Thread: Driving lights on roof rack

Originally Posted by scott oz

I’ve got a light bar AKA roof rack which I’ll mount some Hella 4000’s.

I’ll not have the light bar on all the time and my intention is to make a “power point” in the engine bay and run a Hella connection from this point to the Hella’s on the light bar. My intention is to be able to “plug” the light bar in as needed.

I note you are thinking of going to HID’s. I’m currently running HID’s as standard high / low.

I’ve run Hella 2000’s from the roof of a disco. They light-up the world. I’ve now got some Hella 4000’s and to be honest I’m not sure that I will do an HID conversion.

Given the performance of HID’s in non HID (standard lens’s) I believe the standard lens/light gives overall better light performance than HID “upgrades” and would be more so in high performance driving lights.

Finally when I had an ARB roof rack I drilled a entery/exit hole and then put in a small metal washer and tied a bit of fishing line to it. I then dragged the washer to a rear hole and pulled the line through to a “work light”. Then I pulled the +- wires through.

I don’t know why you’d drill onto a snorkel to run wires internally and then exit from the snorkel in the engine bay. Would have though it made more sense to use wiring loom (split) and follow the snorkel down to the bonnet then into the engine bay to either the battery or power point (refer above). Not as though the bonnet /body is a prescison fit?

Would seem to me to be just as neat, less work and less interference with the air intake.

Just my thoughts.

Some very good points. I'm thinking of going from under the drivers seat through each side door piller and thtougt the foam/rubber between the turret and side pannel thus no hole in the body panals

Allan

I thought that 1.2 Meters was the maximum height you could mount lights at.
That would make mounting them on a roofrack illegal wouldn't it?

Originally Posted by Hymie

I thought that 1.2 Meters was the maximum height you could mount lights at.
That would make mounting them on a roofrack illegal wouldn't it?

No, ADRs have changed (you thank Chrysler for that).

You can buy a number of new cars with roof lights i.e. Jeep Cherokee, Nissan X Trail, etc.

The important thing with roof mounted lights is how they are wired to turn off and on. I don't believe they can be worked off the high beam.

In NSW the above is the case. Ithink you cal lthem spot or work lights

Originally Posted by cewilson

Personally - just drill the holes. One at the rear and one at the front. Use the marine grommets - the one;s you can get from BCF or any marine store. The are a three piece design and more waterproof than any Defender ever was


Cheers
Chris

Someone (a previous owner) drilled a hole in the roof of my Defender for a CB aerial - now long defunct.

Would the marine grommets of which you speak, actually be watertight without a cable running through them? (Cable for lights would come later).

Also how much room around the hole is needed to "set" the gommet becuase the hole has been drilled in teh middle of the xisting roof rib, where there is currently a largeish circular apeture. (Hard to describe withouta photo, which I shall take later).

Originally Posted by scott oz

The important thing with roof mounted lights is how they are wired to turn off and on. I don't believe they can be worked off the high beam.

In NSW the above is the case. Ithink you cal lthem spot or work
lights

I'm not sure regarding this. Anybody in W.A. know the legality of wiring via the high beam?

Allan

Originally Posted by Allan

I'm not sure regarding this. Anybody in W.A. know the legality of wiring via the high beam?

Allan

Last time I checked...

Must be wired to only work when main lights on...
Must also have independent switch to turn them off.


You can wire them 2 way switched... High Beam activated etc...

Personally, I like them wired to headlights - helps you not forget And if bumped during the day dont run your batteries flat.

Originally Posted by Allan

I'm not sure regarding this. Anybody in W.A. know the legality of wiring via the high beam?

Allan

The law is that spot/driving lights must automatically extinguish when you dip the headlights. You must also be able to have high beam without the driving/spot lights being on - so what Tombie said is correct.

I recently (tried to) get a definitive answer from DOT WA on whether it is legal to mount spotlights on the roof of a bonneted vehicle in WA. I couldn't get a conclusive answer.