Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

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varmint
Posts: 838
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:02 pm
First Name: Vernon
Last Name: Worley
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: October 26, 1926 Coupe
Location: New Orleans, LA
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Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

Post by varmint » Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:41 am

It was a small adventure but here it is:
This is the opened top half of the turn switch. The instructions say to scrape away paint from the steering column so that the clamp makes electrical contact between the column and the exposed zinc casting. Some time ago I already stated that we disassembled the frame, fixed it, painted it and reassembled it to find poor grounds everywhere. We decided to run a separate wire for ground to all points needed. And here we are again, attaching a small black wire.
turn 01.jpg

There is a blade fuse, not the glass one provided, from the starter switch positive hot, red wire to the brake switch. Two red wires leave, one from each side of the brake switch, one carrying the hot, and the other for the brake light. These two red wires join two black wires from the bright contact of each tail light into a loom.
turn 02.jpg
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It's time to make brackets for the front turn lights, single contact, no parking lights on the front.
turn 03.jpg
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This is the hole for the motorcycle turn light which has been repurposed.
turn 04.jpg

With the turn light mounted in place and a piece of cardboard, it's time to mock up the lower brackets.
turn 05.jpg
I'll upload more photos and story but for now I still have a job.
Vern (Vieux Carre)

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WillyR
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 coupe
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Re: Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

Post by WillyR » Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:08 am

It looks like we have the same switch, I'm not scraping paint off my column either...

I'll be installing mine after I take possession of my new 24.

I already have brake lights, but will be adding turn signals on the 4 corners.

I was thinking of making removable brackets, for shows and such, but I think I'll just enjoy my car...

I have that pesky job thing too, I need to find a remedy...
Sent from the panic room, via two tin cans attached with a string, and a jail broken Marconi, while wearing a Tin Foil hat.

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Topic author
varmint
Posts: 838
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:02 pm
First Name: Vernon
Last Name: Worley
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: October 26, 1926 Coupe
Location: New Orleans, LA
Contact:

Re: Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

Post by varmint » Fri Mar 28, 2025 12:53 pm

You are welcome to do the same as me.

This is just conduit that I keep rolling as I strike with a hammer.
turn 06.jpg

Got the shape that I wanted.
turn 07.jpg

Both get a round hole, aligned.
turn 08.jpg
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Top plate gets the square, for tightening the two brackets.
turn 09.jpg

Both brackets are mounted together in order to round the corners.
turn 10.jpg
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Vern (Vieux Carre)

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Topic author
varmint
Posts: 838
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:02 pm
First Name: Vernon
Last Name: Worley
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: October 26, 1926 Coupe
Location: New Orleans, LA
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Re: Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

Post by varmint » Fri Mar 28, 2025 6:38 pm

I used the same ground wire that was being used by each headlight for the same reason. This screw goes into the headlight fixture as the focal length adjustment of the bulb.
turn 11.jpg
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1/8" Rubber friction hold.
I had to purchase extra...hate saying it...metric nuts on the business end to prevent cracking the plastic mount. There is stress between the two brackets and using only 1 nut puts way more pressure on the plastic than it can handle.
turn 12.jpg
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The turn light fixture is plastic. So, it's already required to have a separate ground wire. It reached the headlight. These use 194 style bulbs and finding them in 6v was a challenge. But they came with 12v bulbs and are somehow working on 6v.
turn 13.jpg

Out of place but doesn't look too ugly.
turn 14.jpg
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Drilled a 5/8" hole above the steering column for a rubber grommet and used a worn out grinding disc to de-burr both sides.
turn 15.jpg
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Vern (Vieux Carre)

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Topic author
varmint
Posts: 838
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:02 pm
First Name: Vernon
Last Name: Worley
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: October 26, 1926 Coupe
Location: New Orleans, LA
Contact:

Re: Installed turn signals, brake, hazzard

Post by varmint » Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:26 pm

Wrapped the two front lights together. Wrapped the two red and two black turn signals together.
Grommet is in place.
turn 16.jpg
Wiring harness is wrapped, not just in the plastic tube that comes with it. The extra long black wire is the additional ground.
turn 17.jpg
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My first thought was to solder the wires together inside the cowl & dash area. But then I remembered the way Henry did it and followed his example.
turn 18.jpg
Cut down the bus bar, crimped blade connectors for the flasher (6v electronic), and came up with a plan. This flasher requires a separate ground anyway. I do not quite have a mounting location but am considering utilizing the strews from the stock bus bar to hold a bracket on the inside. Makes me think, why didn't Henry mount the electricals on the other side of the firewall?
turn 19.jpg
Ran the two outside harnesses through the grommet. Finished attaching the wires and tested the lights, but found a problem. All the turn lights blink, stop light, lights up, hazards blink but...
When I turn right, the rear right is bright and the left blinks dim.
When I turn left, the rear left is bright and the right blinks dim.

I do not have this problem on the front since the front does not have parking lights as they are single element. When I turn on the headlights, then problem goes away as the parking lights stay lit and do not blink. My first thought is a faulty ground and i spent the next hour proving that the ground is good to both sides. I had expected that power was back feeding to the opposite side to find a negative. I disconnected the power wires to test for a bad turn signal switch. Then, I removed the covers off the rear bulbs to examine the two LEDs. All individual LEDs light up on low power and all light up on high. There are not two true separate circuits and the bulbs must be back feeding themselves. To test this theory, I bought two incandescent 6v bulbs. Problem solved. These two LEDs are poorly engineered but there are no markings that I may report to you.
turn 20.jpg
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Vern (Vieux Carre)

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