Discussion
Another daft question, but is anyone prepared to hazard a guess as to whether I have fog or spotlights on my V8S? They were manufactured by Ring, but the only identification I can find on them is Halogen RG61 and 1497 and 02B.
They haven't worked since I bought the car, but I'm going to try and have them sorted out tomorrow. They are disconnected so I don't know whether they come on with dipped or main beam. They have a separate switch (which at least illuminates).
Personally, I'm in the dark...ahem
They haven't worked since I bought the car, but I'm going to try and have them sorted out tomorrow. They are disconnected so I don't know whether they come on with dipped or main beam. They have a separate switch (which at least illuminates).
Personally, I'm in the dark...ahem
spot or fog will have different lens patterns. If the glass has lots of vertical ribs, it's probably a fog - shoort range wide beam. If the lens is almost clear, it's probably a spot - minimal light dispersal.
Easiest way to test is to disconnect the wires, then run a couple of wires briefly straight to the bulb terminals - you'll be able to tell from the shape of the beam, what they are, and therefore how they should be wired up.
but if they have a separate switch they are probably fogs
Easiest way to test is to disconnect the wires, then run a couple of wires briefly straight to the bulb terminals - you'll be able to tell from the shape of the beam, what they are, and therefore how they should be wired up.
but if they have a separate switch they are probably fogs
some were spots, some were fogs - I don't know why, but there have been threads before that showed that.
The OP needs to figure out what they are, so that he can figure out when they are supposed to be "live". But hang on - didn't he say that the switch illuminates?
DUH!
OP - when does the switch illuminate? Side lights, dip or main beam? First 2 means the car is wired as fogs, last one means it's wired as spots.
Life is easier when you read the question properly...
The OP needs to figure out what they are, so that he can figure out when they are supposed to be "live". But hang on - didn't he say that the switch illuminates?
DUH!OP - when does the switch illuminate? Side lights, dip or main beam? First 2 means the car is wired as fogs, last one means it's wired as spots.
Life is easier when you read the question properly...
Barkychoc said:
Someone has probably swapped them at some point or TVR put the wrong ones in?
Both entirely possible, that was why I wanted to figure out how the car was wired, not just what kind of lamps they are.Mine (admittedly an S3C not a V8) are fogs, wired as fogs - and like all front fog lamps, they serve absolutely no practical use whatsoever.
tvrgit said:
and like all front fog lamps, they serve absolutely no practical use whatsoever.
I thought that some (not on Tivs of course)were wired up to come on in all weathers during day or night, aligned to blind oncoming drivers to indicate that the driver is a Chav ? am I wrong ?K
Edited by ketvrin on Tuesday 7th June 12:14
ketvrin said:
I thought that some (not on Tivs of course)were wired up to come on in all weathers during day or night, aligned to blind oncoming drivers to indicate that the driver is a Chav ? am I wrong ?
K
Indeed. Specified in the brochures, I believe, as "w***er lights" to alert the rest of the driving population, when the baseball cap and simian driving position might not be immediately apparent.K
And the answer is...fogs wired as spots, directly into the main beam wiring, thus probably drawing too much current and blowing the fuse. However, they now work. Will be interesting to see how completely ineffective they will be if I ever take the car out in the dark! Thumbs up to Cornwall Auto Technics in Helston who sorted that out, and cleared out the mess of useless and unnecessary connectors.
Have you looked at *how* they're wired?
Mine were the correct lamp type wired as driving lamps, which is great. But they were power by a relay which is controlled by the headlamp circuit and fed power to the switch which then supplied the lamps.
There's a relay _right there_. Why not use the switch to control the relay, and use the relay to power the lamps? That way the switch won't burn out and if there's any problem you just replace the cheap easily replaced relay instead of the expensive and hard-to-replace switch. But no, TVR had to do it the other way. Bless 'em.
Mine were the correct lamp type wired as driving lamps, which is great. But they were power by a relay which is controlled by the headlamp circuit and fed power to the switch which then supplied the lamps.
There's a relay _right there_. Why not use the switch to control the relay, and use the relay to power the lamps? That way the switch won't burn out and if there's any problem you just replace the cheap easily replaced relay instead of the expensive and hard-to-replace switch. But no, TVR had to do it the other way. Bless 'em.
Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff