Defender Sidelights

Cretins eh? :-) Your father in law is right in what he says and does, I do the same where I'm allowed, that's in built up areas with a speed limit of 30 mph or below, and they are called marker lamps (which is self explanatory) , not parking lights, and it certainly does help you to identify problems like stray pedestrians etc. in badly lit streets when you don't have to contend with badly adjusted dipped headlamps etc. and w*****s with fog or driving lamps on coming the other way. The latter AFAIK if mounted below 500mm from the road, are only supposed to be used in conditions of fog or falling snow hence the reason for them being switched separately. Now if you use them as out of town supplementary driving lamps then I think they should extinguish when dipping the main headlamps for oncoming traffic which would make the switching arrangements for both conditions of use a little complicated.

Martin

90/100 and, I beleive, early Defenders had Dim/Dip headlights. I loved them on my 110, 'cos you could be seen at night without blinding everyone with dip beams!

John

On or around Fri, 25 May 2007 10:20:13 +0100, "Oily" enlightened us thusly:

against the law, though. Later than 30 mins after sunset you're required to use dipped heads if the vehicle is in motion.

Fog lights are to be used as you describe, INSTEAD of ordinary dipped lights. C&U, I think, or RVLR. You should never have more than 2 dipped lamps illuminated. marker lamps are less than 7W each and you're allowed any number AFAIK provided they're symmetrical and don't show a red light to the front or white to the rear.

Dim-dip headlamps count as headlamps in law, I believe.

"Austin Shackles" wrote..........

Not against the law in a 30mph or less built up area. Some places advise the use of dipped headlamps, but it's not compulsory.

Martin

Sadly, no - it's way too far and ISTR having something else on that weekend anyways. Pity really - we could have had a natter about the goings-on in Another Place.

Diverting the thread even further:

Has anyone seen the HID conversion kits on offer on eBay? £35 plus P+P from Hong Kong for a 'no-name' set or £85 for a Bosch set from a UK seller. Friend has fitted them to an Audi to great effect. Any thoughts as to RR suitability?

Richard

On or around Fri, 25 May 2007 18:00:07 +0100, "Oily" enlightened us thusly:

ah. I sit corrected, the relevant bit of law is from the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989:

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1. Requirements about the use of headlamps and front fog lamps

(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle which is fitted with obligatory dipped-beam headlamps unless every such lamp is kept lit :-

(a) during the hours of darkness, except on a road which is a restricted road for the purposes of section 81 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 by virtue of a system of street lighting when it is lit; and

(b) in seriously reduced visibility.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply :-

(a) in the case of a motor vehicle fitted with one obligatory dipped-beam headlamp or a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination fitted with a pair of obligatory dipped-beam headlamps, if a main-beam headlamp or a front fog lamp is kept lit;

(b) in the case of a motor vehicle, other than a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination, fitted with a pair of obligatory dipped-beam headlamps, if :-

(i) a pair of main-beam headlamps is kept lit; or

(ii) in seriously reduced visibility, a pair of front fog lamps which is so fitted that the outermost part of the illuminated area of each lamp in the pair is not more than 400 mm from the outer edge of the vehicle is kept lit;

(c) to a vehicle being drawn by another vehicle;

(d) to a vehicle while being used to propel a snow plough; or

(e) to a vehicle which is parked.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation a headlamp shall not be regarded as lit if its intensity is reduced by a dim-dip device.

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and note part (3) which says you shouldn't use dim-dip except on restricted roads.

Dim-dip was invented though to make a distinction between parked and moving vehicles, and as such is one of the more sensible bits of legislation, IMHO. There are too many vehicles especially in built-up areas nowadays, and to be able to distinguish parked ones with sidelights from moving ones is useful.

On or around Sat, 26 May 2007 16:13:28 +0100, Richard enlightened us thusly:

Illegal on a vehicle without self-levelling (either headlamp or suspension) AFAIK.

If that bothers you...

They've come down in price a lot, last time I looked the honk-gong-dodgy ones were about 85 quid.

be very careful to set them up with good aim.

However... fitting decent-grade halogen bulbs (e.g. Philips vision plus, Osram silver star) in good-or-new reflectors, and making sure the wiring and switchgear is all up to scratch is pretty nearly as good. In the case of older lights, the headlamp reflectors degrade and a new set of lamp units (dead cheap for a 7" round lucas-fitting pair) make a hell of a difference. You can aslo get those snazzy clear-glass-fronted ones now with fancy reflectors, for not much more.

Putting a new pair of lamps on Edward II, (from Beamends) has made a big difference to the night driving.

I thought that applied only to new installations, not to retrofits.

I fitted to pair of Quadoptics and was very pleased, so much so that I have transferred them to my current wallet-drain. I managed to get the ones without the central bulb shield (FWIW) and with an all-plastic construction. They have certainly been very well worth the money. Last time I looked the Quadoptics were not available without the shield but I don't know if that makes any difference to the light o/p.

Richard