3rd Brake Light

I think I have enough lights! If you don't have LED's get them!

My '98 Triple E came factory equipped with a third brake light. I've recently been thinking of changing it to a LED light.

I mounted one of these on the rear of my 5er under the rear cap. Don't notice it until it's on.
http://www.realtruck.com/led-tailgate-light-bars/
I don't recall if it was this particular make but similar. These light bars are taillights, turn signals, brake lights, and 4 way.

IN days of old.. Cars and trucks did not have one.

They sold After Market 3rd-eye lights

They came in 3 styles

Type 1: You ran another wire from the brake light switch to the light
Type 2: This was really just an additional pair of tail lights and worked just like the tail lights Left half lit when you signaled left (Blinked) right when you signaled right and entire thing lit (not blinking) if you hit the braks but did nto signal a turn (Turn overrids brake)

The most expensive type had electronics that sensed if you were braking or turning If power came on to BOTH turn signal lamps (Indicating braking) it lit and remained lit so long as at least ONE of them was on.

Whitney may still sell 'em (Would be my best guess)

As to why to have them?

Some people feel they add security and reduce rear end collisions (your rear)

Personally.. I have no opinion on that.. But that's why they added 'em.

mowermech wrote:
Since I have never understood the need for one on any other vehicle, no, I have not installed one on my coach, and have no plans to do so.
I haven't even hooked up the one on my pickup topper.
I had to remove the one on the Jeep I had, to clear the oversize spare tire. I never re-installed it. The Jeep is gone, but the light is still laying either in my shop or my son's shop.

Research done by the Highway Traffic Safety Institute in Ann Arbor back in the last 70's showed adding a third brake light at eye level reduced rear end collisions. The also studied the effects of lowering the speed limit to 55 and it showed reduced accidents. However, as they continued to collect data after these two things went into effect they noticed that the rear end collisions and accidents causes by speed were going back up. Their conclusion at the time was that people became accustomed to the 3rd brake light and no longer being unique, the effectiveness wore off. As for speed, they concluded that drivers tend to settle in to a mental state that is about 10 to 15 mph below the posted speed. So lowering the speed limit had a temporary effect until drivers readjusted the mental awareness to the lower limits.

Only picture I have and it only shows one of the two extra stop/turn led lights I installed.Bought them at Harbor freight.Used wire tunnels I bought at Lowes. Went into the lights on the 5er and they work great.I put them on before went to the left coast last fall.My BIL follows us most of the time and being 4' higher they can be seen in traffic so much better.

I often think about adding one to our 5er. Might say I am rear ended conscious as I have been rear ended several times, fortunately never with a trailer in tow. :)

I installed one of the 56" light strips designed to go below the tailgate of a full size pickup just below the rear window on my Titanium.

Ran the wire into the void space between the inside wall and the rear cap and then fished it to the driver's side taillight opening. All the wires were there to use suitcase connectors to hook up Right Turn, Left Turn, and Ground. That gives me a bright LED stop light/turn signal set where even drivers not paying attention can see it.

I also installed an extra set of amber marker lights on each side, on the wheel skirts between the trailer wheels and wired them to the turn signals so the fool creeping up beside the trailer has warning that I am about to change lanes.

If you are referring to a trailer, the 7 pin connector is not wired for a third brake light. There are only two brake light wires, one for left and one for right. And since they are also turn signals, you can't just wire a center brake light to one or the other. Neither can you wire it to both using isolation diodes. To do so would cause the center brake light to flash any time you were giving a turn signal. Unless you do not mind the center brake light flashing when you give a turn signal of course.

The only way I can see it work properly would be to run a new wire from your tow vehicle center brake light, thru a connector at the trailer hitch, and a new wire to the back of the trailer for the new light.

Since I have never understood the need for one on any other vehicle, no, I have not installed one on my coach, and have no plans to do so.
I haven't even hooked up the one on my pickup topper.
I had to remove the one on the Jeep I had, to clear the oversize spare tire. I never re-installed it. The Jeep is gone, but the light is still laying either in my shop or my son's shop.