I've got what I understand is a raydot rear light with markins B-WD-T-2 that I would like to use on my G3L when rebuilt. This is only a light though and doesn't accommadate a stop/tail light. Has anyone re -worked these or know if its possible to use without having to use an addition light.
Thanks
Pete

I think these are tail lights from trailers, towable guns, armoured vehicles etc so not sure if anyone will have tried converting to a brake/tail light. They may have been used on motorcycles but I'm not sure.

email (option): m3bobby@hotmail.com

Hi Pete, the B suffix normally means "Butler", another lamp maker, Like L/WD MCT is a Lucas item. I use an original Lucas MT110 on my 16H, with a single filament bulb of 10 watts. I have a fairly heavy duty resistor
(cant remember how many ohms) but its an aluminium cased
thing from RS. Its fitted in the wire from the switch to the tail lamp, and the brake switch bypasses this, to give the bulb full power. The only real problem is the tail lamp us draining a full 10 watts while the lights are on, so the revs have to be kept up to balance the load. I use halogen bulbs from Paul Goff.
Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

I've fitted twin filament bulb holders to a few different rear lamps...it should be doable...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

The resistor trick Mick mentioned can also be done with LED's. These are very gentle to the battery. I bought such a set for my 1940 BSA but didn't use the resistor as I don't use a brake light.

Henk.

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Unfortunately for us LEDS won,'t work with resistors, and because we still have to MOT old bikes (to help our government pay the bankers) we must have a brake light.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Hi Mick,

The set I bough is LED and with a resistor to make it work as a brake light and normal light. I just didn't use the resistor as I don't have a brake light switch, but this could easily be done. The normal light current would run through the resistor while the brake light current would pass the resistor to give maximum light. This works very well.

Henk.

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Hi Henk,
Sounds like a good mod! I was told LEDs wont work with a resistor as there wouldn't be enough electric to switch them on! Who makes the kit you have?
Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Both Leon and I bought such a set and knowing Leon he still has it in the wrapper while mine is in use for a while and I don't have the instructions anymore. I'll ask Leon if he indeed still has it and see that he lets us know how this exactly works.

Henk.

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

All LEDs should have a resistor as they are so low power they can blow with out one. using diffferent ohm resistors gives differing effects. When i was at school i made a flashing red LED and fitted it to the dash of my car so it looked like I had an alarm fitted. Worked really well!!!

email (option): m3bobby@hotmail.com

Henk, if you can find any info it would be a great help.
Thanks
Pete

paul goff makes direct replacement bulbs and lighting boards in 6v and 12v all led's, i use them on my bikes with modern fittings, havent tried yet to convert one to use in a convoy light...i know a man who can though!

email (option): chris.astinbarker@btinternet.com

I decided against fitting a brake light as it would have meant fitting a modern switch to the rear brake rod. I didnt want to spoil its original appearance as these bikes would not have had a brake light, only a tail light.
You can avoid fitting the brake light if you go for a daylight only MOT. Not a problem for me as I never plan to ride the bike at night ( probably a good thing as the headlamp is not brilliant).

email (option): tim@sofa100.freeserve.co.uk

I still use a bike daily transport, so a daylight MOT is not an option this time of year. Resilvered reflectors and halogen bulbs from Paul Goff give a very good headlight, certainly good enough for 50mph at night.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

I always mount the brake light switch under the pannier frames where it can only be seen by the people I run over! ...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

That's exactly what I have done. There's nothing worse than following someone in a convoy, who has no brake light. Ron

It's not original

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Nor are your tyres or spark plug.

We're not original either

email (option): Jonnyob1@googlemail.com

I may not be 'original' but my Missus says there isn't another one like me...not sure what she means????... ...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

maybe she means unique Ian

JO'B

email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com

Hi Pete

I use a convoy light on my '44 M20. It contains a rear & brake light all made possible by Beck Electronics in Netherlands. I have used it now for over 18months with no problems.

It fits in with no modifications required.

I agree with Ron, riding in a group behind a rider with no brake light is not the preferred option. Riding in London without one is also not recommended

JO'B

email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com

I also agree, I think brake lights are very important. A few years ago the ares end of my mates A10 was severely reshaped by a cortina who didn't stop when he did. Whats worse was the cortina owners insurers successfully claimed against my friend as he had no brake light fitted.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Hi John, would you have any contact details of Beck Electronics?
Thanks
Pete

Hans Beck's address: beckelektronika@planet.nl

email (option): viaconsu@planet.nl

Hans to the rescue, as always

Hope you are well my friend

JO'B

email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com

John - let me know how you get on I may be interested in one of the for the oilfield...

email (option): jennycook163@hotmail.com

Hi jenny
have been using mine for nearly 18months, it works a treat

i tried to get a dual led in the uk to fit, but they were all too big for the convoy light

recommended ! & a good price too

jo'b

email (option): Jonnyob1@googlemail.com

Hello John.

Are they 6V negative earth?

Pete Stowe

email (option): gasboy@btinternet.com

Hi pete
mine is 6v -ve earth, although i think hans beck does them in most configurations

if you search through the links site you will find them

the site is in dutch, but even with zero capability in the language managed to get my way through

hans beck was a very nice chap to deal with too, always a bonus

jo'b

email (option): Jonnyob1@googlemail.com

I've been trying to decide what to use for a brake light. I have the small "black out" style repro light. My bike came with an early chrome BSA brake / tailight combination. As I plan to use the bike at both Reenactments and on the street a brake light is necessary. I was thinking about a plug in light that could hang off the back, perhaps off the pannier rack with a few wing nuts.
As for the front I bought a very nice reproduction blackout light from Domiracer here in the US, I can just change the front bezel and black out tin for the regular light.

email (option): robgibson@civilwarphotography.com

I received the LED conversion incl brake/rear light from Beck electronics and what a nice guy to deal with. I took out the rear bulb holder and replaced with his conversion. Tested with a stand alone battery as the bike still in bits and perfect result. He told me no need to use resistor just wire in the same as a normal rear light.
Thanks for the recomendation.
Pete

email (option): cruaser@aol.com

Is 'Wookie' still following the forum ? I'd like to try using an LED single bulb replacement with resistor to avoid having to modify the MT110 and to also just have the single wire running through the original connector.

Any info on type of resistor needed (and a source if possible) would be useful.

It's been a while but I'm now using a system with Henk's clever +/-ve earth 7 LED bulb caps in the original MT110 housing and incorporating a resistor as detailed by Wookie to provide a brake light function. This has enabled me to retain the unmodified lamp and original single wire connector.

Henk's 'bulbs' draw 90mA. The advantage of using the LEDs is that there is minimal current draw when compared with a similar system using conventional bulbs.



I ran the cable from the switch up inside the rubber harness tube to the headlamp as a dry and convenient location to hide the resistor. I've been experimenting with various resistors and have ended up using 68 ohm. The compulsion to run daytime lights here meant that I needed a significant difference between tail and brake light functions. Even with this resistor in place, the tail light function is still bright.

Although I've left it visible for the photo, the resistor is now wrapped and insulated.



Brake light switch location is a direct copy of Mick Holmes' system. The wires to battery and up to the headlamp are hidden along the back of the saddle stay. The switch still needs to be camouflaged a bit.

Ah I like the LED conversion, mine's the same but with a 15w bulb reduced to about 5w for tail light. I use a 1 Ohm resister and a diode to stop the brake light turning on the head light as the current runs both ways on the circuit. 1 Ohm was just right with ordinary bulbs, any higher and it didn't work at all. As the bulb is a 15w running at 5w most of the time, the bulb should last forever..... I hope :-)

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

What about the dipswitch?...they didn't have that either originally, but it is compulsory in the UK with a 'standard' MOT. It's also a lot more visible than a brakelight switch...particularly if you have that secreted under the panniers when fitted...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

I didn't have to make that compromise Ian as mine had the remains of dipswitch wiring attached to the loom.

There are many reasons for focussing on pre or early war machines - aesthetics, quality,exclusivity...

The DME circular instructing the removal of the dipping switch was the same one that dealt with headlamp mask fitment and was dated 12/5/1941.

It's quite possible that it had already been discontinued on new production but for a portrayal prior to mid 1941, it might be wrong not to have one.

I wasn't really aiming that comment at your bike specifically Rik...rather as a more general point concerning any bikes such as my own that didn't have the switch fitted originally...it seems odd to 'jump through hoops' over the presence of the brake light set up and at the same time ignore the dip switch which is a similarly 'non original' part on many bikes and is also more visible....Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

To be honest Ian, my main concern was to retain the original MT110 and not have to butcher the bulb holder. In some odd way, I also wanted to use the existing brass screwed connector and going to a two-wire setup would have meant re-working the rear of the lamp.

The pre-war Norton wiring diagrams include the optional brake light wiring which would have used a two-wire system but presumably with a different lamp. I don't know which one.

My brake light system only shows from one side of the bike.

The only deviations from standard that I've knowingly introduced are to the electrical system. However, I'm compelled to have a brake light and also to run daytime lights (I cheat on that by using a 10w halogen pilot). Our charging systems were not designed to run constantly as well as operate a brake light.

It's really quite easy to convert. Take the bulb out and see if the little disc has one solder spot or two. Yours prolly has one. Rummage in your junk box for a similiar disc with two solder spots. With a small soldering iron, melt away the existing solder and remove the wires. Solder in the appropriate color coded wire, and you should be all done. Then you will have a terminal for each filament of a stop/brake light.

What about the staggered locating pins on the stop tail bulb

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

15mm bayonets are available with parallel pins so that isn't insurmountable (you just have to be careful that they're the right way round).

However, it doesn't get around the single wire connection with the nice brass ( ) screw connector on the MT110.

A twin wattage LED unit that required no modification to the holder would not be available and as I mentioned, due to the stupid daytime light rule, I have to try to keep the electrical load down.

Just to reiterate, if you don't have a diode after the resistor you will be using a lot more power than you think when you light the brake light. The current will try to light the headlight, it probably wont light up because of the resistor but will still be using current. So you wouldn't want to sit with you rear brake on for ages, especially without the engine running.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk