High level brake light wiring

[Nick T]

After some assistance here,

I intend to fit a high level brake light (R400D) and I know that CC used to do a wiring kit for that that just plugged in for about £10.

However this is no longer on their website, but you can buy a light kit for £80 ish. As I have a rain light to fit, I am not going down that route.

I know I can just cut into the existing wires but looking for something a little better than that. Does anyone know if you can still get the wiring kit, or failing that what connectors I need so I can make one up?

Thanks

[Jonathan Kay]

Is that a rain light that is operated by something other than the brake light switch? In addition to high level brake lights.

Does your 7 have some of the wiring already in place in the boot? Some recent ones do.

Other than that can you give us a link to the lights you intend to buy so that we can see what they come with? If it's an LED system what does it say about resistors?

You then need to run a feed from the current brake lights, you can do that either from the existing connector or from the wire. I don't like soldering on cars and I wouldn't use a ScotchLok.

And an earth to somewhere convenient, which might be using the existing earth point for the rear lamps.

Wire needs to be at least as thick as that used in the lights and you don't need an additional fuse.

Jonathan

[Nick T]

It is an LED rain light and has resistors for using with car running an alternator, so thats not an issue. CC used do do a wiring kit that just plugged into the back of the existing loom.

Happy how to wire it up, just looking for a neater solution than solder/crimps.

I will have a look in the boot though to see if there are any fittings

Cheers

[Roger Ford]

The standard plugs for rear/brake lights are 6-way Econoseal. You could easily make up your own sub-loom by buying a pair of those.

I assume you're going to plug the rain light into the fog light wiriing, and that you've removed the existing fog light. In which case I *think* the fog light is a separate 2-way Econoseal connected, so you'd just need a mail one for that.

Econoseal connectors can be made up using fine-nosed pliers, but a proper crimp tool works much better. There's a stupidly expensive Econoseal tool, or just get one of these.

Actually I think I might be reading your post wrong, and you're just using a rain light as a high-level brake light, in which case you can ignore the second paragraph.

[jimh]

Just phone up CC parts department as they managed to send the connector kit to me even when they were showing it as out of stock.

[Nick T]

Just for clarity, hoping to use this guide

 

http://www.caterhamr500.co.uk/2015/04/third-brake-light-fitting-guide.html

[Roger Ford]

Don't pay £30 for that rainlight!  It's £15 from Maplin (you'll need a 3W 18 ohm resistor as well) or £14 with a resistor from ebay.

Edit: Actually, I'll take that back. Looks like DT have managed to get it in a new, straight, housing. The Maplin one has a slightly weird offset mounting - so you need to make up a special bracket for it.  It's not clear if the ebay one is straight or offset - might be worth a look.

[SM25T]

Rain lights are a bit too bright for use as a brake light. Eye-searing stuff at night.

[Martin J]

Like following a modern Merc. 

[Roger Ford]

Can always use a bigger resistor. Or even better a light-reactive variable potentiometer.

[Wrightpayne]

Spotted a neat install at stoneleigh (Dave Js car) using two IVA bolt covers/caps on the inboard harness bolts to mount a strip light (as available from CBS). I guess it used some small nuts & bolts to fix the light to the caps.

Ian

[Wales South AR]

hi 

i bought the strip led from china on ebay for about £2.50.

Dave J

[LouisFeakes]

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/looms/345-sub-loom-high-brake-light.html

[Nick T]

A big thanks to everyone who posted. The last link worked and CC had one in stock.  I can only assume that the link I tried, and my search criteria (or my total inability to work technology) was flawed.

Cheers