I have an idea, License Plate Brake Light

[BuffaloRider]

I'll start by saying that I know very little about electrical wiring and things of that nature.

I thought it would be cool if the license plate light on my 90GM would turn red when the brakes are applied. I'm sure it's not an original idea, but I was just looking at it one day and thought "hey, that'd be neat". Does anybody know how to do this and how difficult would it be for an amateur to do?

Thanks.

[marquis_82_withneons]

that sounds really simple.. but youd have to run wire all the way inside the car to the original swithc on the brake pedal.. or wherever its located. if you splice it inline with your wiring in the trunk because brake lights double as turn signals... it will still work but it will also flash with turn signals

[marquis_82_withneons]

DEFINITELY sounds cool and like something i would try.

[85crownHPP]

OOOooooohhh 3 ideas of varying complexity come to mind....

Of course you could just buy a red light-up license plate bracket, but that would be too easy

You could try to dremel in a 2nd socket hole in each lamp and have 2 bulbs in each lamp (if there is room) one red and one white LED replacement bulb.

The extreme route would involve re-working the plate lamp into a custom deal (or trying to find one to buy) with RGB LEDs and a programmer that tells them to be white or red.

The wiring would be simple for any of them, especially since you already have a third brake light. You'd use a double throw relay like a logic switch to make the white light go off and the red come on when the brakes are applied.

Assuming the laws are the same in Ohio I guess it would be legal since Ohio allows under-body lights and all that.

[sly]

take a plain license plate bracket... outfit with string of outdoor RED LEDs (the automotive kind... like they use for undercarriage lighting now)... run the wires through holes drilled in the bracket under the strips... tie them all together behind the plate (via the unused holes - some hole plugs to hide the wires) and run to the high mount brake light circuit... or if the car doesn't have one... to the brake light switch at the pedal (this prevents it flashing with one blinker).

or get something like these and wire it up the same way:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-LED-FLAME-Car-Auto-License-Plate-Flash-Bright-Light-Frame-CITY-LITES-RLPF200-/230708004636#vi-content

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-LED-Light-License-Plate-Frame-Acrylic-Frame-Universal-Car-Auto-Vehicle-/140912772477#vi-content

[jaywish]

Not sure about the sedans but pretty sure the wagon has two filament bulbs, one blinker one brake. So just tap in to the wire for the stop filament.

[sly]

the two filament is still just high and parking... with high being blinker/brake. There isn't separate blinker and brake lines unless there's a high mount in the tailgate... then you can tap that one.

[jaywish]

Right, Thanks for the correction.

[BuffaloRider]

Something like this?

Red 15 SMD LED Flexible Strip Light

Like I said, I'm pretty ignorant to this stuff and although it may be simple I'm still unfamiliar with it so I'll just describe what I think I should do and you guys tell me if I'm wrong, oky doky?


That's the area above the license plate where the license plate light is.

If I buy the LED strip from the link above I'll put it either where the red line is or the green line depending on how thin it is.

Then I'll have to get the wire through that black plug thingy. I don't know, drill a hole and seal with hot glue gun? Tell me if that's a dumb idea.

There's the back of the black plug thing from the inside of the trunk

Where the wire would go. I'm assuming the length of wire that is attached to the LED strip won't reach so I'll have to, I dunno, splice it to another wire that will reach that length I'm assuming. How do I know what kind of wire to use?

Then I would splice the LED wire in with this wire just before it goes up into the rear center brake light. BUT how exactly does that work? I know to remove the negative battery terminal but as far as the splicing itself what do I do, just wrap the wires together and tape it back up? Or is it like red to red black to black or something? Any help is appreciated, thanks!

[BuffaloRider]

Again, any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[85crownHPP]

Looks like you are on the right track as far as a plan.

Keep in mind the adhesive on the strips will be subject to the elements, and may not hold up forever.

As far as wire, you could easily use speaker wire, just buy the same size as the wires for the LED light or one size thicker. This will also make the wire easier to route and hide since both strands will be attached to each other. You can use butt-crimp connectors to join it to the LED strip wires if you like.

I'd use squeeze-tap connectors to tap the existing 3rd brake wires. The ones I use you just clip around the wire and squeeze with pliers to lock it. Then you crimp a male spade to your wires and plug it right into the tap. \The LED light will only work one way, so if it doesn't light up you just have to reverse them.

[BuffaloRider]

Thanks for helping out an amateur! So all I need is wire that is the same thickness? Here I thought it had to be a certain type of wire that was made for a specific purpose.

For some reason this idea has got me really excited mainly because it's the first thing I've done to my car that isn't repair and maintenance, AND it sure fits the budget! I'm going to order the shit I need for it while I've still got the money lol

[85crownHPP]

Nah, wire is wire. Speaker wire usually has a thicker jacket so make sure you compare the thickness of the copper strands.
I would not use speaker wire under the car or under the hood, it may not hold up to elements/atmosphere/heat as well, but it should be fine in the trunk.