Light bar or spotlights on roof, legal?

[Speed addicted]

I’ve currently got a 2015 Mitsubishi L200 pickup, it’s been extremely handy during our house renovation.

However the house is in the country and I spend quite a bit of time on dark roads, this shows just how bad the lights are on the truck even though they’re HID.

I’d like to add additional lights, mounting a light bar on roof rails would keep it out of the muck and give a solid mounting but I'm finding conflicting information about the legality of using it on the road.

Any definitive answers?

[Exige77]

Have a look here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/cont...

[Flibble]

My reading of that regulation is you can fit as many main beam lights as you like, wherever you like as long as they are compliant units. So wire the light bar into the main beam relay and you're fine.

[Fish]

I believe you can fit what you like as long as it only comes on with the main beam then dips, it is forward facing and white or yellow and it shoudl be type approved ie BS or now EU marked(don't know where this stands with brexit)

Most of the cheap Chinese light bars are not Eu marked but plenty of people fit them..

The only problem you will have on the roof is in heavy rain/snow they reflect back in your face.. also if you go too powerful when you go back to dip beam it looks like you're using candles!

[Speed addicted]

Thanks, that’s helped greatly.

I’d already thought about the ‘I’ve gone blind’ moment when you dip the lights but not the issue of rain/snow reflecting!

Suppose I can switch them off if it’s too bad

[anonymous-user]

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

[andburg]

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

The lights on my VW T4 were nonexistant despite uprated bulbs, proble is thwe wiring is crap and the bulb never receive 12v.
Bought an upgrade loom that sticks a relay on the bulb connector and then takes a new live feed from the battery and its night and day difference, perhaps there is a similar upgrade available.

edit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T4-Transporter-Uprat...

In theory it should work with any H4 bulbs, cable lengths to battery dependent, it could be worth checking to see how much of the 12v they need are actually being delivered to the bulbs

Edited by andburg on Wednesday 3rd February 12:25

[Psycho Warren]

I fitted a rally lamp pod to one of my cars due to the candles fitted OEM.

Was very effective! Literally night versus day when the main beams came on.

Rally lamps are great for bullying middle lane morons and outside lane hogs out the way.

I think being blinded makes even the most hardened MLM or road hog get out the way to save thier retina's.

Also worked well on dark lanes when you get an oncoming car who refuses to dip their main beam - quick flash of the rally lights and never had one fail to dip.

Bit of an extreme solution but I already had the lamp pod, it was a £500 banger so no fks given about drilling the bonnet to fit the pod. plus it looked rediculous which made it more amusing.



Excuse the severed head and blood, that was just for halloween.

[FiF]

Fish said:

I believe you can fit what you like as long as it only comes on with the main beam then dips, it is forward facing and white or yellow and it shoudl be type approved ie BS or now EU marked(don't know where this stands with brexit)

Most of the cheap Chinese light bars are not Eu marked but plenty of people fit them..

The only problem you will have on the roof is in heavy rain/snow they reflect back in your face.. also if you go too powerful when you go back to dip beam it looks like you're using candles!

That's my view too, too many folks get would up about E marking, ECE regulations etc, in practice as long as it is wired to extinguish when you dip, colour white or yellow, and adjustable while fitted to vehicle, AND you don't use it causing dazzle or nuisance then nobody will bother.

Agree with the comment about back scatter, in my experience anything other than clear conditions and they're a distraction, the slightest mist or snow, heavy rain too and better off without. Imo for road use auxiliaries are better mounted below eye line, however that opens up another problem that design of modern vehicles often makes this harder than used to be the case.

Having said that now that LED lighting has developed to the point that the old bin lid Super Oscar type reflector lamps are old hat there are some quite small units available to mount. Some good stuff from PIAA and Lazer though they can be damned expensive. Someone recently fitted a Lazer Linear-16 light bar to the front of their Freelander 2 using number plate brackets, nice and effective and unobtrusive, but a gnats off 400 quid.

[QuattroDave]

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

[C350Akra]

I mounted a lightbar above the number plate on my L200, they need to be compliant and there may still be a need for them to be equal around the centre point, e.g. 3 lights fitted with 2 to one side would not be legal.

[FiF]

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Will just mention VW Type 2 split, 6v electrics.

[Roger Irrelevant]

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

[QuattroDave]

Roger Irrelevant said:

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

Are we at risk of falling into a python sketch here, I can't see that far ahead....

[KingofKong]

Rather than looking like Colt Seavers I really like the look of these - https://www.lazerlamps.com/mitsubishi-l200-linear-...

[mac96]

QuattroDave said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

Are we at risk of falling into a python sketch here, I can't see that far ahead....

You think you had it tough? Try an MGB with the reflectors 40% covered with rust. (and, remarkably, an MOT)

[QuattroDave]

mac96 said:

QuattroDave said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

Are we at risk of falling into a python sketch here, I can't see that far ahead....

You think you had it tough? Try an MGB with the reflectors 40% covered with rust. (and, remarkably, an MOT)

Why would you cover your lights with an MOT? That's asking for trouble!

[mac96]

QuattroDave said:

mac96 said:

QuattroDave said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

Are we at risk of falling into a python sketch here, I can't see that far ahead....

You think you had it tough? Try an MGB with the reflectors 40% covered with rust. (and, remarkably, an MOT)

Why would you cover your lights with an MOT? That's asking for trouble!

Needed two copies of the certificate, and tended to blow off if you exceeded 40mph, a sort of automatic full beam. Handy.

[RedAndy]

I assume your normal main beam is very good, and its your headlights that coudl do with some upgrades for those moments when there's summat coming th other way.... well on L200owners uk on facebook they all rave about Novisight bulbs.

[QuattroDave]

mac96 said:

QuattroDave said:

mac96 said:

QuattroDave said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

QuattroDave said:

Breadvan72 said:

Wimps! Try driving around in 1960s and 1970s cars. Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!


PS: the worst lights that I ever had on a car were on a 2005 Jaguar X Type. They were beyond dire.

I also had a 2005 X-type, they couldn't even illuminate dire let alone beyond it.

Pffft. You don't know you're born. The headlights on my old 2003 Honda Accord were so bad that I'd have been better off taping a cigarette to the front. That would have lasted longer than the halogen bulbs typically did too. Joking aside this does piss me off - we've had a couple of Yarises (Yarii?) - which are, and don't pretend to be anything other than, cheap runabouts. Yet the (halogen) headlights are more than good enough for our nocturnal peregrinations, even after ten years. So it's clearly possible to have a cheap halogen unit that does the job, so why oh why you could buy a car in the modern era with lights that are borderline dangerous is beyond me!

Are we at risk of falling into a python sketch here, I can't see that far ahead....

You think you had it tough? Try an MGB with the reflectors 40% covered with rust. (and, remarkably, an MOT)

Why would you cover your lights with an MOT? That's asking for trouble!

Needed two copies of the certificate, and tended to blow off if you exceeded 40mph, a sort of automatic full beam. Handy.

....and that's why I was speeding officer!