lights
- Thread starter sammyboi
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KraftyPg
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Welcome Sammyboi? Got a Nav? What Model?
The rules vary state to state, some have pairs only, some allow singles, some only allow two sets of lights, and for others it's how you mount them. You really need to look at the rules relevant to your state and a good place to start is the state road corps website.
The rules vary state to state, some have pairs only, some allow singles, some only allow two sets of lights, and for others it's how you mount them. You really need to look at the rules relevant to your state and a good place to start is the state road corps website.
I thought the limit in NSW was 6 forward-facing white lights. Parkers are not included. I'm not sure where fog lights stand.
The rules (Division 2, Rule 78) state that low-beam lights must be mounted as pairs, no less than 600mm apart (section 1), equidistant from the centreline (R76s1b) and at the same height (R76s1c) and higher than 500mm above the ground and lower than 1400mm above the ground (R78 section 4). Rule 80 states that lights must (where possible) be fitted in pairs, as far apart as possible.
The rules themselves don't seem to specify a limit to how many, but that might just be my blindness. And to think, I read through it 3 times. Age is a horrible thing.
The rules (Division 2, Rule 78) state that low-beam lights must be mounted as pairs, no less than 600mm apart (section 1), equidistant from the centreline (R76s1b) and at the same height (R76s1c) and higher than 500mm above the ground and lower than 1400mm above the ground (R78 section 4). Rule 80 states that lights must (where possible) be fitted in pairs, as far apart as possible.
The rules themselves don't seem to specify a limit to how many, but that might just be my blindness. And to think, I read through it 3 times. Age is a horrible thing.
I've got 8 facing fowards (2 head lights, 2 spot lights on bull bar and 4 driving lamps accross sports bar) and i've never had any issues with victorian police. The two spot lights are wired together into the high beam with an on/off switch and the 4 driving lights are wired in pairs, not connected to my high beam.
Saying that, I know SA has much stricter laws regarding roof mounted lights.
I found it hard to get a straight answer out of Vic Roads about it really...
Saying that, I know SA has much stricter laws regarding roof mounted lights.
I found it hard to get a straight answer out of Vic Roads about it really...
K
KraftyPg
Guest
I do know laws in Vic used too state two forward facing pairs (not including headlights and foglights) and all lights must be within the extremities of the car, i.e. no mounting on the tops of bullbars or sports bars.
Coppers down this way have a blitz atleast once a year on bogan utes (nothing says bogan like a dunnydoor with a bowtie badge) where they either slap fines on drivers or give them warnings for lights mounted too high. All you have to do to make them legal is weld something from the bar over the top of the highest point of the lights and incorporate that somehow into the mounting and the lights become legal but if the light is the highest part of the vehicle the coppers can and in some cases do take action.
Having said that we've driven the same roads and past the same coppers for years with driving lights mounted to the top of the bullbar on the trucks. Truck bars and bodys make them less of an issue but it's still illegal and none of the drivers no matter what they were getting pulled over for have ever got a fine for them.
Coppers down this way have a blitz atleast once a year on bogan utes (nothing says bogan like a dunnydoor with a bowtie badge) where they either slap fines on drivers or give them warnings for lights mounted too high. All you have to do to make them legal is weld something from the bar over the top of the highest point of the lights and incorporate that somehow into the mounting and the lights become legal but if the light is the highest part of the vehicle the coppers can and in some cases do take action.
Having said that we've driven the same roads and past the same coppers for years with driving lights mounted to the top of the bullbar on the trucks. Truck bars and bodys make them less of an issue but it's still illegal and none of the drivers no matter what they were getting pulled over for have ever got a fine for them.
There is another issue with driving lights that isn't covered in the ADR and I hope you bear this in mind when putting lights on your car.
At idle, your alternator should be only just barely putting out enough power to keep the battery at a steady state of charge with minimal things running. The YD25 (D40) alternator is specified to develop NO MORE than 145A when the engine is revving over 3400rpm (p44 of SC.PDF - Starting and Charging). The VQ40 (petrol) engine develops 120A at most, with the engine rpm over 3100. The diesel is supposed to develop 33A at around 1300rpm and 105A at 2500rpm.
Let's say the average rpm is 2000 (where the torque curve rises the most). Alternator power should be in the 70-80A ballpark.
That's the figure I'd be relying on. Now, let's look at what the car needs.
The ECU, fuel pump, instruments, BCM, TCM will use up roughly 30A of power give or take a few amps. That leaves us with 50A to play with.
Your headlights are 55W each, tail lights 12W each (tail) - we won't count the brake lights because we're not always on the brakes unless there's a taxi driver behind us. Front parker lights are 12W each so we have 4x12=48W + 2x55=110W = 158W = about 12A (while the alternator is running you should get about 13V from it, 158/13 = 12).
Your consumption WITHOUT driving lights at night is 42A, leaving you 38A to play with.
A 100W driving light will draw about 8 amps. This means you can fit 5 of these to be just behind the 8-ball on power, and any more you're not only compromising your battery, but you're loading the alternator up hugely, which increases the wear and reduces its life.
At idle, your alternator should be only just barely putting out enough power to keep the battery at a steady state of charge with minimal things running. The YD25 (D40) alternator is specified to develop NO MORE than 145A when the engine is revving over 3400rpm (p44 of SC.PDF - Starting and Charging). The VQ40 (petrol) engine develops 120A at most, with the engine rpm over 3100. The diesel is supposed to develop 33A at around 1300rpm and 105A at 2500rpm.
Let's say the average rpm is 2000 (where the torque curve rises the most). Alternator power should be in the 70-80A ballpark.
That's the figure I'd be relying on. Now, let's look at what the car needs.
The ECU, fuel pump, instruments, BCM, TCM will use up roughly 30A of power give or take a few amps. That leaves us with 50A to play with.
Your headlights are 55W each, tail lights 12W each (tail) - we won't count the brake lights because we're not always on the brakes unless there's a taxi driver behind us. Front parker lights are 12W each so we have 4x12=48W + 2x55=110W = 158W = about 12A (while the alternator is running you should get about 13V from it, 158/13 = 12).
Your consumption WITHOUT driving lights at night is 42A, leaving you 38A to play with.
A 100W driving light will draw about 8 amps. This means you can fit 5 of these to be just behind the 8-ball on power, and any more you're not only compromising your battery, but you're loading the alternator up hugely, which increases the wear and reduces its life.
joshman
Member
Don't forget to factor in any dual batteries and drifted you might be running!
scottybobcat
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Welcome to the forum anyway mate
Aussie Frontier
Member
ADR NCOP we can go on for ages on what state allows what
I do have a question though for us all to ponder
At this stage all lighting is rated by both number of globes and wattage
for example brake like is 25watts etc single globe.
How are they going to handle LED gear with multiple low wattage light sources?
I do have a question though for us all to ponder
At this stage all lighting is rated by both number of globes and wattage
for example brake like is 25watts etc single globe.
How are they going to handle LED gear with multiple low wattage light sources?
