Transforged Racing Afterburners & GRP Halo Lights

[DrRick]

[MartynB]

9 hours ago, Bibs said:

@MartynB it's not illegal to fail to comply with the Highway Code, you won't be prosecuted. 

When the Highway Code uses the word "MUST" it means that there is a law about that particular rule. The relevant law is then quoted beneath. Like I included in my quote. When it says "SHOULD" or similar, then yes, like Cpt. Barbossa might say, "It's more of a guideline. Arr!".

Let's also not get conflate illegality with enforcement. There are plenty of things that are illegal that you'll get away with 99.9% of the time. Doesn't change their legal standing.

The crux of the law is the following...

101.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) no person shall, except with the except with the permission of a police officer in a uniform, cause or permit any motor vehicle to stand on a road at any time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise unless the near side of the vehicle is as close as may be to the edge of the carriageway.

So basically, not only is it common sense (which is commonly not applied), but it is also the law.

[MartynB]

If anyone is wondering why this is a potential issue, just imagine the glee of the insurance company when they find out that Mrs Myopia destroyed your clamshell the other night while you were a) parked in an illegal orientation or b) without VOSA stipulated reflectors.

I believe they favour the phrase "Good luck with that Sir/Madame, I'm sure it'll buff right out"

[Bravo73]

8 hours ago, Brendonian said:

I ordered them way back in august,

You ordered them in August but they only arrived in December? Wow, what’s the story there?

[Brendonian]

They're produced in relatively small numbers, and there was a delay caused by a materials shortage. Mick kept me well informed throughout the process.

[C8RKH]

I bought an 8" lcd dash for my VX220 in September and it arrived yesterday. Same as @Brendonian I was kept informed.

This is often what happens when you buy a niche item from a niche supplier. Doesn't mean there is an issue.

[C8RKH]

16 hours ago, MartynB said:

When the Highway Code uses the word "MUST" it means that there is a law about that particular rule. The relevant law is then quoted beneath. Like I included in my quote. When it says "SHOULD" or similar, then yes, like Cpt. Barbossa might say, "It's more of a guideline. Arr!".

Let's also not get conflate illegality with enforcement. There are plenty of things that are illegal that you'll get away with 99.9% of the time. Doesn't change their legal standing.

The crux of the law is the following...

101.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) no person shall, except with the except with the permission of a police officer in a uniform, cause or permit any motor vehicle to stand on a road at any time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise unless the near side of the vehicle is as close as may be to the edge of the carriageway.

So basically, not only is it common sense (which is commonly not applied), but it is also the law.

If you want to be pedantic then it is not the highway code that is being enforced but the relevant piece of road legislation is it not? 

You would be prosecuted under the relevant legislation not the code.

 

[andyj007]

are people changing these out because OEM rear leds are failing or just a mod? 

im on the fence if i like them more than the original ones, i do like them they look very good & cool, but for some strange reason i also  really like the original ones with the individual led lights, these are different to most other rear lights on cars out there  & also at night the oem have a little side light that allows the red light to bounce out around the curved surround.. which is cool..

both are really nice just different... 

 

[DrRick]

I just switched them because it makes the car more 'mine'. Just a mod, no failures on the OEM units, which are safely stored away in case of failure or sale and a new owner wanting OEM.

[C8RKH]

7 minutes ago, andyj007 said:

are people changing these out because OEM rear leds are failing or just a mod? 

im on the fence if i like them more than the original ones, i do like them they look very good & cool, but for some strange reason i also  really like the original ones with the individual led lights, these are different to most other rear lights on cars out there  & also at night the oem have a little side light that allows the red light to bounce out around the curved surround.. which is cool..

both are really nice just different... 

 

I'm in the same boat @andyj007. Like them a lot but like the originals too.

[Brendonian]

I liked the originals enough to buy a set to update my old Exige, but I don't like the bezel. If the standard lamps were bigger, is be more than happy with them.  This is why I wasn't interested in the GRP lights even though they're very nice.

Having said that, I like the style of the afterburners even more. 

[DrRick]

So, little update - all electrical related.

I've installed the GRP units, and clipped in the 6ohm/50W resistors as suggested, but I'm still getting the hyperflashing.

Obvious things first, I'll check the resistors are still connected properly (they're these ones: http://tinyurl.com/yc6tc3re), and that they're on the right cables. I'm 99% sure they are as Greg sent me an image to work off and a text description. I really don't trust the pressfit connectors, so my go get the soldering iron out and some heat-shrink. Just to be sure.

Also, having had the two front tyres replaced, my front TPMS this morning resolutely refuses to acknowledge tyre pressures. To be fair, driving out this morning none of them were registering (cold related?), then all of a sudden I had a screen full of zeros, which freaks one out somewhat. Quick check at the nearest service station confirmed that all four tyres has air in them and the correct pressures. Then the rears registered but the fronts show zero.

Finally, I now have an intermittent stability control warning light that can mostly be cleared by switching off and switching on.

Fun, fun, fun.

(Will take guidance from the group on prior experiences of any the above).

[Brendonian]

Funnily enough, I'm getting double speed flashing on my right turn indicator. I expect Transforged will be very helpful in resolving that. 

Regarding the TPMS valves, it can take quite a long drive (like 10 miles) for the system to work out which wheel is where after a swap. 

Again, funnily enough one of my valves had been reading zero since I switched to my winter wheels/tyres. I've just done a 50 mile journey and it's still dead, so I guess it's time for a new one. 

Good luck with all those issues!

[DrRick]

@Brendonian, the TPMS were all over the shop, all the way from Edinburgh to Glasgow. I'll go back out later (when the suns up) and see if it's decided to do anything different.

I'm also pretty sure that the indicators were being sensible when I installed them. I certainly checked they worked and would have noticed that the rate was too fast, I'm sure of it.

[Brendonian]

I though I tested my indicators properly too. Maybe I only tested the left indicator and the hazards. 

[MartynB]

23 hours ago, C8RKH said:

If you want to be pedantic then it is not the highway code that is being enforced but the relevant piece of road legislation is it not? 

You would be prosecuted under the relevant legislation not the code.

Exactly my point. Which is why I quoted the law references along with the HC text. I only mentioned the Highway Code as the easy way to find out what the law is. If you had to wade through the legal texts to find out what was legal or not, you'd go mad. The HC is a much maligned summary of laws and guidance, written so you can tell at a glance which is which.

I'm done. Back to the toy story. I just couldn't let it lie with Bibs saying that it was legal to park facing into traffic. It is not. Merry Xmas

[mik]

40 minutes ago, Brendonian said:

Funnily enough, I'm getting double speed flashing on my right turn indicator. I expect Transforged will be very helpful in resolving that.

Is it related to temperature gents?

Asking as my last car suffered this. Vauxhall VXR8 is essentially a Holden Special Vehicles Commodore. No probs out in Oz, but the VXR8 indicators would pretty consistently rapid-flash once you got to and below freezing.

The fix was an additional section of wiring loom to be fitted ahead of the rear light clusters - I understand this added some resistance. Could DIY fit in 5 mins.

[DrRick]

3 minutes ago, mik said:

Is it related to temperature gents?

Asking as my last car suffered this. Vauxhall VXR8 is essentially a Holden Special Vehicles Commodore. No probs out in Oz, but the VXR8 indicators would pretty consistently rapid-flash once you got to and below freezing.

The fix was an additional section of wiring loom to be fitted ahead of the rear light clusters - I understand this added some resistance. Could DIY fit in 5 mins.

Ah, so the cold air at the rear could be reducing the resistance of the resistor we've had to fit. Simple solution - drive more as the heat soak should warm the resistor units.

[DrRick]

Right, in the spirit of citizen science, I just went back to my car, which has had its rear pointed due south for 1/2 a day, which means exposed to the pitiful excuse for the sun up here in Glasgow.

The results, simply turning the key to position 1 and putting on an indicator resulted in a standard flash rate on either side. YAY!!

So my mission, should I choose to accept it, is to get the resistors into the bootspace and wrap them in something to keep them warm. Daft, but it might just work.

Also, I still need to work out why my TPMS unit is not collecting data from the 4 wheel transmitters and get a replacement brake switch to cure the traction control warning (common thing apparently).

[Bravo73]

1 hour ago, DrRick said:

Also, I still need to work out why my TPMS unit is not collecting data from the 4 wheel transmitters and get a replacement brake switch to cure the traction control warning (common thing apparently).

Before you do, it might be worth refitting your OEM lights and seeing if those particular issues disappear.

[DrRick]

Good plan Batman.

Just come off the phone to Murrays who kindly informed me that a brake light switch was going to be £63.53.....in March 2018....along with 14 other people waiting for the backorder to complete.

I'm pretty sure the switch is from a Vauxhall Zafira, and will be under £21 (http://tinyurl.com/y9h53jzx).

[Brendonian]

Ok, now I know why my indicators worked when I first tested them. They flash at the correct speed with just the ignition on, but the right one goes faster if the engine is running. I checked the resistance, and the afterburners read much higher than the original lamps. 

Mick at Transforged has agreed to send me some resistors, with a wiring diagram, so I can rectify them myself. 

Looks like there's some difference for international markets that they didn't know about. 

[DrRick]

OK, speaking to Greg, he recommended 6ohm-50W units, which is what I ordered. Clipped between the black wire and the green turn signal wire.

I'll have a look when the engine is running, as I did only check while the ignition but not the car was on. I could be switching them back to OEM later tonight.

[DrRick]

Well bugger me - you're right.

Key in position 1: GRP indicators at normal rate.

Turn the car on and they go double time.

Something not right and an email to Greg in order.

OEM swap tonight to see if it solves the other bits.

[Ex Londoner]

Just catching this thread now before Inhead for travel.

Brendan, you’ll be all set once Insend you instructions and the correct resistors so no worries there!

Edited December 18, 2017 by Ex Londoner