Rain Light installation

[MoparBoyy]

We have the Lifeline rainlight on both of our cars and I can say is this things are SUPER bright.  We first wired it so that it would come on solid with the parking lights in the rear, then in rain conditions we had a switch inside that would turn on the 'flashing' portion non stop.  After driving around in the dark on normal streets its way too bright.  Someone here mentioned making them flash only under braking, which can easily be done with way the lifeline allows its inputs.  So I decided to rewire the light and I think it will benefit everyone as its only on or flashing under rain conditions.   This way the light is only flashing while braking and its on solid the rest of the time.

 

 

[Racer28173]

5 hours ago, MoparBoyy said:

We have the Lifeline rainlight on both of our cars and I can say is this things are SUPER bright.  We first wired it so that it would come on solid with the parking lights in the rear, then in rain conditions we had a switch inside that would turn on the 'flashing' portion non stop.  After driving around in the dark on normal streets its way too bright.  Someone here mentioned making them flash only under braking, which can easily be done with way the lifeline allows its inputs.  So I decided to rewire the light and I think it will benefit everyone as its only on or flashing under rain conditions.   This way the light is only flashing while braking and its on solid the rest of the time.

 

 

Perfect - thanks for posting!

 

IMHO, this is the correct way to set them up for our series

[MoparBoyy]

1 minute ago, Racer28173 said:

Perfect - thanks for posting!

 

IMHO, this is the correct way to set them up for our series

 

Someone posted some kind of relay to install on the rain light, not sure why it would be needed.  The lifeline has 2 inputs that make the setup super easy.

[jakks]

Wonder how it would be affected by reducing the voltage to 8-9 volts? Maybe a PWM module ?

[MoparBoyy]

11 hours ago, jakks said:

Wonder how it would be affected by reducing the voltage to 8-9 volts? Maybe a PWM module ?

 

you mean to just dim it under normal conditions?    it would be nice to use all the time, but not sure if thats really the intention

Edited December 17, 2018 by MoparBoyy

[jakks]

Dim it down under whatever conditions the team feels necessary. PWM seems to be the best way to go based on my 5 minutes of research. Analog tends to mess with it too much and could affect the color. 

[MoparBoyy]

21 minutes ago, jakks said:

Dim it down under whatever conditions the team feels necessary. PWM seems to be the best way to go based on my 5 minutes of research. Analog tends to mess with it too much and could affect the color. 

 

seems overly complicated for a single light.  now your are looking at more inputs, more wiring, more chances of failure.

[tommytipover]

In my opinion, I've have no love for the flashing light. I don't even like watching them on F1 cars on the TV maybe I'm borderline epileptic or something....

[cmi11er]

@MoparBoyy maybe you could put up a sketch of your wiring schematic? It could certainly help those less electrically inclined.

[MoparBoyy]

2 minutes ago, cmi11er said:

@MoparBoyy maybe you could put up a sketch of your wiring schematic? It could certainly help those less electrically inclined.

 

Absolutely.  i'll draw it up later this evening.

[macheesy]

I like the idea of increased visibility in the rain, absolutely no disagreement there.  My question is do we as a series have a set way to do these lights with regard to flashing/not flashing under braking and not braking.  We've all got decades of driving experience and have got a couple neurons programmed that a bright solid red light means someone is slowing down in front of us.  Not as much programming for a flashing red light - maybe the lawyers see $$ as they chase ambulances, but certainly not an ingrained reaction.  When I watch your video, my eyes instinctively think you're hitting the brake when you're actually letting off of it.  I think the fia does it opposite.

 

After the downpours of Watkins Glen this year, I hope rain lights will become mandatory.  But the flash/no flash order should have a set rule.  If it's the way the fia does it, that's fine (my preference).  If it's the way you have, that's fine too (I can adjust).  But I don't think we should have different cars doing different things with what essentially becomes the de facto brake light in the rain.

[Andrew D Johnson]

14 minutes ago, macheesy said:

My question is do we as a series have a set way to do these lights with regard to flashing/not flashing under braking and not braking.  We've all got decades of driving experience and have got a couple neurons programmed that a bright solid red light means someone is slowing down in front of us.  Not as much programming for a flashing red light - maybe the lawyers see $$ as they chase ambulances, but certainly not an ingrained reaction.  When I watch your video, my eyes instinctively think you're hitting the brake when you're actually letting off of it.  I think the fia does it opposite.

 

After the downpours of Watkins Glen this year, I hope rain lights will become mandatory.  But the flash/no flash order should have a set rule.  If it's the way the fia does it, that's fine (my preference).  If it's the way you have, that's fine too (I can adjust).  But I don't think we should have different cars doing different things with what essentially becomes the de facto brake light in the rain.

 

I passed your concern onto the TAC so it can be discussed. 

[Snorman]

Here is the provision in the 2019 BCCR:

Quote

9.9.4.1. Rear Rain Lights: Recommended, but not required. Placement will be in the center rear area in the place that the license plate would normally be mounted. Only flashing during rain/wet/fog/snow weather. Can come on with brakes. Can be on at night if it had a dim setting and not 100% power. The Lifeline rain light in flash mode alternates between 60% power and 100%. Any other way its 100% power. So we recommend that the light be switched and only used during foul weather events

 

[DaveH]

I sent a suggested wording update to that rule to Tech, mostly to clarify the partial/run-on sentences.  I agree we need to standardize how the lights are supposed to operate if they're mandatory. 

 

I also suggested that due to the brightness they only be used in the day time.  I did the 23-hours-of-rain VIR 24 several years ago and I had no trouble seeing cars in the rain at night.  I think the darkness helps keep refracted light from the spray down and lets you actually see farther.  The supps could modify this if needed, like for a night race under lights.

 

I also think they should stay 'recommended' for a trial period, then set the rule on how they are supposed to work.

 

My $0.02 is that I like the FIA method as well.  I know a bunch of cars flashing down the straight is annoying, but I need much more precise visual indicators in the braking zone than I do driving down a straight.

Edited December 17, 2018 by DaveH

[Team Infiniti]

Dislike the devices, F1 cars going 200mph need things configured a little differently then us.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Team Infiniti

[Wittenauer Racing]

It's very possible we need something different, but I do wonder if we're missing something....

 

On the Formula Vee's/Mazda/Fords and it's always mounted way down low (like 8-10 inches off the ground), but the drivers also sit much lower than your average Champcar driver. Maybe the heavier spray helps with the brightness or they tilt them down a couple degrees or something?

 

I'll reach out to my open wheel buddies and see if they have any pointers. They don't run night events so it makes sense they don't have a night/dim flash mode, but the Formula Vee's/Juniors are turning similar times to a Champcar with lower straightaway speeds and I haven't heard much in the way of complaints from them.

 

 

 

[MoparBoyy]

6 hours ago, cmi11er said:

@MoparBoyy maybe you could put up a sketch of your wiring schematic? It could certainly help those less electrically inclined.

 

Even though there is always a stop input to the light, the light does not flash unless both circuits are powered.

 

Edited December 17, 2018 by MoparBoyy

[Jab31169]

I was literally going to post the same pic/diagram at lunch but got distracted by real work.  If you want to make it flash all the time without brake, just wire into same line as red.  If you want a separate switch for flash, wire into a separate switch from constant on.

 

The only reason ours flashes all the time is because we got behind on our build and just wired the green wire into the red one.

[Jab31169]

2 hours ago, Wittenauer Racing said:

It's very possible we need something different, but I do wonder if we're missing something....

 

On the Formula Vee's/Mazda/Fords and it's always mounted way down low (like 8-10 inches off the ground), but the drivers also sit much lower than your average Champcar driver. Maybe the heavier spray helps with the brightness or they tilt them down a couple degrees or something?

 

I'll reach out to my open wheel buddies and see if they have any pointers. They don't run night events so it makes sense they don't have a night/dim flash mode, but the Formula Vee's/Juniors are turning similar times to a Champcar with lower straightaway speeds and I haven't heard much in the way of complaints from them.

 

In the daytime, the lights dont bother me personally.  Just another light for me to identify a car by.  I have yet to see one in full black of night but I imagine its bright.  Its one of those things were it might be just a heavy rain/poor vis thing and not just a OMG I have 5 rain drops on my windshield kinda deal.

[MoparBoyy]

9 minutes ago, Jab31169 said:

 

In the daytime, the lights dont bother me personally.  Just another light for me to identify a car by.  I have yet to see one in full black of night but I imagine its bright.  Its one of those things were it might be just a heavy rain/poor vis thing and not just a OMG I have 5 rain drops on my windshield kinda deal.

 

we took the car out onto the Sebring airport runway in the pitch black..  it actually lit up the tower, its super bright without rain/spray to tone it down.

[Racer28173]

Just a suggestion:

 

For those who are weighing in on how they should work, I think it would be helpful to state whether or not you have actually been on track with a car that was running one of these things (and state whether or not it was flashing or solid).  My opinion on how they should work was heavily influenced by getting some first-hand experience on track with them.  The flashing was at least 5 times more annoying than I would have expected.

[Snake]

6 hours ago, macheesy said:

 

After the downpours of Watkins Glen this year, I hope rain lights will become mandatory.  But the flash/no flash order should have a set rule.  If it's the way the fia does it, that's fine (my preference).  If it's the way you have, that's fine too (I can adjust).  But I don't think we should have different cars doing different things with what essentially becomes the de facto brake light in the rain.

 

They are becoming mandatory for 2020 per Chisek 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Snake

[MoparBoyy]

2 minutes ago, Racer28173 said:

  The flashing was at least 5 times more annoying than I would have expected.

 

which is exactly why the flashing under braking is the best option

[Chris Huggins]

5 minutes ago, Snake said:

 

They are becoming mandatory for 2020 per Chisek 

 

Yay, one more thing we are all required to buy

[MoparBoyy]

5 minutes ago, Huggy said:

 

Yay, one more thing we are all required to buy

 

yeah..  its crap they make you buy certified helmets!