Spotlights and extra lighting legalities

Hi folks, what are the spotlight/extra lighting legalities for driving on the road? Ive done a search and cant seem to find anything?

When are spotlights to be used? (is it only on main beam or can they be used on dipped beam)

How many spotlights and where should they be positioned (eg. lightbar, A bar etc)

Is 55w the maximum that can be used on the road?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Additional lights, ie fogs/spots are very RARELY legal to use in the uk. think visibility has to be down to something silly like 20ft before legally using em, however beemr drivers are excluded from this

Ive been pulled for having me fogs on whilst it was foggy, by plod.

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

When are spotlights to be used? (is it only on main beam or can they be used on dipped beam)

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As far as I know driving lamps (max 55w) can only be used when on main beam & must turn off when main beam is switched off.

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

How many spotlights and where should they be positioned (eg. lightbar, A bar etc)

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So long as they are spaced evenly apart and in pairs, I don't think there is a limit. They should be positioned within the car's normal headlight's. Fog lamps are normally positioned under the bumper as they use a different light beam.

ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90 said:

Is 55w the maximum that can be used on the road?

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Yes, anything higher than that is for off road use only

i think theres a limit on how close together a pair of spots can be.... or it may be they have to be within a specific distance of the ouside edge. there is a height limit both max and min , anything under the min height has to be a fog light only used in conditions of adverse visibility.
years ago i used to wire fog lights into the sidelight circuit cas the whole idea is to use a very flat beam to cut back reflection into the drivers eyes.... now they seem to be wired in with dip beams which is a total stupidity. having said that dip beams are better designed now that its rare that fog lights actually give any improved visibility, to be any good they have to be mounted low..where they get knocked off.. ive not actually fitted any for about 20 years .

55watts is the max allowed

the regs used to be on a leaflet in the box... perhaps a trip to halfords would provide the definitive up to date answere

personally i dont like spots above the windscreen , the ones ive driven seemed to give reflected glare off the bonnet, but that could be just that one setup.

ricc said:

i think theres a limit on how close together a pair of spots can be.... or it may be they have to be within a specific distance of the ouside edge. there is a height limit both max and min , anything under the min height has to be a fog light only used in conditions of adverse visibility.
years ago i used to wire fog lights into the sidelight circuit cas the whole idea is to use a very flat beam to cut back reflection into the drivers eyes.... now they seem to be wired in with dip beams which is a total stupidity. having said that dip beams are better designed now that its rare that fog lights actually give any improved visibility, to be any good they have to be mounted low..where they get knocked off.. ive not actually fitted any for about 20 years .

55watts is the max allowed

the regs used to be on a leaflet in the box... perhaps a trip to halfords would provide the definitive up to date answere

personally i dont like spots above the windscreen , the ones ive driven seemed to give reflected glare off the bonnet, but that could be just that one setup.

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matt black paint on the bonnet reduces thaT

Yeah, I seem to remember the box of Ring driving lamps I fitted years ago had instructions as to where they should be fitted and wired. I've replaced them in the same place and I hope the regs haven't changed.

oxides said:

Yeah, I seem to remember the box of Ring driving lamps I fitted years ago had instructions as to where they should be fitted and wired. I've replaced them in the same place and I hope the regs haven't changed.

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the regs in the box refer to the vosa specifications and the placement of such spots are tested on the mot so my thinking is why not just ask an mot bloke bout the positioning as i remember me brother failing his mot for the lights being too high up on the front grille and being out of aim
i also remember being pulled by the plod fer avvin 2 blue led lights on me washer jets the cocky twot asked is this a police vehicle sir or do youi want booking fer impersonating one

What are VOSA specifications?

MoT is NOT a check on the legality of all the modifications/accessories of a car - so don't assume an MoT pass, or something not checked at MoT, is necessarily legal.

johnny curt 1 said:

the regs in the box refer to the vosa specifications


Sorry but your talking bollix

and the placement of such spots are tested on the mot

That is also bollix, as long as they don't interfere with the opperation of the standard lights.

so my thinking is why not just ask an mot bloke bout the positioning as i remember me brother failing his mot for the lights being too high up on the front grille and being out of aim

i also remember being pulled by the plod fer avvin 2 blue led lights on me washer jets

Blue lights are illegal on any vehicle that isn't an emergency services vehicle.

the cocky twot asked is this a police vehicle sir or do youi want booking fer impersonating one

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Anyone who puts washer jet lights or no. plate fixing bolts that illuminate blue should be put up against a wall and :mil83: That is of course only my opinion.

I as far as I am aware front fogs/driving only come into MOT if fitted at factory.
Fogs have a frosted glass lens and driving lights have a glass lens.
Fogs are fitted below bumper level (usually) because of the way they illuminate the road.
They cast a wide angle beam (hence why they look so bright from infront) they are designed to only light up around 8feet infront and to the left (uk) side of the road. This is so you can see the kerb/hedge etc in extreme weather. Cannot be used by law unless visibility is done to 100metres I believe. (please check that though)

Driving lights a more like head lamps. They have a directional lens, creating a focused beam of light in front of the car. these can be mounted below the bumper (see pug 309GTi and fiesta XR2i) On top of the bumper. Bonnet pod mounted (see my avatar lol) or on roof bars. (roll bars if on pick ups).

Max wattage is 55w by law on road, anything brighter is for off road only.
Nothing to stop you having them close together or far apart.
Last thing I read on wiring was fogs had to be wired to dip beam and driving lights wired to main beam.

PS. they do not have to be in pairs. see the original minis flying round that have three on them A LA Italian job (the scenes where they are not in sewer apart from the slose ups)

Khryztal said:

I as far as I am aware front fogs/driving only come into MOT if fitted at factory.

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nope MOT UK car and vehicle MOT information equipment car servicing parts and spares - headlamps

I think the general MOT principle of "if fitted, must work" applies here.

oxides said:

I think the general MOT principle of "if fitted, must work" applies here.

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again nope that the mot test book.And "fitted must work" is fable.Eg spare wheel.Its there in black n white

Goon right on this, front fog lights arn't part of an MOT ever.

Khryztal said:

PS. they do not have to be in pairs. see the original minis flying round that have three on them A LA Italian job (the scenes where they are not in sewer apart from the slose ups)

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Think you'll find that they were in Turin where british regs don't apply.

khryztal said:

i as far as i am aware front fogs/driving only come into mot if fitted at factory.
no.
fogs have a frosted glass lens and driving lights have a glass lens.

front fog lights have a focused beam giving a flat beam of light

fogs are fitted below bumper level (usually) because of the way they illuminate the road.
They cast a wide angle beam (hence why they look so bright from infront) they are designed to only light up around 8feet infront and to the left (uk) side of the road. This is so you can see the kerb/hedge etc in extreme weather. Cannot be used by law
unless visibility is done to 100metres i believe. (please check that though)
that is correct and it applies to front and rear fog lights (unless you drive a bmw of course), cos they is excempt from all the road trafic laws that the rest of us has to abide by :d (less than 100mtrs)
driving lights a more like head lamps.
they can have two types of beam flood or pencil/spot
they have a directional lens, creating a focused beam of light in front of the car. These can be mounted below the bumper (see pug 309gti and fiesta xr2i) on top of the bumper. Bonnet pod mounted (see my avatar lol) or on roof bars. (roll bars if on pick ups).

Max wattage is 55w by law on road, anything brighter is for off road only.
Nothing to stop you having them close together or far apart.
Last thing i read on wiring was fogs had to be wired to dip beam and driving lights wired to main beam.

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:d

this
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
and this
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2559/contents/made

say that driving lamps (i.e. them that come on with full beam) have no restriction on placement as long as they are symmetrical - so 3 lamps on a mini is OK.

foglamps have regulations on how high & far apart they are.

not spotted anything bout wattage in there.

thort it were 50m vis fer fogs on, might be rong tho. theyve also gotta have a telltale light so's u can see theyre on. on beemers and audis this light says "Ignore this light".

No such thing as spot lights in the Road Vehicle lighting regulations 1989.
Spotlights/ driving lights come under "Optional Supplementary Main Beam Headlights"
The only requirements for on road use are,
They must be E marked ie 55W max
They must be White or yellow
They must extinguish when switching the obligatory head lights to dip.
You can mount them where you like, there's no height restriction stipulated in the Regs.
Fog lights are covered by the Regs.