FIRE UP wrote:
Bird Freak wrote:
FIRE UP wrote:
Bird Freak wrote:
last 4 toads I wired I just installed another bulb in each taillight and ran the wires straight to them. Never touched vehicle wiring.
Many folks do it this way. But, one of the main problems I see in wiring a toads tail lights this way is this. About 99.9% of the time, when a second bulb is added to the same tail light housing, it's ultra close to the original bulb. And, in the same percentage, there is no partition in between the two bulbs. And, if one has an auxiliary braking system, i.e. Ready Brake, Even Brake, Brake Buddy, and any other system that actually pushes on the brake pedal, then in a very, very large percentage of the toads out there, the brake lights are activated when the brake pedal pushed.
So, here's the potential scenario. You're all hooked up and towing down the road. You're approaching a turn and, you need to slow down. You apply the turn signal in the coach which, in turn, applies it to the additional bulb that's been installed in the toad. It's flashing, as it should be. But, you now apply the brakes in the coach. That, in turn, applies the brakes in the toad too, due to the auxiliary braking system installed in the toad.
If the toad is the same as approximately 90% or more out there in toad land, that auxiliary brake will activate the toads brake lights, correct?
So now, you've got a flashing bulb, most of the time, within approximately 1/2" to 1" away from a full brightness brake light bulb, with no partition between the two. What is a person following the toad, supposed to see?
Now, conditions will vary. One, the toad is one of the ones in the very small percentage that DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS when the brake pedal is applied and, the key is in the off position.
Two, there is an actual partition in between the two bulbs.
Three, one is aware of the potential "dual bulb" conflict and, has remedied it in what ever way they did to alleviate the issue.
When most folks setup a toads lighting system, many are not aware that the auxiliary braking system they've chosen, not only pushes on the brake pedal but, by doing so, will activate the toads brake lights, even with the key completely out of the car. When they hook up to the coach and, run checks with their wife or, whom ever, all is good. But, the problem is, YOU'RE NOT MOVING.
It's a stationary check of the lights, not an in-motion one. It's hard to do an in-motion one.
People in RVing have been adding auxiliary sockets and bulbs for quite some time and, yes they work but, the potential problems in doing it this way are there. It's just something to take into consideration.
Scott
The cars I have done had separate lights from the running lights and brake lights. Installed in the tail light compartment your problem does not exist. Brake lights on toad brake or separate from coach t/s and brake.
Eddie,
Well, let me ask you this, on ANY of the toads you've ever towed, do the brake lights light up, if you just walk out and step on the brakes with no key in the ignition?
I can tell you this. In my last toad, a 2011 Honda CRV EX-L 4WD, when you stepped on the brakes and the car was not running and the keys were in my hand, the brake lights activated.
On another of my toads, one that many, many on here tow, an '04 Jeep Rubicon, the brake lights activate when the brake pedal is stepped on, with the keys in my hand.
But, on my present toad, an '11 GMC Sierra Extended Cab 4x4, the brake lights DO NOT activate when the pedal is stepped on, unless the ignition is ON.
So, not all cars will have active brake lights, without ignition.
But on the ones that do, if you install an toad braking system, i.e. like the ones I listed in my other post, those toad braking systems WILL ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS, via their action upon the brake pedal, even with the key off.
So, now that that's cleared up, install another bulb, right along side the stock bulb and, apply a turn signal from the coach, what do you now have? In a braking situation and a turn, you'll have brake lights showing on the original bulbs and, flashing from your installed bulb, WITHIN AN INCH OF EACH OTHER.
And, I'm a bit confused on your last sentence:
"Brake lights on toad brake or separate from coach t/s and brake" Huh?
Scott
OK, lets try this again. On mine the running lights did NOT use the same bulb or compartment in the housing as the brake lights, therefore the bulb I installed was NOT next to the brake light. It was installed next to the running light bulb that was divided from the brake light so when the lights were on it was in a separate part of the lens than the toad light. This way when you hit the brakes the original brake lights came on as well as the ones I installed in the running light housing giving you 4 brake lights instead of 2. If you were making a turn then you had 1 brake and 1 t/s on the side you were turning.
