Looking for advice on a flashing third brake light mod.
Having fun with my car, as you can tell. It's got a long list of wants, so I figured I'd start working on the next one up now that I've done my shocks.
I'd like my center tail light (3rd brake light) to flash when braking. There are quite a few products that do this... some are clearly intended for low power applications and littered all over ebay claiming things that they don't deliver. (My favorite is the 1 amp load product that some sellers advertise as capable of 100W instead of 10-15W... good times.) Now, knowing incandescents and loads, it seems to me that it would actually be easier to go to LED bulbs instead of incandescents, and then blink those: because LEDs have almost instant on/off, allowing a much higher rate of blinking if so desired; because LEDs don't mind being blinked, whereas normal bulbs will die quicker because of it; and of course because switching less power means a smaller, simpler, cheaper circuit. Since I really don't feel like designing a blinker when they exist for $1 to $50 already at varying levels of quality, I figure I'll take the easy way out. However! Here's why I'm making this post: I can't find any articles online that talk about LED conversions for the 3rd brake light. Tons of people convert the standard tail lights to LEDs, or euro spec, or whatever. Fine. But if people do convert the 3rd light to LEDs, they don't post write-ups of it. Bulbs they used, whether they had to install special circuitry (like a hyperflash), etc. So with all that said, question for the forum: 1. Can you simply plug and play 194-compatible LEDs into the 'high mounted stop lamp' (GM parlance) and have it work properly, both electrically, and in terms of light pattern? I don't want to blind anyone behind me. 2. Does anyone have preferred brake light modulators / blinkers? I quite like the designs from http://www.3rdbrakeflasher.com/. Would appreciate links to past threads if I have missed them. Thanks! |
[QUOTE=gimp;1592998438]Having fun with my car, as you can tell. It's got a long list of wants, so I figured I'd start working on the next one up now that I've done my shocks.
I'd like my center tail light (3rd brake light) to flash when braking. Hey Dude! The center mounted brake light is LED! Just get a flasher, install it and go on to something else! But to quote Bill Curlee "I can't afford to buy anything too cheap"! Buy a good one when you do. Good Luck! |
Look into products for motorcycles. I have one on my Harley that flashes the brakelight, and it has several patterns. It's easy to wire into a circuit. I have it on a setting that flashes about 8 times when triggered, and then stays solid.
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Radioflyer Innovations has a 3rd brake light flasher unit that is a true plug and play. George is an excellent CF Supporting Vendor :thumbs:
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How'd I miss that Radioflyer has this? Thanks. I'm not sold on the flash pattern though...
Sterling, I'm not entirely sure that the 3rd light is already LED. The GM parts bin seems to say that it's a standard bulb, as the replacement for it is a standard bulb... as near as I can tell... |
Originally Posted by gimp
(Post 1593001697)
I'm not entirely sure that the 3rd light is already LED. The GM parts bin seems to say that it's a standard bulb, as the replacement for it is a standard bulb... as near as I can tell...
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Yep,,,,,,,,,,,, its led!
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Well, that makes life way easier. Whooooops. Thanks folks! Wonder why the GM sheet says standard 194 bulbs.
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Originally Posted by Road Runner
(Post 1593001750)
The 3rd brake light IS LED - has always been on all years.
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
(Post 1593002016)
Yep,,,,,,,,,,,, its led!
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Originally Posted by gimp
(Post 1593003296)
Well, that makes life way easier. Whooooops. Thanks folks! Wonder why the GM sheet says standard 194 bulbs.
Buy and install the plug-n-play flasher. I've had one for years. Note: a nice feature on my unit is that after one brake application (unit flashes normally), if you apply the brakes again within 15 sec (~), it does NOT flash. Prevents constant flashing in creep-n-crawl traffic. |
Originally Posted by Road Runner
(Post 1593001750)
The 3rd brake light IS LED - has always been on all years.
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Seems like a good idea but the more I looked into it the more convinced I am that flashing/pulsing 3rd brake lights are illegal in all 50 states.
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Originally Posted by J. Kent
(Post 1597805443)
Seems like a good idea but the more I looked into it the more convinced I am that flashing/pulsing 3rd brake lights are illegal in all 50 states.
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put a cheap one on my Impala and it worked fine , put the same one on my C5 and it threw codes for traction control and I think ECBM . Took it off and codes went away .
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Originally Posted by J. Kent
(Post 1597805443)
Seems like a good idea but the more I looked into it the more convinced I am that flashing/pulsing 3rd brake lights are illegal in all 50 states.
Amended Ch. 410, Stats. 1983. Effective January 1, 1984. |
Originally Posted by gimp
(Post 1592998438)
Having fun with my car, as you can tell. It's got a long list of wants, so I figured I'd start working on the next one up now that I've done my shocks.
I'd like my center tail light (3rd brake light) to flash when braking. There are quite a few products that do this... some are clearly intended for low power applications and littered all over ebay claiming things that they don't deliver. (My favorite is the 1 amp load product that some sellers advertise as capable of 100W instead of 10-15W... good times.) Now, knowing incandescents and loads, it seems to me that it would actually be easier to go to LED bulbs instead of incandescents, and then blink those: because LEDs have almost instant on/off, allowing a much higher rate of blinking if so desired; because LEDs don't mind being blinked, whereas normal bulbs will die quicker because of it; and of course because switching less power means a smaller, simpler, cheaper circuit. Since I really don't feel like designing a blinker when they exist for $1 to $50 already at varying levels of quality, I figure I'll take the easy way out. However! Here's why I'm making this post: I can't find any articles online that talk about LED conversions for the 3rd brake light. Tons of people convert the standard tail lights to LEDs, or euro spec, or whatever. Fine. But if people do convert the 3rd light to LEDs, they don't post write-ups of it. Bulbs they used, whether they had to install special circuitry (like a hyperflash), etc. So with all that said, question for the forum: 1. Can you simply plug and play 194-compatible LEDs into the 'high mounted stop lamp' (GM parlance) and have it work properly, both electrically, and in terms of light pattern? I don't want to blind anyone behind me. 2. Does anyone have preferred brake light modulators / blinkers? I quite like the designs from http://www.3rdbrakeflasher.com/. Would appreciate links to past threads if I have missed them. Thanks! |
OK. Think I'll try it and see how I do with NJ inspection in the fall.
Now here's another question: If the stock 3rd (5th?) brake light is LED, is there any advantage to the aftermarket ones being sold? I know some are black and some are clear so if you're going for that "look" sure, but what about the red ones? I think this thread just saved me some money! |
Originally Posted by rayz1951
(Post 1597821592)
I bought from Radio Flyer. Plug and play and took about 10 minutes. Done. Blinks 3 times then stays on, let your foot off the brakes for 15 seconds then resets,when you brake again, blinks 3 times then stays on. No problems.
Is there another way? |
Originally Posted by bc6152
(Post 1597982235)
Can you share with us novices how you completed this in 10 minutes? I just took a look at my car and it seems that the inside trunk carpeting must be removed to get at the fixture.
Is there another way? It's even easier when you get a flasher unit that has the appropriate plugs, no splicing needed. I used this one: http://webelectricproducts.com/products2.htm There are many flasher units from multiple manufacturers available. dan k. |
Originally Posted by bc6152
(Post 1597982235)
Can you share with us novices how you completed this in 10 minutes? I just took a look at my car and it seems that the inside trunk carpeting must be removed to get at the fixture.
Is there another way? |
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