Dim Turn signals

[Zack19919853]

Ok im having problems with my rear turn signals. When i have the tail lights off the blink normal, but when i turn the tail lights on the go dim.. The fronts are good and blink good with the parking lights on as well. I have a good ground test it with the test light. what would be a possible cause to this problem? Any answer is a helpful answer! Thanks yall!!

[VetteVet]

I see you got your thread started. Good going.
Did you test the brake lights to see how bright they are?

When you connected your rear lights did you have quick connects or are they hard wired?
I'm wondering if you didn't get the tail and turn filaments on each bulb reversed. This would give you bright tails and dim turns.If the brake lights are dim like the turns then it makes sense that you're lighting the wrong filaments in the bulbs.

[Zack19919853]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

I see you got your thread started. Good going.
Did you test the brake lights to see how bright they are?

When you connected your rear lights did you have quick connects or are they hard wired?
I'm wondering if you didn't get the tail and turn filaments on each bulb reversed. This would give you bright tails and dim turns.If the brake lights are dim like the turns then it makes sense that you're lighting the wrong filaments in the bulbs.

The brake lights are bright. I'm not to sure on the quick connect or the hard wire. I'm almost positive they are the original housings for the truck. And they only go in one way. But if the housings were on the wrong sides would that make a difference as you were saying?
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[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Zack19919853

The brake lights are bright. I'm not to sure on the quick connect or the hard wire. I'm almost positive they are the original housings for the truck. And they only go in one way. But if the housings were on the wrong sides would that make a difference as you were saying?
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Well That is important because it tells me that the wiring is correct.
Here is why.
The tail lights are normal
The turns work like they should and are bright until the tail lights are turned on, then they go dim.
The brake lights are bright.

The brake lights and the turn lights are the same filaments in the bulbs and are supposed to be brighter than the tail lights. Except that the turn lights dim when the tail lights are turned on.

Now next question. Do the brake lights dim when you turn on the tail lights?
I suspect that they do and this is why.
The tail light filament and the turn/brake light filament both ground through the socket housing. If the socket housing is not grounded well, it creates excessive resistance for the positive currents that have to share that ground.
Each filament will ground OK by itself but when you combine the two, the high resistance will lower the voltage on the two filaments and cause them to be dimmer.

Based on what you have said you need to get a better ground on the socket housings even if you have to run a wire to each housing and solder it to the housing and then run the wire to a really good ground.

[Zack19919853]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

Well That is important because it tells me that the wiring is correct.
Here is why.
The tail lights are normal
The turns work like they should and are bright until the tail lights are turned on, then they go dim.
The brake lights are bright.

The brake lights and the turn lights are the same filaments in the bulbs and are supposed to be brighter than the tail lights. Except that the turn lights dim when the tail lights are turned on.

Now next question. Do the brake lights dim when you turn on the tail lights?
I suspect that they do and this is why.
The tail light filament and the turn/brake light filament both ground through the socket housing. If the socket housing is not grounded well, it creates excessive resistance for the positive currents that have to share that ground.
Each filament will ground OK by itself but when you combine the two, the high resistance will lower the voltage on the two filaments and cause them to be dimmer.

Based on what you have said you need to get a better ground on the socket housings even if you have to run a wire to each housing and solder it to the housing and then run the wire to a really good ground.

Ok ill try that out ill solder a wire on the housing of each side run a ground to the frame. Or run it straight to the battery to know for sure whether or not the ground is at fault!
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[Zack19919853]

Originally Posted by Zack19919853

Ok ill try that out ill solder a wire on the housing of each side run a ground to the frame. Or run it straight to the battery to know for sure whether or not the ground is at fault!
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Thank you Vettevet you have been alot of help I will give you and update today after work!
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[Zack19919853]

Ok so blinkers work now after soldering a wire to the brass on the tail light housing!! Whoop whoop!! Lol but there's something odd the left side blinker is blinking on a different filament? Why is that? Also the blink quicker as well!! I'm so excited!!
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[Zack19919853]

Oh and another problem my signal indicators in the dash both blink as if the hazards are on when I turn the left or right blinker on...
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[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Zack19919853

Ok so blinkers work now after soldering a wire to the brass on the tail light housing!! Whoop whoop!! Lol but there's something odd the left side blinker is blinking on a different filament? Why is that? Also the blink quicker as well!! I'm so excited!!
Posted via Mobile Device

Remember I asked you about the wires to the lights, and the possibility that they might be reversed,and were they quick disconnect, or hard wired. If they are both the same number bulb, and was the brightness the same?
If they are both the same number bulb then I would swap the two and see if the filaments that light now are the same ones after the swap. The flasher has a heating element inside it that separates after the blinkers light for a second due to the heat of the resistance of the bulb, and the resistance of the element. This makes the light go out until the element cools and then it reconnects. This is what makes the blinker light flash.
The higher the resistance the faster the light blinks.

Originally Posted by Zack19919853

Oh and another problem my signal indicators in the dash both blink as if the hazards are on when I turn the left or right blinker on...
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There is a good possibility that the dash is not grounded well and the flasher indicator lights and some other items might be poorly grounded. They will usually use the path of least resistance to ground, which could be another light which would make both lights flash. Make sure that it's not the hazard unit in the steering wheel which would make all the lights flash.