LED Lightbar

Verteuil Man

Verteuil Man

Joined
May 5, 2022
Posts
1,888
Likes collected
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Location
Kidsgrove, North Staffordshire.
Funster No
88,502
MH
Hymer B778 PL
Exp
Since 1992
A bit of advice from the more electrically m8nded Funsters. I am thinking of improving the night vision capability of our intergrated (A Class) Hymer. Main beam is abysmal. The light fitted are the usual tear drop shape. Below is the type of thing I want to put on. Will a need a relay for the power supply?

PICAA 20 Inch 144 W LED Light Bar 12 V 24 V, 6000 K White LED Light Bar Work Light Bar Waterproof for Car Offroad 4x4 Truck Tractor ATV SUV https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BQ6W589Y/
 
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Verteuil Man said:
A bit of advice from the more electrically m8nded Funsters. I am thinking of improving the night vision capability of our intergrated (A Class) Hymer. Main beam is abysmal. The light fitted are the usual tear drop shape. Below is the type of thing I want to put on. Will a need a relay for the power supply?

PICAA 20 Inch 144 W LED Light Bar 12 V 24 V, 6000 K White LED Light Bar Work Light Bar Waterproof for Car Offroad 4x4 Truck Tractor ATV SUV https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BQ6W589Y/
Click to expand...
Personally I think you should consult the highway driving regulations for the country/s you intend to use it in if you intend to use it as the main beam driving lights. As for the power I would use a low voltage DP disconnecting device, jmo.
 
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For aux high beam driving lights these would be a better option 140 170,or 240 they are about as good as you can get they should be wired to go out when dip beam is selected
4x4obsession.co.uk

Lighting

Lightforce driving lights and Stedi lights
4x4obsession.co.uk 4x4obsession.co.uk
 
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Where are you going to mount the light bars in your link.
They will need to be pointing at the correct bit of road without dazzle which won't be possible with none reflector type lights.
That's why they are listed as work lights due to the scattered beam
 
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I was going to mount it on the front grill just above the numberplate which is about 600 mm above groung level. It would only come on when the main beam was on and off when the main beam lights are dipped.
 
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Even if they were legal those are intended as a floodlight so would only light up the road for a few feet in front of the van.
I find turning the fog lights on helps quite a bit.

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Lenny HB said:
Even if they were legal those are intended as a floodlight so would only light up the road for a few feet in front of the van.
I find turning the fog lights on helps quite a bit.
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Unfortunately I do not have those.

I just found it awkward driving down to the Dog House in Smeeth for a stopover at night in rain.
 
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Verteuil Man said:
Unfortunately I do not have those.

I just found it awkward driving down to the Dog House in Smeeth for a stopover at night in rain.
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Change the headlamp bulbs to LED, I fitted them to my Hymer made a huge difference.
In this post I mentioned H had a bit of a problem with the fitting a few posts further on I found the correct clips for them.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

LED H7 headlight bulbs upgrade - impressed (so far)

Do the bulbs you bought have ballast units? If not you can buy separate ones. No, they were just standard 501 led replacement - I didn't know that you could get ballasted 501's
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
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Lenny HB said:
Change the headlamp bulbs to LED, I fitted them to my Hymer made a huge difference.
In this post I mentioned H had a bit of a problem with the fitting a few posts further on I found the correct clips for them.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

LED H7 headlight bulbs upgrade - impressed (so far)

Do the bulbs you bought have ballast units? If not you can buy separate ones. No, they were just standard 501 led replacement - I didn't know that you could get ballasted 501's
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
Click to expand...
Are LED bulbs legal?
 
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The LED light bars are not legal for road use.
Also not suitable either as they give a short wide spread.
What you need is a low down concentrated beam forward.

Look at Rally Lights.
Typically mounted on the bumper or a bar in front of the radiator.
You fit a manual 3 way switch, Off, On with full beam, Off even when on full beam.
It means you have the option of them coming on, or not, when you use the light stalk to switch between full beam and dipped.

I had a pair of rally lights fitted to a Landrover.
Even in an urban situation they could light up the road like the sun was out.
And if anyone cut you up, even in broad daylight, you switched them on and kept at the optimum distance of about 20 meters and it meant they could not see out of their rear view mirror and it was just full glare. Wonderful bit of kit!

Just watch the battery drain levels and the massive heat the lights give off, although with modern LED's, it may not be quite like it was 25 years ago!
By ensuring you have an 'off' override, Rally Lights are not counted as being part of the MoT (well they weren't, things may have changed)

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tacr2man said:
For aux high beam driving lights these would be a better option 140 170,or 240 they are about as good as you can get they should be wired to go out when dip beam is selected
4x4obsession.co.uk

Lighting

Lightforce driving lights and Stedi lights
4x4obsession.co.uk 4x4obsession.co.uk
Click to expand...
Unfortunately here in spain we don't get allowed those for road use:crying1:
pappajohn said:
LED main and dip replacement.
Not legal but nobody seems to care providing the beams are set not to dazzle
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Measured here at our ITV; "Excessive lighting power" is a failure on the 'grave' scale meaning the vehicle cannot be removed from the testing station except on a trailer or recovery truck & has to return the same way.It is equivalent to having no brakes.
 
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Verteuil Man said:
Are LED bulbs legal?
Click to expand...
some are
Brains said:
And if anyone cut you up, even in broad daylight, you switched them on and kept at the optimum distance of about 20 meters and it meant they could not see out of their rear view mirror and it was just full glare. Wonderful bit of kit!
Click to expand...
& if ,like me , you always ran with silver 'mirror film' on all windows from the "B" pillar back you didn't even notice them & with rear windows that were more upright they would blind the actual flasher.
 
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I have seen the ones that the rally cars use when I have been on the start line on some of the North West stages and Bulldog rally. Very bright. I had a look on Demon Tweeks website. Not cheap.

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The problem of drivers experiencing dazzle from LED headlights is that often they are unadjusted pre MOT and are not DOT approved bulbs. Jmo.
 
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Bodoge said:
The problem of drivers experiencing dazzle from LED headlights is that often they are unadjusted pre MOT and are not DOT approved bulbs. Jmo.
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I watched a programme called Vintage Voltage were a Company put Tesla power units and batteries into allsorts of vintage cars. The man chap, Moggy tried out some LED bulbs in a Porsche for a test, but he did say that they were not legal as the car was not originally produced with them. He said that the legislation was going to possibly change. He said you can only put LED bulbs into vehicles that are designed and produced with them.
I just want an extra boost on main beam.
 
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Verteuil Man said:
I watched a programme called Vintage Voltage were a Company put Tesla power units and batteries into allsorts of vintage cars. The man chap, Moggy tried out some LED bulbs in a Porsche for a test, but he did say that they were not legal as the car was not originally produced with them. He said that the legislation was going to possibly change. He said you can only put LED bulbs into vehicles that are designed and produced with them.
I just want an extra boost on main beam.
Click to expand...
here you go
"only" £792 for a pair!
 
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I think LED replacement’s are technically an MOT failure if the vehicle was not originally sold with them, however I order to prove this the tester would have to remove the bulb which of course they do not, so they are passed as long as the light emitted is not excessive the the alignment is correct.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

Aftermarket LED Bulbs: MOT Rules And Legalities

Can upgrade LED bulbs pass an MOT? We go through exactly what MOT testing stations look for and whether your aftermarket bulbs will pass an MOT.
www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

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Verteuil Man said:
Well. As ever the wealth of experience has come to the fore. Are acetylene lamps still legal?
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And your point is…

Why do people feel it necessary to respond in such a manner rather than just move on. This appears to be happening more and more on this forum.
 
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You'll have zero issues passing an mot with a light bar fitted. I've had them on several vehicles. And there are literally thousands of vans and pick ups out there with them fitted .

As for legal road use , you should only ever be using high beam when there's no vehicles driving towards you anyway so having a light bar coming on with high beam isn't going to harm anyone. But if you're really bothered then put it on a separate switch. I've had additional spot lamps etc on a few of my motorhomes without any issues. I have a pair in this van I plan to fit once my bumper has been painted
 
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