Hello all,
After recently discussing PIAA superwhite bulbs, and general lighting issues on the blown bulbs thread, and having some time on my hands, I decided to wire my STD fog lights to illuminate on full beam.

They still can be used with the original switch with sidelights and or dipped headlights as well, gaining a potentially useful 110 Watts of illumination.

To do this you need a 4 pin spot light relay,(I had a Hella one lying around, with the wire from the same spot lamp kit, so no outlay this time, I like that http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif).

You connect a live fused feed from the battery terminal to pin 30.

Connect pin 85 to earth.

Connect pin 86, using a scotchlock connector to save having to cut any wires, to the predominately YELLOW wire from the back of the nearside headlight bulb.(the other two wires are predominately RED, with hoops or a stripe, YOU DO NOT CONNECT TO THESE).

Connect pin 87 to the two fog lights, connecting to the red live feed wire out of the back of the lamps, again using scotchlock connectors (the funny little blue connectors that you squeeze onto the wires, no cutting required).

You will obviously need to remove the fogs from the car to access the wires, by undoing 3 pozidrive screws for each lamp, and feed the wire from the drivers side lamp to the nearside of the car.

Adjust the fogs to give a higher beam pattern and you gain some added illumination.
Probably nothing like as effective as the proprietry lamp kits, but then doesn't cost a great deal either.
Those of you that had read my previous postings, will know what a skin flint I am.

The results, well an improvement, but to be honest, I have become accustomed, after 3 years of ownership, to driving a car with mediocre lights, so any improvement seems worthwhile.

Its probably worth adjusting the fogs to give a higher beam pattern, and then trying them out with full beam, ie fogs on then off whilst on full beam to see if you feel its worth it, then go and spend £x on a relay and do it permenant.

Cheers MTR

Thought you'd left the bbs? Glad your technical skills are available once more. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

DavidRB,
I think technical skills might be stretching it a bit, but I do try.

Cheers MTR

[This message has been edited by MTR (edited 15 November 2000).]

MTR
A lot of effort to light up the road 17 feet in front of the car methinks!! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

Dave T-S,
No, seriously, if you adjust them up, you can gain at least the distance of ilumination that your dipped beam would give, and have the full beam to give the farther distance ilumination.
Like I suggest, try adjusting the lamps up first, preferably against your garage door, so you can keep them both to the same level, (i initially adjusted mine as high as they would go, but then lowered them slightly),then find a dark section of road, and try full beam with fogs on/off.
Either way you can get 110 watts of additional ilumination, granted not exactly Super Oscar class, but at very little cost.

Cheers MTR

MTR: another mod that I'll put on my car, I feel!

One slight concern though. Scotchlok connectors are notoriously crap: can they handle between 7 and 10 amps on them? Personally, I wouldn't trust them so you might want to think about stripping back some of the casing on the wire that you're attaching something to, splicing in the other wire, soldering it up and then insulating well.

If I've misunderstood and the scotchloks are just for the switching, or you think I'm being overly paranoid, please correct me http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

Cheers for this!

Chiark,
No I didn't know that scotclock connectors were deemed to poor, so your comments are perhaps valid, certainly for the power feed to the actual lamps.
I presume that the power requrement to trigger the relay will be quite low, and the single scotchlock on the headlamp main beam trigger wire(yellow) will be ok, as that is how the Hella relay is shown to be connected in the wiring diagram which came with the original spot lamp kit.
But the spot lamps would normally have been wired direct with the cable supplied, without the need for further scotchlocks.

I suppose it would be better to connect as you suggest at the lamps themselves.
I actually crimped and soldered the lucar connectors at the relay, but thought the scotchlocks were suitable for the purpose, at the loom attachment positions.

But if warranty issues are a possibility, then your more permenant method wouldn't be as easy to reverse, without showing evidence. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

Thanks for the info. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

Cheers MTR

Hi MTR

I would like to try out your lamp mod. Are the pin number references universal or they only applicable to the Hella 4 pin spot relay.

Cheers

HI Stratman,
I'm pretty sure all relays have the same pin number designation, as I also have a wiring daigram for some Fiamm air horns circa 1976, and other than the earth wire being a fixed fly lead, on th eFiamm sketch, the rest correspond.
If you want to confirm you could call Osbourne Auto Electrical, Moss down Lane Royton, who could also supply the relay.

Cheers MTR

Just done this mod this weekend and it works fine. Thanks MTR...for once a mod that cost bugger all http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif. Do you have anymore up your sleeve?

MTR, do you have a Blue Peter Badge??

Don't you have a 2 to 2.2 litre conversion using a Fairy Liquid bottle, some double sided sticky tape and a pair of Val's old knickers?

Did I mis-read an article in True grip earlier this year - won't plod give you a pull for using foglights in normal conditions. Therefore if its illegal you might be invalidating your insurance by wiring up fog lights to full beam? Can anyone clarify please.

when finished...

remember to add a blob of yellow carnauba wax to the battery terminals to keep the water out

;-)

Paul W

Phil H,
Have a look at this site, it gives some references to the road traffic act with regards lighting.

The trouble with good high-beam illumination is that it is great tanking along with a floodlit road (I have quad headlight conversion) but when somebody appears the other way and you have to go on to dipped beam it suddenly gets a little bit DARK ! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

- A bit like motorcycling with duff antidive when you get to a bend and have to anchor up http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Mick

Hi MTR,

What age is your car? I have a MY95 and I'm interested in this 'conversion'. Do you know if the wiring is the same?

Not being very confident in the elastic trickery department , is it easy for a novice like me to do? Do you have any photos to show how it should me done?

With your previous posts, perhaps you can write a book. 'MTR's Guide to Budget Impreza Improvements' http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif . You can put me down for one!

Nimbus,
My car is a MY99.

I don't know if the wiring is the same, but if the three wires connecting to the headlight bulb are the colours I mention, then they are probably the same.

I haven't the facility to post pictures unfortunately.

If you are not certain what you are doing, try asking someone who is.
You sholdn't really be able to do anything worse than blow the inline fuse you would have fitted to the power feed to the relay, but you must be careful.

It would be prudent to solder the additional feed wires to the spot light feeds at the lamps themselves, as suggested by Chiark.

Cheers MTR

I originally started this thread 3 1/2 years ago, but it may be of some interest to some of you.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1988, are shown here
regarding full beam headlights and optional full beam headlights.

http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uk...en_10.htm#nsch5

SCHEDULE 5
(Regulations 18 and 20)
PART I

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OBLIGATORY MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND TO OPTIONAL MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS TO THE EXTENT SPECIFIED IN PART II

'This note is at the bottom of the page.'

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS
Any number may be fitted and the only requirements prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted are those specified in paragraphs 7, 10 and 12(a) of Part I and, in the case of a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1991, paragraph 5 of Part I.

5. Markings-
(a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragaph (b), (c) or (d):

An approval mark or a British Standard mark

(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986:
No requirement

(c) A three-wheeled motor vehicle, not being a motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st April 1986 and having a maximum speed not exceeding 50 mph:
No requirement

(d) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination:
No requirement

7. Colour:
White or yellow

10. Electrical connections-

(a) Every main-beam headlamp shall be so constructed that the light emitted therefrom-


(i) can be deflected at the will of the driver to become a dipped beam, or


(ii) can be extinguished by the operation of a device which at the same time either-


(A) causes the lamp to emit a dipped beam, or


(B) causes another lamp to emit a dipped beam.

(b) Where a matched pair of main-beam headlamps is fitted they shall be capable of being switched on and off simultaneously and not otherwise.

12. Other requirements-

(a) Every main-beam headlamp shall be so constructed that the direction of the beam of light emitted therefrom can be adjusted whilst the vehicle is stationary.

(b) Except in the case of a bus first used before 1st October 1969, where two main-beam headlamps are required to be fitted they shall form a matched pair.


Cheers
MTR