Reverse lamp what side by law if any

[Jimmy Two-Jacks]

Hi,

Just thought I would ask if any laws state the side a reverse lamp can be fitted as I know the fitting of these lamps isnt mandatory for an mot but if fitted need to work.

Cheers

J

[Dave W]

I believe it can be either side (or in the middle) although if only one is fitted it's normally on the nearside but I don't think that's a legal requirement. It's normally "balanced" symmetrically with a fog light and the fog light has to be towards the offside if only one is fitted.

[western]

on a Right hand drive vehicle normal UK fit is reverse light in the rear centre or left rear with rear fog light [if fitted] on the right rear or in a matched pair of lights on each side.

[Tanuki]

Here in the UK there is no legal requirement for a reversing-light.

As such, you can fit it anywhere you want.

[My Defender has the original reversing-light disconnected, and the feed connected to a pair of 55-watt worklamps mounted one either side of the rear door - which makes night-time reversing with a trailer much easier!]

[Disco-Ron]

However, there is ai believe a law that states that the 'reversing light' if fitted can only be a max of 14watts......... hence why my working lights are on a relay, and can be switched on manually/off/on when reversing.........

[western]

However, there is ai believe a law that states that the 'reversing light' if fitted can only be a max of 14watts..

manufacturer fitted reverse lights are nearly always 21 watts.

8. Wattage–

(a) A reversing lamp bearing an approval mark:

No requirement

(b) A reversing lamp not bearing an approval mark:

The total wattage of any one reversing lamp shall not exceed 24 watts

copied from http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/14/made

[Disco-Ron]

thanks, thats clarified it, i knew there was a limit . . .

[Jimmy Two-Jacks]

thanks, thats clarified it, i knew there was a limit . . .

Thanks all.In that case I am going to fit a large LED 3 watt revese light on the drivers side or even one of those circular unimog 12/24volt led type reverse lights. The standard one as we all know was like a candle.

Cheers

Got the new number plates today, Nearly there now!

J

[M&S]

Here in the UK there is no legal requirement for a reversing-light.

As such, you can fit it anywhere you want.

[My Defender has the original reversing-light disconnected, and the feed connected to a pair of 55-watt worklamps mounted one either side of the rear door - which makes night-time reversing with a trailer much easier!]

Not true.

If one is fitted it has to be near side and fog lights off side. These can be mounted next to each other in the centre of the vehicle, so long as the fog is on the OS and teh reverse is on teh NS.

If two are fitted they should be equal distance from the sides of the vehicle.

I'll try and dig out the official document later, but I read up on it when removing my bumper and fitting body mounted fog/reverse lights.

Obviously your 55 watt work lamps have a seperate switch for highway use as they would be illegal as reverse lights

[Sirocco]

So thats the UK law,

But what about when your driving on the otherside of the road?

I have heard of African Cops (Mainly Senegalese in St. Louis) saying they should be the other way around and dishing out fines!

I suppose I could just change the lenses? same bulb in each?

Im going to take the spare fog out of the sankey also and fit a reversing lamp. Could i just put in a clear lens and change the wireing?

G

[crclifford]

So thats the UK law,

But what about when your driving on the otherside of the road?

I have heard of African Cops (Mainly Senegalese in St. Louis) saying they should be the other way around and dishing out fines!

I suppose I could just change the lenses? same bulb in each?

Im going to take the spare fog out of the sankey also and fit a reversing lamp. Could i just put in a clear lens and change the wireing?

G

When i was posted to Germany, and exporting my audi across i had to have the fog and reverse lights changed over (to meet BFG rules and be able to import it on BFG plates whilst serving in Germany)...as i believe that its the foglight that is the important one and it has to be on the off side of the vehicle. Some people got round this by fixing a cheap fog light to the underside of the bumper on the offside and leaving teh reverse light and fog light alone.

If i get round to stripping and rebuilding my 90, i'm going to put reverse lamps and fog lights on both sides as i think thats a better option then what i have now.

HTH

[pat_pending]

Not true.

If one is fitted it has to be near side and fog lights off side. These can be mounted next to each other in the centre of the vehicle, so long as the fog is on the OS and teh reverse is on teh NS.

If two are fitted they should be equal distance from the sides of the vehicle.

I'll try and dig out the official document later, but I read up on it when removing my bumper and fitting body mounted fog/reverse lights.

Obviously your 55 watt work lamps have a seperate switch for highway use as they would be illegal as reverse lights

In the link that Western posted it states "position--no requirement", although it wouldn't surprise me if there was conflicting legislation.

[Jimmy Two-Jacks]

In the link that Western posted it states "position--no requirement", although it wouldn't surprise me if there was conflicting legislation.

Thanks for the replies.... blimey thats confusing if the Schedule posted states one thing but maybe contradicted by an addendum or sub clause how do you know whats legal and whats not.

So just to recap I should mount the reverse on the NS and it has to be inline with one (two fitted in symetry) of my fog lamps?

What about vehicles often seen with reverse lamps above the door or on the OS is that illegal? I supose the former is central.

[western]

What about vehicles often seen with reverse lamps above the door or on the OS is that illegal? I supose the former is central.

that's NOT a reverse light, it's a WORK light & if used on public highways at any-time the vehicle must [to be fully legal] shows flashing amber beacon visible through 360 degrees [either a rotating halogen beacon or strobes or leds.

So just to recap I should mount the reverse on the NS and it has to be inline with one (two fitted in symetry) of my fog lamps?

Yes to reverse light location.

& symetrical with the existing fog light or matching reverse light on RH rear.

mine a matched pairs see my photo below or instead of side by side they can be stacked.

[G4FUJ]

if used on public highways at any-time the vehicle must [to be fully legal] shows flashing amber beacon visible through 360 degrees

Heh,

Tell that to all the d**n JCB drivers who insist on hiding the beacon in front of the back hoe!

Cheers,

[Blippie]

it's a WORK light & if used on public highways at any-time the vehicle must [to be fully legal] shows flashing amber beacon

I can't see anything in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations that link the use of a work lamp to use of an amber warning beacon. If there was, it would restrict the use of worklamps to the same list of vehciles that amber lamps are restricted to.

Yes to reverse light location.

& symetrical with the existing fog light or matching reverse light on RH rear.

Not sure about this. There's nothing that says it has to be related in any way with a fog lamp (for which there are position requirements and would therefore mean that there were position requirements for the reverse lamp.) The principle of matched pairs is sensible but isn't required in the schedule.

Cheers

Blippie

[western]

I can't see anything in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations that link the use of a work lamp to use of an amber warning beacon. If there was, it would restrict the use of worklamps to the same list of vehciles that amber lamps are restricted to.

Not sure about this. There's nothing that says it has to be related in any way with a fog lamp (for which there are position requirements and would therefore mean that there were position requirements for the reverse lamp.) The principle of matched pairs is sensible but isn't required in the schedule.

Cheers

Blippie

near the bottom of the link I posted earlier, all of the vehicles used at these locations also have amber beacons lit, plus other than for working at rear of the parent vehicle or reversing it is an offence to show a white light to the rear, but if a amber beacon is also lit then it's OK

“Work lamp” A lamp used to illuminate a working area or the scene of an accident, breakdown or roadworks in the vicinity of the vehicle to which it is fitted.

how often would you use a rear mounted worklight at the roadside anyway, plus would you like to be driving towards a fairly high mounted white rear facing light at night without any other form of hazard warning showing.

(2) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–©white light from a work lamp;

[Snagger]

Which side to fit a reverse light to is usually dictated by the position of the fog light, which must be central or on the driver's side of the vehicle (for overtaking vehicles' benefit) - by and large, most vehicles have one reverse and one rear fog light, so if the reverse light is not central, it'll be in the light cluster on the right hand side in the UK, Ireland, Japan, Aus and NZ, with the reverse light in the same position on the left side.

I believe it is perfectly acceptable to fit the reverse light anywhere you want it, and the above consideration is mostly cosmetic and cost related by the manufacturers. I fitted symmetrical reverse lights on my 109 (same body shape and dimensions as 110) using NAS lights. I also fitted twin NAS fogs. In such circumstances, it's best to fit the fogs outboard and the reverse lights inboard (or above or below) the fogs so that the fog lights display the width of the vehicle as fully as possible, but I don't think there is a legislative issue there as otherwise single fog lights would not be permitted on new vehicles.

[Blippie]

I can't see anything in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations that link the use of a work lamp to use of an amber warning beacon. If there was, it would restrict the use of worklamps to the same list of vehciles that amber lamps are restricted to.

near the bottom of the link I posted earlier, all of the vehicles used at these locations also have amber beacons lit, plus other than for working at rear of the parent vehicle or reversing it is an offence to show a white light to the rear, but if a amber beacon is also lit then it's OK

Sorry Ralph, you are wrong. There is nothing to say that you have to have amber beacons lit to use a worklamp. (And conversely, nothing to say that use of a worklamp WITH a beacon is automatically legal.) Beacons are restricted. Worklamps are not. Anyone can fit and use a worklamp, but not beacons.

how often would you use a rear mounted worklight at the roadside anyway, plus would you like to be driving towards a fairly high mounted white rear facing light at night without any other form of hazard warning showing.

That's as maybe, but they are not linked in law.

Very rarely does the use of a warning beacon make something else legal. A good example of this is the way that enmergency exemptions (speed limits, etc.) do not require the use of blue lights.

An exception to this is amber lights on slow vehicles on fast roads.

I believe it is perfectly acceptable to fit the reverse light anywhere you want it,

... As long as it shines to the rear!

I fitted symmetrical reverse lights [...] I also fitted twin NAS fogs. In such circumstances, it's best to fit the fogs outboard and the reverse lights inboard (or above or below) the fogs so that the fog lights display the width of the vehicle as fully as possible, but I don't think there is a legislative issue there.

Nope, there is no horizontal specification for fogs, just verticle (no lower than 25cm and no higher than a metre.

Cheers

Blippie

[western]

oh well, try it on the road then & see if you get questioned by the police, I'll stick with switching on my amber beacons when I need to use my rear worklight on public roads at night.

I'm not the only one read this thread to

regs for rear fog lights here

[Jimmy Two-Jacks]

oh well, try it on the road then & see if you get questioned by the police, I'll stick with switching on my amber beacons when I need to use my rear worklight on public roads at night.

I'm not the only one read this thread to

regs for rear fog lights here

Well this post opened a can of worms!!!!

Well having taken on board everyone’s input and thoughts. I fitted my reverse lamps today I used some DOT/SAE marked sealed led units in symmetry above the rear door and A 1350Lm led work light to be switched independently of the reverse lights.

Thanks for the section on the fogs, checked and mine are ok for spacing and placement.

Thanks for the help.

J