dinosaurjuice
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 02:12 PM |
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Side lights wired to ignition
Hi All,
Planning on re-wiring the Rocket over winter and have had a possibly brilliant/silly idea...
I want to get rid of the side light switch and additional wiring and just wire the circuit directly to a fused spur from the ignition barrel, so
ignition on = lights on.
All of my side light and number plate bulbs are LED and use very little power.
I always drive with side lights on.
I want less switches!
Is it illegal? my ignition barrel would essentially become the side light switch. The lights would turn off when cranking.
I know my MOT tester wouldn't care, but that's not the point. I want the car to be above board as much as possible.
Cheers
Will 
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loggyboy
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 02:25 PM |
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Not illegal AFAIK, might fail IVA which is obviously not an issue for you.
MOt does mention a RFR of '2. The front and rear position lamps do not illuminate with a single operation of the switch.'
But as sides are never gonna blind anyone, I dont think anyone outside of a friendly MoT tester would care.
Personally I would want a hidden override switch for those painful times you have a flat battery and you want to ensure nothing is gonna take that
last milliamp needed to start the car!
[Edited on 27-10-16 by loggyboy]
Mistral Motorsport
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Slimy38
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 02:53 PM |
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Volvo's have been doing it for years...
Thinking about it, I do know there are quite a few bikes now that don't have light switches even for their dipped lights.
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dinosaurjuice
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 03:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
Volvo's have been doing it for years...
Thinking about it, I do know there are quite a few bikes now that don't have light switches even for their dipped lights.
Now why didn't i think of that!
Having a hidden switch is an excellent idea, even if its just a inline superseal plug.
Cheers guys
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 04:39 PM |
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all car models type approved since feb 2011 have to have daytime running lights,
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/408964/daytime-running-lights.pdf
note drl are front only, and have to be dimmed at night!
edit, drl are optional for iva
[Edited on 27/10/16 by gremlin1234]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 04:57 PM |
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As a matter of interest, how would you switch on your sidelights when you're parked on the side of the road, if you don't have a switch to
switch them on with?
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 05:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
As a matter of interest, how would you switch on your sidelights when you're parked on the side of the road, if you don't have a switch to
switch them on with?
a lot of cars switch 'parking lights' on, if the indicator is left on, with the ignition off
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 05:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
As a matter of interest, how would you switch on your sidelights when you're parked on the side of the road, if you don't have a switch to
switch them on with?
a lot of cars switch 'parking lights' on, if the indicator is left on, with the ignition off
That would be an interesting bit of wiring in a kit car... perfectly feasible, but fiddly.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 05:53 PM |
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Aftermarket DRL relay units monitor the battery voltage and only switch on the when the alternator starts charging and switch off 12 to 60 seconds
after engine shuts off, they wire straight to a battery +supply via a fuse.
[Edited on 27/10/16 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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loggyboy
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 06:47 PM |
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Volvos run dipped headlights at all times, not sides.
Mistral Motorsport
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snapper
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 07:05 PM |
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Hive remote app or
Apple home app
Then you can use Siri
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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dinosaurjuice
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 08:35 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
As a matter of interest, how would you switch on your sidelights when you're parked on the side of the road, if you don't have a switch to
switch them on with?
Interesting point. I don't leave the kitcar out at night so not a concern, is it a legal requirement?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 08:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuice
Interesting point. I don't leave the kitcar out at night so not a concern, is it a legal requirement?
Well, the correct name for sidelights is 'positional lights', I believe. You do need to be able to turn them on if you park on an unlit
street but, as said above, there are ways of dealing with this requirement (e.g. putting the indicator one way after turning off the ignition).
Have you got access to an IVA manual? It's available on-line somewhere. That should tell you the current requirements, even if you don't
want to go through the inspection.
[Edited on 27/10/16 by David Jenkins]
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 09:14 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuice
Interesting point. I don't leave the kitcar out at night so not a concern, is it a legal requirement?
Well, the correct name for sidelights is 'positional lights', I believe. You do need to be able to turn them on if you park on an unlit
street but, as said above, there are ways of dealing with this requirement (e.g. putting the indicator one way after turning off the ignition).
Have you got access to an IVA manual? It's available on-line somewhere. That should tell you the current requirements, even if you don't
want to go through the inspection.
[Edited on 27/10/16 by David Jenkins]
iva s30 says parking lamps optional. ps its position lamps not positional
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 09:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
iva s30 says parking lamps optional. ps its position lamps not positional
OK, that's changed since I had to do SVA.
As for 'positional/position' - I was typing from memory! After all, it's not an exam... 
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 27/10/16 at 09:31 PM |
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I'm officially confused!
I just looked at the MOT requirements manual here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518634/mot-inspection-manual-for-class-3-4-5-and-7-vehicles.pdf
Section 1.1 describes testing the position lights - and implies that they must be able to be switched on when required. How and when this should
happen? No idea.
I'm not trying to contradict what anyone's said above - it's just that now I'm unsure.
In my car there's one 3-way switch that puts the sidelights and headlights on, which is the simplest way... I'm glad I didn't try to
make it complicated!
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907
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| posted on 28/10/16 at 06:52 AM |
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AFAIK indicator switch remains on (left or right) only lights 1 rear and 1 front, so not legal for parking on an unlit road.
Most cars have a multi position switch for lights. OFF - SIDE - MAIN (pull for fog - turn for rear fog)
so since you need a switch for lights anyway you don't save a switch at all ?????
I don't INTEND to park on the road but there will come a time when I need to. Perhaps an evening pub meet where
the car park overflows or a *breakdown*, puncture, run out of petrol, an accident, any one of a thousand reasons when
you need parking lights.
Paul G
* Obviously "breakdown" doesn't apply to my Lotus, but I did use some non-Lotus parts in the build.
[Edited on 28/10/16 by 907]
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steve m
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| posted on 28/10/16 at 01:38 PM |
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I have done something similar, but with small drl's, the front led drl's come on when the ignition is switched on, and remain on, until
the ignition is turned off
The side lights are on the original switch, and can also be switched on, which will give me two led drl's and two side lights
Just to add to my confusing light display  I have also wired the gopro to only come on when the lights are switched on, as this appears to be when
all the fuckwits decide to pull out on me
steve
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/10/16 at 05:30 PM |
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And just to make things complicated () I put DRLs on my car - they are on when the ignition is on, but go off when I turn on the headlights.
This is on top of the normal Off - sides - headlights switch.
[Edited on 28/10/16 by David Jenkins]
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SteveWalker
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| posted on 28/10/16 at 08:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuice
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
As a matter of interest, how would you switch on your sidelights when you're parked on the side of the road, if you don't have a switch to
switch them on with?
Interesting point. I don't leave the kitcar out at night so not a concern, is it a legal requirement?
You could always be caught out by a change of plans or a problem or even a change in the weather during daytime ...
Section 24 of The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989:
24.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (5) and (9), no person shall–
(a)
use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle which is in motion–
(i)
between sunset and sunrise, or
(ii)
in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset; or
(b)
allow to remain at rest, or cause or permit to be allowed to remain at rest, on a road any vehicle between sunset and sunrise
unless every front position lamp, rear position lamp, rear registration plate lamp, side marker lamp and end-outline marker lamp with which the
vehicle is required by these Regulations to be fitted is kept lit and unobscured.
5 and 9 refer to parking in designated parking spaces or laybys or on roads with a speed limit of 30mph or less, etc.
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snowy2
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| posted on 30/10/16 at 07:00 AM |
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my question would be .....Why?
unless you live in a Scandinavian country what’s the point? its not as if it would enhance the safety for the car at all. its doubtful that it helps
motorbikes either (no research has ever been done!) i do know that when i took my advanced motorbike test in the 80's the instructors were all
of the opinion that they were necessary, so we did an experiment and drove half the day with them off (in good weather, a bright and sunny summer day)
and half on......not a single car pulled out on us with the lights off. it happened several times with them on...the instructors claimed it was all
coincidence. my last bike got modified so the lights could be switched off when i decided they were not necessary.
sometimes you are the pigeon, most of the time the statue.
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dinosaurjuice
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| posted on 1/11/16 at 09:32 AM |
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This forums great. Some very useful opinion and facts bought up, much appreciated.
Im going to wire the side lights as per the regular way, on a 3 position switch 'off-side-dipped'. I previously had separate switches for
this.
I still dont understand the DRL thing. All too often i see people with LED DRL's driving around in the dark... plenty of light in front of them
but no tail lights on  but thats driver error, and it would be impossible to engineer a car to allow for every deviation of idiot
Cheers
Will
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