IVA rules for headlights coming on with dips - my poor brain
IVA rules for headlights coming on with dips - my poor brain
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Music Guy123

Original Poster:

37 posts

148 months

Saturday 10th May 2014
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Hi,

Am currently trying to get a car past the IVA test. Can't seem to find an answer to what seems like quite a stupid question, so hopefully you guys can help make it clear to me! Struggling to get my head around all the M1!!

Basically, I realise the new rules with regards to fog lamps (i.e. they should only be able to be turned on with dips or main beam and when the dips are turned off and then on again, the fog light should not be on). But what is the rule with regards to headlamps? I'd set it so that the main beam could only come on when the dips are on (it would put the dips out and put the main beam on). But when the main and dips are turned off, down to sidelights, and then go back to main and dips, the mains would be on and not the dips. This is only the case provided you just turned lights back down to side lights and didn't turn the main beam back to dip. So the idea would be I would have a switch that would go from nothing to side lights to sidelights and dips then to fogs, dips and sidelights. and then back off in that order. Then from any time when the dips are on, there would be a selector/changing switch to go between dips and main beams. The result is that if you left the selector switch on main beam and just turned the first switch down to sidelights, only the sidelights would be on, but when you turned back to dips, it would be the main lights and not the dips on unless the selector switch was switched back.

Does that make sense? If not, I'll try to explain!

The point is, would that pass or when I turn the main lights on, would it have to be the dip that comes on and not the main?

All the best, hope someone can help smile.

littleredrooster

6,358 posts

225 months

Saturday 10th May 2014
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Why not fit a triggering relay for main beam operated by dipped beam, so that mains can only come on if dip is live; I believe that, on all recent vehicles, dip needs to stay on when main is activated.

Music Guy123

Original Poster:

37 posts

148 months

Saturday 10th May 2014
quotequote all
I thought in twin fillament H4 bulbs, the dips went out when the mains were put on???

also, my problem is when the lights are switched off and on again if that makes sense? I'm just wondering if I could avoid using a latching relay (as they're pretty expensive). But if there is no other way, I will.

Hope that makes sense lol, I'm confusing myself!

miniman

30,017 posts

291 months

Saturday 10th May 2014
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So if I understand correctly - you leave the main beam stalk set to main beam and turn the lights off (or to sidelights only). Then you switch the lights on again and they light up on main beam?

If so, it's fine. Every car I've ever had works like this.