WesBrooks
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Posts posted by WesBrooks
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LED light units are legal for use in the UK if they are bought as an e-marked unit. You can pass an IVA with marked LED light units quite easily. LED bulbs in units designed for filaments is far more difficult and you could essentially open yourself up for a world of hurt from being forced to prove their function. Essentially that is not allowed.
While this has been useful information (thanks for the links, will read through them) I tried to say in my original post that I was wiring for Halogen, so should be able to retrofit LED, HID (ok, hiding balast somewhere), or Halogen quite easily. I'm really interested in what grill level spot lights give you over headlights (that aren't power starved/candle like), if grill spots are recommended in addition to high spot lights, and if low as possible/survivable is recomended for front fogs.
I presume people mostly wire their spots so you can choose between either, both, or none to come on with the high beam? What situations would you decide to have grill only, which high only?
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reb78 - you beat me to it regarding the legailties. Yes to be on a vehicle as far as I'm aware the lights need to be self levelling or the vehicles suspension needs to do that and you need headlight washers - although I am planning for them. I don't think it's specific to HIDs, I think a few LED lights fall into the same catagory. I believe it requirement comes in with a certain intensity of the light.
Often see cheap Xenon/HID light kits on cars which dazzle in the rear view due to poor pattern, dirty lenses, or too high a beam.
Edit: Many with these kits will get through an MOT but that does not mean it would pass a roadside vehicle check. As my truck will look like a kit it is more likely that I'll attract their attention.
Edit2: Yes, fort he Discovery that is in the process of a body conversion to a Sahara. Will look more like a Pickup with a hood frame style cage whan done.
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Are HIDs and Xenons one and the same? Had to replace both dipped beams on my daily driver at £150 a pop when it was about 5 years old! Granted this had 160,000 on the clock. Now has over 200,000.
I will look closer at the efficiencies, although if the difference is small better life will win one over the other. Thanks for the heads up.
I will not consider HID for dipped or main beam without self leveling suspension or self leveling units.
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Morning all,
I'll be trawling the internet for guides and such over the next few days but I'd like some first hand feedback on what set ups people like and what changes/tweaks they'd make if they had a chance.
Headlights are most likely going to be Trucklite LEDs with a hefty wash. What are peoples thoughts on the auxilary lighting? As the main/dipped beam is so high I do intend to fit some fog pattern lights as low on the front as I can, perhaps below the bumper but inboard a bit, trying to find some place where they won't become a plough! I understand high spots give good lighting on things that could be hidden by shadows thrown from grill level spots or main/dipped beam. Are low spots also a benefit or will the LED main lights (and good condition wiring) negate the need for them?
Wiring wise my new body is in place now so I'll be planning the cable runs and earth points soon. Once I know this I will plan to size cabling so there would not be a significant voltage drop due to the wiring at full load for traditional halogen lights. I'll be sizing the circuits in the same way, so roof spots would be 4*60W, low spots 2*60W, low fogs 2*60W. I'll be sizing the fusing and wiring to cope with double current inrush to cope with startup peak currents. This think this should be far in excess of what LEDs or HIDs will consume and give the option of falling back to Halogen or HID if I don't get along with the middle of the road LED sets.
I have a preference for LED, but will not dead set against halogen. I'll be avoiding HID for dipped main due to high bulb costs and shorter life than LED.
Cheers for any input!
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Thanks again for the information and links. Any more make recommendation will be greatly received. Now onto my lighting question in a new thread!
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Got a few replys while typing there! Thanks for the link for the contactor, that looks perfect.
I'm hoping to have very minimal unprotected cabling. I've seen some fuses that are integral to the terminals which look near ideal. I seem to remember thinking fuse discrimination between the battery and winch fuse would be iffy.
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Not picked yet, currently just working on a big spec sheet for the loom and was on the picking switches stage! I was running from memory. Looks like the fuse will need to be about 400-500A. The winch may not get bought until sometime after the truck is on the road but wanted to plan for it.
I'll be looking for a pull of twice vehicle weight. I'm reasonably sure my build will be less than 2000kg, so this puts it in the 8,000 - 10,000lbs territory. I've seen series wond motors are preferred. Weather proof would be a bonus.
I don't want to get into high performance winch trials style kits (think they're on hydrualics now aren't they?) so recomendations for makes that don't break the bank but are reliable would be well recieved!
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I've thought about the fuses a fair bit. I'm considering a 200A fuse and will see what I can get for that. That's a touch under 2.4kW all day or 3.2hp in old money. I'm not planning on doing winch challenges, just using it for self recovery while green laning or pay and play. If I get a winch close to that then a blown fuse will be a good sign that a block is needed!
I'm more in favour of the overkill approach myself too, particually when the seperation of potentially huge fault currents and petrol aren't measured in meters!
[edit] Potentially miss read there. Where? I'm building the dash from scratch so will burry the fuses inside the cab, but easy to get too if need be. Batteries are likely to be in the rear tray just forward of the rear arches.
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Hello all,
I'm currently planning my dash and wiring layout. I'm planning an enable and in/out switch for the winch. Would they be unusable if they were momentary switches? Anything else that might be worth considering other than an internal cab mounted isolator and remote socket?
I realise that the motor feeds will require some substantial cabling.
Thanks,
Welsey.
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Just reading through the furum post:
"I think those are the (extremely rare) genuine optional washer jets."
Nuts!
Edit:
Bet there are some on HGVs. They would be designed to be mounted on near vertical surfaces too. £50 is a bit much to buy a pair to hack about.
Would a second set of high beams be beneficial as spot lights or would they do little in combination to the LED on full and dipped beam? If so the centre lights could be enabled as a secondary pair of head lights with the dipped disabled for normal driving. Don't think I've changed the halagon fogs or high beams on my Skoda in over 100k miles of motoring!
Dubious legality though, and the problem would then be your from positional lights getting burried.
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Posted while I was typing. Good spot. If they're heated then they'd be great. Might have a closer look if I can get some old ones from ebay to see if I could make them heated. Would'nt need much wattage behind a plastic shield. Certinally no need for the little cartidge heaters you get on the 3D printers!
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I was thinking about a washer, I've got them on my Superb. Basically any car with headlights above a certain lux level (HID, and some LED from what I know) need either self leveling suspension or headlights and head light washers. Dirt on the headlight lenses causes the light pattern to degrade which can lead to more dazzling other drivers.
The issue with a lot of xenon headlight set ups is they are on pop out things - I think the Skoda's are popped out by the water pressure.
With regards to the D1s they also had much larger bore pipe going to them.
Another issue is finding jets that are heated. If not heated the antifreeze will boil off a wet nozzle jet leaving water that freezes. Washer jets are often heated on recent cars.
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Definately food for thought! I was looking at the 27291C. Can't find any heated Trucklites with UK pattern lights. After paying for two replacemens xenon bulbs on my daily driver I'd never choose to put them in.
Maintenance free, efficient, long life, and sealed LEDs sounded great.
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It's a pick up style body conversion on a Discovery with a single piece back window.
Miss my rear wiper on my saloon daily driver but thought pickup rear window is a bit better sheltered. Thanks for confirming!
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Any one experienced problems with LED headlights frosting over? Noticed Trucklite do do models with defrost and seem some complaints about it but hoping this might be when temperatures drop very low rather than around freezing?
Cheers,
Wes.
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Afternoon All,
I've a spare wiper motor kicking about. Is it worth looking into fitting a wiper to the rear window of a pick up cab or does airflow around a pick up mean the rear window rarely gets mucky?
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Ok, think I've got it.
YRM do the following: http://www.yrm-metal-solutions.co.uk/Land-Rover-Defender-90-Fuel-Filler-Neck
That confused me a little having not stared down the filler area of a defender! The following thread shows the profile of the back bit doesn't match the profile of the hole:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/1258430-post118.html
Sorted, I think! The outer wing part of my body is steel, so suspect I'll fabricate something from scratch to avoid the disimilar metals corrosion issue.
Thanks.
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Making some progress... I'm aiming for 2018 at the moment. Spreading the spending out a bit further!
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Thanks, 330366 is the bit I meant. I was hoping it was mounted to a flat section of the body for my project. Alas not quite that simple! I'll have a hunt around on kit car suppliers sites. looking for something like on this one:
https://mostlypyjamas.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/img_00631.jpg?w=764&h=
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Alright, a bit of a noddy question but what is the bit of body called where the fuel filler neck secures? It's on the rear quarter drivers side on the wing above and to the rear of the wheel. I'll be able to search for it once I know what it is!
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So in summary:
~ if RRC tunnel can be made to fit that may be easiest.
~ Gearbox removal isn't too bad without tunnel access.
~ Removable covers to grant better access to specifically the bell housing bolts would be a big help.
~ Structure around any removable panels would need reinforcement.
~ To make best use of it I'd have to consider it in parrallel to the layout of the interior and dash board.
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The heaters have been removed, but will be replaced with a much simpler system sold for kit cars. I am fairly free about where I locate things but that will only really be firmed up after the dashboard has been completed, which needs me to finish the wiring loom diagrams.... This will keep me quiet most of the year!
Thankfully there was never any air conditioning on this Disco. Like you say though I was surprised how much space the heating system was taking up!
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There's a roll frame like body going on and very little of the original body left. Just bulkhead and floor up until where the boot floor would have started. I had considered rebuilding the bulkhead entirely as I've got some previous owners dodgy repairs to remove and replace properly. Mixture of rough welding and silicone sealant holding the plane plate repairs! Also need to repair the floor just behind the tunnel in the centre as the sunroof leaks had pooled there and rotted out the floor.
Edit: When I say rebuilding I wouldn't be trying to mimic what's there. Just do a basic, but sturdy construction out of box section and decent thickness steel.
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Thanks for the hint on the RRC I'll look into that.
Yes the intention is to make it easier to remove the engine. Not had to tackle the box yet but I'm guessing that if I could drop the box with the help of an engine hoist through the drivers door and straps down through where the tunnel is things may be far easier, or at least safer. Bell housing nuts and bots were a pig to get to. I'm intending on repainting all of the body and want to make it easier to access with less risk fo scraping off body paint trying to get at awkward bolt.
Recomendations for lighting set up.
in International Forum
Posted
I think this post has shone a little light on the question.... [groan]
http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=68901
So high lights are nice for flexibility. Two can be shone to the sides two for distance. They give better illumination of the road and holes due to the angle, where as grill spots will hide more detail in shadows. High spots however become tricky in rain or adverse conditions. Grill spots are best when set as driving lights for distance view. Sound about right?
So switching would be on with full beam and selectable enabling of grill or high? Flash be set to burn all?
Edit: and carefully check that alternator is man enough to keep battery charged with all on!