Rear End Lighting

[Colin]

Hi Chaps:- not asking for help this time! Just wanted to say that after possession of a short while, my Bro' (ex electrical engineer) acceeded to visit me and assist me (thank God) work-out & create cabling where necessary to install the switch (I had made housing for), alert buzzer and control box connections for the commercially available multi-function LED (and what used to be) number plate only illumination unit. It is now a bright reverse, extra brake and fog lamp on top of a numver plate lamp and I am very pleased with it! Hailed as a direct replacement, I found I had to chop 10mm off the length of its fixing studs in order for it, and the boot rear mounting plate it's affixed to, to sit back nicely into the boot lid! And apart from making a whole heap of connecting cables, it seems to have been a success. Pics . . . Best, C.

[Paul H]

Do you have a spec for the multi function led ? 
Paul 

[Colin]

Hi Paul,

This is the blurb that came in the kit:-

Hope it's sufficient. Gil(bert) asked me to report back to him about the fitting and I'm doing that this morning. I actually had to cut 10mm off the LED unit's stud fixing bolts otherwise the rear mounting plate didn't fit back onto the boot rear! That's although it was advertised 'like-for-like' . . . a pain as I'd already wired it in and had little on boot-top space to use a hacksaw in (couldn't go through the discconnection scenario!)!

Best, Colin 

[Eric Smith]

Hi - I pulled out a little article in Practical Classics to keep for reference - it covers LEDs, it says - you should be able to swop normal bulbs for LED except flasher bulbs where you need a new flasher unit suitable for LEDs alternative, if you don’t want to change the flasher unit it says use Canbus LEDs which have a special resistor to allow it to operate with the flasher unit. It says most LEDs are unipolar so they only work one way round, if you put a bulb in and it doesn’t work turn it the other way round, there are bipolar bulbs which work both ways round and you need Canbus bulbs where the car monitors itself for bulb failure.

Hope it’s is helpful?

If you want to read the article in full - Practical Classics September 2024 page 121

Eric

[Colin]

Hi Eric. Yes - all good info. There are no flashing units here - only those activated by brake pedal! But, the one unit (as per one of those pics sent) provides;

 - an extra brake light on top of those you already have;

 - fog lamp (can't remember the last time I drove the Herald in fog - but could be very useful for tipping down rain on motorways etc.) and for me, the most useful item which obviates hanging several separate lamp units off the back of the car;

 - the really powerful reverse lighting.

Plus, Mr. Plod will also know it's me speeding down the road as the number plate light actually lights up the number plate! 🙂

Best, Colin