STOP!!!........lamps.

[luckyp]

After a comment from a mate sat behind me, I spent a lot of time yesterday evening, looking in windows, tring to suss whne the brake lights activate, in relation to brake pedal pressure. As they suggested, I do seem to have a certain amount of brake action (like slow traffic stops) where the inline pressure switch is not activated. Normal braking for roundabouts and junctions seems to be OK.

Any experiences? The switch is it adjustable?

Pete

[GTWayne]

The switch, like most others, should be adjustable simply by undoing the lock nut and winding the steady nut off to move the switch closer to the pedal. You built the car P, did you not adjust to suit at the time of installation? On a slight tangent, I am looking to install a high level brake light that will need to be seen above the rear wing and would like to french it into the intake hump, trouble is, I would really like a unit that has a shape in keeping with the curve of the hump, any ideas?

[luckyp]

In-line pressure switch mounted to vertical n/s chassis member by rear wheel.

[luckyp]

GTWayne said:

I am looking to install a high level brake light that will need to be seen above the rear wing and would like to french it into the intake hump, trouble is, I would really like a unit that has a shape in keeping with the curve of the hump, any ideas?

Buy a lamp and then design the aperture to suit........not the answer you were looking for?

[GTWayne]

I only want one lamp P!

[luckyp]

no I meant design the hump aperture to suit the of the shelf brake light unit......is it too late to do this?

[GTWayne]

I know what you meant P, I was just messing wit' ya as you posted twice. I am after a curved high level LED and I understand what you are saying but I think a curved one will have a more professional look.

[DHGTR]

pete,
the delay i believe is due to the switch needing a certain pressure to operate it which shows in a certain amount of lag. if you do a search on the subject there was a thread sometime ago about this very subject. i think stig may have had something to do with it. i recall that it was suggested putting the switch into the front brake pipe line.

dave

[luckyp]

Cheers.

Pete

[DHGTR]

wayne
have a look here, select PRODUCTS, then LIGHT STRIPS. they may have something to help.
www.led-lightbulbs.co.uk/sess/utn;


dave

[Graham-P]

I have installed a micro switch on the brake pedal, comes on after about 3-4mm travel. I took the feed off the wirng from the rear brake light switch.

[ditto]

Graham-P said:

I have installed a micro switch on the brake pedal, comes on after about 3-4mm travel. I took the feed off the wirng from the rear brake light switch.

ditto says ditto ive done then same

[steve_d]

I fitted an adjustable pressure switch to solve the same problem.

Steve

[rich.f]

Had the same problem on recent trip to the ring, brake lights only came on under hard braking I am looking to change the presure switch this is the link for info www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=133120&f=20&h=0&hw=brake+lights

Rich

[davefiddes]

Careful you don't wire both pairs of rear lamps up (as the Ultima manual tells you not to). The pressure switch is only rated for a pair of 21W bulbs and has a significantly reduced life if you overload it.

[luckyp]

Thanks for all those replies.

I would say that that is actually a safety related item that should be addressed by the manufacturer rather than for us humble builders go out and source ourselves.

I feel a phone call coming on.

[yiihaa]

davefiddes said:

Careful you don't wire both pairs of rear lamps up (as the Ultima manual tells you not to). The pressure switch is only rated for a pair of 21W bulbs and has a significantly reduced life if you overload it.

Five years on, mine is doing fine (wired to both pairs of lamps). The reason you shouldn't wire both rear brake lamps together is that you will fail the SVA (something to do with spacing between lights).

Someone else suggested changing the pressure switch for a motorbike one that activated at a lower pressure.

[stig]

luckyp said:

Thanks for all those replies.

I would say that that is actually a safety related item that should be addressed by the manufacturer rather than for us humble builders go out and source ourselves.

I feel a phone call coming on.

This is the reason I moved the pressure switch to operate from the front circuit, not the rears on the Can-Am. Seems to work well according to my wife who followed me up to Rockingham a few weeks back.

You can switch a lighter operation switch IIRC.

[davefiddes]

yiihaa said:

Five years on, mine is doing fine (wired to both pairs of lamps). The reason you shouldn't wire both rear brake lamps together is that you will fail the SVA (something to do with spacing between lights).

The motivation may have been to pass SVA (the lights are 5mm from being legal - ouch) but the switch is still only rated to switch two 21W bulbs not four. You might have a "good one" that is capable of surving the extra load but it is still exceeding the spec and will have a shorter, less reliable life than it would have otherwise had.

Engineers put together specs for a reason!

[gtrclive]

davefiddes said:

yiihaa said:

Five years on, mine is doing fine (wired to both pairs of lamps). The reason you shouldn't wire both rear brake lamps together is that you will fail the SVA (something to do with spacing between lights).

The motivation may have been to pass SVA (the lights are 5mm from being legal - ouch) but the switch is still only rated to switch two 21W bulbs not four. You might have a "good one" that is capable of surving the extra load but it is still exceeding the spec and will have a shorter, less reliable life than it would have otherwise had.

Engineers put together specs for a reason!

So fitt LED Blubs tenth of the load.... Sorted...