Turn Signal wiring questions '96 Club Car DS

bcontento

Greetings all. I have a '96 Club Car DS that we bought recently. It already has headlights (with marker lights) and taillights, but I want to add turn signals and a horn to work toward street legal. I bought a universal kit for the install (came with everything except the flasher). My cart doesn't have an easy plug and play harness, so I've snipped and crimped connectors on all of the leads for the turn signal assembly. Here is what I've done so far and my questions:

- I installed the small orange marker lights that came with the kit on the front fenders for side turn signal lamps
- I snipped the hot lead in the harness for the marker lamps that are integrated into the headlights and wired it together with the new side marker lamps and ran a lead to the turn signal harness RT and LFT front signals (and grounded everything). I tested the setup by applying 12v to the lead and both the side and front marker lamps light up.
- i connected hot and ground to the turn signal harness.
- I installed the flasher. The one I was sold at the parts store was a 3-blade and that seemed right because the flasher plug in the harness is the same shape BUT there are only 2-leads. I'm thinking that is problem #1.

I tested the signals and no-go. I figured that I'd at least get something lit up (either the indicators on the turn signal lever assembly or the marker lights) even if they don't flash, but I get nothing. I hooked up a volt meter to the hot going into the signal assembly and I do have 12+v. As another test, I hooked up the horn and I do get a beep from it when I push the horn button.

So, question #1, would an incorrect flasher keep me from getting any response?

Question #2 deals with the tail lights. Right now, they are not hooked up as brake lights, just running lights that come on with the headlight switch. Can I simply splice in the turn signal lead into the taillights hot wire and they will flash when the signal is applied (providing them with voltage)? Seems logical that that would work. How about when the headlights are on though applying constant 12v? Will they blink (with the flasher provide some kind of interrupt to them)?

Thanks all for any help.

BGW

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bcontento

Just realized that I didn't check to see if there are dual filament bulbs/connections in the taillights. That'll answer question #2 I think

Fairtax4me

You don't need dual filaments in the lights for the flasher to work, but you do need that if you want to have running lights and a brighter brake/signal.

If you only have two wires in the flasher connector then you only need a two pin flasher. I'd suggest a solid state/ HD flasher if you have any LED signal lights, since a typical thermal flasher may flash too quickly.

A 3 pin flasher has a separate pin that sends voltage to the indicator lamp in the dash on some vehicles.

bcontento

Thanks very much for the reply.

I pulled the taillights last night. I didn't know it but they are LEDs! There are 3 wires in the harness (red, white, black).

QUestion #1: do the red and white leads into the LED tailights control half of the LEDs each? Is that how the LEDs are treated like a dual-filament bulb? The turn signal would light up half of them when engaged?

The red and white wires were spliced together I assume because the p.o. didn't have signals and just wanted brighter lights. I un-spliced them, leaving the red wire connected and a ran a new lead to the signal harness for the white wire.

Headlight switch on and I get taillights for running lights as I should.

I bought a new, 2 blade thermal old-school flasher (before reading this) and installed it. Now, if I engage the turn signal, I do get lights on teh signal lever indicator and I get the front signals to light up but not flash, but the rears do not light up at all. If I engage the hazard function, I do get all 4 lights flashing.

Could this be the result of the old-school thermal flasher? Is this like what you suggest I get?

https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Safet...+2-pin+flasher

Again, thanks very much!

theboss20

I had the same problem...tried every flasher out there that said it was for LED's even one called "no load" but nothing worked...so I finally had to install resistors in each line to "fool" the flasher...that worked. For info on the resistors go to: www.superbrightleds.com and you will find info and a source of the items you need.
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RL-650-K
LED Light Load Resistor Kit - LED Turn Signal Hyper Flash & Warning Fix
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6 Ohm, 50 Watt load resistor kit. Solves common LED turn signal problems with hyperflashing and bulb out warning indicators. Connect one across each LED turn signal bulb to simulate filament Tail/Turn signal bulbs.

View Installation Diagram & Instructions [PDF]. Mount the resistor away from painted surfaces, plastic, or other components that may be damaged by the heat generated by the resistor.
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bcontento

Success!! The new flasher fixed everything. This is the one I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Now, on to the next buggy questions

vegerad

I know this post is from 3 years ago, but by any chance do you have a rough wiring diagram of what you did? I have what appears to be the exact same thing you did.