Tail lights

[Steve Misemer]

My tail lights are very dim during the day. How have any of you resolved this issue?

[Roy Boles]

     I had the same problem with my rear turn signals. The tail lights and turn signals run through the turn signal switch. That switch has a lot of resistance. I added a relay to each side using the turn signal wire to trigger the relay and powered the relays from a future wire that were stubbed out next to back of the coach.  You should have some 12 volt future wires that are stubbed out in your engine area. Find a full 12 volt source close to the area, add relays and you should have brighter tail lights.

[Eric Maclean]

Steve
I had much the same problem with tail lights . They were not too bad untill I hooked up my tow car and then they all dimmed down.
The problem arises from the length of the coach and the size of the wire , by the time you get 40+ feet of wire the volt drop caused by the extra lights results in lower voltage at those lights and dimmer lights .

There are two ways to tackle this problem 1) you can install a relay at the rear of the coach which gets power from somewhere in the engine bay or battery bay fused of course( the closer the better) as I did. This shortens the run to the tail lights and provides a good power source for the circuit demand eliminating the volt drop problem.

Or 2) you can lower the current demand on the circuit by installing LED tail lights which draw significantly less current than regular incandescent bulbs and  don't dim with lower voltage ( they maintain nthe brilliants as the voltage drops untill they reach their threshold at which point they shut off)

Hope this helps
Eric

[Steve Misemer]

Eric

Did you install LED bulbs or replacement tail light assemblies?
If you did just the bulbs did you have to install a resistor or something like that? I was reading manufacturers descriptions on LED bulbs and they mentioned dash errors without.

[Eric Maclean]

Steve
I had already installed the relay setup before installing the LED bulbs on the tail light side
I did install LEDS in the brake/ tail light bulbs without resistors .

The resistors are only needed on a bulb that is connected as a turn signal because the turn signal flashers used the current flow to regulate the flash rate if you go to LEDs which have a low current draw the flasher unit no longer has the same load applied and will flash faster than normal just as it does with a burned out light bulb.
This is why you add the resistors.
You can also go to an electronic based flasher module like the one I have installed with an adjustable time interval to fine tune the flash rate.
You will find on most electronic flasher if you lift the cover off then there will be a small adjustable trim potentiometer to adjust the flash rate.

https://www.google.com/search?q=trton+12V+Electronic+2+pin+Turn+Signal+Flasher+Relay+LED&client=tablet-android-lenovo-rev2&biw=1103&bih=690&sxsrf=ALiCzsa_cEhrm5VahF97crrTUrnVCfjc_g%3A1651420782314&ei=bq5uYp_cEpG3tAav8aKgBw&oq=trton+12V+Electronic+2+pin+Turn+Signal+Flasher+Relay+LED&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAMyBAgeEAo6BwgAEEcQsANKBAhBGABQ4SpYt7UBYNXAAWgAcAJ4AIAB-AqIAaolkgEOMC4xMC4yLjUtMS4xLjGYAQCgAQHIAQLAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#imgrc=AlbW0RlvAv3OFM

[John Fitzgerald]

If your lamp holders are corroded I found that the front turn signal lamp holders from a VW Vanagon fit into the Hella lens assemblies that I think your coach uses.  I have replaced 6 of mine, they are fairly easy to find online through VW bus parts sites.  They are set up for twin filament bulbs, so you will need to purchase appropriate bulbs as needed.

[Eric Maclean]

John
That's great information could you post a link to the correct light socket assembly?

Thanks
Eric

[Carl Boger]

Eric,

For less than $10.00 you saved me some minor aggravation with the led flasher suggestion.  I am used to wiring in the resisters to get the turn signals to work correctly and I had just ordered enough LED's to change out the brake, turn signal and back up lights.  The last ones just came in today.  Well now instead of adding jumpers and attaching in new wires to the front turn signals I will just be switching out the bulbs and putting in the new relay. 

Thanks for the heads up!  It will make for a cleaner install and less work.

[John Fitzgerald]

Here is a link to a well known VW bus parts supplier

https://www.gowesty.com/product/bulbs-sockets/2210/bulb-socket---front-turn-signal-

The VW part number is listed, you may be able to search with that or actually possibly order from you local VW dealer, if the part is still listed.  I go by vanagonjon at some VW forums BTW, our other camper is a Vanagon. 

[Eric Maclean]

Thanks John I just ordered two.

[John Fitzgerald]

Glad to help, I have been working on VW busses for almost 50 years and knew right when I pulled mine out what they were.  We call it the VW kit car thing, if you look at VW's from the 50's to the 90's they have many identical parts, like dome lights for example.