Spotlights and extra lighting legalities

johnny curt 1 said:

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

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Chav

johnny curt 1 said:

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

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roflmao... omfg... i wish i waS there to see that. FLipin awson



I think u can set up extra lights if you want. I have a series 2a and setting up some more lamps i front of the grill, which have a dipped function. No -one has issues with them atm. as long as u set them up correct. there is no problem, but i do live in wales.

hope this helps

The basics are as follows:
any lights other than obligatory headlamps are classed as suplementary
No limit on number of lights
They must be paired ( and symetrically mounted)
Lens type is irellevant
For purposes of law fog lights are defined by usage colour lens etc irrelevant
Fog lights are suplementary lights that are illuminated either with dipped beam on or without in conditions of severly reduced visability either due to fog snow etc
All lights other than dipped beam on obligatory headlights must extinguish on operation of the dip switch when going from main beam
There used to be a maximum height for fog lights etc see below

SCHEDULE 6
requirements relating to optional front fog lamps
1. Number–

(a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b):
No requirement
(b) A motor vehicle, other than a motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st April 1991:
Not more than two
2. Position–

(a) Longitudinal:
No requirement
(b) Lateral–

(i)Where a pair of front fog lamps is used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility in place of the obligatory dipped beam headlamps–.
Maximum distance from side of vehicle:
400 mm
(ii)in all other cases:.
No requirement
(c) Vertical–

(i)Maximum height above the ground–.
(A)Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):.
1200 mm
(B)An agricultural vehicle, a road clearance vehicle, an aerodrome fire tender, an aerodrome runway sweeper, an industrial tractor, engineering plant and a home forces' vehicle:.
No requirement
(ii)Minimum height above the ground:.
No requirement
3. Angles of visibility:
No requirement
4. Alignment:
To the front and so aimed that the upper edge of the beam is, as near as practicable, 3 per cent below the horizontal when the vehicle is at its kerbside weight and has a weight of 75 kg on the driver’s seat
5. Markings–

(a) A vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986:
An approval mark
(b) A vehicle first used before 1st April 1986:
No requirement
6. Size of illuminated area:
No requirement
7. Colour:
White or yellow
8. Wattage:
No requirement
9. Intensity:
No requirement
10. Electrical connections:
No individual requirement
11. Tell-tale:
No requirement
.12. Other requirements–

Every front fog lamp shall be so constructed that the direction of the beam of light emitted therefrom can be adjusted whilst the vehicle is stationary.
13. Definitions–

In this Schedule “appproval mark” means either–
(a) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 19 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations; or

(b) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 19 or 19A of Schedule 2 of those Regulations.

that should explain

Ok now I'm bloody confused



Some are saying that this is legal others that it's not, what about the two work lights and the red rear foglight ?

None of them are wired into the original lighting circuit but all have individual switches with LEDs to show whether they are on or not.

Have they got to be aligned like headlights ?

Might just remove them, The lightbar is well over 1200mm from the ground so I'm assuming that they need to be removed anyway from the previous post.

jaycraft21 said:

None of them are wired into the original lighting circuit but all have individual switches with LEDs to show whether they are on or not.

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So they're all illegal.

paul_c said:

So they're all illegal.

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One less thing to inform the insurance about then, bye bye spot lights

The ones on your lightbar if over 1200mm can not be operated as fog lights .
the pair on the bumper can be as can the ones on the front grill, but will have to be used in conjunction with obligatory headlamps , as they are more than 400 mm from external edge of vehicle, and in that case can only be used in reduced viz , (there is a definition )
If you use them as supllementary headlamps , they have to go out with dip beam being selected . I take it they are all 55w or less. Your circuitry is not legal as they have to be switched with the headlamps if used as suplementary headlamps . The rear red fog must be switched so that it can only come on with obligatory lights illuminated , and has to have warning light , as do front fogs . so technically ?

tacr2man said:

The ones on your lightbar if over 1200mm can not be operated as fog lights .
the pair on the bumper can be as can the ones on the front grill, but will have to be used in conjunction with obligatory headlamps , as they are more than 400 mm from external edge of vehicle, and in that case can only be used in reduced viz , (there is a definition )
If you use them as supllementary headlamps , they have to go out with dip beam being selected . I take it they are all 55w or less. Your circuitry is not legal as they have to be switched with the headlamps if used as suplementary headlamps . The rear red fog must be switched so that it can only come on with obligatory lights illuminated , and has to have warning light , as do front fogs . so technically ?

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Rip the lot out and start again or just stick em in the for sale section

EDIT:

Right, trying to understand this lot.

can I leave the lightbar on if it's not used on the road ? It has flip up guards on the switches to prevent them being turn on accidently so can they be left as an off road only thing ?

The lights on the grill and bumper need to be wired in to the head lights so they can only work with dip beam on (brightest beam) and not individually switched. Is this just a case of altering the wiring to make it work this way and removing the permanant feed and replacing it with one from the full beam floor switch ?

The rear fog light only works when the full beam headlights are on not when low beam or sidelights are working and is individually switched with an LED in the end of the switch showing if it's on.

All of the lights on the front were fitted before I bought the motor and have been wired in using Relays there is one relay per pair of lights is it possible to leave this as is and just change the perm live coming from the extra fuse board to a wire running from the main beam headlights ?

and yes all the front lights are 55W E marked jobbies. The rear work lights are something like 100W each (I think)

Damn I hate electrics on motors