Rear Indicators Arduino Project - sweeping indicator

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Hi guys - with the multi led rear indicators on the Tuscan they seem perfect for turning into sweeping indicators, Audi style. Insurance have ok'd me doing it.

On that note - any info before I start tinkering on disassembling the rear indicators and what voltage they are sent would be most handy!

TVR Parts lists led bulbs for them at 40p each so I'm not planning to use them unless anyone can reason to me why I should.

Cheers for any advice!

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lol - I've already modded the Tuscan badge to act as a high level brake light:

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lol - I suppose I'd need to rig an additional pressure switch for it to know to trigger strobing.

As I always obey the 2second rule, braking in general is rare and I'm not sure heavy braking has ever even happened, so not sure I can justify the faff =)

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These were the ones I used - but I'm sure there are cheaper ways to do it!

http://www.customdynamics.com/truflex_flexible_led...

The strips are semi flexible - I then cut to shape - connected the segments for my smiley face layout and then used a carbon fibre material surround and filled with transparent resin to seal against the elements.

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Finally got them working and sized to fit in the pod =)

https://youtu.be/rZDNZRtWSSU

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Sorry guys - I have next to no electronics knowledge regarding making pcbs or even circuit diagrams, hence individually wiring everything myself. It's split into 7 sections each with 10 or 16 leds in parallel. Each led is soldered to it's own resistor. All of them share the same positive. Each set of led's then has it's earth connected to a transistor to ensure the load doesn't go through the arduino itself. I used PWM to allow me to fade in the led's easily so needed 12 pwm pins available - not sure if that many is available on the smaller boards.

Happy for those with better minds to optimise!

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Guys many of you seem way more knowledgable with electronics than I - perhaps you could help me work out how I can stop the indicator fault unit thinking there is a fault.

The indicators basically take 3 wires each - an earth a positive that has voltage when indicator flashes and another wire which I am assuming is used (maybe incorrectly) to let the indicator fault unit know if all ok.

Please give me any and all ideas!

Thank you! =)

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The indicator fault unit thinks there is an indicator fault because it is no longer wired directly in the same way as the previous rear indicator. As a result it assumes the rear indicator has failed and causes the front/dash indicator to flash twice as fast.

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Awesome - ordered =)

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Both fully fitted now - I've put in a switch to choose modes:

1. Standard indicator - it flashes on and off just like the old one did. (I know there are some countries that haven't approved sweeping indicators yet)

2. Sweeping indicator that immediately goes off when cancelled.

3. Sweeping indicator that fades to mid when cancelled.

4. Sweeping indicator that fades to side when cancelled.

Once the new relay arrives will be sorted - fine to drive at the moment but the fronts go twice as fast.

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Relay fitted - seems to work perfectly. Thanks Tuscanier - I owe you a drink if/when our TVR paths cross!

The way it is wired, none of the electricity for the rear indicators is drawn from the relay in any mode - it is just used to activate transistor - so shouldn't be an issue as far as I can see. I guess I'll see how it goes!

Will try to do a video of them tomorrow.

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m4tti said:

Good stuff. May have missed this earlier but how are all the necesarry components packaged?

It all fits rather neatly under the middle leather section hidden from sight.

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The first vid kinda shows how it's wired (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZDNZRtWSSU&feature=youtu.be) - basically each set of 10-16led's are in parallel with a shared ground that goes through a transistor with the base coming from the arduino.