rear lights when using a cycle rack

tbs624

Can anyone give guidance on adapters to run a rear lightboard off anything other than a towbar elec socket?

Change of car and cycle rack means a rethink is necessary.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions:)

Norman_Castle

A few years back a friend had a towbar type electric socket fitted in the boot and simply plugged the lightboard into this.

forgotmyname

You dont need a towbar fitted to get the electrical socket, Easily added inside or outside the car.

scbk

So long as it doesnt have can bus wiring it would be pretty easy to wire in a 7 pin trailer socket, though while you're at it you may aswell go the whole hog and fit a towbar

marlot

I agree - not expensive to put in a 7N socket as long as its not a canbus car. Maybe £60 at an autoelectician.

Hammyman

tbs624 wrote: »

Can anyone give guidance on adapters to run a rear lightboard off anything other than a towbar elec socket?

Change of car and cycle rack means a rethink is necessary.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions:)

When you fit the cycle rack, in effect it becomes the rear of the vehicle. You are required to have both rear lights AND numberplate due to the bikes obscuring them.

Towbar socket is pretty much the only option. I've seen quite a few fitted quite stealthily under the bumper rather than sticking out.

heronfolder

Is a second registration plate required even when it isn't obscured by bikes? E.g. on a Fiat Punto it is low on the bumper.

anewman

marlot wrote: »

Maybe £60 at an autoelectician.

And if you get a job like any of the "professional" work I have often seen (Scotch locks) you may as well do the job yourself. Takes seconds. I would of course point out that I would not recommend scotch locks as they're an inefficient way of tapping the power from wires, it's best to either strip the insulation from the cable without cutting the wire if possible, solder well (with a big high wattage soldering gun), and insulate properly. Or if you really want to be lazy use heat shrink crimp butt connectors (they are quite expensive but good, cheapest place to buy is probably ebay), to join three wire ends put two in one and and fold the other end over so it's doubled up.

Gloomendoom

heronfolder wrote: »

Is a second registration plate required even when it isn't obscured by bikes? E.g. on a Fiat Punto it is low on the bumper.

No it isn't.

If you use trailer board as a cheap and easy way to keep legal with a bike rack fitted. Remember to take the reflective triangles off. A colleague of mine was pulled up because he hadn't.

forgotmyname

Gloomendoom wrote: »

No it isn't.

If you use trailer board as a cheap and easy way to keep legal with a bike rack fitted. Remember to take the reflective triangles off. A colleague of mine was pulled up because he hadn't.

? Its a legal requirement to have reflectors at the rear of the vehicle though.

Gloomendoom

forgotmyname wrote: »

? Its a legal requirement to have reflectors at the rear of the vehicle though.

That is true, but trailers are identified by their unique triangular reflectors. Strictly speaking, they shouldn't be used on bike racks... or so it seems.

I should have said "Don't forget to replace the triangular reflectors with non triangular ones."