Lighting board parts

[argonaut]

Following on from earlier thread .. would like to end up with a new LED lighting board.

Can't find one that includes fog & reversing ......... so thought I would look at making one up.

Back on 'old' forum I recall a pots where a couple of people mentioned good sources for multicore cable (need 8 core) and trailer lights ............ anybody remember what these outlets were ?

[mlines]

Any trailer store will do them. I used Banbury Trailers http://www.banburytrailers.co.uk/

[Ianfs]

Banbury supply 7core and have a good reputation, but Trailertek sell 2 / 7 /8 / 12 & 13 core in many differing lengths. Don't know the quality though, but I have used them for many other items and they are pretty good.

Trailertek

[argonaut]

Looking to find source for LED multi-function light units and cable ( need 8 core)

[betty boop]

Ebay for the lights - mine cost less than £30 for the 2. from a UK trailer dealer/seller.

no Fog light for me so i just left on the old one that didnt work, adding a red single LED unit was a pain for some reason (I cant remember)

Lights were easy to fix on etc

But - the post on the forum will point to the warning buzzer on indication. There was a discussion on legality of lack of buzzer on LED lights. If I recall the ohms on the LED set do not cause enough resistance to activate the driver warning buzzer when indicating.

In the end & having spoken in depth to an MOT centre I trust, it appear the buzzer is not a legal requirement in the UK reasons sounded confusing I just nodded and compared it to chicken & the egg scenario and we agreed not to worry about it. His advise was to not bother as it was an enforcable EU law as trailers dont have MOT's .

Im sure you'll have an optinion on that- Discuss.

[argonaut]

The law is clear, that a warning buzzer must be fitted that operates when indicators are active even a trailer is attached.

As you don't take your trailer with you to the MOT they would not be testing it.

However in the event of an accident Police/Insurers would test it.

On the lights what in trying to find are LED lights that can be fittdd from the front to the lighting board ...i.e remove lens and fix with self tappers.

So far all the suppliers on eBay have said their lights have moulded in books studs for rear fixing. Still looking.


Also been unable to find a pre-built board with LED,reversing & fog.

[mlines]

My modern car with factory fit towing system does not have a special buzzer for the trailer indicators. It has the normal indicator click (which is artificially generated by a speaker) and a trailer icon on the dash which flashes in time with the indicators when a trailer is connected

I understand that with the new MOT that they have a test plug that they put into the trailer socket on the car and it confirms the electrics works. You can fail on faulty electrics but "no electrics = no fail" so if you just have a tow ball for moving your trailer in the yard but no electrics fitted this will not fail

Martin

[argonaut]

The requirement is for a warning noise ...so a buzzer or click over speaker meets that .......... the reasoning is to remind you that you have a trailer fitted when turning.

It also makes different sound when a bulb has failed, or ta least all my ones have ... assumed it was just current load on the buzzer, don't know if that is a requirement.

[mlines]

But the click does not change, trailer connected or not.

Only the flashing light changes and that changes by disappearing with no trailer.

[argonaut]

But the Click MUST change when connected to a trailer in event of bulb failure ...

Here is the quote from the official directive:

“EC R-48 Lighting & Lighting Devices 1981”
"6.5.8
Tell-tale Operating tell-tale mandatory for front and rear direction indicator lamps. It may be visual or auditory or both. If it is visual it shall be a flashing light which, at least in the event of the malfunction of any of the front or rear direction indicator lamps, is either extinguished, or remains alight without flashing, or shows a marked change of frequency (double speed flash). If it is entirely auditory it shall be clearly audible and shall show a marked change of frequency, at least in the event of the malfunction of any one of the direction indicator lamps.
If a motor vehicle is equipped to draw a trailer, it must be fitted with a special visual operational tell-tale for the direction indicator lamps on the trailer unless the tell-tale of the drawing vehicle allows the failure of any one of the direction indicator lamps on the vehicle combination thus formed to be detected.”


Also some interesting points some may be unaware of ...

At least one rear fog light is mandatory on trailers over 1.3 m wide
All trailers built after Sept 30th 1990 require front reflectors.
They must have front reflectors and, if they are more than 1.6 metres wide, front position lights.

I have a trailer with 6' lighting board so by default my trailer is wider than 1.6m ... and therefore I need front lights as well as rear ............ wonder how many boat owners have that right.