Easy DIY Sequential Tails Circuit... (A Work in Progress)
 

Hmmmm... I see threads around regarding sequential tails for our cars, and wonder why do people seem think it is so difficult or expensive?

I have started a schematic (as yet untested) that should proove to do the trick with little cost of parts. Essentialy, you need to build four on-delay time relays and cascade them from the inner brake bulb to the outer. Since you want the first stage to light immediately, there is no delay there. The inner bulb starts the timer for the middle bulb. When the middle bulb lights, that starts a timer for the outer bulb. All the bulbs remain lit until the +12 feed is dropped.

Attached is my preliminary schematic. Values for components have not been calculated yet, nor have I built a prototype. I have an entire rear wiring harness for a 94 Grand Prix around here somewhere that I can work with on my test bench within the next few weeks.

I have yet to peel the rear end of my 'Bird apart yet to see exactly how the wiring is laid out, but in theory, this should work slick as a button. The only issue might be that you will need to change out your stock turn signal flasher for a variable load unit, or add a ground wire and install a newer electronic flasher that has been modified to disable bulb detection ("HyperFlash"). On my web site, I have invented a way to do so for little cost of a flasher module and a resistor.

The other option would be to write some code for a microcontroller, and build a cascading circuit that way, but most people do not want to mess with coding and burning processors.

If other electronics gurus wouldn't mind chiming in, I'd like to see this project functional before I get my Firebird out of storage!!! :D

DIY sequential turn signal guide, complete with parts list http://pages.prodigy.net/firepinto/sts.html.

I've gone over the schematic for the 3-bulb sequencer with integrated brake, and it looks just right. The parts list says I can get the relays at Radio Shack, but my 2 local stores don't carry any of the relays I need. I went to a specialty electronics store, and it looks like they can order the relays, but it'll be $20-30. : /

Got another link to that information? This one is broken...

Wish I did. The site went down months ago. Luckily I printed out a schematic before it went down, and I have since scanned it back into my computer. Unfortunately it isn't very good quality, so someone with electronics expertise is needed to polish it.

I'm afraid to butcher the wiring in my new car the way I massacred my old firebird. I had 4 way sequential taillights on it and it was rather sweet. I used 3 monostable multivibrator in parallel, which made timing tricky. Cascading them is a great idea but gets tricky when you use a 555 timer because it takes time for them to "load" up. Using a 4528 or workalike timer would be extremely easy. 2 one shot timers in one package. I'm not sure how much power it can sink though, you may need a relay coil that doesn't draw alot of power or use a transistor to sink it.

From what I remember about Firepinto's setup, it only needed a handful of relays, and I think they were just DPDT 12v 1amp.

Yeah, I imagine a few relays and caps for timing could work well. Maybe I'll draw out a schematic when I have time.

Heh, I just made one with even fewer parts than expected. I'm going to do some more testing to make sure it'll work then I'll post results. Maybe it'll go on my car.

Sweet, can't wait to see it!

what exactly does this do? im pictuing the old night rider thing on the frotn where the ligths like.. mvoed from left to right?


or maybe the harder you push the breaks more lights light up?


:confused:

Lol, you're on the right track. This is what we're talking about. Think back to the early Mercury Cougar and the mid-60s Thunderbird.

oh *** theres a kid aroundh ere with a civic and the third brake light pulses oh *** its annoying. however the uh.. sequential thing looks bad ***.

I'm thinking about using a microcontroller instead... That way I can handle the logic differently, so that just the turn signals chase, and not the brakes. I think I would just need 3 inputs and 6 outputs... Hmmmmmm....

Here is the FirePinto wiring diagram that was printed out then rescanned. If it's too hard to read, I'll try and rescan it.

11 relays including 12v 4PDT type? Damn, that's going to be expensive! I think delay timers might be more efficient and cost effective... Interesting diagram though...

I just came up with something- 4 relays and 2 caps. However, I'm concerned about cars that use their brakes lights as turn signals. Thats going to throw it all off, all of these "simple" sequential taillights will do that.

I'm tempted to just throw down $70 for one of those premade sequential turn signal kits, but I know there's just gotta be a good, simple DIY method.

firebirdjosh, do you have any diagrams you could post?

I'll take a picture of it when I have a chance.

I think I have a way to incorporate the turn signals. If so I'm DEFINITELY doing it.

Hey, for you guys trying to find that firepinto site.....

go to archive.org and type it in there.....they have lots of old websites saved away.

haha, i hope you guys are factoring in how silly its going to be when its changing speeds
my stock signals start blinking half the speed while im waiting at the light :P
if you can make one that will avoid that, you would rock

I don't think sequential taillights keep blinking. I think its just solid until you release the brakes.

Omg omg omg, thanks man!
http://web.archive.org/web/200402190...nto/parts.html

On the Circuits page, I'm almost positive that this diagram is the one for the 3-bulb sequencer with integrated brake.

Oh ok, i thought you were doing taillights as turn signals thing like on that site.. my bad

It's just tough to design a circuit becuase no one really defined how the sequential taillights will work and there are dozens of different layouts for taillights. The problem right now is figuring out what I want it to do, rather than making the circuit.

Unfortunately, the PDF files are not found if you click on the links.

Back to lurking on this thread.....

dr1, something is wrong with your car; it isn't supposed to do that.

The speed of the factory flasher varies by how many bulbs are connected.............if one bulb burns out, the signal flashes twice as fast, so the car owner is reminded to get it repaired.

If your speeds are changing, it's likely that one or more bulbs is working intermittently-----possibly a bad socket, loose wiring, or even a defective bulb.

You can buy an electronic turn signal flasher, and then the speed will not vary, ever.....but that still won't fix whatever's wrong with your car.

theres nothing wrong with the car, its just dependant on voltage, which varies on alot on stock fbodys apparently, but I have an underdrive pulley so it gos around quite a bit
you'll see it all over the site; "why are my turn signals slow??" etc

i was just saying if you design this totally depedant on steady voltage (which i was thinking they were making the turn signals) it could be kinda weird
but at the same time if you did the sequential turn signals, and it slowed down while your at the stoplight.. you could just consider it a feature :P

Re: Easy DIY Sequential Tails Circuit... (A Work in Progress)
 

I was just wondering if you guys ever got this figured out. I want to add 5 LED lights for turn signals into the fairing of my motorcycle beside the mirrors. I thought it would be pretty cool to make them sequential but am having a hard time finding anything solid for the circuitry. It should be easier than what you guys were doing as I do not need to worry about them acting as running or brake lights. These would just be wired into the existing front blinker wiring. Any help you may be able to offer would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

Re: Easy DIY Sequential Tails Circuit... (A Work in Progress)
 

run down to the local auto yard and pull the needed relays from the junkers. I generally get a handful at a time and free is a good price. just get them from the same manufacture; honda, mitsubishi, etc.