LED rear lights
 

Right chaps I could do with a little help or advice. I'm no sparky so this might be easy for someone to answer. I went to fit my rear light's last night into my rear arches, and where they would be the wiring will be very close to the wheel (witch I don't like). So 2 option. 1 Modify my rear arches again to bring my current light out a bit to clear the wheel or slim LED lighting. So had a look around and found some nice rear LED light clusters. what is the story with needing to fit resisters to clusters? I have read that you need to fit a resistor to a single LED but I cant find anything on clusters so could someone help me out before I go buying some


https://www.flickr.com/photos/124541083@N02/

Hi

If you are fitting led indicators you need a resistor otherwise they flash too fast.

If you are using mx5 electrics then scov had a work around which I used by removing on of the resistors from the relay

The details are on his build thread and were very easy to follow

David

As I have a combination of bulbs and leds I used the RDX relay, sorted :)

I modified my standard Sierra flasher relay with a 100k potentiometer from maplin for about 70p.

Then turned it until I had flash rate that I was happy with

You only need to increase the load for the indicators. As said a resister inline or simply replace the flasher unit with an LED one!

Thanks for the info guys. But I have put a lot of thought into this and have decided to go with keeping the light's I have to match the others and to modify my rear arches as I have already got the gear around the garages, its just my time. Have a look at my pics and let me know you thought before I go cutting big holes in my arches.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124541083@N02/

Oh one more question is there a minimum or maximum gap between the brake light and indicator

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124541083@N02/

Westfield site has piccy for lights and spacing

There you go.........http://westfield-world.com/svalights_rear.html

Thanks gents I have got that info which is really helpful anyway I was more interested in is there a gap setting between the indicator and brake light.
Also I have now started to do my mods to my arches and in not sure if I like it now :confused: might just carry on with it for now and make some nice custom arches after IVA
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124541083@N02/

Are they the boltonbits nas lights?
If so I had problems with the wheels rubbing on the connectors.
I removed the connectors. Drilled through the bulb holder, on the side of where the connector goes on and soldered the wires directly to the metal tabs inside the bulb holder.

Thank for the tip Steve that sound like a really good idea. Hopefully I will get into the garage to day and I will have a look. If it does work I will be able to shorten my pods a bit so they don't look so bad.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124541083@N02/

Has anyone got a link to the relay you are refering to? I have a mazda wiring loom and the indicators hyper flash. I have used load resistors which solve the indicator issue but when the hazard lights are in the side led indicators hardly light up. Any suggestions?

hi I used one like this as I have a mix of led / bulbs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER...AOSwq5lTmNd m

hth

Thank you garyt. Is that a straight replacement or did you modify the loom for it to fit in?

hi I cut and shut the mx5 loom (mk2.5) as there were so many cross wires I decided it was so much easier to pick up the stalk wires and rewire from there .
I'm trying to remember how I did it but from the dim and dark recesses, and there is probably a much easier way !!!!
I ran the ignition feed to the relay then to the stalk which obviously then feeds either side, I used a second relay with a permanent live feed , relay to the hazard switch (rdx has 2 sides so that the indicator signal does not cross) wired into the indicator wires.
hope that makes some kind of sense, basically I have 2 circuits feeding into the indicator wiring, 1 perm live (hazards) 1 ign live (indicators) not sure how to do it if using the mx5 hazard switch.
I would try replacing the indicator relay first and see what happens from there regarding the hazard function, I guess you could put a diode (one way current) in hazard to indicator wiring if you have to rewire this would stop any cross feeding when using the indicators.
hth Gary

I think the rewire will be a last resort. How about this relay: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX5-Bo...187?nav=SEARCH

Appears to be a straight swap...

yes it appears from the description that he has redone the internals so if it fits your pin layout that should solve your probs

The solution was a lot more simple then touching relays. I used a 25w load resistor on each side to stop the hyper flash and replaced the led side repeators with normal bulb indicators from CBS. Works perfect now!

A link to the C+U regulations on this subject.....

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...chedule/7/made

I bought a Motorcycle indicator relay (for Honda LED relays.....) it powered two standard bulbs and two LED's for two years with out trouble. ( Fronts were LED rears were normal bulbs.)
Honda relay was only £5.00

bolt on bits on ebay does a led flasher with adjuster on it, fit the flasher and turn on the indicators and turn the knob till you het the corrrect flash rate, great for mixing bulbs and leds