Spotlight Question for an Auto Sparky or someone Bright!

from my experience lights mounted on a roof rack generally throw too much light on the bonnet and hinder your night vision. I have 2 Lightforce 240s on my cruiser and find them more thanadequate. Cheers Rob

only in some communities

Cheers Redeye,
Just what I was after.

Matt

Law in SA is that any light mounted on a roof must not be operational on road. ie globes removed.

In VIC they are illegal.

Better check with Vicroads or equivalent, a Police officer recently told me that they are legal if they are in front of the driver, was a new one on me as I thought they weren't legal.
I figured I might be able to mount some if I could get a roof bar way forward, this may be possible on the LC60 we bought off Willem.
NickR

If they're not legal there's a fair few getting away with it for some time.

I have checked, they are definitely illegal in Victoria, they may be getting away with it the same as the ones that drive with their wanker foglights on, which is also illegal!

Nick R, a Police Officer told you they were legal .... LMAO
A Police Officer told me the speed limit in my road was 100kph, guess what, it's 50kph!

I deal with a lot of interstate trucks at work and word is that with all the new more ecconomical overseas trucks being used here in australia the 1200mm limit may be reviewed because these trucks come standard with spotlights built into the roof consol.Just what I have heard so could mean anything
regards ross

Its amazing sometimes how hard it is to get s straight answer....lol

Emergency vehicles could quite likely have exemptions.

How do the factory fitted lights in the roof rails of some new fourbies go - Xtrail is one - I think theres a Land Rover package that has them too but I could be mistaken.

??

Dave

Great Point Dave,

Unless it has something to do with being "Factory Fitted".....

Matt

BTW, I have been running these Philips lights for around 2 years now and I do on average about 1,500kms of night driving every month and so far I have not had to replace any of the 10 globes.

Cheers

Thanks drivesafe,
Have you had any Issues with the Law and your lights? I see the Front cover of the Latest 4WD Monthly has a Brand Spankin New 2005 GU with 6 LF140's Up Top.

Matt

Hi again Matt, I have a mate in North west NSW and he got booked in Central Qld, cost him $240 and the cop made him remove them before he could go.

To date I have had no problems.

As I posted, I’ve made up a bar that is held in place by two bolts and the driving light cables are connected to the relays under the bonnet by an 8 way plug and socket.

So when I go on a trip, as it gets dark I pull over and fit the roof bar, takes about 2 to 3 minutes and away I go.

I often drive all night, so as soon as the dawn starts to break, they come off, in about the same time.

I have the two IPFs set to light up the road at a distance.

The two centre roof lights are set to light up the road just in front of the Rangie.

The two outside roof lights are set as far to the left and right as I can get them and they make for great lighting on tight curved roads, they also tend to keep roos dazzled long enough to get passed them before they start hopping again.

Cheers.

Hey Drivesafe,
What sort of 8 way plug and socket did you use? coz that sounds exactly what I had in mind incase I need to park in an undercover Car park it’s a tight squeeze as it is so they’ll be no chance with the spotties on.

Thanks for all your help

Matt

Know exactly what you mean about under cover car parks. Just after I first made up the roof bar, I had to get some computer parts and went off to the local shopping centre and parked under cover.
Got what ever it was I was after and then jumped back into the Rangie and set out for home.

As I left the car park I noticed the high limit indicator and lucky for me I had gone into an area where delivery trucks go so the height was much higher than the normal 2m clearance.

Anywhere else in the shopping centre and I would not only have removed the lights but I would have ended up with a heavily customised roof as well.

Haven’t made that mistake since.

The connector is an 8 Way Quickcrimp plug, socket and terminals.

I run 4mm automotive cable for both the positive and the negative of each individual driving light. If I was still using the old 130w globes, I would have used 5mm automotive cable.

BTW, I have been using small Hella driving lights for about 30 years and using 130w globes always end up burning the reflectors. I’ve been using these Philips globes in the Hellas now for over two years and the is not a mark on the reflectors.

Cheers.

Hey Drivesafe,
Had the Spotties Fitted Yesterday and am really impressed with them check out My Profile for some pic’s the one during the day was a test fit up on Tuesday prior to getting Lee @ ARB Ozzy Park to fit them.

Matt

P.S. I’ll take some more of the Bar tonight before it gets dark.

Good stuff Matt, sounds like your happy with the set up and if you can see at night now, glasses are not going to help.

By the way Matt, have you had roof lights before.

Cheers.

Drivesafe,
I've never had Roof Lights before if I had realized how good they were I would have done it a long time ago and not bothered with the 240’s on the front!

Why do you ask?

Matt

Hi Matt, that’s exactly why I asked. If you have not had them before, the difference is incredible, as you have now discovered.

Try setting up your 240’s so that they light up as far down the road in front of you as possible and set the roof lights up to light up the road starting just beyond where your low beam finishes. This way you end up with the whole road is lit up.

Cheers and you will probably be looking for excuses to go for a night drive from now on in.

Drivesafe,
Your Right again about the night driving plus there is a lot less traffic out there! Ha Ha
Thanks again for all your Excellent Feedback.

Matt

One more thing Matt, what till you have done your first long distance night drive. At the end, you will find that you are far less fatigued than you would normally be and even though they may or may not be illegal, they are an adventages safety device.

Cheers.

Cheers Allan,
Champion thanks for that. That's what I wanted to hear! I'll deal with the “Other Issues” as they arise!

All well and good on an old clunker but with modern day ECU's you can get in real strife when voltage drops off a bit.

The tolerance range in some vehicles is as high as 10.5 volts. To run all night with 80 amps worth of accessories and lights running even with the occasional dip to low beam will possibly see our budding lighting & electrical engineer sitting on the side of the road.

Install a high amperage alternator if you are going down this track.

You only need the heater/air con fan or the rear demister running with the quantity of lights you are talking in addition to OEM lights and you could seriously tip the balance towards a flat battery en route.

Dave

Rough calcs

130w x 2 (240's)
100w x 4 (140's)
50w x 2 (IPF's)
100w x 2 (OEM high beams)

= about 80 amps

Add 20-30A for rest of vehicle - dash, fan, stereo, CB etc. and a few for fridge and anything else and you are up in big alternator territory.

Dunno what the factory one is putting out. Does anyone else know?

Dave

Thanks Tim,
I'll be keeping an eye on things for a while to see how the whole thing Holds up I have a Volt meter wired to the Aux Battery to keep it in check.

Matt