Brake Light Flasher / Module ?

I installed one from VLEDS to flash the 3rd brake light(spoiler) only. You may want to check on the laws in your area, since flashing red lights are illegal in some states and cities.

The VLEDS module I have, uses 4 quick flashes, without a recharge period, and no other flash pattern options. It does seem to work in heavy traffic situations. I haven't noticed many in use around the SF Bay Area and people back off suddenly when I apply the brakes.

Installation is fairly straight forward. Mostly involves removing interior panels to gain access to the wiring harness. One splice into the power leading into the brake light(s) goes through the module and another ground connection.

 

PriusGuy84 - The laws permitting and/or restricting brake light modulator-flashers vary by state.

For example, in TN, the continuous flashing brake light is allowed as long as it does not flash longer than five (5) seconds when the brake is applied and then, after the flashing period, transitions to a continuous, steady red light as for a normal brake lamp until such time as the brake is released.

On the other hand, Florida State statute forbids drivers – with the exception of police, fire and other officials – from using flashing lights (including Hazard Flashers) while their vehicle is in motion. It must be stopped/not moving, pulled over on the road shoulder or disabled.

 

The information you require is clearly stated in the link you provide. It states it will work with LED's "this the Prius has" or incandescent bulbs up to 10 amps. Translated to watts this would be 120 watts. A normal stop bulb is rated at 21 watts so the flasher would be safely capable of flashing 5 bulbs. The gen2 Prius does not use stop lamp bulbs.
Again it must be noted that flashing stop lamps are not legal in many states and countries.

John (Britprius)

 

I have flashing LEDs from SuperBrightLEDs.com ($5) in the third brake light of all 4 of my vehicles. They are simple to install. You just need a wirestripping tool, some butt connectors and some electrical tape.

 

Complaining about the quality of answers that you get usually results in ..............no more answers at all.

Does that mean that it is illegal for me to pump the brakes and flash them a few times ?

The module I have on my motorcycle flashes 4 times and then goes steady.
I am in Florida and am not worried that it might be illegal.

 

I think it reasonable to point out that a modification to certain items on a car can be illegal. It is then up to the person to do or not the illegal mod such as yourself. Flashing stop lamps are illegal across Europe.
Many boy racers in the UK drive around with blue front side lamps and spray the rear light lenses black. Many do not get pulled over, but others do and get a ticket for £80 ($130) and a notice for inspection within 14 days of correcting the fault if they are lucky. Being pulled gives the police opportunity to go through everything else on the car including the paperwork often giving rise to more serious faults and license endorsements.
Worn or damaged tyres are a common reason for extra fines and each illegal tyre carries a 3 point endorsement "12 points and you loose your license".

John (Britprius)

 

Answered almost every question in my original post(minus the price one).


This a very responsive and helpful community. Please don't enter into it with childish demands, unless you plan on paying dearly for any advice or help provided.


My consultation fees average $600/hour, dependent upon the client's attitude. Yours will be in the above average bracket.

Consider this your FREE intake:

3rd Brake Light Flasher Module:
Installed a brake light flasher module from VLEDS today, only on the 3rd brake light mounted on the rear spoiler. You need to remove the interior panels on the rear hatch to access the wires to make the connections to the 3rd brake light. Removing the light from the outside, underneath the spoiler, doesn't give any location to mount the module or enough wire to make a solid connection. This module will work on all the rear brake lights, but I chose to only modify the 3rd brake light.

Package contents(brake light flasher module, velcro, mini zip ties, screws), body panel tools and spare panel clips(just in case ):


Rear interior panels removed and the 3rd brake light connector unplugged:


I nestled the module into the corner near the rear wiper motor. The interior panel has slight bulge to allow mounting the module with velcro or double sided tape. I used a nearby bolt for a ground connection(black wire from the module). I removed a small amount of tape, that attaches the brake light wires to the small white, plastic tab, to expose enough wire to make the connections. You will have to cut the positive(bluewire) wire going to the module to make the rest of the connections. To find the positive wire, simply use a continuity tester, available at any hardware, building materials or automotive parts stores. The red wire from the module goes to the battery side of the cut blue wire and the yellow module wire goes to the brake light side of the cut blue wire. I soldered the connections and tested the brake light to ensure proper functioning and then used a hair dryer to shrink the tubing over the connections. Lastly, you remount the interior panels with pressure applied to the panel clips.

 

Nestled, indeed.

 

For what it's worth, just in the last week or so I've noticed just a couple of other cars on my morning commute that seem to have installed this kind of thing on their center-high stop lights and to my taste it seems attention-seeking and distracting. In context, I'm usually in a sedate line of traffic moving peacefully through campus and every time these folks gently slow, the blinking goes off like there's a panic stop ahead.

Now, an interesting project might be to interface with the Prius brake ECU, which actually knows when you're making a normal or a panic stop (from how fast you push the pedal), and save the flashing for the times that aren't just crying wolf.

-Chap

 

>>it seems attention-seeking and distracting

Perhaps...I seek their attention to the back of my (and my family's) vehicle while distracting them away from their smartphones.

 

This is sedate and peaceful traffic in the SF Bay Area on an average weekday morning...


Not quite the same as your sedate and peaceful cruise around campus...

Having the flashing module gives upwards of a full second for the driver behind you to recover from their sedated feeling and apply their brakes in time to avoid a collision...

...and for that matter, I am an attention wh***, thank you...

Thesis topic?

 

Sure ... that's the same thing I do when I really do have to slow abruptly so I triple-tap the brake pedal.

It's just that, in the past, people have always noticed when I do that. Let those modules get common enough and we'll have another formerly-useful signal that now just gets tuned out.

-Chap

 

Maybe. But I think it'll probably be OK throughout my driving lifetime.

 

Long before the 3rd brake light came on the scene, there was an aftermarket device that worked on inertia when slowing down to first light an amber light.......and then when you actually stepped on the brake it would turn red.

I always thought that this was an excellent idea but never actually had one.
I also wonder why they never came into favor.

Side note: I put seat belts and aux. brake lights in the rear window of my '57 BelAir in about 1963.
And then proceeded to run into the back of someone because of following too close.

 

Please indicate who your comments are directed AT.
The quote feature helps with that.

 

You said "that seems like a lot of work" without indicating what statement you were replying to.

There were 15 previous posts that you could have been looking at when you typed your reply and it would help a lot to indicate WHICH one of them your comment applies to.

If it was mine about the things I did to my '57 Chevy........I was 17 and car projects were fun.
Not so much these days.