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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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if you mean RTV, no - that does not waterproof an electrical connection
(I found that out after skiing an electronic datalogger and some instruments up a mtn. on my back decades ago...) _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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madspaniard Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008 Posts: 3795 Location: Alameda, CA
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 12:18 am Post subject: |
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finally finished 3rd brake light install, my 3rd brake light is the very last item on this page below
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html
drilled a hole and ran wire from center of van to left side where you can see stock ground wires coming out of hole. I used a coat hanger wire to fish 3rd brake light wirs. I then used a grommet and some irrigation black tubing to protect wires as they run into the van. Pics below explain everything.
_________________ 1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD
"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali |
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Mang Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2011 Posts: 114 Location: Omaha, NE
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 6:57 am Post subject: |
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Hi Mad, where did you get the irrigation black tubing? I was trying to find a roll of it when I wired up my over-the-bench light.
Nice job! _________________ '87 Westy 2.1 WBX |
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madspaniard Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008 Posts: 3795 Location: Alameda, CA
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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Mang wrote: |
Hi Mad, where did you get the irrigation black tubing? I was trying to find a roll of it when I wired up my over-the-bench light.
Nice job! |
Hi
I had some tubing left over from my irrigation system install but you can find it at Home Depot or google nearest irrigation parts vendor in your area.
Cheers _________________ 1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD
"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9798 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Since this has come up again I'll mention yet another way to run the hot wire for a 3rd brake light that is mounted on the tailgate/glass.
I ran the single hot wire thru the same little boot used for the rear window defroster, then along the inside of the top section above the rear glass. Finally, out thru a small hole drilled behind where the lamp is mounted (hole is under the curtain rod in the pic).
Only one wire was run as the light is grounded right there where it mounts to the hatch.
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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Ahwahnee, is that a Daniel Stern light, too? _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9798 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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RBEmerson wrote: |
Ahwahnee, is that a Daniel Stern light, too? |
Negative, I installed that light 20+ years ago -- someday I'll upgrade to a LED. Someday. |
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hans j Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2006 Posts: 2714 Location: Salt Lake City UT
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:06 am Post subject: |
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Three comments on brake light flashers: 1) they work best with LED's (incandescent lamps are too slow for fast blink rates to be effective), 2) some flashers aren't legal in some states (the idea being to avoid confusion with emergency vehicles), and 3) it's been shown the "impaired" drivers often fixate on blinking lights and forget what they should be doing. That being said, a brief burst of fast strobing seems to be legal, gets people's attention, but doesn't give a target to fixate on.
I looked into this for my motorcycle and the above is the distillation of what I found out. I have a quick burst of strobing in the LED brake lights and... eh, so far, nobody's tagged me from behind. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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Chris Vellat Samba Member
Joined: April 09, 2004 Posts: 1590 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:41 am Post subject: |
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Scotchlok's (aka vampire clips) are about the worst connection that can be made, they're easy and just as sleazy...The cutter is biting through the insulation of the original wire and usually does damage to the stranded conductors. They're often the source of a wiring problem, not the resolution. _________________ (3) '69's
'67 Baja
'74 Super
'73 Bay
(2) '77's |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:58 am Post subject: |
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I can't say as I'm a fan of them, either. It helps to use the right size clip for the wire being used. Using blue clips with 18 gauge wire, for example, isn't a winner and the same is true of using a red clip and 14 gauge wire. But, yeah, "vampire clips" often cause more trouble than they avoid. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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climberjohn Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005 Posts: 1840 Location: Portland Orygun
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:05 am Post subject: |
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Chris Vellat wrote: |
Scotchlok's (aka vampire clips) are about the worst connection that can be made, they're easy and just as sleazy...The cutter is biting through the insulation of the original wire and usually does damage to the stranded conductors. They're often the source of a wiring problem, not the resolution. |
Chris,
Can you tell us the alternative you prefer?
I plan on redoing several hack wiring projects, and want to use a better technique.
CJ _________________ '86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Plan A is to actually do soldered splices and follow up with heatshrink tubing. Plan B is using well-crimped butt splices. That doesn't always fly if you're combining, for example, two 16 gauge wires - too big for a red connector at one end and too small for a blue connector at the other end. Although you can always pack the single wire end with an extra bit of the same wire. The trick is to get a good crimp on everything. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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madspaniard Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008 Posts: 3795 Location: Alameda, CA
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climberjohn Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005 Posts: 1840 Location: Portland Orygun
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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madspaniard,
Good stuff!
Wish I read this before adding more than a few vampire clips to my van. Oh well, I have a few months before camping season to get things rewired the CORRECT way!
-CJ _________________ '86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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Franklinstower Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006 Posts: 1895 Location: PNW
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Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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i installed a volvo third brake light this afternoon. Thanks to Jeff (a914622) for the light. Free from the local pick a part! It came out of a Volvo Wagon. He had his mounted to the rear window, but I found that it fits snugly onto the A/C cabinet shelf.
For a nice fit, I cut off extra plastic mounting on the back side of the light that was not needed:
there is a little tab on the back of the light that happens to create a nice snug fight on the shelf return lip.
Also I found I didn't need to try to fish the wire down by the A/C hoses. I was able to "saw" the wire back and forth into position right where the cabinet and body intersect. Then I grabed the wire from the engine capartment and soldered it inline with my trailer wires. I probable spent an hour on this total.
Great Mod for Safety!
Paul _________________ '89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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EastWest Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2012 Posts: 10 Location: Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Franklinstower..really neat install. I have a '90 w/AC in White body also. From what Volvo year did your 'salvage brake light' come from ? Is this LED or bulb? How did you attach to A/C shelf. There's non mention of Ground wire...did I miss something ? My West is in for a full paint job (her first in 22 years!!) so I want to have a Brake Light mod -from the inside- before having the windows tinted. Thanks. |
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a914622 Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004 Posts: 840 Location: Westend of HWY2 , Wash
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Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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The lights are from 97 and newer volvo wagons. I think it was a s70? the rear glass has the same angle as the vanagon so you can also glue the right to the glass if you want. Thats how i ran mine,the wires are fished thru the stock ruber boot that the defrost runs thru. The leds only use a tiny wire. My ground is the screw for the curtins. If you cut off the back like Pual did the cutins will close even when glue to the glass
They are bright LEDs. You can see the red glow in the socker moms eyes at the stop lights. A mildly comforting sight
jeff _________________ 87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru |
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Franklinstower Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006 Posts: 1895 Location: PNW
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Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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i used some velcro to keep it secured in place, but it fits snugly on the A/C cabinet. The brake light has power wire and a ground. I used an existing ground that was right there by the cabinet so I only had to run one wire down to the tail light.
Very simple install.
Paul _________________ '89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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EastWest Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2012 Posts: 10 Location: Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Paul and Jeff for the added info.
Will start looking up availability in the car salvage lots for the Volvo S70 wagons.
BTW, I can see that Paul has gone Vanaru. I'm not there just yet. Still got some years left in my West's engine. But have been driving daily, Subarus since 1999. Cheers!
Rick |
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