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-   -   how do i wire these tail lights? (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/all-cobra-talk/105714-how-do-i-wire-these-tail-lights.html)

dlotz 07-20-2010 11:20 AM
how do i wire these tail lights?
 
Ok
So I have a set of superformance square tail lights with dual bulbs.

Each bulb socket has three wiring (male) prongs on it. I want both light low elemeents to be on for parking lights. High filimemt on top bulb for turn signal and high filiment on bottom bulb for brake light.

The casing is metal and I think the bulb sockets are shorting eachother out.

Any suggestions?

VintageUpgrades 07-20-2010 03:01 PM
There should be markings on the bottom of the bulb sockets E is Earth, 1 is brake/turn, 2 is park.

dlotz 07-21-2010 05:16 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by VintageUpgrades (Post 1065867)
There should be markings on the bottom of the bulb sockets E is Earth, 1 is brake/turn, 2 is park.
Mitch
You say turn/brake as of is one wore in the same. I have three wires at each tail light.
1 brake wire from my fuse box (+12) to brake switch then split to both tail lights
1 running light wore split to both tail lights
1 turn signal at each light


These 3 wires come from the fuse pannel on my American autowire 15 circuit wiring harness.

Grounds I was going to wire straight to the chassis at each light.


Do I have something wrong?

The reason I went with the (2x) 3 prong sockets was so that I could have my brake lit up on one bulb while my turn signal was on at the other. (so bothh can operate at the same time)

Tommy 07-21-2010 09:42 AM
Dlotz,
A double filament bulb requires three connections: 1) the ground serves both filaments; 2) one wire with 12v illuminates the brighter filament for brakes and/or turn signals; 3) one wire with 12v illuminates the dimmer filament for running/parking lights. If you car is equipped with a brake/turn signal system, you can have the bright filaments in all four rear bulbs serve as both brake and turn signal lights. If you car, like mine, is not so equipped, you can run your turn signal wires to the bright filaments on one bulb on each side, and the brake light wires to the bright filaments on the other bulbs on each side.

dlotz 07-21-2010 11:33 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommy (Post 1066072)
Dlotz,
A double filament bulb requires three connections: 1) the ground serves both filaments; 2) one wire with 12v illuminates the brighter filament for brakes and/or turn signals; 3) one wire with 12v illuminates the dimmer filament for running/parking lights. If you car is equipped with a brake/turn signal system, you can have the bright filaments in all four rear bulbs serve as both brake and turn signal lights. If you car, like mine, is not so equipped, you can run your turn signal wires to the bright filaments on one bulb on each side, and the brake light wires to the bright filaments on the other bulbs on each side.

Tommy that is how I wired it. However the case is metal and the tabs that hold the socket into. The case are conncted to the prongs that the wires connect too. Therefor grounding out. With the blinker on it stops flashing when I step on the brake and light up ythe other bulb.

patrickt 07-21-2010 11:52 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlotz (Post 1066018)
Mitch
You say turn/brake as of is one wore in the same. I have three wires at each tail light.
1 brake wire from my fuse box (+12) to brake switch then split to both tail lights
1 running light wore split to both tail lights
1 turn signal at each light
ERA uses a trailer relay under the dash to allow the two filament bulb to blink while the brakes are pushed and the tail lights are on.

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...arlight001.jpg

Tommy 07-21-2010 12:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlotz (Post 1066101)
Tommy that is how I wired it. However the case is metal and the tabs that hold the socket into. The case are conncted to the prongs that the wires connect too. Therefor grounding out. With the blinker on it stops flashing when I step on the brake and light up ythe other bulb.
I'm having a hard time getting my head around what you've said. It sounds like you said all three wires ultimately connect to a common metal case. Surely that is not how it was intended to be. It sounds like it is time to get out the multimeter and check for unintended connections between the three circuits. If, with the bulb removed, they all do share a common electrical connection, something is manufactured wrong.

Second thought added later:
Are you saying there are two bulb sockets in one taillight assembly? If that's the case, I would expect there to be one ground wire serving both sockets (and perhaps the case serves that purpose), one tail light wire serving the dim filaments on both bulbs, one wire for the brake light to power one bright filament on one bulb, and one turn signal wire to power the bright filament on the other bulb. In that case, the three WIRES are: tail, turn and brake. You'd have to run your own ground wire to ground the case.

patrickt 07-21-2010 12:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommy (Post 1066109)
I'm having a hard time getting my head around what you've said.
Me too. But if he has only one bulb on each side of his car, and that bulb has two filaments, and his tail lights come on properly, and his brake lights work properly when he hits them, and his turn signals work properly so long as he's not pressing the brakes, and the only problem is that he can not use his turn signals and his brakes at the same time, then that is exactly what this little gizmo is designed to fix.

http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/media/74991.jpg

strictlypersonl 07-21-2010 01:46 PM
I think that the SPF lights have two 1157 bulbs on each side, one filament (in "bulb A") functions solely as the brake light, another filament (in bulb B, in the same taillight) works as the signal light. No relay is necessary.

dlotz 07-21-2010 01:56 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by strictlypersonl (Post 1066133)
I think that the SPF lights have two 1157 bulbs on each side, one filament (in "bulb A") functions solely as the brake light, another filament (in bulb B, in the same taillight) works as the signal light. No relay is necessary.
Yes. Two bulbs in each light. I do have them wired correctly in theory just on the wrong posts according to Mitch. I will try it tonight and use pictures this time lol.

Thanks for the help.

patrickt 07-21-2010 02:00 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlotz (Post 1066137)
Yes. Two bulbs in each light.
Well if you want to switch to a single bulb rectangular light, now you know how.:LOL:

dlotz 07-21-2010 08:22 PM
Got it figured out. Mitch was correct. I have the wires on the wrong terminals.

The SPF is a dual bulb syatem and they have very very tine lightly scribed numbers and letters by the terminals telling you which to hook up to. I never saw them.

Thanks Mitch!


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