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Since I didn't want to start a new thread on a similar subject, here are my take on LED's on the tail lights. I haven't messed with the stop light bulbs yet, but will likely replace those with CANBUS ready bulbs available from a number of suppliers. I prefer a stock look, so replacing the bulb is the easy part. For my vehicle, I prefer a little more visibility when I'm at a stop and turning (or with hazards on). With the recent snow.. and a white car.. this is all the more critical. I have a 2500 series Chevy truck that is my "work" truck when hauling, and did a similar modification since the turn signals on that are also part of the brake light lens/bulb - everything is red. Studies have been done to prove that an amber turn signal is (obviously) more noticeable by something like 28%. With lights as small as ours, that's not an acceptable percentage with everything being red. So.. a trip to the junkyard to score a spare set of reverse lights and bulb holders for the brake light, I opened up the socket hole in the reverse light housing and cut the appropriate openings so that the brake light bulb holder would screw/snap into place. That, now, gives me a two circuit bulb connection in the reverse light. Feeling somewhat confident, I purchased these from eBay:
Which are 3057 switchback bulbs utilizing white and amber LED's. Connecting the leads to the appropriate leads from the reverse circuit gives me a nice, bright reverse light...
While taking the lone lead and tapping into the turn signal wire gives me the nice bright amber I'm looking for - and still retains the stock "red" blinker (4-ways on for ease of photography):
It should work nicely, but do browse the web for is it legal in your state?
personly I like it and the idea is valid as some cars use an Amber rear turn signal separate from the brake lights.
I not sure if red and amber flashers are legal, however they will get the attention of the guy behind you.
No worries Oldblue! As turn signals/4-ways they're fine here in PA. Civilian vehicles are not allowed red/blue rapid flashers, separate from the normal vehicle circuitry. Construction vehicles are allowed yellow/amber or white flashers separate from the vehicle circuitry. As these additions are not emergency related and are operated via the turn signals (or reverse circuit), there are no issues.
Even if ambers are legal on the rear, what about back ups, spot light like us imports in europe? I did a bit of research; in the US amber turn signals are legal, just like the rest of the world. You have your choice in the US amber or red, not sure about both.
Euro conversion is changing the back ups to amber turns and adding a spotlight. You might even be able to find amber BU lenses from a conversion company.
Had the car out tonight for the first time since the conversion, and I have to say, having amber turns is way more visible than just the red brake/turn. Now, as I was backing out of a spot I noticed that the reverse lights were not on.. interesting.. they had tested "positive" in my static driveway test. As soon as I took my foot off the brake, they popped on.. hmmm...
Put the parking brake on and tested: foot off the brake = reverse lights on. Foot on the brake = reverse lights off
I thought that the circuits were separate? The reverse wires, so to speak, are plugged into the factory plugs at the end of the harness. I had bench tested those to make sure I had the correct positive/negative marked for that part of the switchback bulb. Could the ground be the issue? Should the ground go to the brake/turn circuit instead? The turn signal wire from the switchback bulb is simply tapped into the signal wire on the factory turn harness at the bulb.
What do the better electrical minds think?
Rick
Last edited by letterman7; 11-27-2018 at 06:46 PM.
11-25-2018, 04:02 PM
