[stratt134]

I am trying to finish up the wiring on my 69 Nova, all I have left is the tail/brake lights, turn signals, steering column, and a few other small things.

I just finished wiring up the headlight switch, and now I am moving to tail lights and brake lights. I has 4 sockets/bulbs and the bulbs have 2 little thingies inside, not just one. sorry for the lack of proper terms here.

Anyways, I am trying to figure out how to wire them up correctly. I thought the 'tail lights' weren't supposed to be as bright as the 'brake lights'? I get 12volts from the wires going to the tail lights and 12 volts from the wires going to the brake lights when the brake is on.... Isn't that going to be too bright for people at night? Or is that how these old cars are supposed to work? It has a painless wiring harness that I am using....

Thanks for any help,
Sean

[docvette]

Doc here,

The "Duel Thingies" are Duel filament pads for the lamp filaments.

The voltage to each of the pads is NOT selective, it will be 12 volts No matter what..

What IS selective is the filament in the bulb for turn/brake Vs The filament in the bulb for Tails..If you put power to the bulb and ground, you'll note one "Pad" is brighter than the other..That one will be Brake/Turn..

The dimmer Filament will be the tails.

Doc

[stratt134]

So you are saying different bulbs are brighter than other bulbs? One of them broke so I have to get a new one... so I will just get 4 new ones since they are so old. Am I looking for something in particular?

thanks,
Sean

[docvette]

Originally Posted by stratt134

So you are saying different bulbs are brighter than other bulbs? One of them broke so I have to get a new one... so I will just get 4 new ones since they are so old. Am I looking for something in particular?

thanks,
Sean

Doc here,

Different FILAMENTS within the SAME bulb are brighter than others..

If yours is the traditional, Brake/Turn on one filament, and tails on the other, I believe the lamp you are looking for is an 1157..or equiv.

You see the one filament has LESS resistance (brighter) than the other (dimmer) Within the same bulb. If you look carefully through the glass, you'll see TWO coils of wire Not one..One is Brake/turn on a shared filament (Brighter) and tails on the other (dimmer) .

If the sockets had only ONE pad inside the socket, and you looked through the glass you'd see only ONE coil of wire..This is a single element Bulb..used traditionally for front turn, clearance lamps, back up lamps..and the like. BTW..ther ARE NOT interchangeable.(even if the bulb fits in the socket, you'll short out two isolated circuits and cause all kinds of problems.

As Far as the bulbs , Identification of the type, If it isn't too old and corroded, can be found on the Copper base EXAMPLE: 1157...If you get corn~Fused just tell the auto part guy what the bulb does..they'll know. (usually)

Doc

[stratt134]

Yes I have the 1157 bulbs.

I have 1 wire for 'right turn/brake' and 1 wire for 'left turn/brake'.
I have 1 wire for 'right tail light' and 1 wire for 'left tail light'.

Each socket only has 2 wires, hot and ground.... I have 4 sockets, 4 lights on the rear (not counting the side markers).

I was just going to put 1 wire to each socket/bulb, then do the ground wires to all.

How do I select which 1 of the 2 filiments light up in the bulb??

I personally want to do this: (1)(2) ----------------- (3)(4)

1 & 4 = brake/turn lights
2 $ 3 = park/tail lights

Is that possible with my sockets if I buy single filiment bulbs? Will this interfere with the turn signals?

Thanks again Doc !!!,
Sean

[docvette]

Originally Posted by stratt134

Yes I have the 1157 bulbs.

I have 1 wire for 'right turn' and 1 wire for 'left turn'.
I have 1 wire for 'right brake' and 1 wire for 'left brake'.

Each socket only has 2 wires, hot and ground.... I have 4 sockets, 4 lights on the rear (not counting the side markers).

I was just going to put 1 wire to each socket/bulb, then do the ground wires to all.

How do I select which 1 of the 2 filiments light up in the bulb??

I personally want to do this: (1)(2) ----------------- (3)(4)

1 & 4 = brake/turn lights
2 $ 4 = park/tail lights

Is that possible with my sockets if I buy single filiment bulbs? Will this interfere with the turn signals?

Thanks again Doc !!!,
Sean

Doc here,

OK, typo I think..you meant 2 and 3 for park/tail right?

Anyway, 1 and 4 can be single filament if your running 4 lamps..No sweat..The Brake / Turn signal is isolated through the Signal switch (normally) So that can be a single Filament.

Since you have 2 and 3 (a 4 lamp system, ) those too can be single element . The Duel element is for when you have two lamp locations and Brake/Turn and Tail all at one location.

Your idea will work just fine..

Just get 4 single Filament bulbs..The Number escapes me at this time but just tell the parts guy what you want..

Doc

[123pugsy]

Single filament is 1156.

[stratt134]

Doc, yes I meant the outer 2 lights for brake/turn and the inside 2 lights for tail lights (& brake lights too if I could)

Here are some pictures:


The other two sockets only have 1 wire (correction from earlier, sorry) (amber bulb is trash, don't know where it came from - should be clear or red right?)


Those are the two sockets with 2 wires. The other two sockets only have 1 wire (correction from earlier, sorry) (the socket with 2 brown wires go to the same turminal, looks like previous owner had that wire going to the side light on the car (I just cut it))

[docvette]

Originally Posted by 123pugsy

Single filament is 1156.

Doc here,

Thanks Pugsy!

Couldn't remember that number to save my soul..

Part of aging I guess..selective Endorphin misfires..

Doc

[stratt134]

OK I think I know what is going on. I looked at the rear end again, and as stated:

(1)(2) ----------------- (3)(4)

1 & 4 = turn/brake/tail
2 & 3 = reverse lights??

.... then I SHOULD use the dual filiment bulbs with the 2-wire sockets... because the sockets have those metal prongs on them --- which should be ground instead of using a wire for it, right? Then I will have 1 wire for the bright filiment, and 1 wire for the dull filiment = brake/tail? Then If I have the brake lights on, and hit the turn signals it will make the brake light that is on, flash? (If I wired it up correctly)

Thanks,
Sean

[docvette]

Doc here,

Wow! Dude..you got a computer in the garage?? You can crank then out faster than I can answer them ...

OK..First look at the SOCKETS you believe to be the tail/turn / stop lamps..rremove the bulbs and look at the inside .. How many pads do you see? Should be two if it's traditional..

AND if that's the case, your two wires are NOT power and ground, but one for Tail and one for Turn/Stop..The ground is picked up from the expandable Tangs on the front of the socket..You must verify this first.

If it's that way, then it's an 1157 Bulb for each..one element (the dimmer one) For tail, and one for the Brake/turn lamp (the brighter element.)

If it's wired right, The Brake lamp and Turnsignal circuit are wired through the turnsignal switch selectively Turning off the proper brake lamp to allow the turn signal to be visable..(on / Off) as opposed to (brake on, flash On , no off, you can't tell it's flashing..)

Doc

[stratt134]

Doc -- MUCH thanks!!

No the computer is in the house, LOL, just didn't want to give you time to sign off!!!! I went to the race track last night so all day today I have been going crazy about my car trying to finish it up...

I just put one bulb in and tested the wires -- it works!! Thanks again for all the help.

Now that I have all the proper terms and such, I will document everything here and put on my website: www.xbodynova.com - thanks again for the great help!!

Thanks,
Sean

[docvette]

Doc here,

KEWL!...

Glad to hear it is working!

Keep us updated on the project.

Doc