Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby Prototear » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:57 am

Danny,
Thanks for awesome pictures! :pictures: It is just what I needed. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I had part of the bracket thought through but struggled on the issue of open ends knowing that I don't have the ability to weld aluminum - epoxy or the super glue seems like a good way to go. This really opens up my options! I even have some silver epoxy putty I could use.
:applause:

You are correct about the linked LED fixture being directional, as this is often the case with many LED fixtures.

I'm probably a month or more from being ready to install it but I'll post some pictures when the time comes.
Steve
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby halfdome, Danny » Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:36 am

Steve, it's best to use a sharp 80 tooth carbide blade on the table saw along with a push stick or two & a face shield to cut the angles on the light bracket.
If you think it out thoroughly and work safely, it will work out great and look nice.
To fine tune your cut clamp a 8o grit sanding block to the bench and sand the miters to perfection.
:D Danny
Last edited by halfdome, Danny on Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby halfdome, Danny » Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:40 am

Prototear wrote:Danny,
Thanks for awesome pictures! :pictures: It is just what I needed. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I had part of the bracket thought through but struggled on the issue of open ends knowing that I don't have the ability to weld aluminum - epoxy or the super glue seems like a good way to go. This really opens up my options! I even have some silver epoxy putty I could use.
:applause:

You are correct about the linked LED fixture being directional, as this is often the case with many LED fixtures.

I'm probably a month or more from being ready to install it but I'll post some pictures when the time comes.

Steve, glad to be of some help.
Sanded aluminum dust mixed in super glue or epoxy works as an exact color/material putty.
Sand and polish and your done.

Thanks for the previous LED bar link, I may use one on the back of my pick up truck shell.
:D Danny
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby grantstew8 » Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:55 am

Steve
Have you thought of using a motorbike number/Licence plate holder with a brake/indicators/plate light.
This is the model I've used. I'd not thought of using the LED for lighting.... NOT too late.
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If you skip forward in the video below to 0:59 you can see it fitted (temporarily)



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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby Prototear » Wed Apr 02, 2014 2:08 am

Danny, thanks again for another tip to mix in the aluminum dust. :thumbsup:

Grant, yes, I have been thinking about motorcycle lights for tail and license plate lights & mounting. Their typical mounting angles may work lower on the hatch for my main tail lights. What is the mounting angle of the one you have? (In other words, what is the slope of the hatch where it is mounted with the directional LEDs pointing horizontally?)

I think I have found the specific vehicle that fits the third brake light I had in my first post of this thread. I saw it on a couple Ford F-150s in the parking lot at work, and it appears to be for 2004-2008 models. The part number is a Putco P900247 and available on etrailer http://www.etrailer.com/Lights/Ford/F-150/2006/P900247.html?vehicleid=2006624707. There is also a You Tube video from Stylin' Trucks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHadilpTDwc with a metallic/chrome-like finish over the plastic. I'll try to get more specific measurements to see if it will work before ordering it - I think I know who owns one of the trucks I saw in the parking lot. If the slope on its underside is more than about 25 degrees I could mount it lower on the hatch, but going too far would place it too low to get over the bike rack that started me on this journey.
:thinking:

For now, my plan A is to try the Putco light, but a very strong Plan B is to use the aluminum angle bracket as shown by Danny if the geometry of the Putco doesn't work for me or if I can't find a reasonable way to mount the 3 high running lights I'll probably need since my trailer will likely be barely over 80".
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby jseyfert3 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:55 pm

jseyfert3 wrote:I could make such a controller for about $4 in parts, solid state, no relays to wear out. All it would take is a tiny microcontroller, a transistor, a couple diodes and resistors, solder it up and coat in epoxy. You would need to input the left and right stop/turn wires and ground, and it would output +12 V for the high mount brake light.

Since I plan on making a purchase from Digikey soon, I could throw in a couple extra parts easily if anyone was interested. I plan to have my controller done in a few weeks but cannot guarantee any other controllers would be worked on until that point. (I have a deadline to get my trailer done and will be busy doing that)

Was anyone interested in this? I actually drew up a schematic and initial cost research on Digikey. I'm making my own order from Digikey before the end of the weekend, so before I make my order I can throw in parts to make some of these for other people without adding any shipping charges if I know about it before I place my order.

I would make and sell these for the parts cost and shipping (to you) for TnTTT members. The parts cost $5.04 right now, unless I missed a price and I can find something cheaper. Most parts also get cheaper after a certain amount of the same type are ordered (usually 10 pieces, and again at 25). Perfboard was just an estimate at $0.25, I'd just cut a small chunk off what I have. The circuit would only be a couple square inches or so, less then an inch high, with short wires coming out that you hook up to your trailer wires. I'd solder it up and send it in a padded envelope so it would cost just a couple bucks to ship. For those that may see this and want to build it themselves, please note that circuit will not work unless the ATtiny85 is programmed.

This circuit would lose about 1/2 volt for the power going to the stop light, should not be a noticeable difference in brightness from the minor voltage drop.

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<EDIT> For price clarity.
Last edited by jseyfert3 on Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby Prototear » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:11 pm

Hi Jseyfert3,
Sure, count me in! I think I'll even take a second one for a helper who is thinking about building a trailer himself (or keep it as a spare if he doesn't). Do you plan to program the ATtiny85 to hold the third brake light steady while one of the input brake/turn signals is flashing? I suspect so, but just looking to clarify....

Thanks! :thumbsup:
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby jseyfert3 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:17 pm

Prototear wrote:Hi Jseyfert3,
Sure, count me in! I think I'll even take a second one for a helper who is thinking about building a trailer himself (or keep it as a spare if he doesn't). Do you plan to program the ATtiny85 to hold the third brake light steady while one of the input brake/turn signals is flashing? I suspect so, but just looking to clarify....

Thanks! :thumbsup:

Sure do. It'll make sure that the light stays off if you only have a turn signal on, and make sure the light stays steady on if you have the brake on, whether or not either turn signal is on.

P.S. I feel like I'm threadjacking by offering this. Should I move this offer to it's own thread?
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby Prototear » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:30 pm

I'm no expert on thread etiquette, but I'm not concerned about threadjacking as it is closely enough related to what I'm doing, and it even makes it actually electrical as I see that my initial question was about mechanical fit (of an electrical component) in this Electrical Secrets forum. This may make this thread more useful for a more complete story on how to plan and install one. It certainly helps me!
:D
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby jseyfert3 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:34 pm

Prototear wrote:I'm no expert on thread etiquette, but I'm not concerned about threadjacking as it is closely enough related to what I'm doing, and it even makes it actually electrical as I see that my initial question was about mechanical fit (of an electrical component) in this Electrical Secrets forum. This may make this thread more useful for a more complete story on how to plan and install one. It certainly helps me!
:D

Sounds good to me. :thumbsup:
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby lthomas987 » Mon May 05, 2014 2:59 pm

Wow. Genius.

I was just contemplating how to solve this issue. I'm far from trailer lights right now, but was trying to decide if I wanted a high stop light, and was leaning towards yes.

Everywhere I go jseyfert3 is like three steps ahead of me! I wonder if I still have the ATtiny85 programmer. I think I loaned mine out and it never came back. I wonder if I could make it run amber turn indicators.
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby jseyfert3 » Wed May 07, 2014 7:58 am

lthomas987 wrote:Wow. Genius.

I was just contemplating how to solve this issue. I'm far from trailer lights right now, but was trying to decide if I wanted a high stop light, and was leaning towards yes.

Everywhere I go jseyfert3 is like three steps ahead of me! I wonder if I still have the ATtiny85 programmer. I think I loaned mine out and it never came back. I wonder if I could make it run amber turn indicators.

:D

Microcontrollers are cool, aren't they? :yes:

And you can certainly make them run amber turn signals from US standard trailer combined stop/turn signals. In fact, I already have the schematic all planned out already... :D

I even have all the parts I need from Digikey for the circuit. Only reason it's not together yet is because for some reason I'm missing my ATMega328p chip set to 16 MHz for my Arduino, and only had one set to 8 MHz. Can't use it as a programmer unless it's 16 MHz, which the code wants when you use it as a programmer. So I ordered an AVR Dragon instead.

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AVR Dragon Box by jseyfert3, on Flickr

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AVR Dragon Board by jseyfert3, on Flickr

Now I have the ability to program any Atmel AVR microcontroller with no Arduino limitations. :thumbsup: I'll be starting work on my circuit soon after I solder in some headers and a socket to the AVR Dragon.

lthomas987, if you want my schematic for the combined brake/turn I'll neaten it up a bit and add in my completed parts list.
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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby tony.latham » Sun Jun 01, 2014 3:46 pm

Hey, Halfdome Danny: Thanks for the inspiration.
Image
I used a piece of 2"x4" aluminum angle. I had to cut the short leg down about 3/4" to get the proper 90º angle when hitched. I used a block of poplar (coated in epoxy) that fit the inside of the angle to attache the light to. The poplar is screwed/sealed to the teardrop (into the hatch spar) and the fabricated light is screwed to the block. I used the same $19 eBay light suggested by Danny. Three LED running light, turn signals and of course a big bright brake light.

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Re: Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

Postby Esteban » Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:40 pm

Looks good Tony. :thumbsup:
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