Which fuse rating? Swivel grease?

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lrmonks

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I just bought four LED running lights for my 300tdi defender which are rated at 5w each (20w). I want them to come on with the sidelights. Anyone know the best take off point - direct from the main fuse box or connect to the sidelight wire from switch and fit an in-line fuse? Also what size fuse should I use?
Just one more question, I want to refill the swivel housings and have the appropriate one shot grease ready. I don't know what the current levels are (if any), so should I flush them out first or just push in the new grease?
Thanks.
 
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You would be pretty safe to connect your LED's to the existing sidelamp wiring. You won't need a fuse as the sidelamps are already fused.
To be sure work out what lamps are already on the circuit and how much current they are drawing.

Add all of the 'Watts' together and divide by 12 - this will give you the current draw.
Find out what fuse rating is currently used and see if it can handle the total.

let us know what you find out and send us a picture of your Defender before and after :)
 
miktdish said:
You would be pretty safe to connect your LED's to the existing sidelamp wiring. You won't need a fuse as the sidelamps are already fused.
To be sure work out what lamps are already on the circuit and how much current they are drawing.

Add all of the 'Watts' together and divide by 12 - this will give you the current draw.
Find out what fuse rating is currently used and see if it can handle the total.

let us know what you find out and send us a picture of your Defender before and after :)
Click to expand...
 
Your other question ref swivel grease ...

There is a filler, a drain and a level plug.
There is no need to flush out the old but you can if you like. Oneshot is ChevronTexaco's Molytex® EP NLGI Grade 0 molytex EP00 which is also called 'gloopy sh*t' which doesnt mix well with anything other than itself.
When I did mine I removed the filler and drain pug, fitted/puched a bit of hose into the filler and blew the old grease out... well what was left of the old grease. I got less than a tablespoon full from one side and about half of what I was expecting from the other ...

Three-plugs(old)2.JPG
exiting-slug.JPG
new-plugs.JPG
all-done.JPG


Then I warmed up the one-shot in a jug of hot water ans squidged it in - job done.
Since then i've lost most of it out of the nearside as the seal/ball is goosed ---- (sigh) another job that needs doing.
 
I "think" daylight running lights have to turn off or dim when headlights are turned on to be MOT compliant, therefor a relay would be required to drop out the power to the running lights when headlights are turned on.
 
Scooby22 said:
I "think" daylight running lights have to turn off or dim when headlights are turned on to be MOT compliant, therefor a relay would be required to drop out the power to the running lights when headlights are turned on.
Click to expand...
Oh dear. Thanks for that I didn't realise. I might just have to disconnect them for the time being and sort that out later as my MOT comes up shortly. Thanks again.
Edit: Just thought - they will actually be used in conjunction with the sidelights as an extra set to boost the illumination so I wonder if that would still apply?
 
Scooby22 said:
I "think" daylight running lights have to turn off or dim when headlights are turned on to be MOT compliant, therefor a relay would be required to drop out the power to the running lights when headlights are turned on.
Click to expand...

Just popped over from the RR sub-forum.
Back in the mid-eighties some vehicles had what was known as a 'dim dip' system where the headlights were partially illuminated when both the side lamps and the engine was running; power to the headlamps coming from the oil pressure switch.
My '87 RRC has it & after 35 years it still works, though I believe the control unit is no longer available.
 
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norseman said:
Just popped over from the RR sub-forum.
Back in the mid-eighties some vehicles had what was known as a 'dim dip' system where the headlights were partially illuminated when both the side lamps and the ignition was on; power to the headlamps coming from the oil pressure switch.
My '87 RRC has it & after 35 years it still works, though I believe the control unit is no longer available.
Click to expand...
Yes I do remember seeing cars that dimmed the headlights like that but I didn't realise they worked from oil pressure. These regulations on lights are all so flipping confusing. I remember having issues with one MOT station where it was failed because the front indicators were slightly different colours. I highlighted the fact that when indicating you would only see ONE of them at a time anyway ...... deaf ears! After spending hours trying to find one that matched the fitted one, I took it back and the next guy told me he couldn't see the problem and it would have been OK for him. Fuming wasn't the word!
 
You should be ok, I have found this in the MOT manual. Says from 2018 and when engine turned off not lights.
But side lights and your DLR lights will stay on when engine turned off if left on.

You only need to inspect daytime running lamps (DRLs) if they’re fitted as original equipment to vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018.

DRLs must switch on and off when the engine is switched on and off.

DRLs might not operate when:

  • the parking brake is on
  • the park position is selected on automatic transmissions
 
I have thought about this and I think I will wire the roof lights up to a separate switch, the feed of which taken from from the sidelights and just use them during the day. When the headlights are switched on I can then switch the DRLs off at will as they are quite bright at night and I think brightness at night is the concern regarding the MOT regs. I don't think the setup will be scrutinised by the garage being on some odd dashboard switch anyway. It will be too much for me to wire them up if the DRLs must switch on and off when the engine is on or off as that sounds a bit complex for me to cope with lol. I' ll just have to see how the MOT goes and it they fail it I will just disconnect them and rethink it all.
 
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