CAMS regs and driving lights

[Warps]

Just checking before I shell out for another 2 spotties for the Mazda (I searched this site, but didn't find a definitive answer). I realised on the weekend that my night vision ain't what it used to be

According to the CAMS manual, you can run up to 6 high beam headlamps and 2 low beam headlamps on a rally car. Do the H4 lights count as 2 high beams? What about if I disconnect the high beam wiring from them? (assuming this doesn't introduce any road legal issues in the process)

I'd like to run 4 spot lights, 2 standard H1 high beams and 2 standard H4 hi/lo beams. My interpretation of the CAMS regulations doesn't quite confirm or deny whether this is allowable.

[MATNESmotorsports]

i read it as

if the car has 4 light std you can add 4 spots( put what ever you want in the std high beam holes)
if the car has 2 lights std you can run 4 spots

spots must be in pairs
in the ACT you can run a single spot in the centre

and don't forget to wire them up correctly, i notice a lot of cars running parkers and spots(no head lights)
MATT

[mickjfawcett]

hey warps

a little bit of topic but have you thought of running hid lights in your current config rather than added other lights?

by far the best light improvement you can make and will draw less power as well. you can pick the kits up for relativerly cheap these days so its not that expensive an option.

just a thought

[Warps]

Hey Mick, I'm looking at doing that too . Like I said, I need all the night vision I can get (despite being 10 sec faster on a stage with only low beam for 90% of it, than when I had everything working 100%).

I'm planning on running 2 spots and 2 spreads (conventional style) as well as the high beam "spots" aimed high. I def need good cornering lights, as well as good spots for long straights.

[Kaptainballistik]

Yes, you can run 4 Spotlights. the smaller the better as they get in the way of the lack of cooling air through the radiator!

Hence my pod...............

[Warps]

Yup.

Light force 170's. the 2 extras will sit at bumper level, nicely out of the air flow - good for cornering lights (with spread covers on them).

And before anyone asks, no. I don't plan on running into anything

The cooling system works a treat now. Sat on 85 deg all day, except when I turned the thermo fan off at control. Temp rose quickly to 100, but dropped back just as quickly as soon as I switched the fan back on again.

[Matt]

IIRC, there is no generic, "cheap" HID kit for Lightforces...

[Warps]

Correct, but I picked up some kits to modify the light forces to take a H3 bulb. It's just a laser cut plate that screws in place of the standard mounting plate. Looks pretty simple to fit. I bought 2 kits ($15 per set) so can do 4 llights that way.

Will try it on a pair of the 170's to see how well it works.

Also thinking of putting a H1 HID kit into the high beams.

[Factor]

Talk to Scooter (Ian Menzies) he has the full drum on running 87 lights on a car in Qld and he can manufacture pods for you.

[Rallydat]

Warps, I could be wrong but I thought I heard that you can not legally put HID's into the vehicle's headlights unless they were standard or a factory option, only in the driving lights.

[Kaptainballistik]

Thats why My VR4 is only getting them on the Driving / Mains and the Pod.

Outers are staying STD.

Antway, A good set of "Aircraft Landing lights" of the 150 w Variety fit the Driving beams nicely! ( Bit of rewiring and Circit breakers required however.....)

[Warps]

Originally Posted by Rallydat

Warps, I could be wrong but I thought I heard that you can not legally put HID's into the vehicle's headlights unless they were standard or a factory option, only in the driving lights.

Probably right, but it's not like the rest of the car complies fully with regs.

Running them in auxiliary lights is less of a nuisance to other motorists, and will only be used offroad anyway. I don't know what the rules say, but I'm comfortable with running the Light Force with HID in them (when the Light force HID use exactly the same reflector as their normal halogens)

I do have a problem with using HID lights in low beam lights, if the reflectors aren't designed for the HID globe. That does have a big impact on other motorists, and should be illegal. As I don't make a habit of driving into oncoming traffic with my driving lights on, I don't have a problem with fitting them into the driving lights (whether legal or not). That's a risk I'm prepared to take.

Still, I'll run the standard halogens, and then have a play with HID's to see what impact they make. I'm doiong an alternator upgrade anyway (and all lights are run thru relays) so not a big need to keep currents down. If the HID give a big improvement over the halogens (with no downsides, eg reliability, excess reflections off signs, dust etc.) then I'll probably stick to HID.

[gslrallysport]

Removed... Not worth it.

[Haggers]

Originally Posted by Factor

Talk to Scooter (Ian Menzies) he has the full drum on running 87 lights on a car in Qld and he can manufacture pods for you.

Factor

I thought it was 93 and you failed to mention the fusion reactor in the boot to run them !! He really should stop playing the pink oboe and then he'd be able to see better at night !!!

Haggers

[Warps]

Just to set the record straight, Mr Latham played no part in my Light force HID "conversion kit". Depending on whether you have the early or late light force lights, there are several ways to fit different globes.

The later style have a machined aluminium holder for the bulb, that also acts as a heat sink. If you have access to a lathe, you can spin a new holder out of alloy bar to suit whatever globe you want to use. The kit I have is just a 1mm steel plate laser cut into the appropriate shape. You bend the legs to hold the plate in place, and a second set of legs is used to space the plate the correct distance fromo the lens to achieve correct focal length.

NB on the earlier style light forces, the second set of legs can be left flat as the focal length is correct for the flat plate.

I'll have a play with the two designs and see which I prefer.