Building my own flush tail lights

[Justinswidebody]

Work always takes the fun out of everything

Sponsored

 

[Viper501]

Work always takes the fun out of everything

So can empathize with that comment.

 

[Justinswidebody]

Does anyone know, if not I'll get my tester out and check..... The trailer plug has turn, and brake..... I need to know if these are independent.... Meaning that when you turn on the turn signal, it's not the brake signal pulsing on and off.....

 

[sharpsicle]

Trailer brake and turn go through the same wire, just like the taillights. This is why trailer light converters are needed on vehicles that come with separate turn bulbs, to merge them back together.

I don't see separate wires on the trailer wiring though. Unless you're looking at pin #2 called "trailer brakes". That's not for lights, that's for actual physical brake actuation. Don't tap into that guy.

 

[Justinswidebody]

Trailer brake and turn go through the same wire, just like the taillights. This is why trailer light converters are needed on vehicles that come with separate turn bulbs, to merge them back together.

I don't see separate wires on the trailer wiring though. Unless you're looking at pin #2 called "trailer brakes". That's not for lights, that's for actual physical brake actuation. Don't tap into that guy.

Thank you! Just what I was looking for... Just not the outcome I wanted lol...

 

[sharpsicle]

What were you looking to do?

 

[Justinswidebody]

Just wanted a separate turn signal wire... But it's okay.... Just trying to make coding the LEDs easier... But I'll figure it out

 

[sharpsicle]

Just wanted a separate turn signal wire... But it's okay.... Just trying to make coding the LEDs easier... But I'll figure it out

I hear ya. The best thing I can suggest is building in a time-based evaluation. If the wire has continuous signal for more than, say, 1 second, then consider it a brake signal. Until that point, treat it as a turn. Not sure if that helps, but that would be my personal approach.

 

[Justinswidebody]

I hear ya. The best thing I can suggest is building in a time-based evaluation. If the wire has continuous signal for more than, say, 1 second, then consider it a brake signal. Until that point, treat it as a turn. Not sure if that helps, but that would be my personal approach.

Yes exactly.... I'm just not awesome writing code lol... It's very time consuming. But I'll get there

 

[toddarama]

Yes exactly.... I'm just not awesome writing code lol... It's very time consuming. But I'll get there

I think you want to check both signals if you can. If only right has a signal or only left has a signal, you are looking at a turn signal. If both right and left have a signal at the same time you have brake lights.

 

[sharpsicle]

I think you want to check both signals if you can. If only right has a signal or only left has a signal, you are looking at a turn signal. If both right and left have a signal at the same time you have brake lights.

This logic doesn't work with hazards.

However, this did make me think of something else. The 3rd brake light. That light gives you indisputable evidence of whether or not it's a brake signal. What it doesn't do, though, is help you figure out if both brake and turn signal are on. Any logic based on the 3rd brake light wouldn't pass that test, as it would override a turn signal. So it all kinda falls apart again.

Just throwing things out in the hopes we recognize some combination that gives reliable confirmation of both situations. I don't think there's anything other than duration at this point though.

 

[toddarama]

This logic doesn't work with hazards.

Yeah - guess I didn't fully think that through.

 

[sharpsicle]

Yeah - guess I didn't fully think that through.

Haha all good. Welcome to the world of testing and development! Nobody ever considers all the cases, nobody could, so it's really just a game of trying to cover as many cases as possible in the design.

 

[ATL_Rubi]

Just wanted a separate turn signal wire... But it's okay.... Just trying to make coding the LEDs easier... But I'll figure it out

There’s a few NA jeeps who did ROW brake lights which have a dedicated turn signal. May be worth a look at a few of those threads to see how they did it, I don’t think it was anything overly difficult. I’ll take a gander in the AM and link them/report back.

 

[Justinswidebody]

There’s a few NA jeeps who did ROW brake lights which have a dedicated turn signal. May be worth a look at a few of those threads to see how they did it, I don’t think it was anything overly difficult. I’ll take a gander in the AM and link them/report back.

I mean I can use a trailer converter that converts it to a split signal ..... But everything is becoming way too many components that are not needed when it can all be coded to work.

Sponsored