Lights conversion to hazards

[Eric R]

In view of some recent collisions with vehicles stranded and not showing hazard lights, has the Forum discussed converting Rover lights to hazards?

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Yes Eric we have do a search for 3000 days

[Eric R]

thanks John - I have already done an unsuccessful 30-day search to no avail but I'm sure I read the subject at some time over the past 10 years!
Actually I rarely find past threads which might be because I don't put the question the right way - muck in = muck out I guess. I have thought of a plug-in to battery amber lantern light which might be placed on the roof, facing both ways.

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Dec 20, 2018 14:26:49 GMT Eric R said:

thanks John - I have already done an unsuccessful 30-day search to no avail but I'm sure I read the subject at some time over the past 10 years!
Actually I rarely find past threads which might be because I don't put the question the right way - muck in = muck out I guess. I have thought of a plug-in to battery amber lantern light which might be placed on the roof, facing both ways.

Must try harder Eric here you go roverp5.proboards.com/thread/9141/hazard-warning-lights

[richardlamsdale]

Hi Eric, if you search the web for 'Lucas SFB 300' you should find new versions of the period Lucas hazard switch and relay in a kit. Mine came with instructions which were useful, as the wiring isn't immediately obvious. I didn't use the supplied bracket, I mounted it in the P5B centre console, alongside the other switches.

[Brendan69]

I have hazard warning lights fitted to mine. Done by the previous owners garage according to the service file.

They work very well indeed. 

[Warwick]

Not too hard to rig up if you know what you're doing with car electrics. And as has been pointed out, there are conversion kits. But when you think about it, you really only need hazard flashers at the rear, and that can be done very easily with a simple switch.

[Eric R]

Thanks Warwick as you will have worked out I don't know what I'm doing at all motor-wise except to enjoy the interest of driving my two Rovers and the friendship of club enthusiasts!
I will always get professionals to maintain them but I try hard to get some basic information via the forum before walking into big money traps as happened in the distant past. I'm sure if I was a member before even buying a Rover I might have just been for-warned!

[Brendan69]

Best thing I always tend to do Eric is look locally for one of the old school garages which do still exist and ask them if they would like to help. Most will as they will love to see an older classic car which for them will be easy to work on as well as a joy to see.

I am lucky as only a few miles away from me in Faringdon I have an old school P5/P6 and pretty much anything else guy called Colin to help and advise me if I need his services. His unit is a total mess of a place but its also an Aladin's cave of parts and they don't charge the earth either.

Since paying him a visit last week to let him know I now own a P5B he has let me know about a few of his old school trade mates who love working on the older cars and one of them even has a rolling road and is a bit of a P5B SU carb expert when it comes to setting the cars up properly. I will be paying him a call in the new year.

Regards, 

[Eric R]

Brendan69 - when I bought my first P5 I was ripped off by restorers, so-called specialists and garages over a few years and it has cost me way too much money. Now I have found a good garage and for the past few years he has provided me with excellent service at reasonable cost and he has recommended specialists where necessary. He has worked wonders on my daily driver and both my Rovers - indeed he likes working on both Rovers that he has bought a Mk111 himself so between the three cars we have an excellent rapport.
He and his staff follow the Forum and are constantly amused to see me referred to as a Senior - meaning old not experienced!
However I do try to keep abreast of what he is doing and that is my level of expertise.

[harvey]

Dec 21, 2018 9:39:07 GMT Brendan69 said:

I am lucky as only a few miles away from me in Faringdon I have an old school P5/P6 and pretty much anything else guy called Colin

Colin Gould?

[Brendan69]

Could be Colin Gould but not 100% sure. I just know him as Colin. Bearded chap with glasses. Very in the know when it comes to Rovers.


Regards,

[Eric R]

Warwick - for the sake of a few extra shillings, if I get the stern ones converted, the bow ones will also be done. As many main roads here are CCTV controlled, 2 blinking lights facing the cameras will be useful information to attract attention as well as oncoming traffic and guiding rescue/recovery trucks which approach from the front, especially at night.

[enigmas]

It's kind of a pretty basic circuit mod. All that's required is a switch to join both indicator circuits together, then simply activating the indicator stalk (left or right turn...doesn't matter which) will cause both front and rear parkers to flash.

[Warwick]

It depends on the flasher can. I've no idea what type is fitted but if it's original and of the old hot wire type, doubling the number of bulbs can mess up the flashing rate. But there's no harm in trying. When hazard flashers were introduced the flasher unit design was changed, and then the later more modern electronic ones didn't have that problem, and most had the hazard function built-in.
I only ever tried to set up hazard flashers on 2 cars in the 60s, by fitting a switch between left and right, but the flasher units didn't like it.

[enigmas]

Hi Warwick...the above method is how I wired my MG Magnette 'hazard flasher' system. They're both 3 pin flasher cans but can't recall if they're modern circuitry based cans. I doubt they're the bi-metal type though for the reasons you outlined. If there's a concern about electrical load fit LED bulbs and a suitable LED 3 pin cannister. That certainly works on my Vespa! and it runs tiny 12v dry cell chargeable battery.



Simply wire up 4 indicator lights to this simple circuit on the bench and note the result.

[Warwick]

The early type I was referring to wasn't even a bi-metal switch. They were a hot wire that lengthened when hot and contracted when cold. The current to the globes ran through it and caused it to heat up repeatedly and break the circuit. Incorrect bulb wattage or more than one extra bulb for a trailer caused havoc with the flashing rate.
Ah, those were the days. It was the second most complicated electrical device in the car.

[richardlamsdale]

On my Alfa I used a switch to simply join the left and right circuits together in parallel, knowing the flashing rate would be wrong due to the increased current through the relay. I thought the flashing rate would increase (more current = faster heating = faster switching) but actually the hazard flashing rate is ½ the normal rate. I've not looked inside the relay to understand more, but it's a 3-pin round can, similar-looking to the Rover flasher relay. It kind-of-works, but isn't great, and is probably overloading the relay. I'll be changing this shortly.

On my Rover, I decided to use the Lucas kit as I wanted the switch to match the other pull switches as far as possible. The Lucas kit has its own correctly-rated relay, and when switched on the switch disconnects the indicator switch to avoid any unintended consequences of activating the hazards and the indicator switch at the same time. It works well, and looks as close to standard as I could get. As mentioned by others, replacing the Rover's relay with a modern version is an alternative, but I wanted to keep things as original as possible.

[johnwp5bcoupe]

This will work with ign off but a Warwick says it will depend on the load on the Flasher unit!



Flasher units both types here secure.classic-car-accessories.co.uk/acatalog/FLASHER_UNITS___RELAYS.html