Brake lights

I'm working on taillight wiring and I think I may be over thinking this but......[S
I have a in line brake light switch, 2 way toggle switxè and. Blinker relay in line off the main fuse block.

So my question is if I hook the brake and the turn signals that toggle for the blinked and the bright side from the switdhr to the relay what is there to stop in my brake like former

So if I have the blinker on will the brake lights cancel the blinker?

I have no idea, but now you've got me thinking and my wife says that's not a good thing.

If you use 1157 bulbs and wire correctly, the flasher will interupt the side you are sending the signal too for turn signal, but the other side will still light as a brake light. The diagram below may help:

smallfoot said:

If you use 1157 bulbs and wire correctly, the flasher will interupt the side you are sending the signal too for turn signal, but the other side will still light as a brake light. The diagram below may help:

Click to expand...

If you look at this diagram, it shows a separate bulb for the rear turn signal. The only way you can use a single bulb like a 1157 as both turn and brake light is you have to have some way to break the brake light connection to the side you want to blink. So you will either have to use a factory or aftermarket turn signal switch that does that, or use two dpdt toggle switches , one for turn signal, one to turn the brake light off on one side. I suppose you could take two toggles and rig a common joined handle for them so when the TS is on, the brake light to that side is turned off, allowing it to flash with the flasher.

I know they make a simple converter that allows cars that have a separate TS and brake light to pull a trailer that has the all in one bulb light that US cars have. Don't know if that would work or not, but it's worth looking into. They aren't that much, last one I used I put on a Toyota pickup so I could pull a trailer with it.

You can't run blinkers and brakes on the same filament without a switch made specifically for turn signals. Otherwise you either cancel the blinker on both sides or make both sides blink at the same time.

These last three guys are all right, especially Sam Fear. Smallfoots diagram is very nice and one to keep in your library of wiring solutions, but you'll notice that you have to have two bright filaments on each side of the back of your vehicle, so the money you save on not getting a real signal light switch, you will spend on extra lights and wiring.
Bama's explanation gets you around the cheap toggle switch idea with more wiring and switches, or------
You could listen to Sam Fear and get a real signal light switch and then simplify your wiring and rear lights.

MercuryMac said:

These last three guys are all right, especially Sam Fear. Smallfoots diagram is very nice and one to keep in your library of wiring solutions, but you'll notice that you have to have two bright filaments on each side of the back of your vehicle, so the money you save on not getting a real signal light switch, you will spend on extra lights and wiring.
Bama's explanation gets you around the cheap toggle switch idea with more wiring and switches, or------
You could listen to Sam Fear and get a real signal light switch and then simplify your wiring and rear lights.

Click to expand...

But what's the fun in that when I can spend hours trying to find a way to save $20?

YBeNormal, I applaud your ingenuity, but agree with the other kids on this one. Did you have a way to self cancel for the toggle switches?

OOOPs! think I picked up the wrong diagram. Sorry...
I can come up with schematics for using a 1157 bulb. It does require a 3 prong flasher and some additional wiring if emergency flashers are also used. I think I keyed in his single pole/dual position switch he mentioned and pulled the wrong drawing.
Ya'll I've been thinking about this for a long while. When people need some help on drawings or schematics, wouldn't it be good to have a section where all the stuff we've all been collecting over the years to be posted in special place where we can find it easy for reference? I know it's my fault that finding my files are so hard. They are all over the place. Same with trying to find special stuff on here. The search feature is great but you sometimes still cruise a while before finding what you need.

Id have to think about it a bit, but you may could use a 5 to 4 trailer adapter that uses diodes to stop feed back.

sneakysnake said:

Id have to think about it a bit, but you may could use a 5 to 4 trailer adapter that uses diodes to stop feed back.

Click to expand...

That's a similar adapter to the ones they use on Toyota trucks when wiring for trailer towing like Bama mentioned...

smallfoot said:

That's a similar adapter to the ones they use on Toyota trucks when wiring for trailer towing like Bama mentioned...

Click to expand...

Oops skimmed that part.LOL

Like the guys say, you have to separate brakes from signals and one side from the other. (A trailer converter will work, but if you're running front signal lights, you'll also have front brake lights.)

Using your toggle switch and four common (read: junkyard) relays, you can achieve 4 corner lights...



.

sneakysnake said:

Id have to think about it a bit, but you may could use a 5 to 4 trailer adapter that uses diodes to stop feed back.

Click to expand...

Or you could use that money to go toward an actual turn signal switch. $20 at Speedway. Unless you're going for something off the wall, like push buttons etc., it's just not worth re-inventing the Wheel-O.

Dr Crankenstein said:

Like the guys say, you have to separate brakes from signals and one side from the other. (A trailer converter will work, but if you're running front signal lights, you'll also have front brake lights.)

.

Click to expand...

On that note since that is what I was worried would happen ( either front brake lights and or no blinkers) so here's my idea. Wire everything up normal but in the back run the wires into the trailer converter then from there to the tail lights. If I'm right this should solve the problem. I think[S

Smallfoot came up with a good suggestion, we should have an area where we put our schematic diagrams. This tech thread could be just the place. Signal light / brake light circuits are complicated and can't be simplified easily or cheaply. I'm sorry I came down on you a little harshly Ybe, but I believe my own stuff. You should wire the trailer adapter in your lines and test drive your lights, then write a report on if it works or not in this tech thread and then we'll all know and it will be cataloged so the next guy can learn it.

You can get those adapters at U=haul. We replaced a damaged one on my fishin buddy's truck and he got it for less than 20 bucks.

Yessir, MM, maybe just a "sticky" page in this "Electrical Q&A" section where we could post just diagrams and drawings with no narrative. Most of them have some identification on the drawing. I've got quite a few around in my computer files and some on paper that I can scan in. I don't know about everybody else but I find it easy to follow when there is a schematic. Sometimes we can't explain as well in words what we could show in a drawing.
Dr. C, that is a drawing similar to what I had. I just haven't located the "special place" where I put it yet....

I haven't been on in a while so I'm wondering if the tech thread got started. If so my idea worked great.

I purchased the trailer wire adapter and it comes with a separate lead in for the brake light switch and a battery lead in. Seems to be working great and I don't have front brake lights.

So you ended up using the adapter for Toyota's and such like I suggested? Glad to help out! [cl


By the way, where ya been? Been missing you around here!

Been busy as all get out. Lost my mom a little over a year ago and been doing the estate battle thing and dealing with the farm I was left. Dealing with a 400mph toddler got screwed by the company I worked for and lost my job. So just a lot of loss. Trucks buried in the garage but I'm itching to get back to work. . Crazy being gone for a while and coming back and small foots trucks done and corpo is done and I'm sure there are more I have not caught up on.

Sorry to hear about your losses! We'll have to catch up one of these days. I've had some medicals issues which are keeping me busy right now but soon I'll come around and get together. Maybe I can stir up a restart on yours...