The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay pedestal lights

So I am wanting to convert my lights to LEDs but I am wondering about my pedestal lights. I found some led red and amber lights but I'm curious would the LEDs be too bright facing me. It seems like the big bolts usually have them but not really the small trucks so Im kinda partial to keeping them unless I'm going to blind myself driving.

By pedestal lights,are you referring to fender-mounted turn-signals? I opted to go with LED's on "'Tater". They're slightly brighter than the stock ones,but not that bright,that they blind me,even during night driving. I like them,especially if you still use a generator. you can install more,(LED) lights,and draw less "juice".

I will be using a gm 1 wire alternator eventually. Do you know how many diodes they are.

I would say if your just using them as turn signals, they'd be fine. But if you hook up as driving / running lights, the red shining back in your face would be too bright. Just my opinion. I just got my 2 sided lights on my 1950 GMC 450 firetruck. I put the front ones on the bumper for that reason. Good luck with your install. Jim

I don't know what lights do what. I'm assuming the in grill lights were amber running light and the pedestal lights were running and turn but I don't know for sure. Wetwilly what are yours. Running and turn or just turn.

there was no such thing as "running lights" back then, those front lights in the grill were clear lenses, called parking lights - the ones on the fenders were add-on turn signals only, most frequently with an amber lense only pointed forward [sometimes with an arrow shape lense], the ones with front [amber] and back [red] faces were "fancier" later items

Bill

The standard set up "in the day":
first stop on the head light switch, Parking lights. turned on the white grill lights and the tail lights. This was used when the truck was "parked" on the side of the road, no 4 way flashers then.
Second stop, headlights and tail lights on grill lights off.

Directional lights were added by the owner, didn't become standard until the '50's.

Just to clear my statement up, I installed some double sided pedestal lights I bought at a truck stop. They are LED lights with 3 wires, and a chrome ring around them. They have red on one side, amber on other. I have a Jim Carter 7 wire switch. I installed the front with Amber forward on the bumper, back with red facing rearward. They are wired to have driving lights on when headlights on. Break light switch output goes to turn signal switch and activates brake lights on rear. Turn signal switch activates turn signals and flashers. Running lights aren't too bright, but I didn't want it in my face all the time, so mounted on my bumper. Still have the white park lights in the front fender as we'll, which still work as usual on the headlight switch. Good luck. Jim