Bruce of MN
Well-known member
For a ‘31, does the red or amber section light up for brake lights? I am troubleshooting and I seem to have had things mixed up.
Tail Lights
- Thread starter Bruce of MN
- Start date
Big hammer
Well-known member
Amber = brake light
nkaminar
Well-known member
Many years ago (early 1970) I got a fixit ticket for an amber stop light and no mud flaps on my farm fresh 1931 AA truck. I think the cops just wanted to keep me off the highway. In retrospect they were probably right as it was not really roadworth. I went to court to show that the original tail lights were amber for the stop light, and with the addition of mud flaps, got the ticket removed.
Patrick L.
Well-known member
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Hey... which ones are these? i have LED stop/tail lights but i am not happy with their brightness. 6V positive ground chassis...
ndnchf
Well-known member
These:
Left side:
https://www.brattons.com/COMMERCIAL-RED_AMBER-LED-TAILLIGHT-6V-LEFT/productinfo/18996/
Right side:
https://www.brattons.com/COMMERCIAL-RED_AMBER-LED-TAILLIGHT-6V-RIGHT/productinfo/19003/
They have multiple LEDs inside, not just a single bulb.
Left side:
https://www.brattons.com/COMMERCIAL-RED_AMBER-LED-TAILLIGHT-6V-LEFT/productinfo/18996/
Right side:
https://www.brattons.com/COMMERCIAL-RED_AMBER-LED-TAILLIGHT-6V-RIGHT/productinfo/19003/
They have multiple LEDs inside, not just a single bulb.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Patrick L.
Well-known member
#19170 and #19180 from Bratton's are what I used. Very bright and a good change.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Yes, i saw them, but i need a turn indicator on the top and a tail + stop light on the bottom... europe...
Patrick L.
Well-known member
Why do you need a stop on the bottom ? The turn and stop are the same bulb. Its switched thru the switch, any turn switch [ such as a Signalstat ] does that magically.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
in germany, you need a seperate turn indicator in yellow/amber. Then a tail light PLUS braking light in red. if the tail light is on (headlamps on), when braking the light has to be brighter...
Does my explanation make sense?
Patrick L.
Well-known member
Yep, it does make sense. So, if you are using the standard lens then I suppose the lights can be rewired to the configuration you need. So it seems as though you'll end up with a single filament for turns and the dual for tail and brake.
In the States laws vary per state, but, usually allow the lights as they came from the factory when new. Many of us just add turn lights because most folks today don't seem to know about hand signals and get tired of the middle finger salute from the soccer mons.
Bruce of MN
Well-known member
Thanks for the "Top is Stop"!
The LED module tail light section on my left tail light has burnt out, so I am getting a new #19173 from Brattons today.
The LED module tail light section on my left tail light has burnt out, so I am getting a new #19173 from Brattons today.
bavArian
Senior Member
For vehicles this old you don't need separate amber turn lights. On the rear you can use the brake light as turn light, BUT it still has to flash when braking. The TÜV should accept that. I won't argue though that it is reasonable to use dedicated turn lights.
I managed to get the TÜV to accept Snyders art.# A-13405-T6. I also got myself an extra set of red lenses that I can switch for the amber ones. So I can use amber colored ones in normal traffic (all cars have orange/amber turn lights here, red ones can cause confusion on some lower-IQ drivers behind you
) and can switch them out for red ones when driving to a vintage car meet.edit: I have to add that I did use brighter bulbs in the turn lights. The original bulbs are a safety hazard when driving during the day!!
With 5 W bulbs the turn lights are just bright enough to work properly.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
For vehicles this old you don't need separate amber turn lights. On the rear you can use the brake light as turn light, BUT it still has to flash when braking. The TÜV should accept that. I won't argue though that it is reasonable to use dedicated turn lights.
I managed to get the TÜV to accept Snyders art.# A-13405-T6. I also got myself an extra set of red lenses that I can switch for the amber ones. So I can use amber colored ones in normal traffic (all cars have orange/amber turn lights here, red ones can cause confusion on some lower-IQ drivers behind you
edit: I have to add that I did use brighter bulbs in the turn lights. The original bulbs are a safety hazard when driving during the day!!
With 5 W bulbs the turn lights are just bright enough to work properly.
Margarethe has already passed the TüV/Dekra and, as i got everything as per my wishes (including a very small numberplate for the rear (80er, 250mmx130mm)), i will not be ungrateful and discuss matters.
I wanted to put in LEDs to reduce the current flow but i am going the powergen/powermaster route now...
Bruce of MN
Well-known member
When I originally put in the LED module 5+ years ago, I had to grind away some of the lower bulb socket to have room for the clear plastic casting for the license plate light. This made the plug with the module unusable, so I grounded the white wire in the teacup and connected the hot wire from the module to the hot wire in the car's wiring harness. That all seemed to work.
As noted in an earlier post, the tail light section stopped working, so I bought a new module. After doing the above mods, it doesn't work either! It makes me wonder if the plug that I cut off has some solid state items in it that are needed. I will call the manufacturer on Monday to see.
I could buy a whole new teacup assembly with LED module or make the socket mentioned above usable. It projects into the teacup a lot more than the upper socket. Is that normal? Maybe I can push it out with a dowel and make it work and only have to buy a new module and keep the original teacup?
As noted in an earlier post, the tail light section stopped working, so I bought a new module. After doing the above mods, it doesn't work either! It makes me wonder if the plug that I cut off has some solid state items in it that are needed. I will call the manufacturer on Monday to see.
I could buy a whole new teacup assembly with LED module or make the socket mentioned above usable. It projects into the teacup a lot more than the upper socket. Is that normal? Maybe I can push it out with a dowel and make it work and only have to buy a new module and keep the original teacup?
Zoltan
Junior Member
Re: LED Tail Lights
I bought 6-volt tail light bulbs on Amazon (Chinese) and found out that the polarity is reversed. I rewired the bulb case for positive ground and epoxied it back together. Works great.
I bought 6-volt tail light bulbs on Amazon (Chinese) and found out that the polarity is reversed. I rewired the bulb case for positive ground and epoxied it back together. Works great.
