daylight running lights

Hi all,

I want to install daylight running lights in the space on the factory ally bullbar where the indicator/ parkers sit. I'll have to put new indicators (some sort of slim LED) somewhere on the bar - Q is, where? Does anyone know of any reg's I'd need to be aware of?

Cheers
N

The regs are often different to what happens in the real world, I know for a long while different cops saw the rules differently and booked for different things but I think your biggest problem is going to be putting them where the parkers sit.

My understanding is that running lights have to be deemed different to both parkers or fog lights you'd have to convince a copper that your running lights were exactly that and because it so often comes down to the discretion of the copper it might not always be an easy fight to win.

I don't really see a need for daytime running lights but if I had to install them I think I'd try putting them somewhere different so there could never be an assumption made that they were replacing any other light on the vehicle.

Don't worry about replacing the indicators on the bar.You have them in the head lights and on the gaurds.

I wasn't really questioning your thoughts on putting them on, I just don't see a need but we all have different ideas.

Rather than coming down to wiring I think it comes down to Mr Plod's wiring.

Up until recently there was literally hundreds of complaints from people in Victoria getting stung by cops for these lights, even cars with factory fitted lights were getting stung at times because there was no exact legislation covering them and some legislation even made them illegal if you had a copper read it that way. People were up in arms, and rightly so but it didn't change the fact that a copper had the final say.

Things have changed over the last 6 months and they will change further as more cars come out with this from the factory but to my way of thinking if you stick them in an existing mounting point like a bullbar or the fog lights hole there is the potential to have a copper suggest you've removed a light meant for the cars safety and replaced it with an always on light and there is potential for a fine. Where as if you ran a strip of LED's along the bottom of one of the horizontals (for example) on a bullbar and all other lights were intact they could never argue the fact.

I think coppers are becoming more aware of these types of lighting systems and can see their practicality but there is always a few who will fine for things until specific legislation is made.

The indicators in the bar are to make the vehicle ADR compliant - the top hoops obscure the combination lamp's direction indicator lamp throughout a good forty degrees of its view angle and this is not permitted. Relocate the indicator to another spot on the bar, or locate the DRL in another spot on the bar, and you will be fine. I wouldn't suggest assembling a combination lamp as the DRL will reduce the visibility of the direction indicator considerably and this is not safe for you. Consider a pair of the LED rows that are made for tail lamps, they're very slim and could just be mounted onto the bar anywhere you wanted. They need to remain within the envelope between the existing lamp and the outer corner of the bar though - another ADR regarding the clear signalling of direction changes.

On the topic of DRL and coppers - the intent of the law is to stop the f***wits driving around in their VT Commodores with MASSIVE fog lights on in the middle of the clearest day. I don't care what they think, they ARE distracting and difficult to see past. DRLs are on a different scale altogether and are not intended to be bright at all, so I don't see how you'd get much attention. YMMV of course.

Cheers fella's

All valid points. I'll ponder this one a bit longer and when I work it out I'll post some pics.

I'd look at putting a short strip of LEDs along the bottom of or underneath the bull bar and leave the other lights as is.

AFIK there is no rule that says you cant have you park lights on in the day so you could always just convert your white forward facing park lights into DRL. All you would need is to convert to LED with a LED globe. Run the power feed for the DRL via a diode and that way you keep full park light functionality as well have your DRL

Aussie Frontier said:

AFIK there is no rule that says you cant have you park lights on in the day so you could always just convert your white forward facing park lights into DRL. All you would need is to convert to LED with a LED globe. Run the power feed for the DRL via a diode and that way you keep full park light functionality as well have your DRL

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Think it might be illegal to run parkers only - but could be wrong. The problem with converting the existing light is that they are gold-fish bowls, and pretty much useless. Having said that, your idea is worthy of investigation.

I know we cant run the fog lights unless in"Hazardous Conditions" but cars have been running with headlights on for years now. Telstra wires the headlights to come on with all their fleet.
I cant see how they could deem small white led lights in the front of a vehicle to be illegal.
With the amount of new cars coming out these days with very bright LED lights that can be seen from a good distance I cant see some cop picking on a few small LEDs