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Post by philhart on Feb 4, 2021 18:44:59 GMT
OK this is a very basic question but one that is puzzling me.
P5B 1972 Saloon - Headlights and foglamps. When I put the full beam foot switch down, all four lamps come on. When I pull back the steering column based lever, all four lights come on.
When I pull the foglamp switch in the car I get an immediate blown fuse.
Does all four lamps coming on constitute ‘full beam’? Should teh foglamps be coming on?
I was expecting the headlamps to go on full beam without the foglamps coming on when I use the column lever or foot switch.
Many thanks
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Post by stirlingmg on Feb 4, 2021 20:34:34 GMT
The fog lights should only work with the sidelights on, the switch in the centre console pulled out & the headlight stalk switch in the up/off position. They shouldn’t work on flash or come on with full beam. Sounds like somebody has modified them so they come on with full beam
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Post by philhart on Feb 4, 2021 21:13:33 GMT
I think you must be right. Nuisance.
Many thanks
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Post by stirlingmg on Feb 4, 2021 21:27:45 GMT
It won’t be rocket science to sort that, there’s nothing complex about the wiring in a P5
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Post by lagain on Feb 4, 2021 22:03:05 GMT
Mine do that !
Back in the day when I was young and did not understand about current drawing I thought it would be a good idea to be able to flash the lights with all 4 coming on.I joined them at the dip switch but also put a switch in the circuit so that I could put them back to normal. When I realised about current draw I kept them seperate but now that I have LED headlights I have joined them again.
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Feb 5, 2021 6:39:55 GMT
It needs restoring to how it should operate.
The main light switch can barely cope with 2 headlights and will overheat and burn the wiring. If left at least one relay is needed and it is a good idea even to preserve the switch on the correct set up
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Post by enigmas on Feb 5, 2021 8:17:24 GMT
To add my 2 cents to the discussion...although my car is a MK3 coupe, (28 yrs ago) when I first restored/recommissioned it, I added relays to both the hi and lo beam circuits. Non standard driving lights are also fitted and these are relay powered too. The original circuits (without relays) tend to cook the switches, which can lead eventually to smoke and possible fire issues if left unattended. If fitting relays, place them in the appropriate circuit so that the only function of the original lighting & foglight switch is to activate the relay circuit that powers the lights. The relay then deals with the heavy current load and as a consequence the switch contacts are preserved.  PS. Another alternative if not wanting to wire in relays is to fit LED hi/lo beam bulbs. The current draw then becomes negligible, the lights run cool to the touch and the switch has no issues. The light beam is then white and not yellow. * I upgraded to LEDs several years ago. Interestingly this makes the relays fitted somewhat redundent and perhaps overkill. The driving lights are French Ducelliers and still run halogen bulbs so require a relay due to the heavier current draw. The LED (on the right below) is literally a plug and play fit.  LEDs lighting the way.  |
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Feb 5, 2021 9:46:50 GMT
I added LED headlamp bulbs to our Mk2 Coupe as unlike the P5B the sealed beams are 45/60w and take a lot of amps. I fitted a single compact relay years ago to protect the the switch.
The improvement in lighting power is tremendous and the battery load minimal. They make the 60/75w obsolete sealed beams in our P5B seem dim although I always thought they provided very good lighting. I protected the light switch with a single relay as well
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Post by enigmas on Feb 5, 2021 12:40:46 GMT
The LED headlight bulbs also markedly reduce the load on the P5s that run generators...negating much of the need to upgrade the electrics to an alternator.
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Post by lagain on Feb 5, 2021 20:28:40 GMT
LEDs are the way to go, easy on the P5 as they have standard 7" lamps that are readilly available, as used on the old Defender
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Feb 6, 2021 10:20:39 GMT
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Post by Sam Bee on Feb 6, 2021 19:25:08 GMT
I just bought a pair from them but the warm white variety that are nearer to a filament bulb in colour but more intensity. That solved the problem of current load on the headlamp circuits, but I have included a relay just for the fog lights.
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Post by p5andrew on Feb 6, 2021 20:09:50 GMT
I have been watching this thread with interest, having been considering upgrading my P5B to LED's. Can those who have used these particular LED's confirm that there is space for them within the standard headlamp bowls? It looks to me like there probably is and I know this is claimed. Also, I see on their website that they state that they no longer meet MOT requirements. I wonder whether this is the case and, if so, whether an MOT test station would actually have a means of checking without dismantling the headlamps for physical examination?
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Post by lagain on Feb 6, 2021 20:39:06 GMT
Yes there is room, as for the MOT this is a grey area as LED bulbs have not been approved for fitting as they were not around when the cars were built. I think that the P5s also predate the legislation.
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Feb 6, 2021 22:47:31 GMT
It MAY be an MOT requirement so do not have an MOT.
An MOT is not a certificate of roadworthiness in any event.
As regards insurance and MOT exemption updates for safety are OK
The bulbs I fitted to our P5 Coupe fitted easily inside the bowls, Some I looked would not and some had remote drivers
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Post by djm16 on Feb 6, 2021 22:48:45 GMT
2/3 of the LED headlights I have bought from reliable vendors such as the site mentioned above over the last 3-4years have now failed. As a consequence, I am only buying Philips Ultinon as replacements.
BTW, placing a self contained unit inside a headlamp bowl reduces the heat dissipation. They are really designed to have the heat sink in free space.
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Post by p5andrew on Feb 7, 2021 14:00:08 GMT
Many thanks all.
Whilst an MOT is not now required I am still putting the car through, mainly because it means another pair of eyes have been over the car and partly to preserve the MOT history of the car for which I have an almost complete record. Although I am an experienced mechanic and engineer of more than 40 years standing, it is all too easy to get used to something you have been looking at, perhaps for years, and miss something obvious.
I think I shall nevertheless try LED headlamp bulbs and hope the MOT tester does not notice them!
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Post by Sam Bee on Feb 7, 2021 22:40:02 GMT
You can have a motor mechanic run an eye over a car without a full MOT test, surely. In any case many of the parameters now included in the test do not apply to our cars
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tonys
Rover Fanatic
Posts: 419
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Post by tonys on Feb 8, 2021 20:55:48 GMT
Many thanks all. Whilst an MOT is not now required I am still putting the car through, mainly because it means another pair of eyes have been over the car and partly to preserve the MOT history of the car for which I have an almost complete record. Although I am an experienced mechanic and engineer of more than 40 years standing, it is all too easy to get used to something you have been looking at, perhaps for years, and miss something obvious. I think I shall nevertheless try LED headlamp bulbs and hope the MOT tester does not notice them! If not already aware, the Mot regns have very recently changed: it us now a fail if LED bulbs are fitted, it is no longer a 'grey area'. It does not apply to approved complete LED headlamp units, but it does to LED bulbs fitted into a, for example, an older halogen unit, ie as a replacement bulb. It only applies to headlamp bulbs, not other light units. I can't find a link but was only reading it in recent weeks and I suspect an Mot tester would notice LED bulbs. |
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