OT Brake Lights

[Dave Plowman (News)]

HID is the important part - discharge lamps. Many tungsten bulb makers claim to use xenon. To confuse the punters.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I fitted aftermarket ones to the ol' Rover and they're great. More light than the previous 100 watt (illegal) tungsten and better beam control. MOT people were perfectly happy with them.

The complete set cost less than a single genuine BMW replacement...

[Frank Erskine]

I once replaced the battery in a BMW bike I had. The 'official' replacement was priced at around 60 quid, but I got an exact replacement from a local motor electrical factor for just under 20 quid. It had to be ordered, which took around two days ;-(

[TheOldFellow]

As you overtake, you hold up one finger. Universally understood. R.

[Huge]

IIRC, and Dave can correct me here, all the dash illumination on the Rover SD1 is done by fibre optics from one bulb, which is an easy, tool-free replacement.

[Bob Eager]

And if both brake lights are broken....

[Rod]

IIRC, that was basically true of the Volvo 740/760 range. And the panel light rheostat had a backup position - if the main bulb went, turn the knob to the extreme low position and suddenly the backup bulb lit up.

But even then, there were various lamps (can't remember the details - maybe heater buttons, or other lamps not in the main instrument panel area) that were not part of that system.

[Dave Liquorice]

You assume the other driver is french.

[Clint Sharp]

In message , Huge writes

Excellent, that means the cost of replacement rear light clusters will be much cheaper to those who are prepared to carry screwdrivers.

[Steve Walker]

Good idea, it's just unfortunate that other's didn't follow suit.

As an aside, I don't like the dashes that illuminate whenever the ignition is on, regardless of whether you've got your lights on or not. It seems a great way to reduce the life of the bulbs and it also removes a useful reminder that you've not turned your lights on as night draws in.

SteveW

[geoff]

In message , Bob Eager writes

You form a "0" with the thumb and first finger which you raise and lower slowly in a rhythmic manner ...

[Jules]

Angle grinder.

;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I wouldn't dream of correcting you. But you're wrong. ;-)

Only the heater controls are illuminated by fibre optics. Everything else by ordinary tungsten. Loads of them in the switches, instruments and warning lights . As they fail I replace them with LEDS. That's if the switches last longer than the bulbs. Unlikely.

I've been working on my first HD TV shoot. We like to have the recorder separate from the camera - and possibly by quite some distance. Over 100 meters would be nice. The cable twixt camera and recorder has always been a problem - it has to carry data to control the camera (iris control etc) etc as well as its output, some audio circuits, and of course power to the camera. It gets lots of 'abuse' and multicore ones give trouble. We're now using a fibre optic link which can stand a Centurion tank running over it

- basically just data and copper for the DC. And looking promising. Apart from when the interface fails. To be fair it's new and these things take time to iron out problems between lab. and the gorillas who use them. Ie me. As they say anyone can make things foolproof. Idiot proof, even. To make them c**t proof is the secret.

[John]

HID requires over 20,000 volts I believe. Must be tricky keeping the electronics dry.

Putting 100w bulbs could strain the wiring.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They require high voltage to strike. Running voltage much lower.

All electrics - let alone electronics - can suffer if wet.

Might do but I measured the voltage drop after fitting. The headlights are fed via relays and the wiring is up to the higher load.

[Huge]

Damn. In my defence my SD1 went back to the materials it was made from a

*long* time ago.

Yes, I remember that the switchgear was of very poor quality.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Mine has had little in the way of rust repair despite living outside all its life. Discovered why when attempting to attach a self adhesive thingie to the steel of the bulkhead inside the car - it's been covered in wax.

But luckily can be dismantled and often repaired. The main problem is the contacts are plain copper and get 'dirty'. The latching mechanism is next, but can be fixed with superglue. And there are plenty of spares. Only one is getting short - the sunroof rocker one. But you can use the bits from the rear wash wipe to fix it when it falls apart beyond redemption.

[Huge]

Indeed. The electric window switches on mine were very dicky, but when I dismantled them, I discovered the insides could be swapped end-for-end which made an unburned bit of contact get used. They were obviously underspecced for the job - a common characteristic of the whole car. I still miss it, though.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Dunno the Series I well, but on mine the window switches only switch relays so handle a tiny current. And the same switches were used on other models to switch windows directly so weren't underspecced contact wise. Are you sure they were actually burnt rather than just dirty? The switches used for the windows on the Series I used to disintigrate, though...

[Huge]

Oh, yes. They had large scorched pits in them.