custom tail lights

[dracken1]

does the msva insist on ce marks etc on the lenses?
years ago we used to make one off tail lights for custom cars using red acrilic and the diffusers made from florestent tube covers.
want to french them into some trike rear fenders.

and before the comments about frenching start. it means recessing them into the bodywork :rolleyes: ;)

[xjtriker666]

dont think so m8 as long as they work an they required distance apart

[Dougie]

And fit reflectors too........

[Teasy]

My trike passed mvsa last month and my tail lights are from the U.S.A and are made up of perspex lenses and L.E.D.s. No marks anywhere on the light casing or the lense, and the inspector never mentioned anything about them so I think its only the positioning of the lights they are interested in and reflectors of course.

[titusni]

Talking about LED tail lights.

I've currently got a pair of combined tail/brake/indicator/reflector units on my trike (think they're these: http://www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk/trailer_parts_information/MP36_252.html)

I'd like to replace these with LED equivalents but so far have found any LED "trailer lights". Anyone got any pointers?

I've already replaced my front indicators and my mid-rear tail/brake/numberplate catseye with LEDs.

[dracken1]

i do a few led tail lights but you can just fit led bulbs

[titusni]

i do a few led tail lights but you can just fit led bulbs

Won't really work with the units I have - the bulbs are mounted sideways and LEDs are fairly directional so most of the light for indicators and tail/brake would go to the side, not to the rear.

There is a crowd in USA so who LED replacements for bulbs with a 90 degree mounting....they'd do the job but not be E-marked.

[Alik Windrush]

Lights don't have to be 'e' marked for the MSVA

[titusni]

Lights don't have to be 'e' marked for the MSVA

Ok. MSVA isn't really a worry for me as trike's been there, done that.

What about MOT? Do they check for E-marks?

Also, side question - what's the regs about rear reflector locations? I've got reflectors built in to my tail/brake/indicator units but also have 2 reflectors mounted on rear of mudguards. I'm wondering if I was to replace the brake/tail/indicators with LED units without reflectors would the 2 on the mudguards be sufficient? (They are higher - maybe they're too high for the regs)

[Sir Ewok]

I believe there are some bulbs on the market that are multi-directional ie, Led's facing the rear and round the sides. Can't remember where I saw them though.

[Alik Windrush]

The MoT doesn't require 'e' marked lights as long as the units are the equivilent of ones that are. Which means 'e' marks arn't a requirement cos the MoT only wants what is fitted to work.
Thats the difference between MSVA testing and MoT. For the MSVA you can have bald tyres so long as the have a suitable rating for the speed of the vehicle. For an MoT they need only to be round and have tread.
Reflectors must be non triangular (Triangular on trailers)
They must be fitted at the rear (take that a near the rear) min height 250mm max height 900 mm, no more than 400 mm from the outer most point of the vehicle and (if the trike is wider than 1300 mm) be at least 500 mm apart.
A trike wider than 1000 mm needs two reflectors.