11 replies to this topic

[Jake Didsbury]

Hi all,

Im just wondering, I recently bought a pair of wipac chrome fog lamps 5.5" for my mini, Ive put them in the middle (its a cooper with twp spots on the outer edge), I want to do away with the spots that came with the car and have 4 wipac lamps instead, as currently I have the standard spots on the outside and two wipac ones in the middle and I dont think it looks right. Would it be ok to have 4 wipac fog lamps to come on with the main beam, or does it have to be 2 driving lamps and2 fogs? Sorry if it sounds confusing im just unsure on the rules (if there are any)

Many thanks
Jake

[Ethel]

I don't think so, they're only spotlights with a flat beam really. You could look in the IVA build manual

http://www.roadtrans...ighting-cu.html - should find something from there

[Jackmorton]

Why not just get two wipac spotlights for the outer ?


http://www.minispare...44&prod_id=1132

[Liam Mini 35]

yes it is illegal. you have to have fog lights wired in seperately. so can have std driving lamps come on with the main beam but not fog lighs.

[Cerberus]

yes it is illegal. you have to have fog lights wired in seperately. so can have std driving lamps come on with the main beam but not fog lighs.

But surely they're just lights, and as long as they're not used as foglights in any other way, like a fog light switch, what would the problem be?

Also, I would have thought that when your onto main beam, it doesn't really matter what your lights are, as no one is going to be looking at them, else you wouldn't be on main beam.

Sure I remember reading you can have whatever wattage main beam bulb you like but dipped must not exceed 55W as this is the one which others see, but that's Off topic really,

[AVV IT]

Yes technically it would be illegal as The Highway Code states, that front and rear fog lights must not be used unless visibility is seriously reduced - which generally means when you cannot see further than 100 metres (328 feet) - and that they must be switched off once the visibility improves.

Therefore having them permanently wired into your main beam circuit means that you would not be able to switch them off independently. However as others have pointed out, a classic mini fog lamp is really just a spot lamp with a flat beam. It would therefore be difficult for anyone to easily distinguish between a fog lamp and a spot lamp in order to deem that you are actually committing an offence. Realistically the law can really only be applied to modern vehicles where the fog lamps are mounted low down and at the outer edges of the front bumper, (in order for them to be easily defined as fog lamps specifically.)

Edited by AVV IT, 24 November 2011 - 04:42 PM.

[maggies_minder]

dont "driving lamps" have to have a lens that alters the direction the light travels, like a normal head light??

and fogs just have a plain glass front.
i dont think i could drive around with mine on...

[Cerberus]

i dont think i could drive around with mine on...

Why not?

As long as they're only coming on when the main beam is on, I can't see how anyone is going to be able to tell that you'd be using fogs as spotlights.

[blakie]

Im sure you would never have a problem. As for MOT front fogs are not a testable item so could not fail however they are wired up.

blakie

[Springfield01]

Have a look at this article from West Midlands police...seems like sound advice.

http://www.cwn.org.u...-fog-lights.htm

[Cooperman]

The fog lights referred to in legislation which only allows them in fog or snow only applies to them when they are mounted below 16" above ground level to lamp centre. Lights above this height are classed as auxiliary lights and may be used with headlights, dipped or main beam, so long as they dip when the headlights dip.
However, there is little point in having foglights on with main beams as the range of the fog lights is always less than the main beam so you won't gain anything in terms of better night illumination. Driving or spot lights, if of good quality, will out-range the headlights and make night driving safer.
Fog lights are not really necessary now as we don't get the sort of fog conditions frequently like we did in the 60's and headlights are better in fog these days. In thick fog it was normal to switch off the headlights and just run on a pair of fog lights which 'cut under' the layer of fog to allow the kerbs or the sides of the road to be seen.

[maggies_minder]

my spots are only wired to come on with my full beams...not that theres much difference between full beams and main beams.