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dantastic



Member Since: 04 May 2010
Location: London
Posts: 367
United Kingdom 
Wire up LED light bar - with main beam or separated?
I'm about to wire up a 42" LED light bar.
I have a button for it but I'm not sure if I should be able to operate it independently or if it should only be able to come on at the same time as the fulls?

How have other people done it?

What's the legal position?
Post #512941 10th Mar 2016 7:57pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
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Roof bar lights need to be switched AFAIK.

Front mounted can be main beam only.
Post #512945 10th Mar 2016 8:04pm
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dave18



Member Since: 11 Jul 2015
Location: Gorleston, Great Yarmouth
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United Kingdom 1984 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Portofino Red
I've always wired mine up both. So On or on with mains.
Post #512951 10th Mar 2016 8:11pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
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Yes, that would be what I would do too if I had roof lights. Thumbs Up
Post #512960 10th Mar 2016 8:22pm
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Laurie



Member Since: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Sussex, England
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England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey
Except on forward control vehicles roof mounted lights are not legal for road use.
Mounted otherwise they must be switched at a point remote from the driving seat. 
Post #512967 10th Mar 2016 8:35pm
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dantastic



Member Since: 04 May 2010
Location: London
Posts: 367
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remote from the driving seat

How far away are we talking here??

So a switch 100% independent of the driving lights.
Post #512968 10th Mar 2016 8:37pm
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Laurie



Member Since: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Sussex, England
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England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey
Yes 
Post #512969 10th Mar 2016 8:41pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582
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Re: Wire up LED light bar - with main beam or separated?
dantastic wrote:
I'm about to wire up a 42" LED light bar.


What's the legal position?


Legal position?

All optional headlights, i.e. LED light bars and spot lights have to be type approved or E marked. I am not aware of any 42" LED light bars which are E marked so unless yours is E marked it will be illegal for road use.

As far as I am aware there are no height restrictions on the position of optional headlights.



Brendan
Post #513342 11th Mar 2016 7:44pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17520
United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Laurie wrote:
Except on forward control vehicles roof mounted lights are not legal for road use.
Mounted otherwise they must be switched at a point remote from the driving seat.


Can you cite a source for this assertion, please?

When I finally get time to fit it, mine will be wired via a modified lighting stalk switch on the right of the column so it can either be on directly with no other lights, for site use, or off altogether, or on with main beam.
Post #513345 11th Mar 2016 7:58pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971
United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
I've no idea what the legal position is, but I can vouch for it being really annoying meeting a car coming the other direction which is rivalling Blackpool Illuminations and having them gradually turn off one by one before you can see where you're going again.
Post #513377 11th Mar 2016 9:19pm
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dave18



Member Since: 11 Jul 2015
Location: Gorleston, Great Yarmouth
Posts: 497
United Kingdom 1984 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Portofino Red
Re: Wire up LED light bar - with main beam or separated?
leeds wrote:
dantastic wrote:
I'm about to wire up a 42" LED light bar.


What's the legal position?


Legal position?

All optional headlights, i.e. LED light bars and spot lights have to be type approved or E marked. I am not aware of any 42" LED light bars which are E marked so unless yours is E marked it will be illegal for road use.

As far as I am aware there are no height restrictions on the position of optional headlights.



Brendan


If the vehicle is pre 91 or somewhere like that then Non 'E' mark can be fitted legally.

Reference the Legalitys of the roof lights its first time ive heard that especially since im sure Ford and Mercedes sell Roof Light bars for their vans!!!
Post #513745 13th Mar 2016 12:36am
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582
United Kingdom 
HI Dave, the current UK Vehicle Lighting regulations and various amendments date back to 1989 which revokes the earlier acts dating back to at least 1984. Pre 1984???

The 1989 act speaks about obligatory lights having to bear an approval mark, but does not stipulate E marked or the old British Standard mark

When the actual harmonisation of vehicle regulations concerning headlights date back to (UN ECE) I do not know, however the UK has been a signatory for 50 odd years.




Brendan
Post #514099 14th Mar 2016 9:41am
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yorkshireman



Member Since: 28 Mar 2016
Location: North England
Posts: 80
Hi all, I'm about to wire in a 20" LED bar to my front A-bar, so looking at this thread am I ok to wire into the high beam without the switchable option?
Post #523140 11th Apr 2016 6:13pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582
United Kingdom 
Yes and No.

Have a good look at the lens If there is an E mark which should be in a circle plus a double digit which represent the country which granted the approval. Now I can not remember if there should be a 4-6 digit actual approval number on it.


To be road legal it must be E marked and wired through the main beam switch. I would suggest an additional switch after the main beam switch so you have can then have dipped beam, main beam and main beam + light bars.






Brendan
Post #523159 11th Apr 2016 6:49pm
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yorkshireman



Member Since: 28 Mar 2016
Location: North England
Posts: 80
Thanks for the note Brendan, despite the documents I can't find a mark on the unit, it's an Aurora. To be safe I'll wire in a switch, I've a blank in the dash on my Puma, can you buy 'Aux' switches to fit?
Post #523170 11th Apr 2016 7:10pm
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