and more corrosion resistant.

for high amp draw lighting and engine off lighting, they make total sense. for running lights, i need convincing.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[Crooked Designer]

Thanks for pointing me to blinker genie Doug. I’ll let you know how it works out when I give it a shot. I imagine it will still be a bit of trial and error.

Dan - a few reasons. 1. Already upgraded all lights to LED. Love the brightness and less heat as I discovered at least one melted socket (license plate light) when replacing. Also longer life. I hear your doubts but I think it’s pretty well documented that LED bulbs outlast incandescent bulbs by a significant amount. So it’s kind of a moot point for me. Just looking to make the blinker blink and love the upgrade to the rear side market to make that signal as well. Seems like a safety no brainer.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[Crooked Designer]

So.. finally got around to doing this. I had the blinker genie thing sitting around for months, but just never had the time. My turn signal on the driver's side stopped working. I assumed corrosion and/or bulb burned out, so I think that was the nudge I needed.

So with Blinker Genie 2 in hand (order comes with two units, one for each side.) I set out to make the front turn signals fully blink when the headlights are on, but not disrupt the normal function of the corner markers when not signaling. As a reminder for why I started this thread. The LED's go from really bright, to really really bright when you have your parking lights on and signal a turn. So, it is hard to see and I've had a few drivers not see that I was signaling. I want these to blink fully, even when headlights / parking lights are on.

First step was to get new sockets, as I knew the old ones were going to be pretty gross. Wasn't really as bad as I had expected, but still needed replacing. Got a new set from Van Cafe. The really shocking thing was that I replaced the driver's side socket when I did the LED upgrade 3 years ago and it was already pretty corroded. Went heavy on the dielectric grease this time. This was the original from 1985 on the passenger side.

From there needed to wire a bypass to get the ground to the socket. Not at all sure why the blinker genie doesn't come with this done, or at least a jumper or something as you need a ground at the socket to complete the circuit.

After that, spliced together all wires on the passenger side. The turn signal wire (gray with the red stripe here) goes to the red wire on the genie. The corner marker wire (black with green stripe) goes to the white wire on the genie. You could wire the red wire to keyed power to get daytime running lamps out of these, but that was not my goal.

I tried a few different configurations at the socket not knowing which would work (or be most effective.) Turns out having the yellow wire from the genie running into the socket on the right (the one that the black wire with green stripe was previously plugged into) worked. I tried jumping from there to the other input thinking whatever was good for one filament was good for the other, but that make it not function at all. So ended up taping off that second input to avoid corrosion and not let anything short it.

So, looks like this all wired up with marine connectors shrunk on, socket in lens, boot back on, and everything zipped up to tuck back in.

This is temporary until I get something thinner and black that can go around the perimeter of the lens to body connection, but figured adding a gasket couldn't hurt. Previously I've found these lenses full of water. Also drilled 1/8" hole in the bottom of each lens to let it drain if it does get water in it. So the white strip at the top is a piece of thin rubber weatherstripping I had laying around.

Btw.. I tested this all with twisted wires and tape before I wired it up final. The result is just what I was after.

This is corner marker with headlights on:

Link

This is turn signal with headlights on:

Link


All other operations are normal. So, turn signal works as normal with headlights off (again, no running lights, so corner markers are off when headlights are off). Hazard lights work normally. Super pleased with this project.

For those with '85s, this is the wiring for the driver's side. Gray with black stripe to red, Black with white stripe to white, brown to black.:

Really hard to tell from this photo, but there is a gray wire with a black stripe and a black wire with a white stripe. After 36 years of dirt, they look almost identical. This is what it looked like when I first took the boot off the back. (this is the "new" socket too. )

Just waiting on a replacement bulb on the drivers side (the old new LED was waterlogged and on it's last legs. I tested it with the old incandescent bulb to make sure it worked.)

My recommendation is to go heavy on the dielectric grease and use waterproof connectors. Not sure why there is so much water in these lenses, but they were definitely both really wet inside with water sitting in each. Not idea for areas with electrical connections.

Overall, super pleased. a few hours and it does exactly what I was after.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[dgbeatty]

Here is the 5 minute version.
They are called switchbacks. tinyurl.com/yzfbwvqt I have used them for several years. They are bright and effective. They conform to the current standards which are quite different from when our vans were built.

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Schau in das Buch

[Crooked Designer]

[dgbeatty]

You did NOT go to the website and read the description or watch the video but instead jumped to an uninformed conclusion. Hell of a way to run a railroad.
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Schau in das Buch

[fxr]

What video? At that URL there's only an incandescent vs LED video. It doesn't show this LED dual bulb in action inside an amber side marker lens cover.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Crooked Designer]

[dgbeatty]

From steady bright white (parking light) to bright flashing amber (turn signal) even my nearly blind eyes can see the difference but the OP cannot.
This is an explanation that ​the OP didn't have time to read
https://undergroundlighting.com/blogs/headlight/everything-you-need-to-know-about-switchback-leds
Yes there is advertisement.
When searching for "switchback led" the loose use of the English language and the usurping of words for advertising may well lead the unwary to "non hyper-flash" leds, you have to as smart as the advertiser to see the incorrect search results
It has become too wearisome and disheartening to even attempt to be helpful. Best of luck.
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Schau in das Buch

[PDXWesty]