>>you just did the regular "brake light mod" but with using a diode, right? you didn't use a new set of toggles at all, if i'm looking at it right in th wee hours of the night.

Exactly! My friend Brad IS getting the toggle, but I have not plans yet. So I simply bought the $1.29 diodes and installed them to get a functionally very bright set of brake lights!

 

>>MINI-Rolls,
>>I know you had a wiring kit that you were selling. Any thought about adding this diode into your wiring kit so as to provide the best of all worlds, i.e. no modification to the stock wiring and having both use of the rear fogs and double brake lights?
>>I'd be very interested in this. Otherwise, do you still have the wiring kits available? i can splice in the diode myself.
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>Fred

Just tested it yesterday and instralled on my MINI and will be announcing the changes next week. I am waiting for my toggle bank to come and have the car programmed. All my kits will include the diode.

MINI-Rolls

 

i went out yesterday and did this mod. it worked out well and am happy to be able to have the best of both worlds. thanks for the info and great write up. this should be a must on everyones list of to do's. thanks

 

Hi All,
Special thanks to Greatbear & OctaneGuy. Bought the diodes and installed it in my MCS today in the "paper clip" mode. I couldn't find a 3amp 50PIV so I used 3amp 400PIV. Total bill was $0.50 australian.
Australian MINIs come with the rear fog lights enabled, so I can confirm that the diodes work.
Only comment I have is when using the diodes in the "paper clip" mode make sure that the legs of the diode are firmly seated in the ports of the plug so that it is making electrical contact and won't shake loose. Also instead of wrapping the diode in electrical tape try using shrink tube, but put it on before bending the legs.

Cheers,
Aldo

 

Just to answer Zen ...
With CD35, no problem activating the rear fog toggle switch even with front fogs already in the car - my switch has been in since day one (Feb 2003) and as of Thursday it now does something!

Click the pic for more info ...

 

Thanks for the update,
looking forward the same mod.

Josef




>>With CD35, no problem activating the rear fog toggle switch even with front fogs already in the car - my switch has been in since day one (Feb 2003) and as of Thursday it now does something!
>>

 

Hey all,

Just wanted to let everyone know, it would be BEST to do the 'jumper diode' plan instead of the soldering plan.... The way the bulb holder mounts in the socket almost 'crushes' the diode when it is applied, and I had to remount the diode the first time I put it in, since it broke off the solder.... It is much easier to do it the same way everyone did the jumper before to make the dual brake light mod work, in my opinion...

But other than that, the install worked great today while I was at the shop - now I'm just waiting on my B&M Shifter and Sparco Globe-X shift **** to come in so I can have more crap to install!

 

okay, so let me get this straight once and for all cuz i still don't thinkit's been made clear...

those already having the front fog lights can get the $75 retrto-fit extra toggle switch panel and enable the rear fog lights to be switched on and off, as well as integrating the rear fogs with brakes. my main concern is with the front fogs already being there and having everything all work. also, how much is the reprogramming of everything from the dealership, if in fact, everything works, and the owner does the install save the reprogramming?

and :evil: for the A's not being able to close out a series in 9 games now!


great ending to the MNF game.. october is way too intense with regards to sports!

- wags

 

Well, the dealer can do the fogs to work with the switch but to work with brake lights also, you have to do that yourself.

And...GO SOX! What an awesome series.

 

I just did the "diode brake light mod" yesterday, after having the rear fog retrofit kit installed ny the dealer on Friday. Initially, it worked beautifully, but tonite I had a problem with one of the diodes come loose, since the diameter of its leads are so thin. This evening, I removed the diode, inserted short pieces of solid wire into the 1 & 4 sockets in order to allow the diode leads to stay put when I reinserted them.

Has anyone else had this problem? How did you deal with it?

Thanks
- Mark

 

Something that failed to show up in the pic of the diode stuffed into the connector: Simply bend the leads in a slight 'zig-zag' pattern with needle-nose pliers to help them stay put.

///==[diode]==///

bend ^ rt angle ^ two places, then install

 

Thanks for the suggestion, Greatbear.

Right now, the diode is holding (after driving on brick streets and over several RR tracks). If it falls out again, I'll try some zigzag bends in the leads.

 

>>I sort of figured that some people would not want to do/could not do any soldering or wanted something very easy and reversible. This is it, call it 'the jumper mod meets the diode':
>>
>>
>>Do this to the connectors on both sides, making sure to insert the cathode (striped) end in the #1 cavity. That's all there is to it, you get the same functionality, but without the permanence of a soldered connection. The same type and rating of diode still applies, and make sure to cover the diode and it's wires with electrical tape.
>>

IS there a way to install a double filament bulb in the "Fog light" socket????
That way you can get the same effect of the two brightnesses seen in the lower light.

 

Okay, an update:

I just got back from having the car coded for the rear fogs and everything works beautifully. Rear fogs come on with the toggle as they should, the brake lights are independent, and with the fogs off and the brakes applied, the entire lens is involved. Life is good.

I am also pleased that my front foglight retrofit works just as it should as well, the potential problem being that the commonly available installation instructions contain a few errors. install the wiring harness as directed and you will be unable to electrically unlock the doors and the nighttime toggle panel illumination disappears!

I hope to gather up the pics I took of the installation process and take new pics of everything in action and do a write-up for everyone very soon.

 

Attached is a picture of the way to bend the radio shack diode so that it will fit tightly into the stock plug.

If the diode is bent in this way it will fit into the space just past the wire ends and will be held in place and doesn't need any additional means of securing it.

You can still remove the diode if you like but it will not fall out, and will not damage the factory wiring.

I installed this on my car and haven't had any trouble. I told a friend about this, and it was easier to do this than the jumper wire.

94SwiftGT

http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/picture23787.html

 

Just ordered my rear fog light retro fit kit from Classic Mini ($60 plus shipping, $75 at my local Mini Dealership). Thanks for all the diode info. I will replace my exsisting brake light mod with this new/improved diode version after I have the lights activated by the dealer.

Be sure to tell whomever you are ordering from that you do or do not have front fogs and/or DSC. That way you get the correct toggle bank!



_________________
<IMG SRC="
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7wpm4/s...ctures/sig.jpg
">
Motoring since 2-13-03. Peace out, Motor On! 7 sub 21

 

I to just bought thr R shack Diode. I need some help, I see that one end of the Diode has a black strip, dose this go in wire 1 or 4.
Thanks for the help.

&gt;&gt;Attached is a picture of the way to bend the radio shack diode so that it will fit tightly into the stock plug.
&gt;&gt;
&gt;&gt;If the diode is bent in this way it will fit into the space just past the wire ends and will be held in place and doesn't need any additional means of securing it.
&gt;&gt;
&gt;&gt;You can still remove the diode if you like but it will not fall out, and will not damage the factory wiring.
&gt;&gt;
&gt;&gt;I installed this on my car and haven't had any trouble. I told a friend about this, and it was easier to do this than the jumper wire.
&gt;&gt;
&gt;&gt;94SwiftGT
&gt;&gt;
&gt;&gt;http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/picture23787.html

 

&gt;&gt;I to just bought thr R shack Diode. I need some help, I see that one end of the Diode has a black strip, dose this go in wire 1 or 4.
&gt;&gt;Thanks for the help.

I just did this mod last week. The stripe goes toward wire #1.

 

Installed the rearfog retro kit last night in about 30 minutes from start to finish. Piece of cake. Now waiting to go into the shop for state inspection later this week. Will get the computer coded at that point. Off to radio shack today to get the diodes.

Man, this is why I love this site so darn much Nothing beats meeting another MINI owner (who is not part of MINI2, NAM or Roadfly community) out on the street who comes up to you and says &quot;Hey, how did you get the top brake lights to light up when you step on the brakes?&quot; I get a lot of those type of questions all the time. It still amazes me how many people never heard of a parcel shelf. I couldn't live without the darn little thing now that I have it!

 

I just got a stupid question. Please help. What kind of diode do I need? is there a model number or something? How should I tell the R Shack guy what I need. Please help. Thanks

 

&gt;&gt;Just ask for 3 amp diodes with a PIV of 50

 

Dinlo,

There appears to be two common diodes used for this mode. A 3 Amp 50 PIV (stands for peak inverse voltage) and a 3 Amp 200 PIV version.

Either one will work. Here are the radio shack part numbers:

3 Amp 50 PIV Part Number 276-1141
3 Amp 200 PIV Part Number 276-1143

They come in packages of two. Cost ranges from $1.39 - 1.49. If your radio shack is like mine they are located in a drawer with all the transistors and things of that sorts.

Easy and cheap!

 

Wow, thanks for the quick reply, I will go get it today. Thanks :D:D:D:D

 

Did this mode will the 3 AMP 200 PIV diodes the other day and works like a charm. Remember to put the strip on the diode pointed towards wire #1. Took all of 2 minutes to complete. Rock on.

 

&gt;&gt;Did this mode will the 3 AMP 200 PIV diodes the other day and works like a charm. Remember to put the strip on the diode pointed towards wire #1. Took all of 2 minutes to complete. Rock on.

I also picked up some heat-shrink tubing to cover the exposed lengths of the diode leads. While it's probably overkill, it's generally not a good idea to have exposed live wires anywhere. Even in the relatively protected area of the tail-light cavity.