Additional lights, LED Cree bars etc

Mines a Cree LED Light Bar, all 2.5 watt LED's (72 watts) in an aluminium and polycarbonate unit. 13" width, no noise... or at least, I have never heard any noise apart from the general background noise. The outer LED's are 60 degree floods and the inner ones are 30 degree spots.

My Headlights are also Cree LED 20/22watt LED's.



My little Caravan, for those curious, is 600 kgs aluminium frame and aluminium/foam sandwich panels, electric brakes, dining table and chairs at front, cooking/fridge etc in middle and lounge at end that pulls out to large double/queen bed. An "Easy Tow 600" with annexe and Solar and satellite etc. I like to get away from it all and take it all with me sometimes. :evil: Had the Van since new in 1980.

The Jimny now has a 1.6 litre Suzi Baleno motor. Runs beautifully, good torque and effortless cruising over 470,000 k's. Headers 4/2/1 2" 100CPSI Cat, 2" exhaust and flow-through muffler.

furo wrote: I think lightbars across the roof look really cool, but they are illegal to use on the road. I also imagine they generate a fair bit of wind noise, as my roof bars do, and apparently they can glare off the bonnet.

Why would light bars be illegal for road use when mounted on the roof? I know a couple of people who run LED light bars on the roof, and they have had no problems with them. I thought you could have extra lights wherever you wanted, as long as the light output is symmetrical?

mark98 wrote:

furo wrote: I think lightbars across the roof look really cool, but they are illegal to use on the road. I also imagine they generate a fair bit of wind noise, as my roof bars do, and apparently they can glare off the bonnet.

Why would light bars be illegal for road use when mounted on the roof? I know a couple of people who run LED light bars on the roof, and they have had no problems with them. I thought you could have extra lights wherever you wanted, as long as the light output is symmetrical?

I thought aux lights are exempt from the mot test? :S

Its not the MOT, its the fact that you aren't allowed to use lights mounted behind the front axle on the road. Not really sure of the logic behind it. So lorries can use rooflights, but 4x4s/cars can't. I guess its not to confuse other road users or something, not sure exactly.

Putting mine behind the grill in the front bumper.
Not sure at this moment weather to wire to the main beam
or have it on a switch.

I was having a look around, and found this: "if we class spot lamps as 'additional main beam lights' then according to the Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 1796, The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 that are linked to above, there are no regulation requirements relating to longitudinal position, vertical position, distance between pair, angle or even any maximum wattage."
Basically, the "spotlights on the roof are illegal for road use" seems to be a bit of an urban myth as far as I can tell...And anyway, there are 4x4's a plenty with roof spots wired to the main beam, so I can't see it being illegal.