DIY side marker blinkers

[iLaw]

Hey guys, super sorry it took this long. Life happened.

I was going to do a DIY video on it, but that will have to wait until spring, as the car is in storage.

The basic premise is that you have to use the relays to determine where the power is coming from. You use the relays to establish the following logic:

If Headlights are off and not signalling, power comes from signal (which will also be off)
If Headlights are off and signalling, power comes from signal
If Headlights are ON and not signalling, power comes from boomerang
If Headlights are ON and Signalling, Power comes from signal, for as long as signal is sending power.

The relays basically say if power isn't coming from X, than take it from Y. but you need two because you have two power sources, and two different states (headlights on or off).

I'll get my electrician friend to draw up a wiring diagram.

[thatfilipinoguy]

Hey guys, just a thought.

If you want the rear parking lights (the ones on the side of the tail lamps) to do the same thing, you can just wire them into the rear signal wires. I haven't done it, the idea came to mind when I was swapping out my OEM tails for JDM tails. If anyone tries it out, post a video!

[Deathalo]

Originally Posted by iLaw

Hey guys, super sorry it took this long. Life happened.

I was going to do a DIY video on it, but that will have to wait until spring, as the car is in storage.

The basic premise is that you have to use the relays to determine where the power is coming from. You use the relays to establish the following logic:

If Headlights are off and not signalling, power comes from signal (which will also be off)
If Headlights are off and signalling, power comes from signal
If Headlights are ON and not signalling, power comes from boomerang
If Headlights are ON and Signalling, Power comes from signal, for as long as signal is sending power.

The relays basically say if power isn't coming from X, than take it from Y. but you need two because you have two power sources, and two different states (headlights on or off).

I'll get my electrician friend to draw up a wiring diagram.

I'm looking forward to this right up as well if you're still going to do it, I wired my side markers up as turn signals but since I have the Always-On Module for the boomerangs from Diode Dynamics the Boomerangs now come on with the turn signals and the DRLs light up the side markers!

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by treminaor

I tapped the white turn signal harness wire on the passenger side and the red turn signal harness wire on the driver's side. I also un-crossed the wires within the driver's side turn signal so that power went to power and ground went to ground.

Thank you for making the video! I think this is how the side markers work outside of North America. They are purely turn signals, not parking lights (don't light up when low beams are on). Can anyone with an overseas/JDM BRZ/86 confirm? Here is a video of a BRZ in Hong Kong:

.

Personally I like how they blink in sync with the turn signals in the head/tail lights. Alternating just looks tacky to me.

Where are you guys buying your OEM JDM side markers? Do you have to get amber bulbs (I assume the stock USDM bulbs are clear?)?

[BaatLuk]

Found my answer here: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119784. treminaor's method will make your side markers function like the real deal (JDM).

[BaatLuk]

Can anyone recommend a pair of amber LEDs (plug & play, no hyper flash)?

[thatfilipinoguy]

Originally Posted by BaatLuk

Can anyone recommend a pair of amber LEDs (plug & play, no hyper flash)?

there is no PnP LEDs that won't hyper flash, you need to either modify the stock module, or purchase one. but DD has great LEDs and the also have a cheaper (price) version of the tapturn module.

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by thatfilipinoguy

there is no PnP LEDs that won't hyper flash, you need to either modify the stock module, or purchase one. but DD has great LEDs and the also have a cheaper (price) version of the tapturn module.

Excuse my ignorance, when you say "stock module" what exactly are you referring to? How do I modify or purchase that?

[thatfilipinoguy]

Stock flasher relay. There is a write up about how someone desoldered, and resoldered in a thicker gauge wire into the relay.

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by thatfilipinoguy

Stock flasher relay. There is a write up about how someone desoldered, and resoldered in a thicker gauge wire into the relay.

hmmm that sounds like a lot of work just to be able run some LEDs as blinkers. I should be OK with some amber 194 bulbs like these: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sylvania-...wl13=&veh=sem?

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by treminaor

I tapped the white turn signal harness wire on the passenger side and the red turn signal harness wire on the driver's side. I also un-crossed the wires within the driver's side turn signal so that power went to power and ground went to ground.

A couple follow-up questions (please excuse my ignorance, no electrical expert here):

1. To tab into the turn signal in the headlight and into the side marker, can I use a t tab connector like this one?
   
   
2. What kind of wires should be used? Length? Where to buy them?
   
3. The white/red wires should be cut and disconnected from the original source and tapped into the turn signal in headlight, correct?
   
4. The black wire (ground?) should be left alone, correct?

[thatfilipinoguy]

It's better to solder and heat shrink them than T-tapping, you might run into shorting issues if water gets introduced to the wiring. 18AWG is fine too, just make sure you get the multiple stranded wire, there is also a single wire but you don't want that one. And I am going to assume you have a BRZ, so that is as far as I can go with my advice! I hope I helped a little bit!

[Hyper4mance2k]

Originally Posted by thatfilipinoguy

It's better to solder and heat shrink them than T-tapping, you might run into shorting issues if water gets introduced to the wiring. 18AWG is fine too, just make sure you get the multiple stranded wire, there is also a single wire but you don't want that one. And I am going to assume you have a BRZ, so that is as far as I can go with my advice! I hope I helped a little bit!

No. You can't short + to +. That's not a thing. The problem with the taps is corrosion and loss of conductivity.

[Mr_Eyo]

My circuit in action:

I wanted the sidemarkers to function like normal and to function as turn signals, so that meant:
1. Headlights OFF + turn signal OFF = sidemarker OFF
2. Headlights OFF + turn signal ON = sidemarker ON
3. Headlights ON + turn signal OFF = sidemarker ON
4. Headlights ON + turn signal ON = sidemarker OFF

In summary, I have the sidemarkers turn on XOR'd by the headlight power and turn signal power.

Logic schematic:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16l...dG6AKch7wRs0pJ

I abandoned the OEM harness in place and ran my custom one through the driver side firewall grommet expansion. The logic modules are housed and potted in plastic enclosures I stashed in the driver side footwell cowl by the hood release latch.