Need help with technostalgia & switch - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

anglwngss · 08-18-2013, 04:21 PM

So.. Got some technostalgia tail lights, all hooked up, everything's great until i try to hook up a switch for show mode.

Switch has Load, Earth and Supply.

I'm assuming a ground wire goes from Earth to a ground.

I've tried the purple wire on both Load and Supply. The LED on the switch came on, but the tail lights did not.

Do I need a third wire to go somewhere?

Help. I'm confused...

gutterball · 08-20-2013, 01:54 PM

Earth is Ground, Load is the Output of the Switch, (which should go to your tail lights) and Supply should go to Batt. It would be a good idea to pit a small fuse from output of switch

Deke736 · 08-20-2013, 02:08 PM

There is no need for a 3 pronged switch, a simple on/ off switch is all you need. The technostalgia taillight show mode only uses a simple ground and load. Simply run a wire from your ground on the car to the ground on your switch and connect the purple wire from the lights to the switch.

gutterball · 08-20-2013, 04:59 PM

a 3 pronged switch is a Switch with a built in light. You really don't need it unless you want a light to tell you when the Switch is on.

anglwngss · 08-20-2013, 05:16 PM

I understand that the three prongs switch is only a switch for the light on it and that's actually what I wanted. I contacted the manufacturer and they said that there's no way that the LED from the switch will turn on using the lights in show mode . So I just went ahead and install the switch without using the LED indicator. Drat.

sent from the land of la-la.

eastwoodisme · 08-26-2013, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anglwngss

I understand that the three prongs switch is only a switch for the light on it and that's actually what I wanted. I contacted the manufacturer and they said that there's no way that the LED from the switch will turn on using the lights in show mode . So I just went ahead and install the switch without using the LED indicator. Drat.

sent from the land of la-la.

Actually you can... I don't know how to explain this over a post but I will try.

There are three prongs on the standard lighted toggle switch. Normally:

Earth = Ground
Load = +12V flows to (whatever you wish) when in the "on" position
Supply = +12V for Power

Above is a "Positive Switching" setup. If the Purple wire in the Tail Lights needs to be connected to Ground, then you flip the whole thing.

Earth =+12V for Power
Load = Ground flows to Purple Wire to activate show mode when in the "on" position
Supply= Ground

Above is called "Negative Switching" since it's an incandescent illuminated rocker you can feed 12 volts into the "GND" lug since you reversed the loop it'll light up.

I know this may be confusing but just try looking at it this way. Your light in the switch needs positive and negative to light up... When you reverse the Earth and Supply it still lights up as normal but, you have changed what current flows through the switch when its on. I realllly hope this makes sense lol. If you need a video tell me.

OH!!! And btw... are the tail lights brighter than stock? I really need something that is brighter. What about in show mode? I am finishing up my undercover police light install and can't decide on whether or not I want to get them because I haven't heard a for sure "Yes they are superbright compared to stock" or "same" response.

mp51998 · 08-29-2013, 08:08 AM

I cant say for sure that they are super bright but boy do they get peoples attention. My wife has them on her car and when ever people will tailgate she flips on the hazards. You would think she shot at someone. Everytime she has done this the offender will immediately back off and get over a lane or two. As if they thought they just got a warning from and undercover officer. Now that I think about it they hard hard to look at for long periods of time. Kinda like staring at the sun.

OP, I hope you get the switch figured out. I just used a small push on/off swtich which blends in nicely with the trim in the trunk. You can see it while looking for it in the trunk. You have to feel for it.

08-18-2013, 04:21 PM	#1
anglwngss Texas Camaros Drives: 2011 Synergy Green 2SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Venus, Tx Posts: 1,681	Need help with technostalgia & switch So.. Got some technostalgia tail lights, all hooked up, everything's great until i try to hook up a switch for show mode. Switch has Load, Earth and Supply. I'm assuming a ground wire goes from Earth to a ground. I've tried the purple wire on both Load and Supply. The LED on the switch came on, but the tail lights did not. Do I need a third wire to go somewhere? Help. I'm confused... __________________

08-20-2013, 02:08 PM	#3
Deke736 COTW 12/3/12 Drives: 2012 Ashen Gray ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Glen Carbon, IL Posts: 3,279	There is no need for a 3 pronged switch, a simple on/ off switch is all you need. The technostalgia taillight show mode only uses a simple ground and load. Simply run a wire from your ground on the car to the ground on your switch and connect the purple wire from the lights to the switch. __________________

08-20-2013, 05:16 PM	#5
anglwngss Texas Camaros Drives: 2011 Synergy Green 2SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Venus, Tx Posts: 1,681	I understand that the three prongs switch is only a switch for the light on it and that's actually what I wanted. I contacted the manufacturer and they said that there's no way that the LED from the switch will turn on using the lights in show mode . So I just went ahead and install the switch without using the LED indicator. Drat. sent from the land of la-la. __________________

08-20-2013, 01:54 PM	#2
gutterball Drives: 2014 1LS M6 Supercharged Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New Britain, Ct Posts: 937 View My Garage	Earth is Ground, Load is the Output of the Switch, (which should go to your tail lights) and Supply should go to Batt. It would be a good idea to pit a small fuse from output of switch

08-20-2013, 04:59 PM	#4
gutterball Drives: 2014 1LS M6 Supercharged Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New Britain, Ct Posts: 937 View My Garage	a 3 pronged switch is a Switch with a built in light. You really don't need it unless you want a light to tell you when the Switch is on.

08-29-2013, 08:08 AM	#7
mp51998 Drives: Black 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: May 2011 Location: S. Texas Posts: 1,817	I cant say for sure that they are super bright but boy do they get peoples attention. My wife has them on her car and when ever people will tailgate she flips on the hazards. You would think she shot at someone. Everytime she has done this the offender will immediately back off and get over a lane or two. As if they thought they just got a warning from and undercover officer. Now that I think about it they hard hard to look at for long periods of time. Kinda like staring at the sun. OP, I hope you get the switch figured out. I just used a small push on/off swtich which blends in nicely with the trim in the trunk. You can see it while looking for it in the trunk. You have to feel for it.