After the biblically wet track days at Silverstone and Thruxton recently, I decided to take the hint and get a rain light. Of course it’s not as simple as, “Lets buy a rain light”, you then need to navigate the options.
Choice 1: I decided that I wanted an FIA approved one so that it was of a modern standard and not just something cheap which may or may be of use. So I bought something that was compliant with the FIA’s 2019 reg’s (yes I know I’m not competing – but being compliant with current race regs reassures me it will be track relevant).
Choice 2: Round or Rectangular? I opted for rectangular merely as I liked the link of it more.
Choice 3: Flashing or Constant? I read that flashing rain lights are easier to see than constantly illuminated ones when you are following from behind. In my Silverstone Post I talk about cars passing and nothing being visible behind the cars but grey water; so anything to improve my on-track safety drove me towards a flashing rain light.
Choice 4: Flashing, Flashing and Brake Light or choice of Flashing with constant via switch; I chose to wire it as brake Light repeater with a switch operated flashing function. Obviously I don’t need to be completion class rules compliant which would have limited my options .
£150+ later I was the proud owner of the CarTek 8874-2019 Rectangular Model Rain Light.
Instalation
The three wires were expended with soldered wires and heat shrink and then I extended the heat shrink to to a length that takes the protection well under the car.
As I was rooting around in the boot I noticed a large rubber grommet which gave me an entry point for the wires. Once the wires were brought up into the boot I found an earth point near the rear lights and then tapped the red wire into the brake light loom. The final blue wire which is the feed for the flashing function was fed through behind the seats and into the cabin under the centre console and the onto the designated switch.
I’ve removed the panel below the radio which usually houses the lighter, aux audio input point and heated seat switches a while ago and eBayed the same panel from a lower spec NC and installed the illuminated switches for this unit and the intercom.
As the switch is illuminated I ran a power feed off an auxiliary fuse box to the switch and ran an earth to an earthing point under the centre console.
So there it is, I now have an additional brake light repeater and when required I can run a flashing rain light on track days.
Another option would have been to rig the rain light so that the flashing function requires the headlights and rear lights to be on. I’ll think about it but and the implications for the future.
First Impressions
It was easy to instal, it’s bright and it works. I like it.
Ironically there’s a yellow warning for heat out at the moment and no rain forecast for some time. Probably just in time for when I return to Thruxton next month.
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