front and rear strobes

like to see different applications from positive and negative systems, to be able to use relays to turn you front and rear tail light systems in to strobe (wanna be) lights.

thanks,

soundpressure

i know they won't be true strobes unless you add the real deal, but at least switch back and forth from one head lamp to the other. for an example i've seen the equipment. all it is, is 2 relays possibly with a couple of diodes. the only thing is that the relays come molded together so you don't know the actuall hook up to your head light system. check out www.galls.com/service/techsupport.jsp the two model numbers for my 96 pontiac bonniville for the front is b-fs037, and for the rear is b-fs027. now this front relay hook up is a multi-pattern flasher which is two flashes per side then both head lights on and off and back to the two flashes per side. you can see the actuall flash pattern in that website. it's nice to order things but when you can make the same item for much less than that it would be nice.

thanks

OHH FORGOT TO ADD THAT I HAVE DAY LIGHT RUNNING HEAD LIGHTS

THANKS

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE HOOK UP ON THE RELAY'S FOR THE HIGH BEAMS TO WIG-WAG AND DO A MULTI PATTERN FLASH, AS IN THE ABOVE WEBSITE.

THANKS

Hey Sound Pressure...I have a simple wig-wag flasher that i bout some time ago...i have it wired to the highbams with a diode at each light. Problem is ... it keeps blowing a fuse. My car (92 GEO Storm) also has daytime running lights. I was told to remove a lighting relay and it still blows a fuse. when they are hooked up, i must have my headlights off and in the highbeam position and they work just fine. But when i turn on the headlights in high or low, pop goes a fuse...then the highbeams are at 50% and on with the lowbeams. Really wierd and i have no idea how to fix it other than getting a different wig-wag.

If anyone does know how to get this done with relays please let us know.

thanks

Les

Hi Sound Pressure, if you can get one flasher to turn on and off to activate the coil of one relay to switch between two additional relays and flashers to make each side flash at least twice before flashing the other side it should work. If I have some time, I'll try to construct one and post the diagram here.

the12volt

Hey guys,

I just made my own headlight and taillight flashers for my 96 Ford Ranger.

I used a simple turn signal flasher and a relay to control both the taillight and backup lights and the two high beams.  I included a master switch which will turn on the taillights and then a second switch to include the headlights all on the same circut.  Works great.  Made two modules (boxes)....one to house the swtiches, LED, and main circut board and another to house another circut board for the diodes for my taillights and backup lights.

I will send in the pics, the diagrams, and the parts list here soon.  I'm sure someone would like them cause I spent a LONG time figuring this out........ 

I used a turn signal flasher with a bulb outage indicator so the speed of the lights would not be slow.  I modified the flasher unit so it included both a normally closed and normally open circut (REALLY SIMPLE....ONE WIRE FIX) so I DID NOT NEED A RELAY.   The only reason I have a relay in the circut is for my  normal High beam operation.

Again, hope this helps....

sparkyssb...

I know i would really apprecate pics, diagrams and parts list....i would love to do this to my car.

Couple for questions about it though...will it work with daytime running lights? Were diodes used for the high beams?

Looking forward to looking at what you have created and then attempting it myself.

Les

Les,

Well, I guess it WOULDN'T work with daytime running lights if the lights are turned off when the highbeams are engaged, BUT, it wouldn't be hard to wire in another relay so the running lights will turn off when power is applied to the circut, if that is all that is required.

If someone can tell me how daytime lights work, like how they are connected, I will probably be able to include an addition to the diagrams...

Yes, I had to use one diode for the high beams, four diodes for the taillights and backup lights.

The circut I made does not do anything fancy like blink twice on each side.  It does the standard wig-wag.  (The whole cost was around $40.00 in parts)

Please let me know how daytime running lights work and I'll think of something...

sparkyssb...

I wish i could tell ya how they work or how they are wired to my car. I have looked through the Haynes diagrams and the Chiltons...neither provide anything for DRL's. From what i know, this running light circuit was for canadian models only as they arent in the US versions...ggrrrr.

When i received my wig-wag unit, they included 2 diodes, one for each high beam as they are all on one circuit. There are 3 relays for the DRL's and one for the high/low beam circuit...as far as i know.

Wish i could get the diagrams for it but it seems near impossible

hey sparky ssb

look way on top at one of the post replies that i first listed. It has the website where you can order the actuall one for your car with or without daytime running lights. The only reason I posted this reply was to find out if anyone knew the actual wire hook up including the diodes. I have put these on my former toyota pick-up which has a neg. ground hook up on the lights. Meaning in which when I had my long beams on they shoot to ground turning the wig-wag system off. When turned to normal operating with low beams that would turn to positve turning on the wig-wag causing the high beams only to wig-wag. This works the same with or without daytime running lamps. It basically works the same way. If you spent about $40 in parts thru the website you can buy the same unit for your car with quick connects for about the same no cutting or anything. I know there has to be a cheaper way to do the same thing. I know that there was only 2 relays involved with diodes for the neg. ground systems(imports mostly) If anyone attemps to hook this system up please refer to that chart to know what type of system you have. The one I use to have were molded together somehow where I could not get them apart to find out the hook-up. Again if anyone could help me in finding out the hook-up i would appreciate that. Thanks everybody! I hope this helped out a little bit.

I looked thru my magazine and found that the actuall price for my car for the multi pattern flash which is two flashes per side then both lights turn on then off and back to the two flashes per side running for 54.99 for the front with quick connects no cutting. Now for the one without the quick connects its 10.00 cheaper. For the back of my car it's 49.00 again with the quick connects. Now the real simple ones like just wig-wag which is one beam flash then the other that runs about 20.00. These multi pattern are real neat and new. I've seen them down here on a cheif fire truck. I know we can find the cheaper way to do this so we all can enjoy them.

Thanks

Sound Pressure,

Well, I dont even think it's just two relays with a couple diodes hooked up....I have installed the Galls version of the mulitpattern before and yes, two relays come molded together.....one for the TURN ON LEAD (the small amount of power from the switch which will flip the relay so that it takes the + juice it actually uses to power the circut) And the other is to make the + juice flow between a 'left and right channel'.  Well, in order for the second relay to know that it should switch on or off for the different 'channels', it needs to have a circut to apply power to turn that relay ON or OFF.  (Thus the relay has a normally closed switch prong and a normally open prong) This circut would be designed either like a TURN SIGNAL FLASHER (electronic parts), with an ON,OFF,ON,OFF positve flow (the WIG-WAG pattern) or designed with other electronic parts that give it that particular flash pattern you are looking for. 

So...to make a long story short (LOL) inside the molded part of the wig wag system, there are electronics (more than diodes) to make up the REAL wigwag mulitflashing circut.  The relays just take it over from there to power the lights....

For the multi-pattern, you are better off purchasing one from Galls unless you have an electronics degree and know which IC's,  transistors, and capasitors to use to make the circut......

I don't think anybody would able to construct that complex flash pattern using just relays and diodes. If anybody knows how, and proves me wrong, god bless ya....go work for NASA... :-)

Thanks Sparkyssb,

I kinda had a huntch that it would have to be something else. The simple wig-wig I had only showed the two relays, I tried tearing it apart to find out what else is inside that makes it work but it was to difficult to break because of the mold. I've built some simple circuits before using a 555 timer IC chip which you can turn the flaher up or down in speed hooking up a potentiameter. Then again it would require more circuitry as you say to get that multi-pattern that I am looking for. Oh well it was a good try and a good idea. Maybe I'll order one and try to pry it open to see the actual circuit, if i'm able to clean up all the molding around it and post here.

How about the rear system which is just wig-wag between the stop and reverse lights?I'll see what I can do and give you guys an update.

Thanks

Hey everybody I just received the diagrams to the multi-pattern flasher system and for the rear traffic backer. Hopefully we can figure something out from this, this should help us a little bit more understand it. I will be posting them soon.

Thanks

hello room,

i just received and installed the front multi-pattern flasher which consists of 3 flashers, wig-wag,fast backer, and multi. i installed them earlier today. they are great!!!

you have to cut from the passengers side high beam. keep in mind that i have daytime running lights so they do work for the system. as i was saying you have to make a cut from the high beam on the pass side 8 to 12 inches from the light. you would connect one wire to the lead going back to the high beam. next you would connect the other wire going back to the other high beam. it has a groun hook up, and 12 volt hook up. then there is a swith to hook to and 12 volts to apply at the switch. it also has a wire that you would either hook to parking lights for those states in which if you were a volunteer after dark it will not allow you to flash. if not then you can either hook it to grond or tap it off. i am still trying to find someone at that company that can help me find the actuall inside diagram of the circuit and what it consist of. it looks very simple of only 2 relays, but theres got to be more in there. hopefully i can get that diagram for everybody.

thanks

Well, I finally made a diagram for a headlight/taillight circut.  You can view it at the below address:

https://www.sparkyssb.com/newheadtail.gif

This will allow you to run the back flashers and front flashers on one easy to make circut.  K5 turns on the back flashers AND IF K6 is hit while K5 is on, the front high beams will wig-wag.  Brake and Backup lights alternate and left and right high beams alternate.

SO....if you wanted only the front wig wags on without the back flashers going, this ISN'T the circut for you.  (My thinking is that if you have the front flashers going, you would like the back ones going also. )

Now, here are the specs.

K1=Any electronic turn signal w/+ and - inputs (the only load on this is the back-up lights!!)

K2=10A SPDT Relay  (Radio Shack 275-248)

K3=10A SPDT Relay  (Radio Shack 275-248)

K4=Any 12V LED or light

K5=Heavy Duty SPST Rocker Switch (Radio Shack 275-690)

K6=Heavy Duty DPDT Rocker Switch (Radio Shack 275-691)

Diodes=Rectifier Diodes rated at 6 Amps - 50PIV (Radio Shack 276-1661)

LHB=Left High Beam / RHB=RIght High Beam / BR=Brake Light / BU=Back-up Light

==----OUTPUTS----==

LHB [cut wire going to left high beam and wire this to lamp]

RHB [this is the other end of the left high beam wire that is connected to the actual high beam switch and right high beam lamp]

BR [cut wire going to brake lamps and wire this to lamps]

BU [cut wire going to backup lamps and wire this to lamps]

==----INPUTS---==

+ [Fused (20A) Positive Input]

- [Negative Input]

BR [from brake lamp switch (other end of 'cut' brake lamp wire)]

BU [from backup lamp switch (other end of 'cut' backup lamp wire)]

Any wires that cross that are not the same color DO NOT join together!

If same color, they need to be soldeRED / tapped together.

PLEASE CONTACT ME HERE OR AT mailto:webmaster@sparkyssb.com IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!! I would like to clearify any thing before you go to town making and installing the circut.  Please feel free to build off of it and please let me know what you did differently so I get more ideas for future circuts.

Thanks guys and hope this helps someone!

HEY SPARKY,

HEY WILL THIS WORK WITH IMPORTS THAT ARE GROUND SIDED SWITHED? OR IS THIS JUST FOR POSITIVE SIDED SYSTEMS EXAMPLE PONTIAC? WHAT TYPE OF ELECTRONIC TURN SIGNAL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AND WHICH WOULD BE PREFERED? ROUGHLY HOW MUCH IN PARTS ALL TOGETHER? THANKS SPARKY!

Hmm....lets see....

Does a ground sided switched car use a negative current to turn everything on?  (lets say a dome lamp always has a positive feed going to it but for it to turn on, it needs to be grounded?.?)

Also, does a ground sided car still have, (lets say a brake light filament), two wires..one positive and one negative? 

If the devices are not grounded already, i dont think this will work.  BUT if you add another relay to the circuit and some grounded leads heading out, you can make it work.  You would want the relay to let 'ground' pass through the new ground wires when the unit is on, and those would travel to the ground wire of the lamp(s).  You might want to add a few more diodes so the negative feed of a NORMAL operating light will not go back up to the relay.

So, if your lost, this might help: If you include another relay to this circiut, this will allow a ground to be feed through some wires when the unit is on.  Thus, these wires could be hooked TAPPED to the negative wire of the lamp(s) so the lamp would have a ground to work off of.  Then, the positive side of the circut could turn on and off the lamp like it should.  When the unit's power is off, it will disconnect the ground going to the lamps and boom, back to normal.  Along with the 'new' negative wires, YOU WOULD STILL WANT TO HOOK IT UP THE SAME AS I DESCRIBED IN THE EARLIER POST.

(That ground side might be a little too much work but I'll construct a diagram soon)

As for the turn signal: I used a Heavy Duty Littelfuse EFL 363 but i've also used a Tridon EP-30.  Both of these flashers have a bulb-out indicator so I get a little bit of a speed up in the performance.  Depends on the type and brand of the ELECTRONIC flasher that you get.  When I first was messing with this system, I played with alot of different types of flashers with many returns.  P.S. Probably anybody that has electronic knowledge can change the resistors or capacitor of the turn signal so a speed decrease or increase would happen.  (No returns after that, however :) )

My first setup cost me a little less than $40.  Not bad considering I gained knowledge when making/building the circuit and that I got headlight AND taillight flashers for almost the price of one.

I am currently making a better setup that houses EVERYTHING (except the two switches and LED) on a circuit board in a box with screw terminal so i can easily connect and disconnect wires.  [The diagram that is posted is the 'Better' setup but it doesn't show anything on a circuit board so you have to use your imagination.]

**** The relays that I suggested in the diagram are PC board mount relays with a high amp rating.  If you want to use these relays, I would suggest you mount them on a circuit board.  If not, then you can use standard heavy duty automotive relays with the SPDT configuration.

Now, for the quirks in the system:

1. Your normal highbeam operation will NOT work while the unit is operating.  When the unit is OFF, both of your highbeams will work like normal.  (Not that important if you have all of the flashers on)

2. I constructed the unit so the backup lights (and the small ass relays) will be the only load on the flasher. (very important if you have a flasher with a bulb-out indicator) If you go into reverse while the unit is operating, the load is lessened on the turn signal flasher and it may stop the flasher from flashing.  Because the flasher has no big load and will stop flashing, the relay that 'flip-flops' (K2)  will stay in the normally closed position causing the brake lights to be lit. (When I constructed the circuit, I made sure the brake lights were NOT the load, cause you would have the flasher stop all of the time when you hit your brakes) ***A possible solution: find a flasher unit that does not require a load to work properly.

Thats it.  This unit will allow normal brake light operation when the unit is on so people behind you know that you are slowing down, your reverse lights will work (but refer to quirks #2) when the unit is on, and the diodes stop all of the different 'positive inputs' from running in to each other causing mayham.  It's a neat little system that is as cheap as you make it.

Let me know with any more questions here or at mailto:webmaster@sparkyssb.com.  Later!

hey sparky,

thanks for the info! great job with the circuit!

Sound Pressure,

I made a circuit diagram for the ground sided vehicles.  (Yeah, I know.......it could be better)

https://www.sparkyssb.com/newheadtailground.gif

The negative outputs have to have diodes inline with each output so during normal car operation, all of your lights don't turn on with the push on your brake, backlights, or highbeams.  [Notice how the diodes are turned around!] Again, these negative outputs would be TAPPED into the ground of each light you are operating.  The rest of the operation would be installed like I mentioned above.

Thanks for compliments.

Eric Lucas (AKA SparkySSB)

hey eric(sparky)

cool deal with the ground side circuit. you the man!!  how would tear this circuit apart as being only for the rear? like myself i have the front flasher already. missing the rear. you know thinking about it i'm wondering if the same unit that i have for the front would work the same way in the rear. hey that would be a first! having your rear do three different patterns. hmm? each rear side twice, then both flash together twice, then the fast backer wig-wag. that would be awsome. what do you think? or am i getting out of hand with these strobe wanna be's?

Hey SoundPressure,

Well, I caught a error in my original 'ground sided' circuit so DON'T use the diagram that I posted!

Here is the updated diagram for both the headlight/tailight flasher circuit for ground sided vehicles:

https://www.sparkyssb.com/newheadtailground.gif

(*There was an error in the positive input of the new relay I added for the ground side.  It is fixed now)

As for just tailight flashers, here is the diagram for a 'ground sided' car:

https://www.sparkyssb.com/newtailground.gif

*Notice the removal of K3 and change in wiring.

Also, yes I have seen the multipattern flash work on taillights and backup lights.  But additional relays might be required.  Can you tell or send me the wiring digram for it and I will see how you would wire it in for the taillights.

Talk to you later and hope this helps,

Eric Lucas

Hey Eric,

Not sure on the rear tail light configuration. The item has been on back order, but I was guessing that it would be somewhat the same as the high beam hookup. Maybe cutting the main wire for the rear stop, not sure how this would work with multi stops meaning more than a few bulbs for stop on one side, then hooking up one side to one wire while connecting the other side the the other wire. Possibly connecting the reverse lamps together or seperate. Not sure how that would work! I didn't think that they made a multi-pattern for the rear. Now that was for a multi pattern but the item that's on backorder is a basic wig-wag which is tapping into the main stop lamps and reverse lamps, so basically flashing two sets of lamps. I'll try to get a hold of a schematic of the circuit. I might just have one at home. I'm at work right now but most likely if I could find it tomorrow I'll post it for review.

talk to you soon, thanks

Eddie M.

Hey Sound Pressure,

You still alive?  if so, whats up with the tail lights?

Thanks!

Hey Sparky,

Yeah still alive and kickin. Oh man let me tell you busy is not the word man. How you been? The tail light flasher I have not got to that point yet, can you believe that? Front wig-wag though-beautiful on the ground side. It's pretty sweet. I have my fog lights switching as well with the Bonneville with the Multi flash pattern up front. You the man. Hey got any other idea's that we can do with some relays besides this? Good to hear you are still around to man!

Hey Sound,

Well, I was thinking about having a relay become a starter kill....yeah...not a new idea on the block....but i was thinking of spicing it up by having a momententary to about a 5 second pulse so that when i want to start my car, i jump in, and flick my highbeam stick..  i never heard of anybody doing it like that....

but, im confused...were you able to mess with any of my circuits or no..?  if so, how was it to install and what are the downfalls to it....if not, thats cool...ill find out later.

I only ask this because I plan to make a solid state circuit instead of the current one...and it wont matter what the load is and will have a variable speed knob on it....i need to build it soon because I have 2 installs I need to do for some friends (police officers ) before I'm off to college..i just want to improve the whole circuit(s).

Lata Dude,

Eric Lucas

Hey Eric,

I have not been able to mess with the circuit yet! I did print them out and the first one that I am going to try is the tail light flasher.

So when you hit the high beam stick it kills the pre-start mode going to ignition like regular alarms? That's different, and cool at the same time. You know you would be the first to do it

I'm thinking of doing something real fancy with an amp rack that I want to build, it being motorized where you look at it and you don't see anything, but then you either press a button or flip a switch and everything comes out to view. Any ideas.

Thanks

Hey Sound,

Well, i dont have a alarm but i wanted to add a little bit of added protection to my truck so i wanted to put in a relay that would kill the wire going to the starter most of the time....but when i get in my truck and hit my highbeam stick real quick, i get 5 seconds of constant power to the relay so the starter wire is enabled for me to turn my ignition on...not great but will be a cheap, cool little project.

As for the amp rack...look at servos. Check this thing out: https://www.vaperz.net/joe.html  you might get some ideas from that...

How much room do you have to work with? what kind of car do you have?

Talk to you soon,

Eric

Hey Sparky,

I have a Pontiac Bonneville 96, it has a pretty big trunk. Space is no problem. Even thinking of putting the emblem of the car in the middle of the trunk. I have two 12's in there right now. No problem taking out in under 5 minutes.

Thanks,