Driving Lights

[PaulG]

This post by PaulG was invaluable: UPDATED: Wiring in my spotties

The post shows the best spot to enter the firewall which was very helpful. It is a large rubber grommet marked with a white V behind the air filter box which comes out under the glove box.

Try this link to my original post:

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...32&hl=paulg

[Hado]

Sorry - Don't know how I got the wrong post link

Anyway thanks PaulG for the correct link and for your virtual help installing my driving lights.

[Kesawi]

What's the minimum recommended wire size to run the driving lights on to minimise voltage loss?

[DJKOR]

What's the minimum recommended wire size to run the driving lights on to minimise voltage loss?

Ideal you just want a good quality multi-core cable in the minimum gauge recommended for your current power requirements. You lights are 35W each right? I would use 12 gauge at a minimum for driving both of these and 10 gauge to give you some room if the need ever arises.

Multi-core copper cable is pretty low on resistance as it is and over the short distance that you are going to get to the driving lights, the effects of a voltage drop are hardly going to be noticeable. Even more so with yourself having HID lights as those are electronically controlled and even if they got 10V, they would still output full power by drawing more current.

[john w]

Good day all. I have fitted Lightforce 170 Strikers to my Kluger. IMO hid are not required as the high beam on the car are good to start with. I have both lights set up as spots down the centre of the road.As with most add ons you get what you pay for and can say these show excellent value for money.

cheers john.

[Kesawi]

Good day all. I have fitted Lightforce 170 Strikers to my Kluger. IMO hid are not required as the high beam on the car are good to start with. I have both lights set up as spots down the centre of the road.As with most add ons you get what you pay for and can say these show excellent value for money.

cheers john.

You've got a nice shiny car there John, good work :D

[Kesawi]

Ideal you just want a good quality multi-core cable in the minimum gauge recommended for your current power requirements. You lights are 35W each right? I would use 12 gauge at a minimum for driving both of these and 10 gauge to give you some room if the need ever arises.

Multi-core copper cable is pretty low on resistance as it is and over the short distance that you are going to get to the driving lights, the effects of a voltage drop are hardly going to be noticeable. Even more so with yourself having HID lights as those are electronically controlled and even if they got 10V, they would still output full power by drawing more current.

I believe the lights draw 35W based on the specs of the other LF HID lights. I've used the existing wiring for my previous spotties (Hella Comet 500 @ 55W) for the new LF170 HIDs, which appears to be ~1.5mm in diameter (prob 14 gauge). The original instalation also earthed the lights to the chasis rather than direct to the battery. I'm not overly impressed with their performance so far, but then I haven't really found a good location to test them out yet. I am considering rewiring them using a larger diameter wire, and earthing them directly to the battery to try and improve their performance.

[Hado]

Installed the low profile mount for the Light Force Striker 170 HID driving lights.

Having the low profile mount also makes it a little harder to tighten the nut on the side of the mount as it only permits 10-20degrees of travel with the socket. I have a cheap ratchet and it needed a little more travel to click over each time. I had to stick an extension on the socket, and swap the nuts so that the both were on the Toyota badge side. As I'd fitted the lights with the anti-theft nuts it made things even more difficult.

I'm not sure at this stage which I'll stick with the low profile mount or go back to the high profile.

Kesawi

Followed your lead and installed the low profile mount as well - much better IMHO.

The lights look more in place and they don't get bumped out of alignment as easily.

I also have the anti-theft nuts (two sets) - but had no problem with the reinstall.

Have you had a chance to use your new HID lights on the open road yet?

Kind regards

Hado

[Hado]

Good day all. I have fitted Lightforce 170 Strikers to my Kluger. IMO hid are not required as the high beam on the car are good to start with. I have both lights set up as spots down the centre of the road.As with most add ons you get what you pay for and can say these show excellent value for money.

cheers john.

John

Welcome - nice colour Kluger and accessory choices. :D

Agree HID are not required - I just had the opportunity to buy the Lightforce HID version cheaper than normal.

Kind regards

Hado

[Kesawi]

Kesawi

Followed your lead and installed the low profile mount as well - much better IMHO.

The lights look more in place and they don't get bumped out of alignment as easily.

I also have the anti-theft nuts (two sets) - but had no problem with the reinstall.

Have you had a chance to use your new HID lights on the open road yet?

Kind regards

Hado

I've kept the low profile mounts for the reasons you've outlined above.

Only problem I had with the anti-theft nuts is that the key falls out of my socket set too easily and I run out of hands juggling everything. I don't know whether the ani-theft nuts will prevent the bolt from been unscrewed on the vertical adjustment access as the head of the bolt is accessible and could therefore be loosened.

Finally managed to give the lights a work out on the way back from Victoria Point last night. Took a few detours down some dark side streets out in the bush around Burbank. Both lights are configured with spots and aimed horizontally straight infront. The spots certainly do light up the road, with the high beams doing a good job of illuminating the edges (although I have upgraded the bulbs). For this reason I would not put a spread filter on the spots as the kluger's lights do an adequate job and much rather have the spots doing the distance work. One issue I did find was that when driving into a dip, the bottom of the beam hits the pavement about 100m infront of the car, creating a bright spot in my field of view. This was often quite distracting, and was a problem on undulating sections of the road. I am tempted to aim the spots slightly higher as no road flat around Brisbane, but will probably leave it aimed as is. Any reflective object glows and sometimes the signs were a tad bright.

Compared to the Hella Comet 500s I had the LF 170 HIDs definitely have twice the distance. The Hellas at first seemed brighter to me as they lit up more of the road closer to car (I was running a spread and spot). This is a little deceiving as the LFs with such a long penetrating beam don't do this and light up way into the distance instead. I'm sure if I fitted a spread filter to the LFs they would appear much brighter than the Hellas, but I find the LF spots combined with the upgraded Kluger high beam covers things well.

I had to dip the spots a couple of times due to ongoing traffic, and they fired back up straigt away with little loss of brightness. Becuase the spots are so bright I didn't actually notice the glow from the headlights of the oncoming traffic until the cars popped over the crest or around the corner. There were probably a couple of annoyed and blinded drivers arond Burbank last night.

I really need ot give the lights a propper work out on a long range night run, as I was in test mode rather than normal driving mode.

Edited December 5, 2009 by Kesawi

[NimrodAUS]

I thought it was law in QLD at least to definatly have a seperate rocker switch on Spotlights. Theres no Optional extra about it.

[Kesawi]

I thought it was law in QLD at least to definatly have a seperate rocker switch on Spotlights. Theres no Optional extra about it.

You are correct. Queensland Transport has issued a Vehicle Standard Instruction specifically covering spot and fog lights (See http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/...or_Vehicles.pdf):

"Additional driving lamps must only operate in conjunction with the

high beam circuit and must be fitted with an independent on/off

switch."

This is different from the Queensland Transport Vehicle Modification Brochure (http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/...r_vehicles2.pdf) which doesn't mention the requirement for a switch.

I'm not sure where this requirement comes from as neither the Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 1999 (http://203.19.232.150/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TrantOpRUVSSR99.pdf) nor Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 13/00 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on other than L-Group Vehicles) 2005 (http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislatio...Compilation.pdf) require the installation of an on/off switch, only that "The driving lamps must be able to be lighted only when the main-beam headlamps switch is in the “lamps on” position" (ADR13/00 Clause 7.3.7).

Regardless of the above i think it makes sense to have a separate switch as there are situations where the spot lights may not be necessary in addition to high beam.

[NimrodAUS]

Agreed!!

[Renno]

HI Guys,

I found the Lightforce 170 Striker HID online for $430, harness and relay kit for $60. Is this a decent price or has anyone found better.

Cheers

Renno

Edited February 4, 2010 by Renno

[Kesawi]

HI Guys,

I found the Lightforce 170 Striker HID online for $430, harness and relay kit for $60. Is this a decent price or has anyone found better.

Cheers

Renno

$670 was the cheapest I found anywhere so $430 is pretty good.

[Renno]

Unfortunately that's US dollars, might have to keep looking.

HI Guys,

I found the Lightforce 170 Striker HID online for $430, harness and relay kit for $60. Is this a decent price or has anyone found better.

Cheers

Renno

$670 was the cheapest I found anywhere so $430 is pretty good.