okay so I got an LED trailer light bar for Christmas. And I put it on my headache rack on my pickup. I finally got around to wiring it up tonight. I wasn't thinking and now I'm in a dilemma. I have everything wired up and everything works how it's supposed to. The led trailer bar does running lights brake lights and turn signals. Well naturally I only have the wires ran into one side so only my left turn signal works with the LED bar. My question is how do I get the right turn signal to flash on the LED bar with out interfering with the left turn signal? There's three wires that come off of the LED bar.there's three wires that come off the LED bar white foreground black for running lights and red for brake lights. I'm not sure how to wire in the right side turn signal where a little flash on the LED bar with out at acting like having four ways on on both of the trucks turn signals. Does that make sense or do I need to try to explain it a different way? Any help would be highly appreciated thank you.
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how do I wire this up?
- Thread starter jim1987
- Start date
the question is how do I get the right turn signal on the truck to flash on with the LED bar without interfering with the left turn signal on the truck? Because I was going to run a wire from the left turn signal on the truck to the right turn signal on the truck where the LED bar is wired into but then I got to thinking if I do it like that when either turn signal is on on the truck its going to act like having my four ways turned on since they'll be power running from one light to the other.
Robert Duncan
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2015
- Messages
- 7
You need a pair of diodes, maybe 20 to 50 PIV and 5 amps (Radio Shack 276-1661).
Connect the Cathodes together to one wire that runs to the light bar. The Anodes go one to each turn signal light on the truck.
Connect the Cathodes together to one wire that runs to the light bar. The Anodes go one to each turn signal light on the truck.
You need a pair of diodes, maybe 20 to 50 PIV and 5 amps (Radio Shack 276-1661).
Connect the Cathodes together to one wire that runs to the light bar. The Anodes go one to each turn signal light on the truck.
I'm sorry but I need a lot more help then that. Lol how do they work?
Redwolf947
Well-known member
I'd run the supply off the trailer light pigtail (before the plug of course) not off only one side split it from each side? Like how you wire a trailer?
QtrHorse13
Well-known member
Use two relays, one for each turn signal.
happy2rv
Well-known member
Diodes allow current to flow only one direction. So assuming you have one light bar that you want to flash with either turn signal and be solid with the brakes, you would use three diodes. You can feed one diode from each turn signal and one from the brakes. Since the current only flows one direction, it won't feed back from the left to the right turn signal or turn on the the blinker bulbs when you hit the brakes.
Something like this (just a reference I found online, not affiliated in any way). The "in" would be the wire coming from the turn signal or brakes, you would tie all three "outs" to the light bar. There is one disadvantage though. There is a slight voltage drop across the diode, so it can make the lights slightly dimmer. Probably not as noticeable with LED lights though.
Something like this (just a reference I found online, not affiliated in any way). The "in" would be the wire coming from the turn signal or brakes, you would tie all three "outs" to the light bar. There is one disadvantage though. There is a slight voltage drop across the diode, so it can make the lights slightly dimmer. Probably not as noticeable with LED lights though.
I'd run the supply off the trailer light pigtail (before the plug of course) not off only one side split it from each side? Like how you wire a trailer?
I don't have the pigtail yet. I added this for looks on my headache rack.
Could someone provide a diagram on where the diodes would go off of the turn signals and which way the diodes would face? Sorry for asking elementary questions, I just really don't know anything about this kind of stuff unless its dealing with just one simpletl thing.
volleyball
Well-known member
You want a diagram for a light and a vehicle that you have yet to provide information on. How do you expect anyone to accurately do that?
From the no information you gave, I will assume the vehicle has combo turn/brake light. So you need to run a wire from the brake switch before it ties in with the turn signal
From the no information you gave, I will assume the vehicle has combo turn/brake light. So you need to run a wire from the brake switch before it ties in with the turn signal
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41+SIWgvegL._SY355_.jpg
So, using some logic, the single side of the diode would feed to the light bar, and the double sided would feed to either turn signal? Right?
So, using some logic, the single side of the diode would feed to the light bar, and the double sided would feed to either turn signal? Right?
You want a diagram for a light and a vehicle that you have yet to provide information on. How do you expect anyone to accurately do that?
From the no information you gave, I will assume the vehicle has combo turn/brake light. So you need to run a wire from the brake switch before it ties in with the turn signal
Sorry. Wiring isn't my strongsl suit. Its a 96 Dakota with dual filiment tail lights. The light bar is ran into the tail light harness. Everything works as planned except the right turn signal isn't ran into the light bar because I wasn't sure how to tie it in with out it back feeding into the left tail light, causing both turn signals to flash when I only need that side flashing.
volleyball
Well-known member
So you need to unhook the driver side brake/turn and wire it up as I said to the brake switch.
So you need to unhook the driver side brake/turn and wire it up as I said to the brake switch.
No. A much simpeler was has already been defined. I just need confirmation on how I think it needs to be.
volleyball
Well-known member
Unless you can split the light into a right and left side than what good is the same flasher for both directions? May even fail a safety inspection.
I'd do it my way or add two directional lights.
I'd do it my way or add two directional lights.
Unless you can split the light into a right and left side than what good is the same flasher for both directions? May even fail a safety inspection.
I'd do it my way or add two directional lights.
The diode above will work. I'll figure it out myself
Either the diode or go to the brake pedal and find the switch. Tap off the brake pedal switch and run the wire up to the light
Why does everyone keep saying brake pedal switch? I have the brakes lights. Its the turn signals im confused about.
Never mind, I'll go somewhere where someone is actually qualified to answer the question.
Why does everyone keep saying brake pedal switch? I have the brakes lights. Its the turn signals im confused about.
Never mind, I'll go somewhere where someone is actually qualified to answer the question.
Probably because your not understanding what were trying to convey. The light you have has two settings just like a bulb (brake and parking). When the brake pedal is depressed the voltage is sent through the turn signal, and if turn signal has not been moved it sends the brake voltage back to both brake light circuits.
If the turn signal has been turned on then the signal is split and one side goes to the flasher and the other goes to the brake light on the side which is not flashing.
So if you use the signal directly from the brake pedal switch to the light, it will not matter if the turn signal is on or not. Your running a new wire straight to the light from the brake pedal switch. The parking side of the light can be run from either side of your parking lights because they are not switched
Probably because your not understanding what were trying to convey. The light you have has two settings just like a bulb (brake and parking). When the brake pedal is depressed the voltage is sent through the turn signal, and if turn signal has not been moved it sends the brake voltage back to both brake light circuits.
If the turn signal has been turned on then the signal is split and one side goes to the flasher and the other goes to the brake light on the side which is not flashing.
So if you use the signal directly from the brake pedal switch to the light, it will not matter if the turn signal is on or not. Your running a new wire straight to the light from the brake pedal switch. The parking side of the light can be run from either side of your parking lights because they are not switched
So, you're just trying to complicate things for someone who doesn't understand in the first place? When its already been said a diode will work with what I already have? The wires and everything is already ran. Why undo all that and run wire into the cab where it does need to be? When it seems I can run a diode like the one I have in the link thanks to an above member?
Unless there's a small elephant in the room I'm not seeing.
dfiler2
Well-known member
Maybe try to think of it this way, let's say my F-150 only has brake lights. When I press the brake both lights come on. When I have the brakes on and flip the turn signal one of my brake lights goes on and off. If I don't have the brakes applied and flip on the turn signal one of my brake lights flash on and off. Same bulb element. Of course if you have a vehicle with amber turn lights it's different.
happy2rv
Well-known member
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41+SIWgvegL._SY355_.jpg
So, using some logic, the single side of the diode would feed to the light bar, and the double sided would feed to either turn signal? Right?
I think everyone's confused on exactly what you're trying to accomplish. I think dfiler has the answer to the confusion. Do you have a single light filament that acts as both the turn signal and brake light? If so, then yes one of the items linked with one of the "in" terminals fed from the left side and the other fed from the right side and the "out" going to the light bar will work. However, you will have the side effect of the bar flashing when either blinker is on.
Now that I think I understand what you're trying to accomplish, I believe what you really want is a tail light converter like this. See this link for an explanation. You hook the blinker/brake lights to the appropriate inputs, hook the red stop light wire to the light bar, and don't use the other two outputs. This way you won't have the bar flashing with the turn signals.
happy2rv
Well-known member
I want the bar to flash with either signal. The whole bar flashes. Which is what I wanted. I have dual filimant bulbs.
Do you have a single dual filament bulb on each side? If so, one filament is the running light (parking lights) and you still have a single filament that acts as both the brake and turn signal. If that's the case, then as indicated hooking the turn combined turn/brake signal from each side to each of the "input" terminals on the diode and the "out" terminal to the light bar's brake wire should accomplish the whole bar flashing with either turn signal and solid with the brakes.
If you have separate brake and turn signal wires, then you would need 2 of those diodes to accomplish what you want. One hooked up as above, the second would have one input hooked to the brake wire, the second input wouldn't be used and the outputs of both diodes would go to the light bar.
Do you have a single dual filament bulb on each side? If so, one filament is the running light (parking lights) and you still have a single filament that acts as both the brake and turn signal. If that's the case, then as indicated hooking the turn combined turn/brake signal from each side to each of the "input" terminals on the diode and the "out" terminal to the light bar's brake wire should accomplish the whole bar flashing with either turn signal and solid with the brakes.
If you have separate brake and turn signal wires, then you would need 2 of those diodes to accomplish what you want. One hooked up as above, the second would have one input hooked to the brake wire, the second input wouldn't be used and the outputs of both diodes would go to the light bar.
Yesk thnx
I'd run the supply off the trailer light pigtail (before the plug of course) not off only one side split it from each side? Like how you wire a trailer?
^ ^ ^ This . . . . easy peazzy.
OP tell us what pickup you have.
My Chevy Silverado 2500 had all the trailer wires there ready to go back by spare tire. I installed 7 pin trailer light plug and now with adapters, I can use 4 flat or 7 pin depending on trailer.
I got it figured out now thank you though^ ^ ^ This . . . . easy peazzy.
OP tell us what pickup you have.
My Chevy Silverado 2500 had all the trailer wires there ready to go back by spare tire. I installed 7 pin trailer light plug and now with adapters, I can use 4 flat or 7 pin depending on trailer.
6768rogues
Banned
My thought exactly.Use two relays, one for each turn signal.