electrical and ignition Euro Turn Signals - Issues With Wiring (Tap-A-Lite)?

[danco_]

Hi guys,

 

 

Just installed a set of Euro Turn Signals using the Tap-A-Lite method and I've somehow managed to do something wrong. 

 

 

Let me explain with photos: 

 

Here is what US turn signal wiring looks like. Single bulb, dual filament two wires. One for the running lights, the other for the turn signal. This is nothing new. 

 

 

Here is what the innards of a Euro Turn Signal look like. Single bulb = only turn signals. Nothing new here either. I removed the euro bulb and slapped in the Tap-A-Lite bulb (dual filament) with two wires. One wire goes to the turn signal wire, the other goes to the daytime running light. The bulb is grounded using the turn signal housing. 

 

 

I wired up the blue/red car wire to the black end of the Tap-A-Lite bulb, and the yellow/brown car wire to the white end of the Tap-A-Lite bulb. With this configuration, I am able to get the turn signals working correctly, and the running lights working correctly, but only separately.

 

Basically, if the headlights/running lights are on, I don't have the ability to use the turn signals. If the headlights/running lights are left off, the turn signals work correctly, as they should. 

 

I went ahead and made a quick video to help visualize my problem. 

 

 

 

What am I missing here? Why won't both signals and running lights work together? Your help is appreciated! 

 

 

It would be good to mention that this is a 1971 BMW 1600-2. Only 6 fuse-box, not 12 or 13 like the later 02 cars. 

 

 

 

I know I can't be the only one who has run across this problem. I have used the search function extensively before posting this, but it seems like all the good thread that could have potentially answered this problem have been erased from the forum and come up as an "error" page.

 

 

 

HELP! 

 

 

-Ryan

 

[FunkyLaneO]

The light has to be installed (or a temporary ground wire in place) in order to work correctly, the signal gets it's ground from the mounting screw. if it is hanging loose it will do weird things because it is not completing the circuit the intended way.

 

In your picture I don't see a tap-a-light did you replace the stock socket with a dual filament one?

 

Normally one wire goes to the tap-a-light and the other goes to the original socket. the extra wire from the tap-a-light goes to the metal frame of the light for ground.

 

edit: also are both filaments illuminating when you have either the running lights on or the signal, if the circuits are bridged at any point they will do what you are showing. take a piece of wire and make a temp ground so you can troubleshoot it off of the car. you can also unplug one wire at a time to narrow down which side of the car is having the problem (if it isn't both sides)

Edited July 16, 2014 by FunkyLaneO

[Mike Self]

Two suggestions (and IMHO an easier way to accomplish the task)

 

1.  buy a socket for a small (like a #94) wedge bulb--and the bulb itself at the auto parts store, then drill an appropriately-sized hole in the bracket that supports the existing bulb socket.  Press the new socket into the hole, run one wire from the socket to an appropriate ground (a small screw hole/sheet metal screw in the bracket) and fasten the other wire to the existing parking light wire that's part of the car's wiring harness.  This is exactly what BMW did for the US spec flat lens turn signals as fitted to the '68 and '69 cars.

 

2.  Remove the existing single filament bulb socket from the Euro turn signal and replace it with a two filament socket--either for a brass base bulb (an 1157) or the equivalent two filament wedge base bulb.  Ground the new socket (see above) and then attach the two existing wires--parking light wire to the small filament, turn signal wire to the large filament.  

 

To me that's much easier than messing with a Tap-a-Lite--that kinda smacks of jury rigging...

 

mike

 

PS   or you can drill out the hollow rivets that hold the bulb bracket to the lens/bezel assembly and fasten the US bracket to the Euro lens/bezel assembly with hollow rivets from the hardware store.

Edited July 17, 2014 by mike

[Conway]

Search eurotrashs project blog. It's in the archive section. He's got a good write up on Euro lights. I did it the same way and have been problem free for 2 years. PO of my car tried to use the tap a lights, I threw them in the garbage.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Conway

[danco_]

UPDATE: 

 

 

After posting, a forum member immediately emailed me suggesting that I add an extra ground wire from the metal housing on the turn signals themselves, to the chassis body. I did this and both turn signals started working as they should. The two screws that hold the turn signals to the fender were insufficient grounding points for the Tap-A-Lites. 

 

This actually ended up being a very easy installation, minus the 6 hours of tinkering and eating burritos.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions and help. If I were to do this again, I would probably go with Mike or Conway's recommendations. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stoked.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Danc02

[FunkyLaneO]

mmmmm...... burritos.

[vinntagejoe]

..........I like burritos