Legal limit on brightness of lights on a road car?
Discussion
I'm thinking of getting some spotlights for my car as my drive home is via unlit country roads and so i thought some extra illumination would be better!
I have some spare spotlights I could fit that originally came off my rally car (the sort that turn the night into daylight
) but was unsure as to whether they'd be 'road legal'?
So is there a limit on the brightness of lighting? Or would I be ok to fit them? (they'd be wired independantly of the standard lighting)
Merci!
I have some spare spotlights I could fit that originally came off my rally car (the sort that turn the night into daylight
) but was unsure as to whether they'd be 'road legal'? So is there a limit on the brightness of lighting? Or would I be ok to fit them? (they'd be wired independantly of the standard lighting)
Merci!
I'm quite sure the usual legal limit of 60W applies to your main beam too, but I could be wrong. I've never seen a "standard" dipped beam over 55W, but H4 mains are 60W so I presume that is the legal limit. The rally bulbs sold by Ring and the like are always marked as off road use only if they're over 60W.
However, I've been running 100W main beams for months now, no problem. Since they're turned off with any other car around, no issue with blinding people/getting caught etc. In your case, I guess your lights will be somewhat more obvious when not being used
but so long as no copper catches you with them on, no problem - you just 'don't use them on the road'.
ETA - Some speedy (and possibly inaccurate) research says that the bulbs need to be 'E' marked to meet the EU regulations. High-wattage bulbs tend not to be, so would be technically illegal, though it seems there's not an actual limit on power output per se.
However, I've been running 100W main beams for months now, no problem. Since they're turned off with any other car around, no issue with blinding people/getting caught etc. In your case, I guess your lights will be somewhat more obvious when not being used
but so long as no copper catches you with them on, no problem - you just 'don't use them on the road'.ETA - Some speedy (and possibly inaccurate) research says that the bulbs need to be 'E' marked to meet the EU regulations. High-wattage bulbs tend not to be, so would be technically illegal, though it seems there's not an actual limit on power output per se.
Edited by McSam on Thursday 20th January 10:39
doogz said:
I always thought the limit was 60W, backed up by the fact that anything you buy that's rated higher than that always says "Off road use only" or something similar.
But, i phoned VOSA last year to ask someone, 2 55W bulbs on my lorry, driving up dark country roads is a bit hopeless, and was told that there is no upper limit on how powerful your headlight bulbs are allowed to be.
Obviously though, you need to take into account the wiring in place when thinking about uprating them, although if you're talking about fitting some new spots, you can make sure the wiring is up to the job easily enough.
Still haven't done anything about my trucks candles though.
They still need to be 'E' marked though...But, i phoned VOSA last year to ask someone, 2 55W bulbs on my lorry, driving up dark country roads is a bit hopeless, and was told that there is no upper limit on how powerful your headlight bulbs are allowed to be.
Obviously though, you need to take into account the wiring in place when thinking about uprating them, although if you're talking about fitting some new spots, you can make sure the wiring is up to the job easily enough.
Still haven't done anything about my trucks candles though.
as these are classed as optional main beam headlamps the rules that apply are
RVLR 1989 sched 5 part II
And this states by reference to other paras that only reqts are acc part 1:-
Para 7 white or yellow in colour
Para 10 extinguish when dipped beam selected
Para 12a direction of beam adjustable when vehicle stationary.
That's it, wattage, intensity no restriction.
Turn night into day there OP.
RVLR 1989 sched 5 part II
And this states by reference to other paras that only reqts are acc part 1:-
Para 7 white or yellow in colour
Para 10 extinguish when dipped beam selected
Para 12a direction of beam adjustable when vehicle stationary.
That's it, wattage, intensity no restriction.
Turn night into day there OP.
F i F said:
as these are classed as optional main beam headlamps the rules that apply are
RVLR 1989 sched 5 part II
And this states by reference to other paras that only reqts are acc part 1:-
Para 7 white or yellow in colour
Para 10 extinguish when dipped beam selected
Para 12a direction of beam adjustable when vehicle stationary.
That's it, wattage, intensity no restriction.
Turn night into day there OP.
That's fantastic, thanks for finding that out RVLR 1989 sched 5 part II
And this states by reference to other paras that only reqts are acc part 1:-
Para 7 white or yellow in colour
Para 10 extinguish when dipped beam selected
Para 12a direction of beam adjustable when vehicle stationary.
That's it, wattage, intensity no restriction.
Turn night into day there OP.
doogz said:
Scuffers said:
doogz said:
I always thought the limit was 60W, backed up by the fact that anything you buy that's rated higher than that always says "Off road use only" or something similar.
But, i phoned VOSA last year to ask someone, 2 55W bulbs on my lorry, driving up dark country roads is a bit hopeless, and was told that there is no upper limit on how powerful your headlight bulbs are allowed to be.
Obviously though, you need to take into account the wiring in place when thinking about uprating them, although if you're talking about fitting some new spots, you can make sure the wiring is up to the job easily enough.
Still haven't done anything about my trucks candles though.
They still need to be 'E' marked though...But, i phoned VOSA last year to ask someone, 2 55W bulbs on my lorry, driving up dark country roads is a bit hopeless, and was told that there is no upper limit on how powerful your headlight bulbs are allowed to be.
Obviously though, you need to take into account the wiring in place when thinking about uprating them, although if you're talking about fitting some new spots, you can make sure the wiring is up to the job easily enough.
Still haven't done anything about my trucks candles though.
Cheers
I would presume that the reason no bulb over 60W is commonly 'E' marked is because manufacturers' original wiring will have a maximum design power of 60W, so a more powerful bulb is deemed dangerous because it might start melting stuff in the engine bay, or plastic lens covers.
If you've wired it yourself you don't have this problem, but your bulbs would still technically need to be 'E' marked. Plod is not going to remove bulbs from your spotlights to check unless you really piss him off, so all will be well - especially as your Mini won't look at all out of place, good call
I have a pair of spots on the mini (55W each) and they make a huge difference at night - especially down country lanes but they do have one rather annoying problem which is that the dipped beam is pathetic. This means that every time I meet something coming the other way and switch the main+spots off, I am temporarily unable to see anything whilst my eyes readjust to the now rather alarming darkness........
Then they are past and I switch the day back on
Then they are past and I switch the day back on
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