Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Driving Lights/Spotlamps - what's legal?

I am looking for thoughts from the group concerning the fitting of spotlights. I have just purchased a pair of Wipac 5" spots. The package contained regulations about the fitting of driving lights, in particular that they should be 500mm from the ground to the base of the lamp.

There is no way the average bumper tube fitting will allow this level of clearance (more like 300mm).

Searching various forums, I came across this response:

"OK, I've just ploughed through some of the UK lighting regs, and as far as I can understand, the regs are as follows:

1. There's no such thing as a driving lamp, it's specified as a main beam headlight.
2. There are no requirements for maximum, or minimum height, (that surprised me).
3. They must be fitted in pairs on a car.
4. They must NOT be fitted closer to the outer edge of the car than the dip beam lights.
5. They must NOT be fitted further than 400 mm from the outer edge of the vehicle, (that's measured to the outer edge of the lit area of the lamp).
6. They must extinguish , as a pair, or deflect, as a pair, when dip beam is selected.
7. There must be a warning light fitted in the vehicle that tells you when they are illuminated, (the main beam warning light will do if they are linked).

Apart from that, it's as you like. "

Do we agree?

Kind Regards,
Glenn 2001 4/4 'Archie'

Yes.

I believe that is is also legal to have the near side one as a dipped beam and the off side one as a main beam. Or it used to be....!

Hi GaB & a warm welcome to Talk Morgan

There are parts of your post that don't sit right with me in terms of terminology, but regs aside for a moment it's going to be pretty difficult to place any front lights anywhere other than within a small radius either side of the cowl.

I'd be inclined to work on the premise that if the new cars have lights in that area, then it's ok for me.

Don't sweat the small stuff, I guess.

Wire in with a relay & fuse, and make sure they go off with main beam and Bob's you uncle..

As I understand it, a single additional light can be legal, but only when wired in such a way as the headlights are already on. I believe there was a change to the lighting regulations on this issue in the 60s, as I can dimly recall my father making a change to the wiring on his Morris Oxford, before this date, the vehicles one spotlight was independently wired.

Yes, I think so too.
Back in the 60s one of the Rover cars had a central main beam, the headlamps were normal, so on main beam you thad three dim lights, not too.

I would check that the understanding of the term 'driving light' is clear and that references are not being made to 'daytime driving lights' - which are subject to an available and clear-to-understand standard.

Just a thought.

Just back from taking my 205 GTI road rally car for its MoT so I thought I'd ask the tester.

The simple answer is that as long as (i) they go off when dip beam is selected, ii)they don't mask either the headlights on dip or main beam (by their location rather than light spread) and iii) any bracket they are mounted on is constructed in such a way to prevent injury to pedestrians (i.e. no sharp edges etc) then all will be well.

The only other regulations I know of are those published by the MSA in the blue book which limits maximum lens size to 222 mm diameter - but thats for competition purposes not road use!!

Sorry for the dissertation, hope this helps

So, why is it illegal to use 'fog lights' placed in the same place as spot lights, unless there's fog or falling snow. Fog lights don't even dazzle.

Most foglights are very low on a vehicle. There is (or was) a ruling that lights below a certain height were only to be used in conditions of poor visibility together with (or instead of) dipped beam headlights.

All made more complicated by the EV3!


It is illegal to run with foglights on in good visibility. The rear fogs are quite bright and in rain they can dazzle, you may get pulled over by police...depends how busy they are! (Joke)
I have front fogs on the Plus8. As an experiment I have run with them on instead of dipped lights to test their effect. Rubbish as headlight repkacement! To me they seem a waste of time and spots would be of more use properly wired to only be on with main beam. My rear foglight is controlled by a unit behind the dash to only come on with dipped headlights and an eprom programmed to cancel it when headlights are turned off.
I will now have to see if the front fogs do the same! I can't remember if they do!