The Rain Light & MSA Rant Thread

[JohnD]

mexicanow,

The threat of mandatory, FIA homologated rain lights was retracted last year, in the face of howls of opposition from club racers, principally here. But many suspected that the MSA would return to do the FIA's dirty work again. That you can now find much cheaper, in fact very cheap - less than £25! - rain lights, allegedly bearing that most expensive FIA sticker, may mean that the MSA will return to the offensive.

John

[R59]

I contacted the MSA (using their technical email address) asking how to obtain homologation on a rain light as I supply emergency services with LED units which are very hardy, and offer "solid on" or various flash patterns, which mean that they meet the requirements of the FIA lights, but obviously do not have FIA homologation.

They range from around £25 to £60 depending on size and type of LED - from bright, through very bright, to f bright!

I heard nothing, not a peep. I tried contacting FIA via their technical email contact. Nothing, not a peep. Why do they have email contact addresses when they don't use the bl**dy things.

Once armed with the information, I had a contact at the manufacturers who said they may be willing to fund the approval process if it offered them another market.

I tried phoning the MSA, but the technical line was always busy when I tried.

Perhaps I'll give it all another go.

[Eddy V]

FIA Rob, they do not reply to us mere mortals.

[scrutineer]

Rob, as is the case with any type of approval process you need to make the proposal via the correct forms, from memory they are all available on line. However you may have to supply examples of the light for testing or send in test results from an approved test house (listed on the FIA website). There will be test houses in the UK but I guess they will not be cheap, hence the extra cost involved in buying FIA approved equipment.

[JohnD]

scrute,
As the extra cost last time was the difference between £10 and £40, how much does it cost to test/get FIA Approval? There are many thousands of MSA licence holders - at £30 each, the profit before paying the FIA/test house will be of the order of £300,000.

John

[terence]

I was under the impression that nothing gets tested by the FIA,certainly no seats get done,it is only the" life" they recommend.

[Eddy V]

FIA don't test a thing. You are right Terry, they only have appointed test houses.
See: http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/regul...estHouses.aspx

[R59]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

FIA don't test a thing. You are right Terry, they only have appointed test houses.
See: http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/regul...estHouses.aspx

Nothing there about approved test houses for things that glow in the damp....!!