Lights

[Crawfie]

After a near miss with a bloody great cow on Dartmoor last night, I need to sort some decent lighting out. 

I've already fitted new lens' and the Philips bulbs as recommended on here but i need something a bit better.

I know...use the main beam. Mines on the floor and i can never find it !!

What options have others done ?

LED

Fit driving lamps-Not keen 

Move the main beam switch-How and where too ?

Steve    

[Drewmotty]

Here you are Steve:

My led headlight conversion is covered in this issue of “In the Garage”

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/group/devon/social-report/2022/04/2021/In-The-Garage-April-2022-Issue-15

A few Devon group members use these and are all pleased with the results. The majority choose the bright white version. 
I love the dip switch on the floor. My foot is usually resting on it. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Drewmotty

[stuart]

27 minutes ago, Drewmotty said:

I love the dip switch on the floor. My foot is usually resting on it. 

Same here, its what comes of having size 11 plates!

Stuart.

Edited April 26, 2023 by stuart

[MilesA]

Steve

Does this help as an alternative to the floor mounted dip switch: https://www.nextstepheritage.com/back-issues/tr-action/index.html ?

Miles

[Peter V W]

Cows have horns, so why not fit them with lights?

[Crawfie]

37 minutes ago, Peter V W said:

Cows have horns, so why not fit them with lights?

Good idea...but the one last night was HUGE and black and in the middle of the road. 

I can see why the Titanic hit the iceberg. at least i managed to steer around the beasty. Could've been worse as some farmers have Aberdeen Angus' up here. The size of them with the added horns...my god !!

Thanks for all the comments. Will have a look at them tonight. 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Crawfie

[PodOne]

Its not lights you need Steve its a cow catcher and a mobile barbecue 

Andy

[Jonny TR6]

I read somewhere that LED headlights are not legal for an MOT ? I have them fitted and the test is due in May. Can easily switch back if I have to, but wondering if it’s an issue ?

[Rob Salisbury]

I've got Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited and they are pretty good compared to standard Halogen bulbs, but now Nightbreaker Laser are available and street legal if you not going down the LED route.

Cheers Rob

[Ransomes256]

24 minutes ago, Jonny TR6 said:

I read somewhere that LED headlights are not legal for an MOT ? I have them fitted and the test is due in May. Can easily switch back if I have to, but wondering if it’s an issue ?

The law was changed as it was not taken correctly and LED headlights are again legal in our TRs.

Neil

 

[Jonny TR6]

Smashing - thanks Neil

[Martin50]

There seems to be a lot of info on the internet for LED bulb replacement external / internal on legal or illegal and if it would be MOT failure or not. Does someone have a definitive link for document which is latest position?

It seems to have changed with Brexit, and since Jan 2021. But then it may have changed again with “E” or “CE” marking of LED bulbs. Anyway seems very confusing to me and don’t really want to be running illegal lights. A definitive reference would be good if any has one out there?

[AndyR100]

27 minutes ago, Martin50 said:

There seems to be a lot of info on the internet for LED bulb replacement external / internal on legal or illegal and if it would be MOT failure or not. Does someone have a definitive link for document which is latest position?

It seems to have changed with Brexit, and since Jan 2021. But then it may have changed again with “E” or “CE” marking of LED bulbs. Anyway seems very confusing to me and don’t really want to be running illegal lights. A definitive reference would be good if any has one out there?

 Current MoT regs for lighting state that HID and LED conversions to original Halogen setups are only fails for vehicles Post April 1986. 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment#section-4-1-4
 
Vehicles older than this date can’t be failed for an LED conversion - assuming, of course, that the beam pattern and alignment are correct (which means that some cheapo LED bulbs will fail the test)

……. Andy

Edited April 26, 2023 by AndyR100

[RobH]

This was all discussed and resolved two years ago as Andy says.  The DoT issued this clarification (since withdrawn because the testing documents have now been revised)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-notice-01-21-headlamp-conversions/mot-special-notice-01-21-headlamp-conversions

Quote: 

"Class 3,4,5 and 7 vehicles

For class 3,4,5 and 7 vehicles, the defect ‘Light source and lamp not compatible’ only applies to vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986.

Should a vehicle be presented for an MOT test with conversions before 1 April 1986 they must not be failed with immediate effect."

 

E and CE marking is not relevant to our cars as they were  built before those regulations came into force.

[Martin50]

Thank you. This is perfect. Just wanted to be able to quote reference if needed and peace of mind. 

[Jonny TR6]

7 hours ago, MilesA said:

Steve

Does this help as an alternative to the floor mounted dip switch: https://www.nextstepheritage.com/back-issues/tr-action/index.html ?

Miles

Hi Miles - that just takes you to a list of TR Action publications. Is there an article, as my size 10s are a bit slow trying to find the dip switch.

[MilesA]

Sorry chaps. Thought that was a link to the article by Roger Mew who came up with a neat solution by installing an overdrive stalk on the L/H side of the steering column cowl to operate the dipstick function. If you search for 'dipstick' in the archive of Tractions this is the article you are after: 

And here is a screenshot of the article:

There is an alternative solution which was published a few months earlier which you can also find with that search.

Miles

[Steve-B]

based on recommendations here, i've recently upgraded our 1973 TR-6 to these from Classic LEDs and they're amazing, and fit right in place of existing bulbs with no obstruction on the lenses: https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/led-headlights-h4-fully-integrated-6000-lumen-hi-lo-beam-conversion-9-32v?variant=42325174794

Edited April 27, 2023 by Steve-B

[Tim D.]

I went the double hole cowl route using a switch from another uk car of the same era. The switch was the same layout as the overdrive switch but was intended for dip/main beam control. Works well, except if you flick the switch in a tentative fasion there is a fraction of a second when both lights are off. 
also run LEDs and my bit of advice is get the beams set with the car laden . My mot station set them up with the car empty which meant they were a bit high with driver, passenger and a boot full of stuff. I suspect this is worse for a tr where the extra weight is at the back, making the front rise. 
tim

[Crawfie]

1 hour ago, Steve-B said:

based on recommendations here, i've recently upgraded our 1973 TR-6 to these from Classic LEDs and they're amazing, and fit right in place of existing bulbs with no obstruction on the lenses: https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/led-headlights-h4-fully-integrated-6000-lumen-hi-lo-beam-conversion-9-32v?variant=42325174794

I think i will change to these. 

steve 

[keith1948]

Hello Steve

Don't know if you have relays fitted to your car but I fitted a Moss headlamp relay kit to my 4A and the improvement was instant. In France I used to fit yellow headlamp beam deflectors and even with those it was fine. So I run on the original standard sealed beam units with the relays on dip and main beam.

Keith

[Andy Moltu]

Without using the main beam, the range your lights will illuminate will be restricted by the beams being set low enough to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. Brighter bulbs will just illuminate the range covered by the dipped beam brighter but not further. 

You need to use your maim beam for your own safety and for the traffic behind who.might wish to past.

If you don't get on with the foot dip then you need to adapt your wiring to use the existing flash as a dip switch using a latching relay. The details are in an old TRaction on the Website or use an overdrive switch and a changeover relay.

Them fit LED H4 bulbs to you headlights and things will transformed. Which LEDs is a matter of choice. I went for cool white which gives better illumination but some go for warm white for a more authentic look. Avoid the fan cooled bulbs. If the fan fails the bulb dies. 

[Kevo_6]

These are the NON fan cooled version, cooled by a heat sink.

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/12-volt-collection/products/latest-led-headlights-h4-philips-z-es-hi-lo-beam-conversion-9-32v

[Tim D.]

36 minutes ago, Andy Moltu said:

Without using the main beam, the range your lights will illuminate will be restricted by the beams being set low enough to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. Brighter bulbs will just illuminate the range covered by the dipped beam brighter but not further. 

 

Hi Andy,

Not 100% strictly true, the lamp-stop on the dip beam that prevents dazzling does indeed restrict direct illumination at distance. but light also bounces off the environment and indrectly illuminates beyond this region (without dazzling). Increased intensity even when dipped enhances this effect.

But I agree, main beam is much better.

Tim

[RobH]

6 minutes ago, Tim D. said:

and indrectly illuminates beyond this region (without dazzling)

Tell that to the marines.

I find ultra-bright supposedly dipped beams from oncoming traffic to be very annoying and at times downright dangerous, particularly where there is a line of such vehicles approaching.  I think it is partly due to the headlights being located quite high on modern SUV/ 4x4s which means the scatter in indirect areas is greater but it is made much worse by the stark whiteness of the light which really kills your own night-vision.