The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Auxiliary lighting Nelson ledges
What are your thoughts on Aux. Lighting for nelsons ledges. Is this a safety issue? Does it get included in the 500? I assumed it would be included.
What type of setup is everyone planning to run?
Thanks
Lighting and the associated wiring, relays, etc do not count towards the $500.
We are running a pair of H4 beams in place of the standard 7" round sealed beams and a pair of aux lights of similar wattage. They will be wired on separate circuits so we can run all four or either pair by themselves. We only have the stock 50amp alternator, so if it starts to die, we can shut a pair off. Since our car is 35 years old, we will run all new wiring, switches and relays to the lights. Old, stock wiring is not up to the task.
Somewhere they noted that lights are considered safety. They also can be removeable, which might be a good way to make sure they aren't smashed by hitting someone long before it gets dark. The other thing to note is if your lights are considered distracting you will be black flagged and required to remove them. So I would stay away from the strobe lights or anything too bright.
We purchased 4 sets of these. two to use on the car and two as hot spares.
I'll probably run another set driving lights under the MR2 bumper as fillers for up close.
We sold our pop-up head lights as those are worth so much money... now I regret that.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI … OTORS:1123
Hopefully, you are talking about the 55w H4s and not the 100w H4s. 4 H4s is like 20 amps of your 50 amp alternator. Fuel pump is 6amp. Ignition is around 10-15. ECU draws 3-5. Man, you guys are close.
Please leave the 100w bulbs at home guys. If we start 130 cars, there will still be 50 cars on track at night. You aren't going to need to light the track yourself and it will distract the drivers ahead of you. It's going to be a full moon so there will be some natural light too.
So I should not hang the full size disco ball over the rear mounted engine cover????
The inside lights are beams and the outsides are fogs. All bulbs are 50w. We can shut the beams off independant of the fogs for yellow flags and pit stops.
So I should not hang the full size disco ball over the rear mounted engine cover????
Leave the disco ball and the coke in our paddock area. We can rope the area off and get a whole Studio 54 party going after midnight.
don't forget to get some sweet ground effect lighting. These $10 strips from harbor freight look like it might be somewhat durable for that and come in red or blue.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D … mber=98408
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D … mber=98409
ya, so when we spill our lug nuts under the car they are easy to find!
Hopefully, you are talking about the 55w H4s and not the 100w H4s. 4 H4s is like 20 amps of your 50 amp alternator. Fuel pump is 6amp. Ignition is around 10-15. ECU draws 3-5. Man, you guys are close.
Please leave the 100w bulbs at home guys. If we start 130 cars, there will still be 50 cars on track at night. You aren't going to need to light the track yourself and it will distract the drivers ahead of you. It's going to be a full moon so there will be some natural light too.
Yes, 55W H4s, but remember, we are running a 1974 Datsun 260Z with a mechanical fuel pump and carbs. The only power we need is for the coil, headlights, brake/tail lights, defroster and wipers. With any luck, the defroster and wipers will stay off all weekend!
The full moon might help if it's a clear night, but NL is DARK and October in Ohio is likely to be cloudy and possibly raining. Rain + night + racetrack = blind. That is the reason we are doing separate switches. With any luck, we can get away with turning on one pair of lights. If needed, we switch to four.
hmmm... rain, fast cars... Fog???
Don't forget ten thousand squashed mosquitos on every car's windshield. That always helps visibility!
Rob L - those lights are cutte on street cars profiling at the frosty freeze but they won't do much for you on the back side of Nelsons.
If it were up to me I'd be looking for some proper stage rally lights, not those littel JC Whitney things on your car.
Sorry for the dis'. I'm just adding my .02.
I've done umpteen Longest Day's at Nelsons ... I've never attempted it with as little lighting as you have on your car right now.
Best of luck,
Spud
Considering that they are brighter than the cars OEM headlights, I think we will do fine. Thanks.
to be fair Spud, that pic is not a good representation of the amount of light they put out, and we do have a set of 100w bulbs if we need 'em. they're not AutoZone dress-up kit lights.
Hope I didn't express my opinion to sharply. The Shumacher Taxi boys know their stuff.
With the massive entry at Lamest Day there might be a chance that you could drive the whole course just following the lights if the cars in front of and behind you.
We'll all have to wait until Friday night to find out for sure.
Spud
With the massive entry at Lamest Day there might be a chance that you could drive the whole course just following the lights if the cars in front of and behind you.
We're not following anyone... 
Having gone to college in the immediate area, I can say that it is quite dark at night. Why I don't have a half dozen stories about driving off into a ditch at night, I do not know. But yeah, it's dark, so be prepared.
back to the "mosquito" bit...
really? I hate freaking mosquitos!!!! So I need to load up with bug spray as well?
NL uses tire barriers for crash protection so there is a lot of stagnent water around.
In a post last week by Bryan, he said they do spray, but yes, be prepared for bat-sized mosquitos around dusk.
okay, thanks guys. Be prepared for me to turn into a bitchy little girl at dusk. I hate those things.
Isn't October a little past prime mosquito time in OH?
So let's see. The mosquitos have collars. The track is a bike path and bumpy as a Manhattan construction site. It's darker than the back side of the moon and colder than Alaska. The headlights will look with Close Encounters of the Third kind in your rear view mirror and a button-battery flashlight through the windshield. The enclosed trailers are going to get torched and all E30's and Miatas are going to get egged. I've already racked up 10 penalty laps for just showing up and there's no drinking Saturday. My motor's lubed with pee and I'm gonna be DQ'd for a door bar 1/16" too big. My competition is NASCAR and Koni Challenge and my other competitors drive by braille.
Sounds like fun!
Don't forget that the bridge will likely collapse under the weight of your car and trailer and there are only about three showers for 600+ drivers.
Seriously, the track should be great.
Here in Michigan, the mosquitos have been really bad the last few nights, so I don't suspect that much will change in the next few weeks. Until they get a hard frost, the bastards will be out looking for blood.
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