Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Anybody tried switchback bulbs in the winkers?

Does anybody else have too many of those scary moments when cars just pull out in front of you like you weren’t there? Well me too

So now that I have an ultra-low visibility marmite coloured car I thought it time to raise my survival odds and try some DRL’s. I’ve seen the ones in the headlights but was curious as to how some of those clever DRL switchback bulbs might work in the winkers. Switchback bulbs are dual white amber LED bulbs with a bit of circuitry on board to disable the white DRl whilst the amber turn signal flashes on/off. When the turn signal is cancelled the DRL slowly comes back to life a few seconds later. Also being quite bright they are disabled when the main lights come on.

I will live with them for a while and see how they go. As far as I can tell they are UK legal….


The camera doesn’t do their brightness justice here

Where did you get them from?

I have them in my Aero Roger -



- replaced the amber lenses with clear/white lenses and new dual bulb holders and switchback bulbs.

They are a strange American spec. bulb which were quite tricky to source (it was a few years back now ).

They operate as DRL's then flash amber as you describe.

I used a delay timer on them so that it gives the battery a fighting chance to start the car before they come on (about 50secs. from memory...)

I also have them wired via a 'Car Builder Solutions' DRL control unit -

https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/automatic-daytime-running-lights-wiring-kit

and an on/off switch so they can be disabled too.....

James

Oh yes that defiantly works, very nice James and a very useful set of extra lights too.

Mine are wired so they monetarily go off as the start key is turned. I haven’t put them on a switch yet more so as to force me to use them all of the time however I only need to pull a spade connector if I need them off for some reason. Like maybe an MOT….


These are the bulbs that I used. I swapped the single filament bulb holders for doubles (Lucas L L691)

John are you thinking of tinkering...

Must look into this option. I have also been aware of the need to be seen, especially in a Morgan so I took the simple route some years ago and always run with my side lights on fitted with bright long life LED bulbs. On the general subject t of DRL's on cars I have always been amazed that regulations require front only. The number of times I have driven down the M1 in heavy rain and poor visibility to see cars with only their front DRL's on. Drivers obviously thinking 'oh I can be seen alright'. No lights showing at the rear of course!

I have connected the LED daytime running light of my headlights with the parking light. For this reason I always have the light on in the back.

I am interested but as I have the side lights wired to be always on & LED side lights in the headlamps it isn't critical.
One for the lockdown list. Today is fitting a hose reel for the second outdoor tap.

Interesting Rog. I understand the need for the DRL control unit to switch them off when dipped headlights come on, but what of the dual colour LED's themselves. The new (stop/tail type) holder is presumably connected to DRL and indicator feeds. Is the transition from solld DRL white to flasing on/off amber then acheived automatically within the new LED when indicator selected? Also did you add resistors to simulate 21 watt filament load on indicator flasher unit?

Hi Richard. My understanding is that the regs say DRL’s have to be dimmed or switched off when the main lights come on. I didn’t bother with a control unit I just used a simple auto relay I had kicking around. Its wired with a tap off the parking lights to switch the DRL’s off when the main lights are switched on.

Yes the stop/tail holder is connected to the indicator wire and the DRL to the other. And yes the clever circuitry inside the bulb switches off/manages the DRL when needed. Before I stumbled on these bulbs I worked out a way of doing it with a 555 timer and regular amber/white bulbs but these switchbacks are so simple. They are designed for the job and just as bright as the DRL’s on my tintop.

Yes again I have 8 ohm resistors mounted behind each bulb holder.