The Ford Barn

adileo · 09-09-2019, 07:11 AM

Hi Guys

I posted a question regarding an issue with my LED tail lights not working properly (head lights on no brake lights) and received no response.

Seeking to understand, how does regular/stock filament tail lights work on a 39?

Does the lower filament work the turn signals and stop lights and the upper filament work when the headlights are turned on? Or visa versa? Or something else?

Kurt in NJ · 09-09-2019, 07:27 AM

The regular original bulb if you look close has a filament made of thin wire, that is taillight, the one that is the thicker wire will be the brightest, and for brake light
My friend has a 36 packard, it came with every type of bulb, all were dim, only getting 4.5 volts to taillight. Traced it to rusted nuts on the ammeter ---

uncle buck · 09-09-2019, 08:44 AM

My guess is the LED tail light bulbs are for 6V negative ground. I bought some last year for my 32 pickup and they would work with negative ground and not positive. There was a lengthy thread going and it had some info on why they won't work both ways

hook00pad · 09-09-2019, 08:49 AM

You might try switching the polarity to the rear bulbs. LEDs only work when wired in one polarity direction. That is the nature of a diode.

Al Hook

adileo · 09-09-2019, 08:57 AM

Thx the LEDs are pos grd. They state that on the box they came in.

JSeery · 09-09-2019, 09:07 AM

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I'm not familiar with the LEDs that are setup for Pos ground. Goes the socket or the harness part you removed have anything to do with the LEDs functioning in a Pos ground system?

On an incandescent bulb there is a difference in the filaments which ends up making one brighter than the other (the brighter one being the brake). But if they were connect backward it would still work, it would just have the brake light being dimmer than the tail light. It is just a brightness issue, not a function issue. The bulb filaments do have to provide enough load for a heat type blinker canister to work. But with LEDs you are going to have to have a compatible canister and/or a load device in the light unit.

adileo · 09-09-2019, 09:21 AM

Your right again. I had to put a resistor in-line then to grd to make led blink.

These are plug and play leds. I had no brake lights (with no headlights and no & no brake lights w lights on) before cutting out the bucket and canister of leds

Now everything works except when headlights on I have no brake lights

40cpe · 09-09-2019, 10:27 AM

I would find the brake light wire at the tail light bucket and verify that it is hot when brakes are actuated, both with headlights on/off. Then verify that the brake light hot wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED light. As jSeery said above, if the tail light wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED cluster, you won't see when the less bright portion (tail light) is activated by the brake light switch.

JSeery · 09-09-2019, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40cpe

I would find the brake light wire at the tail light bucket and verify that it is hot when brakes are actuated, both with headlights on/off. Then verify that the brake light hot wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED light. As jSeery said above, if the tail light wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED cluster, you won't see when the less bright portion (tail light) is activated by the brake light switch.

Good advice.

Adileo, was mainly interested in if the wiring is basically original with the turn-signal wiring added on.

adileo · 09-09-2019, 12:18 PM

Jerry that’s correct wiring original add turn signals

Kurt in NJ · 09-09-2019, 12:56 PM

Some turn signals get the brake light wire to the turn signal switch, when in turn mode the brake light wire is disconnected in the switch to that bulb so the signal will flash--- many times a xtra wire is run to right side, original wire for brake lights would be used for left side

cmbrucew · 09-09-2019, 02:02 PM

Make good ground wires for the rear light housings.

Bruce

adileo · 09-09-2019, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbrucew

Make good ground wires for the rear light housings.

Bruce

That’s already been cared for thanks

adileo · 09-09-2019, 05:20 PM

All fixed thank you for all your advise. The wires were reversed from LEDs.

Simple stupid....

JSeery · 09-09-2019, 07:29 PM

But you figured it out and fixed it! Good job.

Jersey Devil · 09-09-2019, 07:54 PM

Good job Andy, had my tools ready.

Tom

09-09-2019, 07:11 AM	#1
adileo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,772	Let me ask another way Hi Guys I posted a question regarding an issue with my LED tail lights not working properly (head lights on no brake lights) and received no response. Seeking to understand, how does regular/stock filament tail lights work on a 39? Does the lower filament work the turn signals and stop lights and the upper filament work when the headlights are turned on? Or visa versa? Or something else? __________________ Thanks Andy 1952 F1

09-09-2019, 07:27 AM	#2
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: Let me ask another way The regular original bulb if you look close has a filament made of thin wire, that is taillight, the one that is the thicker wire will be the brightest, and for brake light My friend has a 36 packard, it came with every type of bulb, all were dim, only getting 4.5 volts to taillight. Traced it to rusted nuts on the ammeter ---

09-09-2019, 08:44 AM	#3
uncle buck Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Snohomish,WA Posts: 1,030	Re: Let me ask another way My guess is the LED tail light bulbs are for 6V negative ground. I bought some last year for my 32 pickup and they would work with negative ground and not positive. There was a lengthy thread going and it had some info on why they won't work both ways

09-09-2019, 08:49 AM	#4
hook00pad Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 105	Re: Let me ask another way You might try switching the polarity to the rear bulbs. LEDs only work when wired in one polarity direction. That is the nature of a diode. Al Hook

09-09-2019, 08:57 AM	#5
adileo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,772	Re: Let me ask another way Thx the LEDs are pos grd. They state that on the box they came in. __________________ Thanks Andy 1952 F1

09-09-2019, 09:07 AM	#6
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Let me ask another way Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I'm not familiar with the LEDs that are setup for Pos ground. Goes the socket or the harness part you removed have anything to do with the LEDs functioning in a Pos ground system? On an incandescent bulb there is a difference in the filaments which ends up making one brighter than the other (the brighter one being the brake). But if they were connect backward it would still work, it would just have the brake light being dimmer than the tail light. It is just a brightness issue, not a function issue. The bulb filaments do have to provide enough load for a heat type blinker canister to work. But with LEDs you are going to have to have a compatible canister and/or a load device in the light unit.

09-09-2019, 09:21 AM	#7
adileo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,772	Re: Let me ask another way Your right again. I had to put a resistor in-line then to grd to make led blink. These are plug and play leds. I had no brake lights (with no headlights and no & no brake lights w lights on) before cutting out the bucket and canister of leds Now everything works except when headlights on I have no brake lights __________________ Thanks Andy 1952 F1

09-09-2019, 10:27 AM	#8
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: Let me ask another way I would find the brake light wire at the tail light bucket and verify that it is hot when brakes are actuated, both with headlights on/off. Then verify that the brake light hot wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED light. As jSeery said above, if the tail light wire is connected to the brake light section of the LED cluster, you won't see when the less bright portion (tail light) is activated by the brake light switch. Last edited by 40cpe; 09-09-2019 at 12:04 PM. Reason: clarity

09-09-2019, 12:18 PM	#10
adileo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,772	Re: Let me ask another way Jerry that’s correct wiring original add turn signals __________________ Thanks Andy 1952 F1

09-09-2019, 12:56 PM	#11
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: Let me ask another way Some turn signals get the brake light wire to the turn signal switch, when in turn mode the brake light wire is disconnected in the switch to that bulb so the signal will flash--- many times a xtra wire is run to right side, original wire for brake lights would be used for left side

09-09-2019, 02:02 PM	#12
cmbrucew Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: North of sandy ago, CA. Posts: 2,064	Re: Let me ask another way Make good ground wires for the rear light housings. Bruce __________________ Works good Lasts long time

09-09-2019, 05:20 PM	#14
adileo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,772	Re: Let me ask another way All fixed thank you for all your advise. The wires were reversed from LEDs. Simple stupid.... __________________ Thanks Andy 1952 F1

09-09-2019, 07:29 PM	#15
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Let me ask another way But you figured it out and fixed it! Good job.

09-09-2019, 07:54 PM	#16
Jersey Devil Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Delanco, New Jersey Posts: 115	Re: Let me ask another way Good job Andy, had my tools ready. Tom

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