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Side parking lights blinking with turn signal

JohnJohn

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May 6, 2005
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Richmond
I know I read an old post but cant find it.

I was thinking about modifying my side parking lights to blink like my front turn signals. This would be more of a safety upgrade so people next to me could see the lights blinking.
Something where the side lights would use a dual element bulb like the front turn signals.
I am sure I could figure it out with some new bulbs and diodes but if anyone knows where the write up is it may save me some time.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
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Jun 4, 2002
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Simplier then that.

Take the ground wire from the side marker light and attach it to the turn signal power.

When just the park lights are on the ground for the side marker light is through the turn signal filiment.
When just the turn signal is on the ground for the side marker light is through the park light filiment.
When bothpark and turn are on there is power on both sides of the side marker and no grounds left, so the light goes out.

This works because the side marker light is a very small current load and the high powered filiments of the park and turn signal simply won't light with with the low current levels of the side marker lights.
 

bronco loco

It never ends
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Nov 12, 2005
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Long Island New York
Simplier then that.

Take the ground wire from the side marker light and attach it to the turn signal power.

When just the park lights are on the ground for the side marker light is through the turn signal filiment.
When just the turn signal is on the ground for the side marker light is through the park light filiment.
When bothpark and turn are on there is power on both sides of the side marker and no grounds left, so the light goes out.

This works because the side marker light is a very small current load and the high powered filiments of the park and turn signal simply won't light with with the low current levels of the side marker lights.

Exactly what I did couple of years ago, still works.
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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Thanks for the reply.
If I do this mod will my side marker lights go from on to brighter if my headlights are on?
Or will they go on and off with the headlights on?
 

Viperwolf1

Contributor
electron whisperer
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They'll be VERY slightly dimmer (probably not enough to notice), but their behavior will be the same, other than blinking with the turn signals.

Very close. I believe they will blink opposite the turn signals when the lights are on. That is when the turn signal is lit the side marker is unlit. When the turn signal is unlit the side marker is lit but slightly dimmer. When the lights are off the side marker should blink in unison with the turn signal.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
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Very close. I believe they will blink opposite the turn signals when the lights are on. That is when the turn signal is lit the side marker is unlit. When the turn signal is unlit the side marker is lit but slightly dimmer. When the lights are off the side marker should blink in unison with the turn signal.

Correct. Just like almost every GM vehicle from the 70's through 90's
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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Thanks for the help. I just finished the front. It works just like you described .

I checked the rear and noticed it may not be the same process. If i wire the ground from the rear side light to the rear turn power it will cause my side light to turn on when I hit the brake as well as the turn signal. Do I have to run a wire from the front turn signals to the rear side markers?
 

Viperwolf1

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The rear will work a little differently because you also have the brake light signal to deal with and that signal uses the same wire as the turn signal.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
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It would take a little more wire, but I suppose you could run the front turn signal wire to the back to power the side marker lights. That will keep them blinking with the turns but avoid brake light complications.

Also this only works with ordanary bulbs, won't work with LEDs. There are various backwards current flows that have to occur to make this work.
 

miikee73

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Aloha
It would take a little more wire, but I suppose you could run the front turn signal wire to the back to power the side marker lights. That will keep them blinking with the turns but avoid brake light complications.

Also this only works with ordanary bulbs, won't work with LEDs. There are various backwards current flows that have to occur to make this work.

Thanks for the LED heads up.I was going to do this tomorrow and would of wondered what I did wrong.?:?
 

half cab

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My Bronco has done this in the past on its own.No mod's were ever used.;)

hc
 

Mountain Ram

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Abingdon, VA
This is gonna sound stupid... Does anyone have a pic of this? Do you just run a jumper from the side light to the front signal or do you cut the side light wire and just run it to the the front signal?

I just want to do this once while I am in the process of sorting thru the extra wires under my hood...

Thanks
Todd
 

Steve83

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Jul 16, 2003
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Memphis, TN, USA, Earth, Milky Way
In BB's first reply (post #2), he means "CUT the sidemarker ground wire and attach the BULB side of the cut to the front turn power". In this diagram, the cut would be in zone F20 between the LHF side bulb and C406 (where it's a single wire).



Then the bulb side of the Bk wire would be spliced into circuit 3 (Gn/Wh). Similarly, the RHF side ground would be cut & spliced into circuit 2 (Wh/Bu). The harness side of the cut Bk wire is a ground, so it can't be connected directly to any power wire.
 
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