Electrics got me down...

OK, so I am now in the wiring stage of my project. This was not something I had looked forward to doing, so I waited until my father was here on a visit becuase he knows about this sort of thing (or so I thought).

Right now we are stumped on how the rear lights are wired up so that the tail-light, brake light and indicator lights all work correctly.

We have the three wires (tail, brake, indicator), and we have figured out that we will have to create an earth circuit.

The big problem is the fact that the light untis only have two terminals (one for each bulb). After arguing between ourselves for some time (more for enjoyment than anything else), we have realised that at least one of the bulbs needs to be a dual element.

Nowever, how does one connect the TWO wires for the two elements when there is only ONE terminal on the outside of the bulb holder?

What are we missing?

Help!

Jim.

Jim,
all the tail lights I've seen have three wires coming from them. One of the bulb sockets should have two wires or terminals coming from it. Since it sounds like this is not the case, try your local parts store for a socket that takes an 1157 bulb. You should be able to find one that will fit your assembly.

I don't have any suggestions... but if it makes you feel any better, I melted 2 flashers today for my turn signals before I realized that my switch was bad.

Go to www.cip1.com.
Do a search for loom
You'll find a dune buggy wiring kit listed.
Click on it and it'll lead you to a downloadable wiring schematic for a dune buggy.
This schematic is the simpilist one I've seen.
OR...
Go to the Library and look at the CMC manuals. They also have schematics.


Greg B

Jim,
Went and looked at my tail lights. The fat end has a dual element and the small end has a single element. the ground or earth circuit is made by hooking the case to ground. Early VW wiring typically separates the blinkers (hooked to the single element bulb) and the brake/parking circuits (bright/dim elements respectively) to the dual element bulb . Later master cylinders had two switches instead of one. In this case the blinker and the stop light were on the same circuit and park lights were on another (thus 2 single element bulbs, one bright one dim) . This set requires a later model blinker switch on the column. Sounds like you need to set up the latter.

Wired lots of dune buggies over the years. The diagram mentioned above is for the earlier style with only one switch on the master cylinder.

Greg,

Thanks for that lead on the CIP1 wiring diagram! I just now downloaded it, and it'll sure come in handy.

TC

Ahhhh......wiring tail lights - a two-to-three Guinness job!!

Hopefully, I'll not be confusing things even more here.....and I'm assuming that you have the same (cheap Taiwanese) light units that we all have (at least they LOOK the same in your pictures).

First, the "two switch brake master cylinder" is for accuating the "Brake Failure Warning Light" on the VW dashboard. When one brake hydraulic circuit fails, it pushes a plunger within the master cylinder which would cause one of those two switches to close, thus lighting a warning light on the dash.

If you don't have that warning light, then you may simply use one of the switches and leave the other dead (try them both to see which accuates first when the brake pedal is depressed, and then use that one - they're all different).

Now, for the tail lights......First, orientation: They are mounted with the bulbous end toward the fender, AND the flat lens surface facing UP.

There should be three leads, but only two bulbs - one bulb is a single, bright filament (for Stop - toward the pointy end of the lens), the other a dual filament (one bright for directionals, the other dim for running light). You'll have to play with them and 12V a bit to figure out which - use a long wire from some 12V source. For the Earth connection, simply connect a wire to one of the light assembly mounting studs, using a ring-tab crimp connector beneath the stud nut, and goop up the wire crimp area with clear silicon caulk (as you should do for the other crimps as well). You may gang the tail lights and center license plate light together with a common Earth wire, then connect the other end of that wire to the frame with another ring-tab crimp connection (and more goop, or you can paint it).

Style 1: Now, it gets easier; the brakes go to the inside light near the pointy end, the running lights to the dim side of the bulbous end, and the directionals to the bright side of the bulbous end - that's it. This way, you can use an existing late '60's - mid - 70's VW flasher, wire it up just like the VW manual tells you and it works correctly because those years had a separate brake and directional light.

HOWEVER! (and you thought it was all done and easy, right?) Style 2: SOME lights (and cars) I've seen have the circuits flipped (pretty easy to do, actually), with brake/directional on the bulbous, outside end (using the bright bulb filament), and running lights on BOTH the dim filaments of both bulbs. This is the 50's style VW and AMERICAN (and, often, Dune Buggy way) of wiring "single bulb tail-lights) and can use a standard, three-terminal American flasher unit (those little cans up under the dash). THAT method will probably use the CIP-1 wiring method and flasher placement in the circuit.

You'll have to decide which is the "look" you want your car to have when the lights are on. Personally, I chose the "Euro" look of style 1, with a segregated brake light to really get their attention (along with a third brake light mounted at eye level from behind) and the small-ish running light of only half the total lens lit. The combined running/directional lights in the bulbous end look at least as good as a single-bulb tail-light, and the directional can be seen easily.

Good luck, and email me if you have more wiring troubles......

Dr. Sparks

In your post you said you only have two wires coming out of the taillights, correct? To make three filaments work you will need to replace one of the pigtails in order to get the 1157 bulb to work. Any Autozone (or equivelant), will have a two wire pigtail that will slide right into the metal bulg holder (which acts as the ground). that way you can use the smaller filament for the driving lights, and the brighter filament for the brake (or stop) lights.

Jim, let me take alook at my old tail lights . If they have the two leads on the outer socket I'll send you the internals. Its a simple change out. I'll get back to you tonight.
Joe

Jim, The outers I have are two wired. Do you want them? email me.
Joe

Jim, Do you have it figured out?
My home email isn't working to well at the moment.
Joe

Gentlemen,

Yet another reason why I am happy to be a member of this group...

I have just logged on for the first time in 4 days and have received numerous responses offering both technical assistance, encouragement and replacement parts.

Joe, Thank you for the kind offer - if you are no longer in need of the taillights I will gladly take them. If your home email is still not working let me know and I can post you a letter or call you with my address. I have actually just returned from spending the weekend with family in Chicago - I can thoroughly recommend it as a trip destination to anyone. Although whoever came up with the name "Wacker Drive" is in need of some serious help.

It certainly would appear from all the responses that I do not have the correct bulb holders - and the circuit diagram will certainly help to minimise any further discord between myself and my 'electrician' a.k.a. "Dad"!

Cheers to everyone who offered help, advice and support.

I'll keep you posted...

Jim.

Jim, the email is working now. If I knew you we're in Chicago I would of dropped the parts off. Send me your mailing address. I will be sending you the internal parts. All you have to do is slide them in for replacement. It's a simple exhange.
Joe