Driving lights on roof rack

**clubagreenie** · 23rd August 2011, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by VladTepes

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).

The "grommet" in question is actually a compression type fitting called a gland seal. It will have a flange and flat seal on the insde with a male thread then another flat seal on the outside with a nut, these can have a smear of sealant (SIKA marine sealant, not silicone based). This holds the sleeve in place. Then you pass your unfinished wire through and slide the seal (which will be tapered) down into the (also tapered) end of the sleeve and then fit the outer nut. As it's done up it pushes the seal into the taper (which can have a smear of the same sealant) and seals against the sleeve and cable. Work very well, especially if you just start it and then with a syringe and needle squirt some sealant in between the cable and seal.

Here's a pic

and an exploded view, not a perfect example but you should get the idea.

Nut (in this case retains cable), body, seal outer body (male thread into main body through seal) and outer nut. The fingery parts on the outer body has the rubber seal inside which is compressed as the taper inside the outer nut squeezes the fingers in against the cable.

Hope this has helped.

**VladTepes** · 24th August 2011, 09:45 AM

Ta.

So in the pic

which end is inside and which outside the roof (vehicle) or doesn't it matter ?

**spudboy** · 24th August 2011, 10:00 AM

JayCar Electronics sell these type of glands in about 10 different sizes......

**mattyg** · 24th August 2011, 10:31 AM

Left side of picture inside vehicle.

**JohnF** · 24th August 2011, 12:44 PM

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?

If they were illegal I doubt you could be fined if you had covers on them. then take covers off for off-road use.

I am not a lawyer so if you follow my advice and get fined, tough

scott oz · 25th August 2011, 12:24 PM

My understanding is that "driving lights" can't be mounted higher or further apart than your vehicles head lights (main lights).

Roof mounted lights, I believe are called work lights (or something) and still can't be mounted further apart than your main lights and can't be wired to your driving light/ main beam switches.

You can call roof mounted lights what you wish it will be the wiring (activation / off) that will bring you unstuck.

Someone posted the ADR's on this forum some time ago.

kenleyfred · 25th August 2011, 01:43 PM

Only my experience. I fitted a work light to the rear and another on the passenger side. My thoughts were as a work light and camp lighting.
The rear is great as additional reversing light, but otherwise they are far too bright. We hardly use them for camping they attract every insect in a 5 km radius and they all end up in the Defender cos the windows are always open. Also if you look towards the vehicle you become blinded.
I'm thinking of making some kind of diffuser to soften the light.
Still glad they're there though, there have been a few instances when they were very handy.

**George130** · 27th August 2011, 02:50 PM

I ran mine down the window pillar attached to the outside of the snorkel. They then just went under the bonnet where I had a plug for when I want to remove them. That way I had no holes to try and seal.

BigBadBrad · 9th November 2013, 06:04 PM

Have just fitted 4 9 inch hid lights to my roof rack. My job was made easier as I was replacing my roof lining, but I drilled two holes one for spotlights and one for work lamps as they are on seperate circuits/looms. Used staunless glands from jaycar and they seal 100% used a pressure washer to check lol. Very happy very neat job, uses less wiring approx 3 meters less so less voltage droo. Also ran wiring through roof rack with water proof emax plugs so the whole lot is removable easily.

Peter1954 · 23rd May 2015, 07:49 PM

I have a 110 defender (2015) with a Land Rover roof rack. I want to add additional LED reversing lights, & mount on roof rack (looking backwards) how does one get wires from inside the vehicle to the roof rack in a neat & tidy fashion ?

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