Dim-dip lighting

[wedg1e]

Speaking of originality, there was a time in the late '80s/ early '90s when some bright spark () decided it'd be a good plan to have your dipped beams come on at reduced brightness, when you put the sidelights on.
Luckily, common sense seems to have prevailed and as far as I know it was abolished along with motorcycle 'leg protectors'
Anyway, the fact remains that some wedges would have fallen foul of this legislation and had to have dim-dip fitted. My '87 car hasn't, but I had an '89 Peugot that did, so it must have been 'in' around '88.
Now, given that the all-knowing VOSA computer prints off a list of things for the MOT tester to check, will it apply the 'original equipment' rule and insist that dim-dip, if applicable, should be working? Or has it simply been quietly filed away as the pointless piece of cack that it is...?

Further to this, does anyone have any idea how the actual dim-dip unit was wired on the Wedge? I've perused TVRs diagrams courtesy of Mr. Heath, but it's not mentioned or shown anywhere that I can see. It's a Lucas module; I've traced the electronics and worked out most of the connections, I'm just curious as to how it was configured on the car.

Finally, I believe that Paul (gsx600) may well have a couple of these units for sale at the BBWF, if any originality freaks are interested...

[dixiebabes]

On my left usually is the wife she is not too bright and also very dim..........Anyone tells her this at the BBWF you and i are in major trouble

[blaineuk]

mine should have the system but it has stopped working, there are a couple of ceramic blocks in the engine bay that work the dim headlight arrangement, but they seem to be broken. went through the mot no problem just put the .headlights straight on

[number 7]

I think mine had this system, it meant that the pods raised when running on sidelights only, which I didn't want. IIRC (I did this in '99) I cut one one wire from the module, which now means I can run on sidelights with the pods down. I've got a wiring diagram of the system if you want a copy.
And I've never had a problem with MOT, in fact had one on Saturday.
7.

Edited by number 7 on Monday 3rd July 19:50

[blaineuk]

i would be intrested in which wire to cut.

[badredwedge]

blaineuk said:

i would be intrested in which wire to cut.

And Me Please

[leorest]

A mini-article for the WedgePages?

[andymadmak]

My car has the system. It works fine. When I had a bulb blow recently (the first time in 8 years ) I was told that the lamps were actually 100w off road units, They are only "dim" because of some gert big resistors apparently.

Andy

[wedg1e]

andymadmak said:

My car has the system. It works fine. When I had a bulb blow recently (the first time in 8 years ) I was told that the lamps were actually 100w off road units, They are only "dim" because of some gert big resistors apparently.

Andy

Hmmm. My guess is that the extra wattage would cook the power devices in the dim-dip module.

[wedg1e]

number 7 said:

I've got a wiring diagram of the system if you want a copy.

Edited by number 7 on Monday 3rd July 19:50

Aye, if you don't mind!

[andymadmak]

wedg1e said:

andymadmak said:

My car has the system. It works fine. When I had a bulb blow recently (the first time in 8 years ) I was told that the lamps were actually 100w off road units, They are only "dim" because of some gert big resistors apparently.

Andy

Hmmm. My guess is that the extra wattage would cook the power devices in the dim-dip module.

You may be right, but I've honestly had no problems in that regard - and the car has been driven LOTS in the dark.
I've just checked the bulb I took out (it was kicking around in the boot) and its definately a 100w unit. I've owned the car since 1998. Maybe a previous owner swapped them over?

Andy

[wedg1e]

I suppose it depends on how much time you have the sidelights only on... the power devices are rated at 15A and there are two in parallel, so theoretically 360W of lights (30A x 12v), but IMHO the heatsink effect of the alloy case would be way insufficient for that sort of power.

[number 7]

I've scanned the wiring diagram, so if anyone wants it in jpeg form, pm me with your email address. I'll also bring a few copies to BBWF.

As for which wire to cut, I need to take out the stero and dash panel to find out - hopefully before BBWF.

7.

[cdt]

Mine is an 89 build, 90 registration. The pods come up when the sidelights are on - never thought there could be some light coming out of the pods, might have a look one day.

Is this why my pods don't come up when I flash my lights at other cars? Whilst I noticed at last years BBWF everyone's pods do come up.

Tends not to be an issue for me as I've always thought, if it's dark enough to need sidelights, then it's dark enough for dipped lights. I'm sure lots of people will disagree.

Edited by cdt on Thursday 6th July 22:35

[blaineuk]

cdt said:

Tends not to be an issue for me as I've always thought, if it's dark enough to need sidelights, then it's dark enough for dipped lights. I'm sure lots of people will disagree.

Edited by cdt on Thursday 6th July 22:35

i think the same.

[number 7]

I tend to run with sidelights on most of the time - gives me more chance of being seen, and I've uprated the bulbs - just don't want the drag of the pods up. In fact I sometimes run with the driving lights on (another wiring mod) during daylight to be seen, especially on the continent - and to those who don't like seeing it - well, at least they've seen me, which is the point. Being run off the road twice makes you a bit defensive.

7.

[gsx600]

I think the way they are supposed to work, is on side lights with ign off, you just get side lights, side lights with ign on the pods raise and you get a dimmer dipped beam and side lights.
If you flash with lights off the spots flash but no raising of the pods.

Well that's what happens on my 89 400, and old 89 350, but on one of my old 350's for some reason it ate the relay modules, so just took them out and ran with the pods up but no light emitted.

So now Wedgie has fixed the dim dip relay if she turns up at BBWF I'll donate one to you