Technical High beam circuit

[northernchap]

Anyone know offhand a good place to tap into the high beam circuit, and which wire colour it's likely to be? It's for a spotlight install, as you can probably guess - figured enough other people have done it by now to save me buggering it up by trial and error!

 

[Dragon Man]

hmm i tapped into the fuse box.. just get a tester and test each fuse.. on each test just flash the headlamps using the high/low beam stalk.. when one goes live when the stalk is pulled towards you, thats the one to tap into

you can also use these cool things if you dont want to go cutting into wiring.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Add-A-Cir...hash=item54081d636d:m:mrXguHF-CDn_eWaM2oDxqiQ

 

[kolza]

Ideally get the +12v from Alternator connection, splice in high beam feed under the bonet and get the to trigger the spot lamp relay.

 

[Dragon Man]

yeah, i would run everything through a relay(s)

its quite a bit of load for a small switch to handle.

i was lazy and connected my main power lead to the battery + terminal... but i did leave enough spare cable to one day route it down to the alternator next time i take it out

 

[northernchap]

Cheers guys! Yeah I have the relay and all the wiring, fuse, etc but just wasn't sure where the best place was to try and tap into the circuit as I wanted the spots to be linked to the high beam (there is a separate switch too which I guess gives the option of high beam + spots or just high beam.

 

[Dragon Man]

hmm yeah, if you want to can drive if direct from the back of the bulb so to speak. one of the wires that goes to the headlamp bulb for high beam.

just remember that when MOT times comes along, the spot lights MUST NOT light up when the high beams are on

you could wire in a separate switch, or just be lazy and pull the fuse out when MOT time comes around. be careful though, in a spot check i bet a police man looking to make up his numbers would happy do you for having them all working at one time.

Talons are wired up on a 3 position switch, fully off, on only with high beams, and on all the time even when the cars original lighting is off.

 

[firstcar-Y10]

just remember that when MOT times comes along, the spot lights MUST NOT light up when the high beams are on

Last I heard that's exactly how a pair of driving lamps are supposed to work, certainly that's how mine are wired up and never been a problem, and that's how the instructions in a lamp set tell you to do it, relayed up to the main beam feed, switch optional. Presumably the ones on Talon would fail more because you have about 30 and you are liable to dazzle road users in other continents if they come on during normal driving.
Note - that applies to DRIVING lamps, i.e. auxiliary main beams, rules for FOG lamps are different. You need to know which you are dealing with, referring to 'spots' is often a bit ambiguous.

 

[Dragon Man]

yeah, that is an issue.. well for my next project:



but thats only 1000 watts.. i could do 1400 easy..

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Last I heard that's exactly how a pair of driving lamps are supposed to work, certainly that's how mine are wired up and never been a problem, and that's how the instructions in a lamp set tell you to do it, relayed up to the main beam feed, switch optional. Presumably the ones on Talon would fail more because you have about 30 and you are liable to dazzle road users in other continents if they come on during normal driving.
Note - that applies to DRIVING lamps, i.e. auxiliary main beams, rules for FOG lamps are different. You need to know which you are dealing with, referring to 'spots' is often a bit ambiguous.

:yeahthat:

Please explain John in case I've overseen something.

 

[Dragon Man]

hmm i have never had "driving lights". i would really like some though (just to be legal).

i must admit that i do often use the spot lamps at night out in the country.

to be fair, Talon produces about the same light output as a modern car with projector lenses on high beam. really!
well that was before i put the light bar on.... now heheh the light bar is all i need.

soon as i get the berlingo roof rack, most of the "spot" lights will go on that at roof level.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

hmm i have never had "driving lights". i would really like some though (just to be legal).

i must admit that i do often use the spot lamps at night out in the country.

I think you've been getting confused John. Spot lights and Driving Lights are one of the same, just by different names.

 

[kolza]

I think you've been getting confused John. Spot lights and Driving Lights are one of the same, just by different names.

No they are not exactly the same. Back in the days off halogen - yes, but now with all the LED bar type lamps from China they are all just lamps.

Driving lamps are 100% road legal as colmplies with the head lamp light spread and min/max intesity. Are adjustable in both axis. Often seen on top of wagons of huge fleets.

Spot / flood lamps are classed as auxillary equipment for off-road use only or just as work lamp.

Driving lamps can be use in addition to high beam as properly fitted and adjusted should not dazzle. ( in certain configuration)

Daytime runing lamps (DRL) are different story as well.


I've been recently doing some vibration testing at work for the 1200mm long version of these beast as Scania will have them in their catlogue as OE equipment.
http://www.britaxae.com.au/downloads/am/Xray-Vision-LED-Linear-Driving-Lights.pdf

Unfortunately samples were requested back as it would look great on the sisley.