Brake Lights

[Napster]

Please forgive this random post but:

"is it possible to have more than 3 brake lights and the car still be legal??"

i know that probably sounds ridiculous and stupid (maybe?) but just wondering thats all. ive had a quick search on world wide web but didnt really find an answer i was looking for!!??

the other day i saw a clio (2000 model) and it had red lights that lit up everywhere on the back of his car whenever he braked???

now im alittle confused as to how he did this because wouldnt they already be on when he put his headlights on??

or is it because the clio may have a different wiring system some how???

if the lights where off.....when he/she braked, wouldnt they light up then....correct?
but when lights are on.....they would stay on...regardless off braking???

thankyou
napster

 

[Arnold]

Brake lights are dual filliment (sp) so when you brake, a seperate part of the bulb is illuminating, than the one which comes on when you switch your lights on. Im not sure if this applies to all cars, but thats how micra's are.

If you wanted to add another brake light, you'd simply tap into the brake light circuit!

I've seen a car with LED's around it's number plate before. When the bloke braked, the whole thing lit up - Certainly different, but it must be legal - as long as you use red bulbs & wire them up correctly

 

[Napster]

Brake lights are dual filliment (sp) so when you brake, a seperate part of the bulb is illuminating, than the one which comes on when you switch your lights on. Im not sure if this applies to all cars, but thats how micra's are.

If you wanted to add another brake light, you'd simply tap into the brake light circuit!

I've seen a car with LED's around it's number plate before. When the bloke braked, the whole thing lit up - Certainly different, but it must be legal - as long as you use red bulbs & wire them up correctly

i understand the double filliment completly!!!!

it was because i understand the the dual filliment that i was confused :laugh:

only because these where tiny LED's??? so if he/she linked them to the main "brake/rear lights" circuit......:

it would come on when they braked???
but
stay on if headlights where on and wouldnt do anything when they braking???

cheers

 

[p11sr20]

i understand the double filliment completly!!!!

it was because i understand the the dual filliment that i was confused :laugh:

only because these where tiny LED's??? so if he/she linked them to the main "brake/rear lights" circuit......:

it would come on when they braked???
but
stay on if headlights where on and wouldnt do anything when they braking???

cheers

you say you understand twin filament yet your questions contradict this.
look how a high level brake light works (with the brake and not with the side lights/dipped beam), the extra brake lights like Arnold said will be connected to the brake light circuit only

 

[Napster]

ummm.... :down:

i cant see how im contradicting myself...but then this is why im confused.

i didnt think it would be as simple as just attaching it to the circuit BECAUSE of how the brake light system works.....which is why i kept asking about it staying on with lights or flashing??

ohh dear.....ive just pictured my 3rd brake light on my sr :glance: lol.....i need to see the wiring to be honest to understand it....becasue now im confused at the wiring for some reason...

please ignor me

napster

 

[Arnold]

Check this out, i've just knocked this up

Should hopefully explain it easier,

 

[Napster]

haahaa thank you very much Arnold!!!!!!

Appreciate you making that up.

yes it clears the fact that i got confused over nothing....i think it was to simple lol :wasntme:

im still going to check the wiring later....will make me happier lol.

so is there a limit to how many lights / brake lights in red you can have at the rear of your car?? only a max of 3 to be legal?

cheers

 

[Arnold]

The most i've seen is four. Two normal, one at the top of the window, and one as a neon at the bottom of the bumper. As long as they're red, i cant see a problem with having them there, but maybe you could check with an MOT testing center. I dont know for sure if there's a maximum, i cant imagine there is.

 

[Ems]

I've just wired in a high level brake light to add to the three that are already on the car!!! Should look quite good!!! Anything to stop the people behind u lol!!

 

[Andrew]

Yes, as long as you have the two original brake lights, you can have more. Only requirements are they need to be rear facing, red, and technically between 15 and 36 watts (or equivalent). You can have as many position lights as you want, they need to be red and rear facing as well.

I still don't see what the confusion is with, if you can see that a normal rear position light is on, and gets brighter during braking, surely it isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination that another light could do the same?