Vinesh

I have just got my Scooby and when I use the PIAA Lamps, it only comes on when the full beam is on. How would I make the PIAA Lamps stay on with only the sidelights on. I have tried everthing.

When I use the full beam & Lamps, I think the main headlights also go brighter, ie when u flash someone, is this suppose to happen?

Cheers.

Dave T-S

Vinesh
It is illegal for the drive lamps to come on with anything but main beam. You would also dazzle other people if you drove with them on all the time. If you caused an accident due to this you could be done for it. Best forget it.

Assuming you have headlamps with H4 bulbs in, on flash ONLY you will get both dip and main beam filaments of the H4 bulb come on - so, yes, it is normal.

scoobyboy

if you really want to bearing in mind that it is illegal though just move the trigger wire from the main beam wire to the sidelight wire it should be behind a headlight somewhere a black and white wire i think. when you find it you should see another wire next to it which has nothing connected to it that is the dip beam wire

Vinesh

The way my PIAA lamps work is by: -

Swith on the lights to full beam (2nd Position)
Push the stalk away from me (stalk down and Blue light comes on the dash) The stalk is on a locked position, released when I pull it towards me.
Then press the fog light switch, for the PIAA Lamps to come on.

The lamps will not work if the stalk is not pushed away from.

I'm I right to say that the lamps should operate when the main lights are on the 2nd position, and then push the fog lamp switch for the lamps to come on or off?? If this is the case would the dealer put it right, as this was first set up when the car was purchased new.

I think the previous owner changed the main beam bulbs to a more brighter ones.

Cheers.


[Edited by Vinesh - 3/21/2002 11:19:08 PM]

RON

Vinesh,
You need to push the fog light switch in order for the spots to work, then when you switch to full beam the spots will come on, they will not work on both dipped (ILLEGAL) and full, just full.
I can't quite get my head around what you've just written but this is the way they should work, so if this is the way the DO work, your dealer won't change it cos they're right.
Ron

TBMeech

Vinesh,

Sounds to me that you should sell your Driving Lights and buy FOG lights....

Driving lights have to by LAW come on with the Main beam, not with the fog light rocker switch.

Vinesh

TBMeech-
Sell them? No way. If I did sell, u porbably want them, right or wrong.

Booked it in with the dealers to have it checked out.

Hanslow

Sounds like you have the same setup to me. I haven't got the PIAAs, I've got some gas discharge jobs.

Mine is wired up (sounds like yours is too) so that the fog light switch is set as a master override. Basically, your driving lights will only come on when you have the lights on full beam (that's side lights, main lights, and stalk pushed away) AND you have the fog light switch on.

I like it like that cos sometimes on A roads I don't like to use the gas discharges, just the full beam of the headlight, as there is more opportunity for dazzling someone else.

B-Roads get the full treatment

Sonunds like you have nothing to worry about mate

nigelward

Vinesh

Sounds like the fog lamp switch has been set up as driving lamp deactivation switch.

With the fog lamp switch is set to the off position the driving lamps do not come on when main beam is on.

When the fog lamp switch is set to the on position the driving lamps will come on when the main beam is on.

The driving lamps cannot be turned on by the fog lamp switch alone.

If this is how the setup has been wired then this is correct and how it should work.

From what you have said it does sound like you want a set of fog lamps rather than driving lamps.

Vinesh

Hanslow-

If I was to change the set-up so that the side lights, main lights are on and use the fog switch as a on/off switch. Will this be legal?

With the current set-up I have found that it dazzles people, because they flash me.

Does anyone use these on normal roads?

Cheers mate.

nigelward

No

As has been stated, driving lamps can only legally be used with full beam.

The light pattern and positioning of these lights is designed to light up as much of the road ahead as possible and are not designed to be sympathetic to drivers, or other road users, coming towards you.

Think how pissed off you would be with someone driving towards you with full-beam, now add a couple of 130w driving lamps.


[Edited by nigelward - 3/22/2002 12:58:59 PM]

Hanslow

No it won't be legal. If they were fog lights then you would be able to turn them on with the side lights, but even though, you are only supposed to use them when foggy. Your driving lights can only come on with full beam. An override to turn them off when you are on full beam is allowed, but not to turn them on when you aren't on full beam.

I'm not being patronising but do you understand the difference between driving lights and fog lights? Fogs tend to light up a short distance under the fog so you can still see the road. Driving lights tend to shine more straight down the road so you can see for miles in the dark.

If you are driving around with full beam on and your driving lights I can understand why people are flashing you as all they would see is light coming the other way!

Check out the difference in types of lights here....

Halogen DRIVING Lights
Halogen FOG Lights
My Gas Discharge DRIVING Lights

If you had that amount of light (from the driving lights) coming at you, you wouldn't see anything other than light.....

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs


[Edited by Hanslow - 3/22/2002 1:04:00 PM]

Dave T-S

Jeez - how to make a very simple situation complicated....

(I don't mean you Hanslow)

[Edited by Dave T-S - 3/22/2002 1:12:39 PM]

Hanslow

Yeah right

Know what you mean though Hence the sucking eggs comment

Vinesh

Very funny lads.

Hanslow

Vinesh, not taking the pi55 mate

Are you OK with your lights now?

Vinesh

Final 2 questions:

1 - Can I change the driving lamps bulbs to a lower rating so that I can use them on normal roads?

2 - Do u only use the lamps on country roads?

Sucking eggs, thats a good one.

Cheers.

[Edited by Vinesh - 3/22/2002 1:36:40 PM]

Vinesh

Hanslow-

Everything cool. I know u only joking. This is my second day ownership of a Scooby.

Anyway I can a bit of **** taking.

I'm OK with the lights.

[Edited by Vinesh - 3/22/2002 1:44:16 PM]

Hanslow

Errrr,

1 - probably not, as they still will only come on with full beam. The reflector for a driving light is different to a fog light and they will still be geared up to point ahead instead of down. You might get away with a candle in each one

2 - I tend to use my driving lights when there is no ambient light around. Popping over to the folx (from Nottingham to Lincoln) I tend not to use them as the journey is all A roads and most of it lit. I'll just use full beam without the driving lights.

It's up to you when you use them. I would just take care with making sure you dazzle as few people as possible. Try turning your lights on to full beam, put your driving lights on and then walk in front of your car and see how bright they are. It's basically a case of consideration for the other drivers

Vinesh

Cheers for all the replies. Lot to learn with Scooby.

Hanslow

Vinesh, are you up for The Big One meet on 7th April? If you are give me a shout and we can discuss the merits of very bright bulbs over a coke

Enjoy your new motor

TBMeech

Vinesh,

You cant use them even with lower wattage bulbs as the light pattern from Driving lights is completely different to how the spread of light you are probably after from fog lights.

And nah I wouldnt buy them off you if you did sell them :P

skoobidude

My PIAAs will come on without any other lights on at all. Its a bit anoying as I've only had the car a few weeks and still getting used to things. I pulled up one night with them still on, switched the other lights off.
The next day driving to work other road users were flashing (lights!) me due to the PIAAs still being on (me unaware). The switch is near the base of the gear lever and illuminates red if the PIAAs are on (its a toggle switch rather than a rocker). What a sh!te place to mount the switch and a crap wiring job ey!!!!

Eagle7

vinesh: are you driving around with PIAA permanently on? or is that your goal?

you will find that this causes a lot of people to flash you!

Vinesh

Eagle 7:

I was using the lamps during the night, but now I only use them on motorways where it has no lighting and on country roads.

If I use them on normal roads, people flash me.

[Edited by Vinesh - 3/28/2002 10:48:54 PM]

Dave T-S

Vinesh
I'm glad I don't live anywhere near you....

Vinesh