Re: aux lighting and the law

B

Badger

Guest

• Jan 22, 2005

• #1

"Mr.Nice." <markvarleyphoto@*nospam*softhome.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> some lighting questions......
> front aux lights,
> I've seen 100w and 130w spot/driving lights advertised as not for road
> use, I was under the impression that you could wire-up 100w lights
> with the main beam legally, is this the case?
> or is there some kind of legal restriction on the number or wattage of
> aux lights for road use? (I'm thinking about a bonnet-mounted light
> pod from QT).

Be careful, their pods are not all that good depending on how you mount the
lights into them. If you fit spots with a single bolt fixing (like you'd
bolt to a bumper) then the fibreglass flexes with the lights wobbling due to
vibration and eventually delaminates and splits. The QT pod isn't really all
that good as it restricts the light size you can fit. Best to make your own,
fibreglass is fairly easy (if a little messy!) to work with and you can
design something that can take 4 full size lamps. That's what I did for my
110, except I finished it off with 2 layers of carbon fibre and lacquered it
instead of painting, but then I was working in a composite structures repair
bay at the time which made life easier. Just make sure you wear a mask if
sanding!

>
> If I get around to fitting lights on the roof can these be wired to
> main beam also?

Not legal, too high, can't remember the figures off the top of my head I'm
afraid.

>
> rear light,
> I have a 55w halogen floodlight (I may see if it'll be happy with a
> 100w bulb), can I wire this (through a relay) to the reverse lamp ?
> and does it matter where I mount it? (I was thinking about mounting it
> high).
>
Must be on a separate illuminated switch and called a work lamp.

Badger.

 

R

Richard

Guest

• Jan 22, 2005

• #2

I have a pair of (55W each) Hella fog lights mounted under the rear
bumper. They're wired so that they supplement the standard (dim)
reversing lights only if the lights are on, i.e. at night. The MOT
testers have never batted an eyelid.

They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
out of phase to the hazards. But, boy, does it make following cars slow
down in a hurry!

I do remove the bulbs from the rear side reflectors (RRC) before MOT
tests tho'. They (about 5W IIRC) are each wired across the feeds to the
tail light and indicator. Thus they come on simultaneously with either
the indicator or tail light, using the 'off bulb' as a path to earth.
But if I operate the indicators when the lights are on, the rear 'side'
light flashes out of phase with the indicator! Useful when backing out
of side roads (possibly!)

Richard


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S

SimonJ

Guest

• Jan 22, 2005

• #3

>
> They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
> the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
> out of phase to the hazards.
>
Only passed comment?????????

That is a definite, clear cut fail.

 

R

Richard

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #4

SimonJ wrote:

>
> Only passed comment?????????
>
> That is a definite, clear cut fail.

Yep. I do like their 'pragmatic' approach!

Richard

--
Real email address is RJSavage at BIGFOOT dot COM

The information contained in this post
may not be published in, or used by

http://www.diyprojects.info

 

K

Kieran Turner

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #5

"SimonJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >
>> They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
>> the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
>> out of phase to the hazards.
>>
> Only passed comment?????????
>
> That is a definite, clear cut fail.

Didn't the original poster mean that he had fitted white lights, sold as
front fog lights, but for use to supplement the reversing light?

I got that impression, and that they were optional (switched) too.

I've never seen an examiner test that the hazards worked at the same time as
the main reverse lights (although it'd be nice if they did check that) and
certainly never seen one test my switched rear loading lamp.

However, don't testers still have the right to fail a vehicle for ANY
reason, if they consider it unroadworthy, even though it's passed all the
specific tests?

K

 

A

Andy.Smalley

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #6

"Kieran Turner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "SimonJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> >
>>> They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
>>> the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
>>> out of phase to the hazards.
>>>
>> Only passed comment?????????
>>
>> That is a definite, clear cut fail.
>
> Didn't the original poster mean that he had fitted white lights, sold as front fog lights, but for use to
> supplement the reversing light?
>
> I got that impression, and that they were optional (switched) too.
>
> I've never seen an examiner test that the hazards worked at the same time as the main reverse lights
> (although it'd be nice if they did check that) and certainly never seen one test my switched rear loading
> lamp.
>

The reversing lamps are not part of the test

> However, don't testers still have the right to fail a vehicle for ANY reason, if they consider it
> unroadworthy, even though it's passed all the specific tests?
>
> K

if it passed the specific tests it can't be considered unroadworthy

--
Andy

SWB Series 2a ( dressed as a 3) "Bruce"
It's big, it's mean it's really, really green

 

K

Kieran Turner

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #7

"Andy.Smalley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> However, don't testers still have the right to fail a vehicle for ANY
>> reason, if they consider it unroadworthy, even though it's passed all the
>> specific tests?
>
> if it passed the specific tests it can't be considered unroadworthy

That's a shame. I'd heard an urban myth type story which claimed that the
final question an examiner was trained to ask themself was, "Would I be
happy carrying my family in this vehicle?"

So in theory one could prepare a totally appalling vehicle that met the
specific checks but nothing else, and it would be certified? Might be fun to
try this and film the reaction at test stations... ;-)

K

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #8

On or around Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:28:03 -0000, "Andy.Smalley"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>The reversing lamps are not part of the test

which is odd, seeing as IIRC you can get done for (at least) them being on
when going forwards.

not sure if you can be done for having them fitted but not working. I spose
I *could* look it up, but ICBA

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Too Busy: Your mind is like a motorway. Sometimes it can be jammed by
too much traffic. Avoid the jams by never using your mind on a
Bank Holiday weekend.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

 

H

hugh

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #9

In message <[email protected]>,
Kieran Turner <[email protected]> writes
>"SimonJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> >
>>> They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
>>> the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
>>> out of phase to the hazards.
>>>
>> Only passed comment?????????
>>
>> That is a definite, clear cut fail.
>
>Didn't the original poster mean that he had fitted white lights, sold as
>front fog lights, but for use to supplement the reversing light?
>
>I got that impression, and that they were optional (switched) too.
>
>I've never seen an examiner test that the hazards worked at the same time as
>the main reverse lights (although it'd be nice if they did check that) and
>certainly never seen one test my switched rear loading lamp.
>
>However, don't testers still have the right to fail a vehicle for ANY
>reason, if they consider it unroadworthy, even though it's passed all the
>specific tests?
>
> K
>
>
AIUI they can only check what is listed specifically in the MOT
specification.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

 

H

hugh

Guest

• Jan 24, 2005

• #10

In message <[email protected]>,
Kieran Turner <[email protected]> writes
>"SimonJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> >
>>> They did pass comment, but only a comment, on the fact that, when I have
>>> the rear fogs on, operating the hazard lights causes the fogs to flash
>>> out of phase to the hazards.
>>>
>> Only passed comment?????????
>>
>> That is a definite, clear cut fail.
>
>Didn't the original poster mean that he had fitted white lights, sold as
>front fog lights, but for use to supplement the reversing light?
>
>I got that impression, and that they were optional (switched) too.
>
>I've never seen an examiner test that the hazards worked at the same time as
>the main reverse lights (although it'd be nice if they did check that) and
>certainly never seen one test my switched rear loading lamp.
>
>However, don't testers still have the right to fail a vehicle for ANY
>reason, if they consider it unroadworthy, even though it's passed all the
>specific tests?
>
> K
>
>
The purpose of the MOT is to check predefined features which are the
major safety factors on a vehicle. "Unroadworthy" means it does not
conform in some way with Construction & Use regulations IMO. An MOT
tester checks only against listed items. A DVLA Inspector or the Police
can check against C&U regs at any time.

--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

 

D

Dave Liquorice

Guest

• Jan 25, 2005

• #11

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 19:26:32 +0000, Austin Shackles wrote:

>> The reversing lamps are not part of the test
>
> which is odd, seeing as IIRC you can get done for (at least) them
> being on when going forwards.

But that would be for showing white light to the rear, rather than
specifically a reversing light. A broken (coloured) lens on any rear
light would get you done for showing white light to the rear....

> not sure if you can be done for having them fitted but not working.
> I spose I *could* look it up, but ICBA

Just looked at the "check list" reversing lights are not mentioned
specifically. But the first item under Lighting Equipment is "Front &
rear lamps etc." What does that mean? The rest of the list is:
Headlamps, Stop lamps, Rear reflectors, Direction Indicators & hazard
lamps, Headlamp aim, horn.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail