LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 28, 2024, 4:01 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: December 15, 2016, 4:37 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 1, 2012, 9:43 am
Posts: 336
Location: Sidney, BC, Canada
A few quick questions about lighting. I was reading through the Alberta vehicle code and it states that a car must have side marker lights, amber close to the front and red close to the rear. I bought some cheap 2" LED lights at princess auto to use for this purpose, but I wasn't sure of the best place to put them so I went looking through a bunch of 7 pictures, and I haven't seen too many builds that actually have them. So on to the questions:

a) Are side marker lights required in your area?
b) If you have them, where did you mount them on the vehicle?
c) Did you make the side marker lights blink as turn signal repeaters, or are they just on steady all the time?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 15, 2016, 4:57 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 2, 2009, 1:45 pm
Posts: 1318
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
In the completed builds section 'Tony's Birkin' has barely-visible LED markers in the later 'with bumpers' pictures. The forward ones are seen as 'dots' on the outboard edges of the cycle fenders; the after ones are in the ends of the rear bumper. The Nova Scotia vehicle safety inspectors required their addition. They do not blink with the turning indicators.

_________________
Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 15, 2016, 5:22 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am
Posts: 2386
Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
I wish I was at home, not..............
I have the wiring diagram from my Chevette build on my other laptop, it used single filament alternating side maker/signal lights. It's wired in series to the signal lights as a ground, no relays, very simple. I used the same wiring on my TBird build.
See if you can download a wiring diagram for a 1983 Chevette, or wait til I get back from Barbados in 5 weeks to send you the diagram.
Browse through both builds to see where I located the side marker/signal lights on the 7's.

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 15, 2016, 9:22 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: June 8, 2010, 8:02 pm
Posts: 621
Location: White Rock, BC, Canada
Vehicles are required to have side markers that are visible directly from the side (same with reflectors). Most modern cars incorporate them with the headlamps and put them on the corner of the vehicle where they can act as both side and front marker lamps. They should be on anytime the headlamps are, and are allowed to be used as signals as well depending on local laws. Typically the wording is "located as close the the corner of the vehicle as viable" or similar. Basically, they want to be able to see where the corners of the car are at night.

Front side-markers are tough on a locost. In my case, front signals/markers are barely visible from the side over the fender (by design) combined with "fender" lamps located in my cowl. Signals and markers are visible from any angle so I figure they are serving the purpose.

Keep in mind they will be looking for DOT lamps during inspection to get it legal. If the exterior lamp is not DOT, and have the right markings for the location, it is not legal. This is one area that most places are pretty picky about. I used Grote MicroNova lamps for my side markers if it helps: http://www.grote.com/family/micronova-d ... rker-lamp/

Cheers.

Image

_________________
Build log: viewtopic.php?t=9291


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 15, 2016, 11:15 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 1, 2012, 9:43 am
Posts: 336
Location: Sidney, BC, Canada
Thanks for the replies. My thought was to put the amber side marker light somewhere around the front of the scuttle, similar to Horchoha's and Cory's cars, thought I'm not sure about where to put the rear (red) side marker. My tail lights are not very visible from the side. I don't plan to run a rear bumper as per the NS car that Warren referred to (though that one does look good), so maybe I'll have to put it just above and behind the rear fender.

Perry, I had a look at the chevette wiring diagrams. Looks like a good system, but the multi-function switch is quite a bit different than the Escort one I have. Mine uses a single flasher relay, and connects that to either one or both sides depending on the position of the switch (signal or hazard). But the marker lights don't get grounded when they are off, which is why I need relays to have the signals lights work with either the markers on or off - the marker light relay powers or grounds that side of the light, and the turn signal relays alternate between ground and power to the other side of the light.

So making the lights work is not a problem, but I'm not clear on whether the side markers should flash with the turn signals. In my mind it makes sense that they would, but I've noticed on factory cars which have separate side marker lights (like my wife's hyundai) they are just steadily lit and don't function as turn signals.

Btw, I had a look at the cheapo LED marker lights and they do have a DOT marking on them. I think they are sold as clearance lamps at Princess Auto.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY