Marx Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Hmmm... ... not having a glamorous assistant/girlfriend I have to be a little more inventive! Top Tip! I've found that an old long handled brush/broom pressed on the brake pedal and wedged against the back of the driver's seat does the job just as well! But, unlike having a glamorous assistant, it's not much use for any other little jobs that I need help with from time to time! I have found that reversing up to a wall and putting on my brakes gives me a good visual indication that all is well. A top tip is to wait until it is dark. Sometimes you can even do this whilst on the move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canetoad Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Its not as easy these days to just get a new bulb and put it in yourself so people choose to ignore it however I found the answer get a passenger,neighbour,friend ,whatever to check with you when you notice a bulb out if you are in the sheffield area go to Motormania they will fit you a new bulb for free or Halfords will do it but they charge. Police used to stop people years ago to tell them (it's happened to me ) but they don't now it's up to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marx Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Its not as easy these days to just get a new bulb and put it in yourself so people choose to ignore it however I found the answer get a passenger,neighbour,friend ,whatever to check with you when you notice a bulb out if you are in the sheffield area go to Motormania they will fit you a new bulb for free or Halfords will do it but they charge. Police used to stop people years ago to tell them (it's happened to me ) but they don't now it's up to you Some bulbs are a bu**er to fit as I can testify but rear lights are usually easy to access. There must be people out there with no brake lights working. They are somewhat tricky to spot though, until you are peeling your vehicle off their rear bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEC176 Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 (edited) If its connected it must work. So if it's just a blown bulb it will fail (or if more than 50% of the bulbs in a LED strip are blown). however if it's disconnected from the wiring loom it's not testable. I alwys found the easiest way to check rear lights was reverse to a wall and look in the mirrors at night. Mind you the BMW and Fords I have had in the last ten years all have had light fault indicators. If It’s connected it must work --- not necessarily, the bulb holder may be corroded there may be a bad earth. So if it’s a blow bulb it will fail --- correct However if it’s disconnected from the wiring loom it’s not testable – yes it is by using a meter tester you run a low voltage through the bulb if there is no break in the filament you get a reading of a continuous current the bulb is good and it should work. Regarding reversing up to a reflectable surface we all do that to check the lights but my argument is you check your lights pull away and the next time you put your foot on the brakes a bulb fails so you can check them every day till you are blue in the face but sod’s law will be the next time you brake a bulb will blow. Edited June 2, 2017 by MEC176 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudds1 Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I check mine every morning when I leave work and carry one of every bulb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I checked mine, using the reverse up to another vehicle method, before going out yesterday. When I arrived at my destination a friend who had been behind me pointed out that one of my bulbs wasn't working. Ho hum. As to fitting a bulb, YouTube is your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Regarding reversing up to a reflectable surface we all do that to check the lights but my argument is you check your lights pull away and the next time you put your foot on the brakes a bulb fails so you can check them every day till you are blue in the face but sod’s law will be the next time you brake a bulb will blow. If you check them every day you'll only have a broken bulb for a day...I'd like to bet some people drive round with missing lights for weeks or even months... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolyhead Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 MEC176 and others, do you think the filament in a bulb gradually gets thinner with time until it breaks? If it does, as I suspect, its resistance must slowly increase with time, mustn't it? If it does then a resistance meter could warn us the bulb is nearing the end of its life, couldn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bloke Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 MEC176 and others, do you think the filament in a bulb gradually gets thinner with time until it breaks? If it does, as I suspect, its resistance must slowly increase with time, mustn't it? If it does then a resistance meter could warn us the bulb is nearing the end of its life, couldn't it? Hmmm... ... I think it's something to do with the electrons in the wire getting older. When they're in their prime they form a strong link with others allowing the electrickery to flow between them, but as they get older they also get weaker and more negative about their current situation, until one of them eventually loses their grasp on reality and the chain is broken... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddysbuddy Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Hmmm... ... I think it's something to do with the electrons in the wire getting older. When they're in their prime they form a strong link with others allowing the electrickery to flow between them, but as they get older they also get weaker and more negative about their current situation, until one of them eventually loses their grasp on reality and the chain is broken... this sounds like the most sensible explanation that I have ever heard>:hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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