DIY-Blinking Side Markers

[DaveSmed]

GM, General Motors? No, I don't, why?

Thats correct. GM has been wiring their front sidemarkers like that for a while. I want to say 80s on?

[BBY1104]

I did this because I love how there are blinkers on mirrors on new cars. caught my eye

[emi325i]

I've got an even better idea...

leave the wiring the way it is, but use a normally-closed relay to interrupt the side marker circuit when the blinker comes on. It's is actually more complex because there's a bit of wiring involved with the relay... the 2 will alternate, but unlike other setups, the side-marker will stay a side-marker, and will be able to blink rather than simply dim in-and-out; that's useless.

[kommissar]

I've got an even better idea...

leave the wiring the way it is, but use a normally-closed relay to interrupt the side marker circuit when the blinker comes on. It's is actually more complex because there's a bit of wiring involved with the relay... the 2 will alternate, but unlike other setups, the side-marker will stay a side-marker, and will be able to blink rather than simply dim in-and-out; that's useless.

Dave's suggestion will cause the side marker to blink on and off, not just dim in and out, and stay a side marker.

[emi325i]

Dave's suggestion will cause the side marker to blink on and off, not just dim in and out, and stay a side marker.

ok.. my bad.. i spoke to soon

[Van Westervelt]

I have wired this up on three cars so that the sidemarkers are on with the parking lights, and blink off alternating with the turn signals.

Didnt wire it this way obviously. Why wouldnt you want them on constantly with the blink option? Makey no sense.

[BBY1104]

I had planned on euro trim in the future so i thought I would make them blink in the mean time. It seems this was the easiet way but would be simple to go back in and change it for them to stay on.

[Van Westervelt]

I had planned on euro trim in the future so i thought I would make them blink in the mean time. It seems this was the easiet way but would be simple to go back in and change it for them to stay on.

You wanna fight about it you little fuck stick?! ;-)

Takes the same amount of time to do it either way, and then they are on, and blink. :up:

/being an ass

[bmwstephen]

You got it. (well I want him to disconnect the ground first)

How it works is the 194 bulb used in the sidemarkers doesn't need massive amounts of current to light. So much so, that two large filaments, say like those found in the turn signal bulbs make a more than adequate ground. Heck one would do since not enough current will flow through the 194 to light even one filament the size of the turn signals. And on the other side of things, there's enough parking light bulbs that the single 194 can ground out through. Make any sense?

Ok, now the ground issue is taken care of, what about when the parking lights are on and you turn? +12v is applied to both sides of the bulb, and the net voltage difference is 0v, therefore no current flow, and no light. The sidemarker will alternate with the blinker.

H'mm definitely want to give this mod a try right now. So it has been confirmed that there aren't any grounding issues or shorting of the smaller bulb?

IF I understand this correctly, the turn signals lights will still lose their parking light function as a result from this cross over and remain only with the side markers?