k80rum Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Has anyone tried these yet? I've just ordered a pair in H4 flavour to give them a go - the claims made for them seem pretty impressive and they've apparently won an AutoExpress award for their fabulous-ness.. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 11 Jul 2007 09:17:10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CageyH Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Halfords Super Brilliance came out on top of the product honours for 2007. £30 a pair,and bulbs made by GE. Only dead fish go with the flow....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 Mmm, I'd been looking at the super brilliance bulbs. They tested top of the crop in November but the X-tremes were tested about 8 weeks ago and apparently outperformed everything I picked up these for about 23 quid. To be honest, anything's likely to be an improvement over the standard fitment bulb 😬 I'll see how they go and if they don't seem that impressive, next time round I'll try something else. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Philips pressurise the bulbs to a safe working pressure, they use toughened glass the same as your watch face, better quality materials are used and the coatings on the lens are on the inside. It is easy to get a brighter light by increasing gas pressure, it takes a lot more to get the focus perfect. Bits from other cars...together at last IT LIVES I have created a MONSTER Edited by - phil on 12 Jul 2007 13:01:48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I use the super-brilliance, especially as they are normally on BOGOF offer at Halfrauds. So - a pair for around £15 from memory !! Nice and bright - no complaints. Swapped dashboard lamps for 6-LED bulbs (yes - each bulb has 6 x LEDs !!) tonight. Wowee. See separate thread for details about UltraLED bulbs. Shame you can only get one LED inside tacho and speedo, but the small gauges - fabaroony *thumbup* ****************** And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking... And racing around to come up behind you again. photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beelzebub Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I've never got my lights on But one of the local Westy owners has upgraded his Halogens with HID's from here Eye searing brilliant for a little over 200 brick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Some of the guys over on the Lexus forum did a bulk buy recently for pulsing LED brake lights - They somehow sense heavy breaking and pulse, but come on as normal under lighter breaking. The video footage of them in action looked quite good. I was interested in trying a pair on the 7 but have been unable to make contact with the bloke who imported them - haven't seen hide nor hair of them on any LED web sites. I think there was originally some dispute over whether they were legal or not, but people like Mercedes are apparently starting to fit them now which must mean they are. Seemed to me like a sensible investment for the Caterham.. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 11 Jul 2007 08:22:00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Normuss Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 They somehow sense heavy breaking and pulse How does that work then? Pushing the brake pedal will close a microswitch to complete the circuit and power the brake light bulbs. Pushing harder won't make any difference unless there's a second microswitch or it's on some sort of variable resistor VX HPC - Loud and proud here Watch out, whatever hits the fan will not be distributed evenly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DohNut Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I believe it uses a sphincter sensor on the drivers seat 😶🌫️ N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 😬 Or a little camera to watch the driver's facial expression. I'd be interested to find out how it works. I'm guessing the brake pedal is just used to supply power to 2 circuits inside the bulb maybe if you had a couple of weights double-decker-style in channels,each that made contact with a microswitch, if they were held back with different slightly different weight springs, it'd effect an 'on' when the lighter sprung mass made contact, and a 'pulse' when the heavier mass also made contact I'll see if I can find anything out.. Edited to say, I've found this, but it's not hugely useful: Title: Integrated warning device for providing flashing brake lights Abstract: A deceleration warning device for providing a visual indication of severe vehicular deceleration to the driver of a following vehicle. The deceleration warning device independently detects severe deceleration through an onboard accelerometer and is installed by securing the device to an existing OEM brake light/taillight fitting of a vehicle. The deceleration warning device is installed in the vacancy of a taillight lamp, and includes an illumination element that serves as a taillight, a brake light, and a severe deceleration indicator. Patent Number: 6,864,786 Issued on 03/08/2005 to Speckhart, et al. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 11 Jul 2007 09:22:09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 How does that work then? Well, at a guess they use an accelerometer chip built in to sense the braking g directly. These things used to be expensive but since they started to be used on airbag deployment they are down to the order of a dollar per axis. A bit O/T but I have some sample accelerometers and when I get a moment (some hope) I plan to make a little unit with an audio output that can be set to trigger at an adjustable lateral g so I can explore the cornering limits. Colin Edited by - Colin Mill on 11 Jul 2007 09:40:01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd2 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 My tintop has something called BFD! " Brake Force Display (BFD). Using a double segment of lights in the rear light cluster, BFD increases the brake light illumination area as soon as the ABS system is activated or the car detects a rapid deceleration" I think "double segment" probably means two bulbs per side but I have no idea how or if it works as I have never followed myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Aren't there some others that flash the hazard lights in the event of sudden deceleration ? Automatically, not just we mere mortals have to with a switch. ****************** And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking... And racing around to come up behind you again. photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lynch Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 SM25T, Yep, Ford Focus 😬 1.4K SS 😬 Just smiling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Ah-ha.. 40 english quids: here and here Similar but with no decellarometer. Presumably the gadgetry could also be nicked from a tintop with similar features (the hazard lights) as mentioned.. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 11 Jul 2007 13:16:01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 If it is a pendulum-based device, will it also trigger when accelerating hard, or cornering fast in a Seven ?? ****************** And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking... And racing around to come up behind you again. photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Some Bmw had dual brake light the outer segments illuminate when the sense a rapid declaration. Tweeky In a purple haze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I wonder what the construction and use has to say about these non-standard flashing brake lights. For a while the 'high level' brake lights had to be inside the passenger compartment of the car so that they could count as a brake light indicator for the driver and thus circumvent problems in the C & U. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade_runner Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 If you have the standard caterham rear light, led types lamps are not really suitable for the rear/break light. with the led type conversion lamps out there need to be viewed end on to be seen, in a standard caterham rear light the lamp is mounted sideways and uses a reflector behind the lamp. I tried one in my car and all it did was throw light out onto the rear panel and was extremely dim when looking at the light lens from behind. when the brake was applied all it did was light the rear panel up red! I got one of these to try when trying to reduce the amps req from the blade engine, i went down an uprated rectifier route in the end to shelved the idea. 'Pinky Pics' here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Ah... Very good point blade_runner. I'd completely overlooked the orientation of the bulb in it's mounting - as you say, not suited to LEDs (or for bulb-mounted decellerometers come to that) For anyone wanting to pursue this kind of system, I guess it'd mean a different rear light setup - I think that's a step too far for me at the moment. Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWoodham Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 having flashing lights whilst moving (unless a turn indicator) is illegal in the UK unless you're an emergency services vehicle. There are a few cars now equipped with flashing brake lights or hazards-on under heavy braking, BMW MB and Citroen spring to mind, these are all illegal unless deactivated by the dealer. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 .. 13.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which automatically emits a flashing light. (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of- (a) a direction indicator; (b) a headlamp fitted to an emergency vehicle; © a warning beacon or special warning lamp; (d) a lamp or illuminated sign fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes; (e) a green warning lamp used as an anti-lock brake indicator; or (f) lamps forming part of a traffic sign. and ref 2c above: Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices 16. No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with- (a) a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp, or (b) a device which resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not. Martin Aero'd supersported ex-Roadsports B...anyone got a cheap LSD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 Ooo. That's worth knowing. Thanks Martin. I'd assumed because they were manufacturer-installed they were legal - I didn't realise the UK models have the feature disabled.. 😶🌫️ Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Wouldn't it come under a "special warning lamp"? The way I read it, 16 only applies to 'Blue' ones? Ian - MI 5EVN - Slightly Vider SVelte model 😬 now repainted to match the Autocom headsets 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 Are there any BC'ers who are members of the constabulary, who could give us a view? Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 There are LED bulbs around with LEDs around the outside - like a little hedgehog !! ****************** And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking... And racing around to come up behind you again. photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now