Adding Turn Signals To a Jet

[Deleted User]

I'm in the process of adding turn signals to the 54 Jet and want to know how I should address the grounding of the tail lights.

Any helpful hints? I need to ground them to the trailer wiring box I've put inside the trunk. The tail lights need to be grounded to the wiring NOT the body as designed.

As a quick fix I thought I could cover the metal tail light plate where the light bulb holder attaches ( and normally grounds the light bulb) with electrical tape to prevent grounding. Then I could add a grounding screw and run the wire back to the trailer box.

I'll send picture when I'm back on my laptop

Geoff

 I cannot understand why you would need to do this.  There is no wiring to ground anywhere in the body.

[Deleted User]

In order to have tail lights, stop lights and turn signals, all from the two rear light bulbs, I need to have them grounded to the ground wire on the trailer hitch wiring box.

I've tested the lights like that and they work when NOT attached to the body. When I install them inside the rear light covers, and they become grounded via the body, they do not work as tail lights, only stop lights and turn signals.

ESSX28-1

Check if tail lights already grounded.

[Deleted User]

Tail lights are currently grounded to the vehicle. It's been converted to 12 volts by a previous owner.

In order to ground the tail lights to the trailer hitch wiring adaptor, I need to prevent the lights from grounding to the body. This will allow the rear lights to serve as tail lights, stop lights, and turn indicator lights.

I've taken some electrical tape and placed it on the rear light lens mounting plate. I'm hoping this will prevent the light bulb from grounding to the body.  I know it's probably temporary, but that's why I'm looking for advice on a long-term solution.

I'd like to know what others have done to their Jets in order to have turn signals. 

Thanks!!
 

Geoff

 I would need to see the wiring diagram of the box you have installed to understand why you have to do this.  Do the lights work normally without the  extra box connected, and not when you have your trailer on?  I suspect  you need to have a ground wire from your trailer light base that connects through the coupling to the car ground. 

[Deleted User]

Here's the wiring diagram I'm following. And yes, the turn signals work when the lights are NOT activated.  When I activate the lights, they don't work. I'm not towing anything with the car, I'm just using the trailer wiring adaptor so the rear lights do everything (tail lights, stop lights, and turn signal lights.)

Jay_G

So where do you get power for the lights?  I think the tail light terminal on the 4 wire input side should be hooked up to the light circuit not to the two tail light lamps at the top of the drawing.  Unless the two tail light lamps are driven off a power source somewhere that is not shown on the drawing. 

Simply put where is the power for the lights?  No light circuit power no lights.  Seems like it is working correctly to me.  But maybe I am missing something.

Geoff

 I would surmise that  this is a relay box,  and that it is faulty internally, as I cannot see any reason for it not to work when the tail lights are turned on.  My suggestion would be to take the tail light  sires out of the  box connections, and wire them separately and see what happens. In other words, do not have the tail light circuit through the relay box.  Good luck.