Connectors for 3rd brake light

[breezy7]

I am looking at adding a 3rd brake light on my Caterham and wondering what wiring connectors others have used to hook up to the vehicle wiring harness. Caterham UK sells a kit with the light and adapter but the adapter dosn't seem to be available seperately. Any suggestions? Thanks

[southwind25]

This was a easy upgrade. We got a 5 led light from e-bay that worked perfect. It was a chopper/motorcycle light for custom frame effects. It's about as big as my small finger but bright as heck! 3$ or something. we ran wires through the roll bar down the birdcage close to where the rear light connector is. We simply found the hot wire for the brakes using a meter and probe. we clamped a clamshell style connector on the hot line and wrapped it with weather tape. Then we found a nice nearby screw and put an "O" style connector on that to ground. We already had the boot area apart to replace the gas cap so it took us only a couple hours. We thought the hood would cover the light and it does. However as it turned out, it lights up the whole rear window when on!!:rofl:

[Boxologist]

i went with the Caterham kit. It has a Y piece with the harness that go to the rear combination light light and wiring that runs to teh new LEDs. IF u have the spare wheel, its doable. it can be done cheaper if u buy a $20 LED bar and wire it to the roll bar, but some hoods will block it if its on the top of the hoop instead of a diagonal in a FIA bar.

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/68/68/8/55/17/2357855170099946657eyaaAf_th.jpg

 

u can see the platform that comes with teh kit. there is a nut on the rear panel in teh boot that is pretty far down which gets loosened to put that armature in place.

[Kitcat]

That's a problem w/my 3rd brake lite: when the top's up (wh/it rarely is) the light is totally covered as it's on the middle of the top hoop of the roll-over bar.

[BobDrye]

That's a problem w/my 3rd brake lite: when the top's up (wh/it rarely is) the light is totally covered as it's on the middle of the top hoop of the roll-over bar.

 

 

 

Have you thought about making your own led light?

 

http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/855164491_P1010646.JPG

 

 

[Kitcat]

My "skills" are limited to finding a problem and paying someone else to fix it. I am amazed at the level of self-help talent here. I guess if you build your own car, you have to be pretty handy. Which is why I bought a car that was already built.

[Boxologist]

Gert has a good write up on how make ur own LED bar. looks like a lightsaber from star wars. its over on CCC iirc.

[jwduncan]

I added one last year to get through the VA inspection. I velcro'd it to the back of the driver's seat and ended up using a $6-7 logic circuit to keep the brake light from flashing with the turn signal. All in all, a fairly easy job.

[slngsht]

Bob, I would like to build that, but will need some BRIGHT LED's. Are the ones you used as bright as production brake lights?

[BobDrye]

Bob, I would like to build that, but will need some BRIGHT LED's. Are the ones you used as bright as production brake lights?

 

 

Brighter! There very expensive @ $.20 each. I have several types, 5mm, 10mm, 3x5mm square, etc. Let's have lunch one day soon and I'll give you a handfull.

 

[breezy7]

Found this today if ayone is interested https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=123_125&products_id=2512 It is a different 3rd brake originally for Austrailian spec cars. Looks like they have gotten away from the Y adapter used on the spare tire light too. They are using the clamshell connectors that Southwind 25 used.

[BobDrye]

Bob, I would like to build that, but will need some BRIGHT LED's. Are the ones you used as bright as production brake lights?

 

I was talking to a policeman Monday and noticed that the blue lights on top of his car were leds. I have purchsed all of the materials that I need to build custom tail lights, and the total cost is less that $35.00.