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Old 06-16-2019, 01:59 PM   #1
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Tapping into turn signals for 8 way flasher repurposing

I've decided to tie in my amber flashers into my turn signals and rear red ones to my brakes, and tackling the turn signals first.

I'm curious about how to handle the wiring of the signals - I've still got to find a wire other than one under the hood preferably, but under the hood will do.

So, the 8 way flashers are halogen requiring some beefy amps, the stock turn signals are tiny so a relay is needed for each side. My current plan is to simply cut into the positive going to the turn signal and wire a relay in between with current going through the coil, closing the relay whenever the turn signal illuminates. High amperage power switched by the relay to the amber turn lamps.

Any issues with this? Any better ways?

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Old 06-16-2019, 02:11 PM   #2
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I'll be following along on this. This mod is on my punch list, but fairly far down there, ATM.
I'm considering LEDs up high, similar configuration to what you described.
Research is called for: not positive, and it may vary jurisdictionally, but the reds may be problematic.
Granted, it'll be the ambers flashing hazard, but a LEO on a bad day mite cite those reds are school bus specific.
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Old 06-16-2019, 02:14 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geminusprime View Post
I've decided to tie in my amber flashers into my turn signals and rear red ones to my brakes, and tackling the turn signals first.

I'm curious about how to handle the wiring of the signals - I've still got to find a wire other than one under the hood preferably, but under the hood will do.

So, the 8 way flashers are halogen requiring some beefy amps, the stock turn signals are tiny so a relay is needed for each side. My current plan is to simply cut into the positive going to the turn signal and wire a relay in between with current going through the coil, closing the relay whenever the turn signal illuminates. High amperage power switched by the relay to the amber turn lamps.

Any issues with this? Any better ways?

l've hooked up temporary lights on trailers more than a few times using safety pins to tie directly into the wiring at the tail lights
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Old 06-16-2019, 06:03 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geminusprime View Post
So, the 8 way flashers are halogen requiring some beefy amps, the stock turn signals are tiny so a relay is needed for each side. My current plan is to simply cut into the positive going to the turn signal and wire a relay in between with current going through the coil, closing the relay whenever the turn signal illuminates. High amperage power switched by the relay to the amber turn lamps.
This would be the safe way to do it if you keep the halogens. Trouble is providing a safe, switched high-amperage source for that many relays. Running a 12V feed from the front of the bus is a pain, and you certainly don't want to feed off of house batteries. If your feed isn't switched, those relay coils draw current even when they aren't closed. I have a better idea, though -- keep reading.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
l've hooked up temporary lights on trailers more than a few times using safety pins to tie directly into the wiring at the tail lights
I'm sure there are LED replacement bulbs for the reds / ambers that would allow this to be done as Sleddgracer has prescribed. Replacing the halogens with LED would greatly reduce the amperage draw and thereby eliminate the need for separate relays.

On average, an LED bulb draws perhaps 20% of the current an incandescent does. By that rule, two LEDs will still draw less than half the power of a single halogen. LED bulbs are brighter, run cooler, and last a lot longer too.

Your upper bulbs for the amber/red flashers are likely 1156s for which you can purchase LED replacements on eBay. For that matter, you could go LED on the source bulbs as well, though source tail light / brake bulbs would be dual-circuit, which 1156s will not work for.

These would likely be 1157s or perhaps 2057s, but for which LED replacements can be had. If all 8 bulbs can be replaced with LED, you can then just run a 12V wire from the source to the uppers and skip wiring the relays. Sure beats the hell out of wiring four relays.
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Old 06-16-2019, 08:43 PM   #5
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The upper 8-way bulbs aren't 1156 or 1157 type bulbs (which draw around an amp or so), they are much beefier sealed beam bulbs which draw several amps each. I covered this topic on another virtually identical thread. I'll skip the legality of it all and stick to the technical aspect.


I did the same thing on the rear of my bus, simply swapping out the high-current sealed beams for red LED's, and wiring them into the existing S/T/T wiring. All 8 lights in back are red (even the turn signals were red, I simply upgraded to LED's) and all are wired for tail-light function as well. I want maximum possible visibility from behind. The upper lights simply duplicate the function of the lower ones. I made no other electrical changes since the LEDs don't exceed the current of the former incandescents.


If you *REALLY* want to re-use the existing sealed beams, then re-use the existing wiring and relays as well. All the work and engineering has already been done, just swap the low-current input to the relays to the turn signal circuit.
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Old 07-19-2019, 01:00 PM   #6
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I've done the same on my rig, relays and LED bulbs, man and I thought I was the one that first thought this up, then I started reading LOL.
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