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I am working on the assumption that you wire the driving lights to be ONLY ON when you have selected Full beam.
My question is, should the dipped beams be OFF when the full beam is ON?
Anybody know what is the correct configuration and is it an SVA issue?
We have the lights wired like stock BMW. So the dip beams are always on; full beam or not. ( lots of light! especially with the spots wired into the high beam as well)
Not sure about the rules when it comes to SVA, but I can't think of any reason why it would matter if it were wired either way round. Will need check the SVA manual and see if there is something about it.
The only problem is that you may find that the bulbs don't last long as I beleive headlamp bulbs with two filaments (dipped and main) are only designed to have one or tother on. The extra heat from having two filaments on at the same time shortens the life of the bulb.
Its OK in the original BMW cause there are two separate bulbs for dipped and main.
The only problem is that you may find that the bulbs don't last long as I beleive headlamp bulbs with two filaments (dipped and main) are only designed to have one or tother on. The extra heat from having two filaments on at the same time shortens the life of the bulb.
good point... we'll try it and see... I guess it depends a lot on how much the full beam is used.
If the bulbs blow in short succession then we'll need to look at rewiring the system so that the dip beam is off when the high beam is on. Will probably be a case of adding a relay in to cut the low beam on signal from the light switch.
The only problem is that you may find that the bulbs don't last long as I beleive headlamp bulbs with two filaments (dipped and main) are only designed to have one or tother on. The extra heat from having two filaments on at the same time shortens the life of the bulb.
Its OK in the original BMW cause there are two separate bulbs for dipped and main.
I guess it's a case of try it and see...
Robin
That explains why cars are different. I was sure my older cars used to toggle between Dip and Main beam, except when using the headlamp flasher, when both would be on.
I think I'm going to wire mine to toggle since Dip, Main beam and Driving lights all on at the same time will draw a far few amps and I think Main and Driving on should be sufficient light.
thanks for the explanation,
Having read through the SVA manual lighting section a couple of times it does not specify if the dipped beam should go off when the main beam is illuminated. The following is my interpretation of the manual:
The manual says you must have two dipped beam headlights and two main beam headlights. They can be white or yellow.
You can't have more than two dipped beams which dip to the left.
Headlights have to be in matched pairs.
The main beam must be switched off by operating one switch which leaves the dipped beam on.
Optionally you can have more main beam headlights but:
1. Light emitted must be capable of being
a. deflected to become a dipped beam or
b. extinguished causing either
i. the lamp to emit a dipped beam
ii. another lamp to emit a dipped beam
2. Where fitted as a matched pair capable of being switched simultaneously on/off.
There are more rules if you want to use gas-discharge lamps.
especially with the spots wired into the high beam as well)