VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Turn Signal Wiring and Bulb Current 1930 Chev

Hi Guys - been thinking real hard on the final wiring of the turn signals. As I said in a previous thread - the cowl lights will be supplied with power from the headlight switch and the turn signals will cause them to act as turn signals when required through the flasher. On the back of the car I have the single stop - running light in the middle of the spare tire. I have 2 -4" round lights mounted on the frame in the back of the car - one on each side to use as turn signals. The bulbs in these two lights are 1154 dual filaments. I figured I would take the lower powered filament and wire it to the running lights and turn signal switch with the cowl lights and leave the center rear running light so that it will be powered directly from the headlight switch as it is now without the flasher affecting it. I will then have 3 running lights at the rear - the outer two will flash with the turn signal and the center one and the outer two will be on when the headlight switch turns on and will not blink. I would then take the brighter filament in the rear two lights and hook them up to the rear center brake light so when the brakes are applied there would be 3 stop lights. I know it will work fine - my only concern is the current draw. The brake light switch normally handles current for one stop light - will it safely handle the current of 3 bulbs without burning out? Also - the cowl lights are using #81 bulbs so I will have the two lower power filaments of the #1154 in the rear, the two #81 and the #63 in the center rear coming on as running lights (also doubling as turn signals). Will the headlight switch handle the current for 5 bulbs for running lights? I figure - better check befre doing it so save blowing the headlight switch and the brake light switch.
thanks
maurice

Maurice, if you wire the stop light switch into the turn signal switch (and you should) the turn signal lamps in the rear should operate as turn signals and stop lamps without having to also wire them into the single stop light in the center. I would come off the stop light switch and add the wire to the turn signal switch, and leave the wire going to the original stop light as it is.

Ray, Won't this work?

Hello there MrMack!! All I am worrying about is the current draw from 3 stop lights as opposed to the 1 from the factory. By leaving the middle rear factory light hooked up - it gives me added safety from guys following. Can the brake light switch carry the extra current??? The other worry is the extra 2 running lights added to the rear - can the headlight switch handle the extra current or should I disconnect the rear center running light and just go with the two new ones thus adding only one extra light to the circuit??? My wiring will work, I just don't know if the two switches can handle the extra current draw without burning out.
Let me know
Maurice

Hi modip,

The switches will handle the extra load without a problem if they are in good clean working condition. Only concern is that you will be lit up like a christmas tree.

Why complicate your problem by having the cowl lights do anything but diriction signals? :confused:

There is no extra current from the cowl lights. With the turn signal switch I have - the cowl lights are running lights powered by the headlight switch as normal - The only change on the front is that when the turnsignal switch is activated for a turn - the power from the headlight switch to the cowl lights is disconnectred and the power to the bulb is now supplied through the flasher. the only extra lights I am adding are the two lights on the back for turn signals to pass safety snd get it registered. Since the two lights I am installing on the back use the dual filament 1154 bulbs - I just thought the extra brake lights would be nice - since it would just be a splice and connect. Worst case - I will only use one filament of the 1154 for running - turn signal and leave the single stop light operating and disconnect the middle running light. I will start wiring today as I am on holidays and want to get it finished. Thanks for the thumbs up on the switches.
Maurice

Maurice the problem with your doing it as your first post : This will prevent your turn signals from canceleing the lamp on the side opposite the turning side and you will only have stop lights on the rear. You must have seperate wires going from the turn signal switch to each rear lamp used for stop turn. The current from the stop light switch must be direct to the stop light lamp in the center and another wire from the stop light switch to the turn signal switca, You must not have a common circuit between any of the stop lamps.

Sorry for the delay - my son came home for holidays from Washington DC and we were relaxing for the last week. I got the wiring finished and ended up with the two extra lights on the rear being used as running lights with the center rear running light. Now, when I have running lights on - the two cowl lights and the three rear lights light up. Put on the turn signal - and the cowl light and the rear added running light blink properly. Everything works great!! The front headlights took me by surprise though. When I took them apart to check them out - I was surprised to see that they were really 6 volt sealed beam headlight units!! They work great and look fantastic - so I will leave them for now. I took the car for a little ride after all my work on it and it worked beautifully except for one little problem. I still have to turn the steering gear around like JYD said as I have a 1" free play in the steering wheel and the front end is tight. The play is definately in the steering box. When I was driving down the road the car tended to pull one way then the next - I suspect front end alignment - I have to check that out next later this week. After my little jaunt I parked the car and looked under it the next morning - the only stain on the concrete was the tell tale 1 1/2" oil mark under the flywheel. Since other threads say this is normal - I am happy! Will post pix of her later this week. Thanks everyone for your help in getting her going !!!
Maurice :cool2:

Moedip,
Likely you will find front end is up to specs. It is normal for bias ply tires to follow ruts, cracks, etc. in the road and wander from right to left and then back right. Most have not experienced it since radial tires became standard and think something is wrong. It is part of actually driving the vehicle instead of just riding. Ask a modern airline pilot and you will find they fondly remember the older planes that they actually flew.

Thank you Chevy Chip - you're right - you really do have to DRIVE this car. With syncromesh standards on my VW's it is taking practice to get back into the double clutching routine! Is one inch free play in the steering box normal or should there be little or no play?
Thanks again - you hit the nail on the head with the rut following with the tires!! No power steering - no radial tires - just DRIVE the car - great fun!!! :cool2:

You won't get all of the backlash out of the steering assembly since there was no adjustment for it in 1930. However, you can turn the steering worm 180 degrees and that will tighten things up a little since you will now be using new teeth.

Thanks JYD - but what is considered normal backlash? 1/4"? 1/2"? less?? More??
thanks

Whatever you get on the backlash after you turn the gear 180 degrees is it! I would say around an inch like you have now would be about right. It all depends upon the wear on the worm gear and your steering assembly, and the backlash is not the same on each car because of the amount of wear and etc. Turning the gear around may give you less backlash, or it may not. On my car, it made a big difference!

Thanks JYD - I will try turning it - if there is no difference at least I can tell the Safety people that it is normal for that year. Have a good un
Maurice