Wiring spot lights etc

[Mace]

Does anyone have the expert knowledge to help with this topic ?

http://forums.mud-club.com/viewtopic.php?t=19660&highlight=

Cheers

[Budgie]

Well, just to throw a spanner in the works:  :twisted:
I've always thought (and wire my spots accordingly) that any spots, for use on the road, can only come on with the main beam and not have the ability to be powered at any other time. This is to prevent you from accidentally dazzling oncoming traffic, which is an offence under the RTA.
Pulling the fuse for the MOT is also out of the question as ALL lights fitted to a vehicle MUST be in a working condition.

If you've wired the relay correctly, there should be no need to fuse the switch itself as this only provides the power to activate the relay switch and is not supplying power to the lights themselves so the draw should be minimal on these wires.

The way I've wired mine up is as follow:

Main Spots on the A-bar - wired direct into the main beam with the use of a relay and the fuse is on the feed from the battery. They only come on when the main beam is on.

Roof Spots: The switch is wired into the main beam so that they can only be used when the main beam is on but I can choose to leave them off for normal road use. Fuse on the battery feed side again.

Roof Floods: Switch wired into the sidelight/dipped beam side so they can only be used when the lights are on (in case you forget they are on) but remain on when main beam is active. Fused as above.

Both switches to the roof light have a built-in warning light on them.

Hope that helps Mace.  :?

[Damonski]

Pulling the fuse for the MOT is also out of the question as ALL lights fitted to a vehicle MUST be in a working condition.

Ive always pulled the fuse on my extra lighting,  standard fitment lighting must work, but anything additional is not tested,  as I said Ive always pulled the fuse to stop them from messing with my extras :)

Never been failed on lighting tho on any motor.

[Mace]

I've read through the Vehicle Lighting Regulations a few times and I still believe the following is correct.

You CAN switch your spotlights (or any other additional front facing main beam lights) on manually or on with the main beam. In both cases your normal headlights must be switched on and in both cases you must have a warning light to show your main beam / spots are on. It's not compulsory to have them ONLY switch with your main beam.

You CANNOT however have spotlights (or any other additional front facing main beam lights) switched on, on their own. They must be incorporated in the headlights ON circuit.

Headlamps, dipped-beam, main-beam, sidelights & fog lights i.e white forward facing lights, must be working for the MOT. Anything else i.e spots, flood lights are NOT included in the MOT testing procedure and therefore do not need to be in working order (like removing the fuse)

As to the legallity of having the "facility" to switch spots on on their own is open to debate, but surely thats what the RTA is trying to enforce. Being caught on a public highway with them actually switched on, on their own is definately illegal.

Thanks Budgie for your reassurance over the fuses. The headlight circuits are already protected by 10a fuses, I just wanted to make sure I didn't need a bit of overkill !

[Wanderer]

Any fuse is designed to protect the wiring. Not the appliance.

So really you need a fuse in line where you pick up the trigger voltage for the relay.

Or you might have 5 amp wire and the fuse on the main lighting circuit might be 15 or 20 amp. This would mean that the wiring to the relay could short out and wouldn't blow a fuse as early as it should.

I hope that's clear. Extra fuses don't create a problem as long as you know where they are :)

Ed