Reducing bonnet glare

[streaky]

There was a recent thread showing a Defender with roof mounted spot lights where the owner had taped over the bottom half of the lens to reduce the bonnet glare.
I have just fitted 4 x 100 watt rectangular IPF lights to my Discovery and would like to try something to reduce the distracting effect.
I already have a matt black PVC sticker on the bonnet...but this only really works when it's spotlessly clean...even then I'm not convinced that it's the best method.
The previous lights were 55watts and obviously the glare was not so much...

Just how good a solution is taping off the bottom section of the lens?

I was also amazed/concerned at the heat generated from the front of these IPF's.....has any one ever had a light lens crack due to heat build up? I'm sure that IPF have taken this into account when designing their lamps....I have 2 x 130 watt round IPF lamps on the bull bar...they are a bigger surface area and don't emmit so much heat as the smaller rectangular units.

Thx.

S.

[B92 8NW]

I guess it depends what type of tape. If they get so hot, I would assume something that obviously won't melt or autoignite, but generally this would have a very strong adhesive which might be a problem. I think that duct tape or similar would not come off cleanly in future and the heat might "fire" the adhesive making it a right pain to remove without leaving a crappy gum behind.

The ultimate solution would be to make some metal plates that clip over the bottom of the lights

[Outlaw]

maybe jimmy up a deflector for the bottom of them

[drivesafe]

Take a lesson from the railways.

When a locomotive has a chopped nose cab and the headlights are above the cab, the roof lights have deflector fitted to the underside to stop the light hitting the nose.

This picture is of a loco involved in a prang but you can clearly see the deflectors on each light.

This might be an option and I have seen similar on road vehicles

[mudmouse]

I remember seeing roof mounted lights with a piece of flat 'something' (alloy sheet?) attached on the bottom of the light - if you can imagine the peak of a cap but on the bottom??? Anyway, this would reduce the glare hitting your bonnet and then your eyes. Sorry if my description isn't the clearest - can't find any photos either. I think i saw it on one of those 'through the roof' shooting spot lights....

Hope this helps - i'll be doing the same on my Disco a bit down the track - i cracked a light lens one night crossing a creek, you know freezing cold water / hot glass.....Doh!

[harry]

well you could just set the roof mounted lights further back, so the y don't light up the bonnet.
keep it simple.

[mudmouse]

Take a lesson from the railways.

When a locomotive has a chopped nose cab and the headlights are above the cab, the roof lights have deflector fitted to the underside to stop the light hitting the nose.

This picture is of a loco involved in a prang but you can clearly see the deflectors on each light.

This might be an option and I have seen similar on road vehicles

Yeah....like that

[mcrover]

In stead of mounting them directly on the roof bar, fit a piece of 3" wide and about 2 or 3 mm flat steel along the width of it and mount then to that.

That way there should be enough surface under them to deflect a bit of glare.

The best solution would be to take them off or not turn them on, this has 2 advantages, A. your not breaking the law (assuming you are not just using them off road wired up to a low range switch)and B. they wont produce glare on your bonnet.

I have electrical tape on the ones on the tractors at work and it seems to help a bit and doesnt seem to be a prblem with the heat.

And as far as the heat part of the question, all things that produce light put off heat, but you can use globes that put out better light with lower wattage which will also mean less heat.

Good luck to you with that.

[drivesafe]

Harry’s idea is the simplest solution and the one I use.

I have 4 driving lights on my roof and just set them back far enough so as not to light up the bonnet but you then also have to make sure they are set in towards the centre of the roof otherwise the will light up your side mirrors.

Found that one the hard way.

[abaddonxi]

Great thing about those shrouds is that they whistle at a frequency that scares off livestock, so they do double duty.

Cheers
Simon