I'm considering making some LED rear lights from scratch and I've found a useful guide, however, I'm not sure they'd be road legal, are there any laws for the rear lenses themselves? Any other laws for the rear lights i should consider??
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Law on rear lenses???
- Thread starter KROW
- Start date
dont they just have to have a reflector??? thats all i know of.
just what i think is common sense alought may not be the law as long as brake and rear lights are red reverse lights are white and indicators are clear lense orange bulb
i maybe wrong so dont quote me
o and the reflector as mentioned above
i maybe wrong so dont quote me
o and the reflector as mentioned above
Yeah, the colours and the reflectors should be fine, i've already thought that through and how to mount them etc, but the glass I'll be using is standard halogen house bulb glass, will it be thick/strong enough?
wouldnt some sort of perspex be better? at least it wont shatter and its lighter in weight aswell.
Well this is what I'm considering, something similar...
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/1/28/215243/977
I'd be taking the glass out anyway so could probably get perspex/thicker glass cut to fit anyway, having the lights plated over with pre-made plates with the correct hole for whatever lighting arrangement I decide on...
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/1/28/215243/977
I'd be taking the glass out anyway so could probably get perspex/thicker glass cut to fit anyway, having the lights plated over with pre-made plates with the correct hole for whatever lighting arrangement I decide on...
good luck! looks way too fiddley for me!
Shouldn't be too bad, just need to do 2 sets of 2,
Brake lights, reverse, fog, normal/side lights and indicators, already have the plans laid out, just need to see if there are any laws and choose what size I want...
Brake lights, reverse, fog, normal/side lights and indicators, already have the plans laid out, just need to see if there are any laws and choose what size I want...
They wont be legal as they are "not" type approved.
Whilst cars do have aftermarket/manufacturer LED lights they are considered type approved.
So whilst it will look nice and work, they wont be road legal.
WETHER you get pulled is another thing, you'd certainly need to tell your insurance, they wont like it, especially if your involved in an accident as your home made lights where not up to spec.
NOT the same is replacing with pre-manufactured type approved after market jobs, like Lexus lights etc.
Dont wanna rain on your parade, and admire you wanting to mod and improve, in this case, your not going to be able to legally anyway !
Whilst cars do have aftermarket/manufacturer LED lights they are considered type approved.
So whilst it will look nice and work, they wont be road legal.
WETHER you get pulled is another thing, you'd certainly need to tell your insurance, they wont like it, especially if your involved in an accident as your home made lights where not up to spec.
NOT the same is replacing with pre-manufactured type approved after market jobs, like Lexus lights etc.
Dont wanna rain on your parade, and admire you wanting to mod and improve, in this case, your not going to be able to legally anyway !
yup no probs
but make sure they know youve taken them
otherwise thats theft
and a WHOLE 'nother thread
hehehehe
but make sure they know youve taken them
otherwise thats theft
and a WHOLE 'nother thread
hehehehe
Don't think Bulbs need to be approved by anyone. As long as they light up as per spec, they'll be fine. Actual rear light units are better off being E marked as the law states...
Although, how many people's after market stuff isn't E Marked...
Common sense approach.
Stu.
Although, how many people's after market stuff isn't E Marked...
Common sense approach.
Stu.
I'm sure bulbs have to be e-marked as well. For instance take your front bulbs out if they aren't emarked then they aren't road legal, the E marking usually covers the wattage, so i think its 55w for the fronts are E marked, 100w bright off road bulbs are not. So i'ld assume it would be the same deal with rear lights too.
To be fully legal they all have to be e marked, saying that even plod use non e marked stuff, so long as you're sensible won't be a problem.
Not sure your reason for wanting led lights in the rear, but if wanting brighter why not just use the 20W halogen version of the std brake light bulb, this equates to about 30watt normal type bulb, I also use the 10W halogen tail bulbs.
I have the brake fog mod on mine, makes a world of difference for less than 10 pence, is 100% legal and MOT passable, you can also then use a brake light flasher but hooked into the fogs so they strobe on braking, the std brake lights just light like normal, these units cost around £7.
Unless using NICHIA 1 watt or over, won't be bright enough, you alos have to consider the veiwing angle, as this can be seriously narrow on led's, typically 20-30 degrees angle, ie they don't radiate colour like the filament(incan) bulb, halogen bulbs use quartz rather than just run of the mill glass.
tabetha
Not sure your reason for wanting led lights in the rear, but if wanting brighter why not just use the 20W halogen version of the std brake light bulb, this equates to about 30watt normal type bulb, I also use the 10W halogen tail bulbs.
I have the brake fog mod on mine, makes a world of difference for less than 10 pence, is 100% legal and MOT passable, you can also then use a brake light flasher but hooked into the fogs so they strobe on braking, the std brake lights just light like normal, these units cost around £7.
Unless using NICHIA 1 watt or over, won't be bright enough, you alos have to consider the veiwing angle, as this can be seriously narrow on led's, typically 20-30 degrees angle, ie they don't radiate colour like the filament(incan) bulb, halogen bulbs use quartz rather than just run of the mill glass.
tabetha
you need as stated proper lighting, emarked etc. i.e. for LEGAL ROAD use, not show or off road use.
Anything else , if in an accident, will land you in deep brown stuff. its not relevant who uses what, you law will apply to you, your car and your accesories.
I'm not sure if i read the reply right, but trying to make the rear red side lights brighter? There that brightness so there is a marked differance between that and brake or fog lights.
if it aint bad enough having dcik heads driving around with fog lights, you want extra bright rears?
I'm certain if I could be arsed there is some legislation on lighting, bulbs etc. look it up OR why not just stick with the standard equip.
strobing rear lights? not a good idea, I'd say defo pullable offense, are you ment to have flashing lights front or rear OTHER than idicators?
I think not.
Please guys have a ouce of sense, when it is safety of you or road users, just stick with standard, have an accident,get written off, deserve everything you get,
just dont wipe out me and mine while your at it
Anything else , if in an accident, will land you in deep brown stuff. its not relevant who uses what, you law will apply to you, your car and your accesories.
I'm not sure if i read the reply right, but trying to make the rear red side lights brighter? There that brightness so there is a marked differance between that and brake or fog lights.
if it aint bad enough having dcik heads driving around with fog lights, you want extra bright rears?
I'm certain if I could be arsed there is some legislation on lighting, bulbs etc. look it up OR why not just stick with the standard equip.
strobing rear lights? not a good idea, I'd say defo pullable offense, are you ment to have flashing lights front or rear OTHER than idicators?
I think not.
Please guys have a ouce of sense, when it is safety of you or road users, just stick with standard, have an accident,get written off, deserve everything you get,
just dont wipe out me and mine while your at it
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Strobing rear brake lights are so illegal, they are fitted AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT on some cars, over here, I don't know where you got front strobes from, I don't use them, and if you do bother to look up road traffic lighting regs, as I do you will find you only need the standard fit body lights static, ANY supplemetary brake light can be strobe in nature.
Don't let your ignorance on the subject confuse strobing with brightness, it is entirely different, and works on the same premiss that indicators do, A FLASHING LIGHT ATTRACTS SO MUCH MORE ATTENTION, and is eaier to see/notice, but don't take my word for it, next time you hear a siren on a ambulance, police car or fire engine, just note whether the light flashes or is static.
Incidentally DRL's were considered so bad at one point in this backward country, that they are now going to be compulsory.
ALL evidence has shown up to a 87% reduction in rear end collisions where vehicles has strobing brake lights, data supplied by california light studies, but did show the 13% who still crashed into the rear might have been too close, or found the lights too bright, because they were too close.
Just for refference amber flashing lights, or what some refer to as strobing are 100% legal, to fit on anything you want, because they infer NO entitlement of use.
I think when aholes stop driving up the rs of the car in front, we can all sleep happier live longer and not need to worry about needing flashing lights.
Where I live on an estate, which has TWO way traffic on a ONE way road on a bend and with each t**t doing 30mph, having to reverse onto my drive, so as to make it so much safer pulling off, I need all the illumination I can get.
My raod is a normal two way road, but owing to the lazy ****s this is a one way street at night and during the day when they park all over the road, so there is only one lane, it is the pavement directly outside mine where they choose to career along the PAVEMENT, as there is little alternative, thanks to the planners dedicating so little parking area to the houses, of which there is 373, with roughly 90 dedicated parking places, yes I have counted them as well as lobbied for a 20mph limit, had ZERO suport from the plod,(most likely due to my crim record), but 1 year later it's being done as a "police initiative".
I have also had three cars in my front garden, one missing my lad by 3 feet, he was on the wrong side of the road, necessary due to parked cars, panicked locked his brakes(xr3i), and went in a straight line taking out neighbours fence, before going onto out drive smashing the front on our car, and stopping fully 50 feet away from the road in our garden.
tabetha
Don't let your ignorance on the subject confuse strobing with brightness, it is entirely different, and works on the same premiss that indicators do, A FLASHING LIGHT ATTRACTS SO MUCH MORE ATTENTION, and is eaier to see/notice, but don't take my word for it, next time you hear a siren on a ambulance, police car or fire engine, just note whether the light flashes or is static.
Incidentally DRL's were considered so bad at one point in this backward country, that they are now going to be compulsory.
ALL evidence has shown up to a 87% reduction in rear end collisions where vehicles has strobing brake lights, data supplied by california light studies, but did show the 13% who still crashed into the rear might have been too close, or found the lights too bright, because they were too close.
Just for refference amber flashing lights, or what some refer to as strobing are 100% legal, to fit on anything you want, because they infer NO entitlement of use.
I think when aholes stop driving up the rs of the car in front, we can all sleep happier live longer and not need to worry about needing flashing lights.
Where I live on an estate, which has TWO way traffic on a ONE way road on a bend and with each t**t doing 30mph, having to reverse onto my drive, so as to make it so much safer pulling off, I need all the illumination I can get.
My raod is a normal two way road, but owing to the lazy ****s this is a one way street at night and during the day when they park all over the road, so there is only one lane, it is the pavement directly outside mine where they choose to career along the PAVEMENT, as there is little alternative, thanks to the planners dedicating so little parking area to the houses, of which there is 373, with roughly 90 dedicated parking places, yes I have counted them as well as lobbied for a 20mph limit, had ZERO suport from the plod,(most likely due to my crim record), but 1 year later it's being done as a "police initiative".
I have also had three cars in my front garden, one missing my lad by 3 feet, he was on the wrong side of the road, necessary due to parked cars, panicked locked his brakes(xr3i), and went in a straight line taking out neighbours fence, before going onto out drive smashing the front on our car, and stopping fully 50 feet away from the road in our garden.
tabetha