CARTEK Flashing Rain Lights

[mwalters]

It appears so Steven. I fear we're not the only ones to be caught out by this.

Wished I'd have asked Santa for one now!

[tristancliffe]

Flashing lights are amazing.
And because they are relatively rare at the moment, it means people can't abide by the letter of the law and fit a £10 rain light that is barely visible at night when it isn't raining.

Much like I wouldn't go on track without a HANS device, I wouldn't want to race in the wet without a BRIGHT flashing rain light.

[stevenconnor]

http://www.cartekmotorsport.com/shop_rain_lights.html
http://www.lifeline-fire.co.uk/motorspo ... -lights-21
http://www.melectronics.co.uk/f3light.htm

[tonybishop]

I wonder if those opposed to flashing rain lights ( or the cost ) would be of the same opinion when racing at 130mph at a very wet Spa

[Duncan36]

Glad this thread popped up before i went to Autosport today. I picked up a new flashing rain light from Cartek for £100.

[jimblockley]

i don't think anyone is against have a very bright rainlight,and having raced at Spa in the wet many times it is vital, especally when there was an incident in the past with a torch was being strap to a car(in the collecting area) with non functionig rainlight, this was at Silverstone, it fell off on the first lap.

The point is the flashing bit seems to have come out of the blue, i was aware there was a list of approved lights in the regs, but not any mention of flashing, nor does it seem did a lot of other members.

if a car turned up with an MSA/FIA approved light could it be stopped from starting?

[stevenconnor]

I comment only on the official position.
Jim asks...

if a car turned up with an MSA/FIA approved light could it be stopped from starting?

The MSA set a minimum standard for the rain light (21W incandecent), Monoposto regulations can not specify a lower standard (this would not get through the MSA approval of the regulations) but they can specify a higher standard.

If an item is specified as compulsory in the MSA approved championship regulations and a car is presented without complying with those regulations then all the authority is in place with the MSA registered officials to exclude that vehicle/competitor.

[jimblockley]

point taken Steve, thanks

[Redracer77]

I am just going to switch my light on and off when I drive. Flashing, so meets the regs Doesn't say how long you have to keep it up for.....

[stevenconnor]

how long you have to keep it up for.....

We certainly don't make regulations in that dept!

[stevengriffin]

Flashing as a red dwarf star might mean once on and once off every thousand years. I agree with Tony perhaps switching it on in the collecting area and off in parc ferme would count as flashing (just not very often). As someone who is quite likely to run into from behind due to my slowness I had better get one of these immediately.

[mwalters]

Sharing is caring....

I've stumbled upon a neat little relay circuit (size of a matchbox) that can create a static rain light to flash, it also has a variable resistor to allow the timing of the flash and the duration of the illumination to be altered. It's worked so far in testing with an array of standard L.E.D's however, I'll be testing it out at the weekend on my own rain light (which is obviously made with high-intensity L.E.D's), and if it proves reliable I'd be happy to email anyone the details should you feel handy with a soldering iron and wish to make your own.

Theres light at the end of the tunnel yet.....(pardon the pun)

[Duncan36]

That could have saved me £100 at Autosport, but i have no idea what make of light was on the car. So despite using the relay to flash, it may not have been one of the three lights stipulated in this years regs, which i guess would have been illegal?

[lee]

Build a 555 timer....google it

[Anson]

I have read all of the posts so far but having just searched the three listed solutions it seems to me, on first reading, that only one of them fulfil the rules but having no experience of any of them I would be happy to be corrected before I go and buy - I need two (Anson and Ralt):

The Lifeline – LL421-100-005 does indeed have the flashing function, you need to wire the additonal green wire and fit a 3 way switch.

The Cartek– CK-LR-F3 talks of red LED or a flashing amber warning function, this does not appear to be a flashing red light?? Is the flashing amber light considered OK or did I miss something?

The Melectronics – F3-2009 appears to be a bright LED but not with a separate flashing function? Or is this a permanently flashing light with no static light function?

If the Melectronics is indeed a simple flashing red light then it must surely be the simplest and easiest and should only require one wire running to it??

I'm not going to whinge about the price of a new light - for goodness sake guys, it's a hundred quid and it's for your safety! If this is too expensive, for you then I fear you have the wrong priorities or the wrong sport...