Neat Turn Signal Effects Circuit

Ever wanted some cool turn signal effects, but thought they were just for Caddies and Beemers?

LOOK NO FURTHER!

For about $25, this weekend project can turn your marker lights into a sweet set of turn-marker-combo lights!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/mDSxSAiZOlE

Description of what the circuit does:
This is assuming your car has corner marker lights that are separate from your turn signals.
The circuit flashes the marker lights with the turn signal, regardless if the marker lights are turned on or off.

 

Step 1 The Goods

What do you need?

Skills:
- basic soldering skills
- basic automotive skills
- basic electronic skills
- mad air-guitar skills (just kidding)

Tools:
- soldering stuff (solder pencil, solder, helping hands, heat sinks)
- knife (used for stripping wire)
- wire strippers
- needle-nose pliers (helpful)
- hot glue gun
- heat gun

Materials:
- electrical tape
- 14 to 16 gauge wire, about 12 feet
- 2x capacitor(s) (about 6800 µF)
- 2x diode (rectifier type, 2 amps or higher)
- 2x automotive relay , SPDT (the one with 5 terminals)
- 2x relay socket
- 8x heat shrink butt connectors (blue)
- 4x crimp tap connectors (blue, available at WalMart or RadioShack)

Comments

[ianrab]

Video of the circuit in action:



http://www.youtube.com/embed/mDSxSAiZOlE

[skwoorl]

I'm wondering would this circuit would work for led marker lights or only incandescent bulbs.

[l8nite]

Maybe new cars are different and I admit its been a long time since I was a volunteer fireman but we just ran a wire from the turn signal to the side marker lights, or to make the marker flash out of time with the turnsignal we ran a switched flasher fuse to the marker or fog lights. That being said, I enjoyed reading your ible

[ianrab]

Here's what I had before this circuit:

http://gickr.com/results4/anim_e018bf91-8d8a-c884-59f9-d0e1e50a4496.gif

[ianrab]

Thanks. Yeah, that does sound easier. The only issue with the one-wire method are that it would turn all the running lights on with the flasher. That means the instrument panel, rear marker lights, and whatever else comes on. It just wouldn't be noticeable unless it was dark out, but those lights would be on anyway.

And this actually replaced a circuit that I had in before. It alternated the marker light and turn signal if the marker lights were on. The relays rusted out, so I wanted to do something a bit different.

[Phil B]

Thank you for a nice Instructable. I do not know that I will do it on my car, but I enjoyed reading about what you did.

[zazenergy]

What a cool mod!

[ianrab]

Thanks!