Daytime running lights

[john.p.clegg]

Dear All

Rumour has it that in the near future we will be asked to use headlights during the day,now I don't fancy ruining the lines of the front of my Plus2 just to please some politically correct jobsworth in Brussels.....can anyone confirm the above...and also can someone (plenty of informed people on this site) give any rulings on the above..what I am thinking of is something along the lines a couple of high intensity LEDs maybe fitted along the bonnet opening line (top or bottom)?,internally on the crashpad???

Thanks

John

[richardcox_lotus]

My understanding (Hearsay only) is that DRL are only req'd for NEW cars. I know the bikers don't like the rulings so I'm sure whatever regulation they come up with will upset at least someone.

Btw, I agree with you John, I much prefer the look of my Sprint with the lights down.

Rgds
Richard

[trw99]

Surely the question we should be asking ourselves is 'How would Chapman have solved this one?'

Clearly we would have to make use of an existing fitting.

Elan: LEDs let into the plastic trim strip atop the front bumper

+2: LEDs let into the trim around the grill

Any other suggestions?

(Only slightly tongue in cheek here; I hear the proposed law will not apply to our cars....at the moment)

Tim

[Galwaylotus]

DRLs are part of an EU Directive but as stated above - for new vehicles only. It's up to each Member State to decide whether to require them on all vehicles. I believe the Directive kicks in in 2011. It's based on the UNECE Regulation 87. Here's the web address if you're interested in the details http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp ... 087r2e.pdf

[john.p.clegg]

...now that made for an interesting read (not),but as this seems not to be retrospective,no problems...

Thanks
John

[rcraven]

Isn't our (i.e. old car owners') difficulty that if most cars have running lights, those that don't will be less noticeable and therefore even if they're not compulsory we may feel it necessary to fit them for safety's sake.

[stugilmour]

If you want DTR lights on the Plus 2, perhaps extra light within the existing side lights? Looking over various references, it looks like mine were 'improved' by the PO; I originally thought they were stock. The turn signal sockets have been equipped with a double filament bulb holder. I wired the smaller side light bulb and the smaller of the two filaments in the big bulb to the side light circuit. They are reasonably bright with this set-up (think it is 2w + 2w) and I doubt they will look significantly different from many of the modern DTR equipped cars.

In Canada we have had DTR lights for about 15 years, and it is a pretty good deal here; lots of lightly traveled roads though with pretty dreadful weather in the winter. Still have signs telling you to put your headlights on in the Rockie mountains and the open prairie though. You can see the bikes easily, as they usually run on high (or main) beam during the day in the mountains. Bikes have had DTR on low or dip beam since the sixties.

The DTR setting is often accomplished by running the high (or main) beam at somewhat lower wattage than with the lights on. They really don't interfere with visibility when approaching a car. For cars with retractable headlamps (Like the MX5 Miata) they install brighter bulbs in the existing side light sockets. My Dodge Minivan does it this way as well; the bulbs are a small halogen looking affair in the turn signal area. Thought of these for the Plus 2, but I think they would melt the lens. For the +2S one could maybe wire the spot/fog lamps this way?

Weird part of the DTR specification is that the tail lights don't come on, which seems a bit of a miss to me. Often see folks driving at night with no tail lights if they have forgotten to switch on the headlights. Should be pretty obvious as the DTR lighting is pretty dim for night use.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

How will this new regulation work if implemented?
Do the DTR's have to be switched via the Ignition, i.e. automatically switched on?
If not we have the choice of standard lighting, sidelights only or Headlights.
A couple of years ago Austria insisted that Headlights must be on at all times, however for some reason that rule no longer applies.
If my memory serves me well, when I was a little lad my Dad fitted flashing indicators to his very old daily drive which had "Trafficators".
I'm sure that must have been an enforced change because Dad never had two Pennies to rub together let alone spend it on personal whims.
So maybe the DTR's will become a legal necessity?
No doubt the fixed Penalty Fine has already been agreed

Cheers
John

[Jas]

Here in Denmark we have had Day Time Running lights since 1991.
I didn?t like the look of the car with the head lamps up all the time so I have fitted some motor cycle ellipsoid lamps behind the front grill. If they are fitted at the outer upper corners of the grill opening they are at the legal positioning limit.
I have bought the lamps at motor cycle store Louis in Germany, see link: http://www.louis.de/_1013e691ff106940e3 ... r=10033727
10033728 ELLIPSOIDSCHEINWERFER
38 MM, ABBLEND, E-GEPR.

They give a good light also when dark but of cause sitting behind the grill they aren?t as visible from the sides as the head lamps.

One of the other Elan owners her in DK (red Sprint) has made some DTR by fitting white lenses on the turn lamps with 21W bulbs and then fitting yellow bulbs in the side light lamps.

[69S4]

Looks like a neat solution but it might be a problem for those of us running letters on the grill style front numberplates as the lights would ruin the "staring into the abyss" black background necessary to keep them legal.

[mac5777]

Jannik, I like what you have done. Are they bright enough without the pop-ups to drive at night and can you use both? I guess I could by wiring for it. I also, don't care for the look of the lights up but at night who cares. Here in the US we have daylight sections that required the headlamps to be on. My Volvo has driving lights on all of the time, including the rear lights and it is safer to be seen. I'll check with the local bike shops. They look better than the larger fog lamps. How did you attach the supporting rod to the fiberglass? epoxy?

Sarto

[Galwaylotus]

My Volvo has driving lights on all of the time,

It has been a law in Sweden for yonks. You'll never see a stock Volvo or Saab without DRL.

[Jas]

Sarto, yes they are brighter that the H4 headlamps, but they don?t spread the light quite as much. They are turned on with a relay that is triggered by the alternator wire that goes to the dashboard (when the warning light turns of the DRL is turned on) the relay feeds the DRL and the side position lights witch also turn the rear lights on.
The supporting rod bracket is held on with epoxy with fibres in it, the stuff you can get in a tube from hardware stores.

[mac5777]

Jannik, I stopped by a Harley Davidson dealer today to see what they had---They did not have a clue. Should have copied you picture. Are the two brackets, front and back custom made by you or did they come with the light from the bike shop?

Sarto

[Jas]

Sarto, the lights are aftermarket stuff used for sports bikes into street fighters, they take of the original fairing and lights and put these small lights on instead. You should try and ask at a shop for accessories for sports- and naked bikes.

Yes I made the brackets, I have a drawing for the front bracket but off cause it will only fit this lamp. The drawing is of the bracket unfolded ready to be send to the laser cutter.