Car & Trailer Electrics - adding on a cycle carrier?

[Col348]

Hi
I have a 2015 VW CC 2015. I am towing an Opus Folding Camper and I'm connected with a 7 to 13 pin adapter. When not towing the camper I also use a Thule 927 tow ball mounted cycle carrier (7 pin) with its own light bar.

I now want to bolt a tow ball on to the back of my camper chassis and run electrics to the cycle carrier as well as the trailer meaning the lights on both trailer and carrier will operate at the same time.

Having looked at the law, my trailer complies in that it has all the necessary lighting (360).

It looks like that by adding in my cycle carrier to the circuit I will be overloading the lighting circuits (including car rear lights I will have 6 x 21W brake lights operating meaning this will be 10.5A). The fuse rating on my CC is 10A on the brake light circuit.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can overcome this? It's not an option to just use the cycle carrier lights as it would appear to break the law in that my trailer would not be lit (as it's wider than my car).

Any help/advice is appreciated.

Cheers

 

[telectrix]

change the bulbs for LEDs.

 

[Col348]

I looked at that but apparently theyre not legal for exterior lights? It would bring me below 10.5A

 

[telectrix]

some are legal, some are not. most newish cars now have LED lights as standard. i retro fitted LED headlights to the van last year. no problem. passed MOT. rear lights ar even less a problem.

 

[westward10]

Most retrofit led lamps are not legal for road use in this country.

 

[Col348]

Will have a look on the net for legal ones. Only need to swap out the cycle carrier ones. Cheers

 

[PEG]

Most retrofit led lamps are not legal for road use in this country.

Incorrect,my friend,a quick glance at a Durite,Hella or Britax catalogue would show you hundreds of aftermarket and OEM LED lamp units,all with relevant CE and BS approval.

As for sticking LED individual lamps in lamp units which were designed for Filament type lamps...that's different.

Wow....got through all of that,without saying bulb....Damn!

 

[Col348]

Thanks for the replies. PEG, what would the issue be with fitting an LED bulb in a filament holder? I'd be putting them in the cycle carrier and there's plenty room and ventilation.
I'm trying to work out the wattage of a 21w/5W equivalent. Any ideas?

Will look at the bulbs you quoted. Thanks again!

 

[suffolkspark]

Being 0.5W over is very unlikely to be an issue for the brake bulbs

 

[Col348]

It's to the wattage that 0.5 over, it's the current (10.5A and only a 10A fuse). 6 side or brake lights on at once will blow the 10A rated fuse.

 

[suffolkspark]

I very much doubt it will

 

[Col348]

You dont see any problem with this? Im keen to give it a go

 

[PEG]

Ah,right,the issue is that the light units on your cycle carrier,may not be designed to meet construction and use regs,with an LED lamp fitted in place of it's standard filament lamp.

Swapping the units for LED light units,which meet regs,will be fine,but may be more work than you want.

There are many vehicles out there with retro fitted LED lamps,see them every day,but whether they are approved or not,who would know...