Three wire turn signals?

[Alphamacaroon]

I can’t seem to figure out how to wire my front amber turn signals. The manual calls for a white ground wire and a black positive wire, but my lights also have a red wire. I thought maybe I could just ignore the red wire, but I can’t get it to light up if I apply +12 to black and white only.

Any thoughts?

[edwardb]

I can’t seem to figure out how to wire my front amber turn signals. The manual calls for a white ground wire and a black positive wire, but my lights also have a red wire. I thought maybe I could just ignore the red wire, but I can’t get it to light up if I apply +12 to black and white only.

Any thoughts?

You're talking about the small marker lights that install by the headlights? One for turn signals the other for a running light? Mine only had two wires. That's what I remembered and just looked to confirm. Wired with white ground and black positive as you said, and they work the way they're supposed to. You might try red as positive and white as ground. That's the high intensity combination for the rear lights. Assuming you're using a low current source, you could try other combinations and even reverse the wires. They're polarity protected and typically doesn't hurt them if wired wrong. Just won't light.

[John Dol]

If they are not on the car yet it's easy to put an alligator clamp from a multimeter on the wires and hook them to your battery. This way you can find out which is which.

HTH,

John

[Alphamacaroon]

Right, I'm talking about the amber lights that install in front of the headlight. I've looked at the manufacturers website and they make a 2-wire and 3-wire version, but for some reason I have the 3-wire version. And of course I can't find a single wiring schematic on their website. I wonder if maybe FFR accidentally ordered and/or sent the wrong ones. I'll ping them to find out, but I've seen the 2-wire version on Amazon by the same manufacturer for about $7 a piece, so it wouldn't be the end of the world to just order those. Everything I've read online about 3-wire marker lights shows a complex hookup with diodes and resistors— something I'm capable of doing, but probably not worth the time.

I've already tried putting +12 to the black and red wires separately, but nothing lights up. I guess I can try connecting in some other ways, but I'm a little leery about it— I can confirm 100% that the rear LED brakelights are not polarity protected (I figured this out the hard way and a $30 order from Summit Racing to prove it) so I assumed that these were similar.

[edwardb]

Really surprised and sorry to hear those United Pacific rear lights were damaged with reverse polarity. Must not have a good circuit design for that to happen. Typically doesn't hurt an LED itself. They just don't light. But always good to be cautious. My front markers were Maxxima M09300Y parts. Looks like you received their Maxxima M09300YAT. According to the documentation, they have the same hookup as the rear lights: White ground, black +12V low intensity, red +12V high intensity. They shouldn't require anything additional to hook up and light. None of them light when wired that way?

[Alphamacaroon]

Yeah, I was really surprised when the brake light blew— a case of not reading the f'ing manual and assuming black was ground (this is not household wiring!). I actually heard a teeny-tiny "pop" when I hooked it up wrong.

I am super impressed, I looked everywhere for any documentation on the M09300YAT and couldn't find it! Do you have a link handy?

Anyway, what you say makes sense— separate wires for high and low intensity. Now I'm wondering if maybe I just need to check my power supply. I hope it's not a bonehead mistake of the power supply just not working (or not being plugged in... it was a late night) :D

[edwardb]

I am super impressed, I looked everywhere for any documentation on the M09300YAT and couldn't find it! Do you have a link handy?

Found it on the Amazon listing for the part under Q & A's. Nothing on the supplier's website. For whatever reason, most LED's have white as ground and black as power. So wasn't a surprise. In the end, the same color scheme as the rear lights.

[Alphamacaroon]

Well, I hate to admit the somewhat bonehead mistake. The power supply was plugged in, but did indeed have a problem with a bad connection. Don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to put a volt meter on it (it was late, and it has always just worked).

The lights work as edwardb described. I guess the three wire setup is actually a benefit now because I can wire them both as marker lights and turn signals.

Anyway, sorry for the false alarm, but I guess maybe it might help someone in the future since the manual (at least the one I have) still references a two wire light. Thanks again everyone!

[edwardb]

Glad it had a simple fix. :p I generally haven't posted my "oops" moments. Too many of them...