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Wiring for single indicator warning light
Bizarro - 17/5/12 at 08:01 PM

I'm wiring up my indicators/hazards. set up is led front/rear, standard 12v bulb for side indicator, savage switch for hazards, 2 pole toggle for indicators, 2x led flashed relays, 1x savage dash light.

I've got everything wired and all working correctly apart from the single dash light. I'm feeding it from the indicator side of the toggle switch but obviously it's joining both sides of the switch together so all indicators are flashing.

Would the simplest solution be to fit diodes in each of the wires feeding the dash light? This would stop one back feeding the other, or is there a simpler way to wire the dash light?

Slimy38 - 17/5/12 at 08:11 PM

I might be wrong here, but don't you wire the tell-tale into the live side of the switch, so it goes;

12 volts
tell-tale
Switch
left/right lights
ground

That way if either indicator connects to ground the tell-tale will light, but you still have independent indicators? It won't light until the switch completes the circuit to ground.

[Edited on 17/5/12 by Slimy38]

snowy2 - 17/5/12 at 08:18 PM

if your using a single led bulb it needs to be connected to the indicator feed wire and to earth before the switch, it should not cause the indicators to flash as it cannot draw enough current to cause the relay to operate, if its a "normal" bulb you connect each side to the indicators out put (left and right, one wire to each) if its a LED light and your connecting it after the indicator switch then the connecting wires for L+R need to be joined using diodes on each wire to the LED +ve connection..

Bizarro - 17/5/12 at 08:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by snowy2
if your using a single led bulb it needs to be connected to the indicator feed wire and to earth before the switch, it should not cause the indicators to flash as it cannot draw enough current to cause the relay to operate, if its a "normal" bulb you connect each side to the indicators out put (left and right, one wire to each) if its a LED light and your connecting it after the indicator switch then the connecting wires for L+R need to be joined using diodes on each wire to the LED +ve connection..


Thanks for the replies.

The dash light is an led, I tried connecting it from the indicator switch feed and earth and it doesn't cause the indicators to flash but it is continually illuminated. I assume it's drawing enough current to cause the relay to close but not operate (flash).

Is there a problem putting it in series between relay and switch as per post above?

[Edited on 17/5/12 by Bizarro]

[Edited on 17/5/12 by Bizarro]

snowy2 - 18/5/12 at 07:43 AM

If you connect it in series the led will have to handle all the current for the indicators which it won't like, it will cause very rapid failiure of the led.
Where the left and right indicators connect to the warning led use a diode on each wire it should work correctly then.

Bizarro - 18/5/12 at 07:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by snowy2
If you connect it in series the led will have to handle all the current for the indicators which it won't like, it will cause very rapid failiure of the led.
Where the left and right indicators connect to the warning led use a diode on each wire it should work correctly then.


Thanks, a couple of diodes added to the shopping list...

snowy2 - 18/5/12 at 09:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Bizarro
quote:
Originally posted by snowy2
If you connect it in series the led will have to handle all the current for the indicators which it won't like, it will cause very rapid failiure of the led.
Where the left and right indicators connect to the warning led use a diode on each wire it should work correctly then.


Thanks, a couple of diodes added to the shopping list...


what i should point out is that you disconnect the diode (the LED is a diode) from the feed wire and connect both the left and right to the +ve terminal of the LED Via diodes (small signal diodes will do)

[Edited on 18/5/12 by snowy2]