11 replies to this topic

[Bobbins]

What’s the difference?

My ‘98 is running two spots and two o/e fogs but due to never using the fogs I’ve been considering a 4 spot lamp setup. I’ve seen some comments with other rally style setups (not Minis) where the inner two are spots, the outer two are “driving” lamps, what’s the difference though?

[Ethel]

Width of the beam pattern, I'd guess. Always thought of the terms as interchangeable. I'd have thought 4 identical lamps with the beams in an overlapping fan would be the way, I'm clueless on the legalities for the road 

[KTS]

found this thread from 2013

 

https://www.theminif...-driving-lamps/

[Bobbins]

Fantastic KTS, every days a school day as they say!

So spot lamps are long beam intense lights, driving lights are similar to the high beam of the headlights but probably more powerful as per the old Cibie Oscars.

[Avtovaz]

ive got the piaa that cooperman says about in that linked post, i run 1 spot and one driving on my road rally bmw, that way im sorted for a range of things. Lenses do look different but that dosnt matter to me.

 

they are fantastic.

[Cooperman]

Before choosing auxiliary lights you need to decide what you wish to achieve.

Spot loghts give a long pencil beam so for main road fast driving they can be ideal.

Driving lights should give a more spread beam, but with more range than normal headlights, so for making good progres on twisty roads they are much better than spotlights.

[68+86auto]

A common thing is to run one pencil beam and one spread beam. Having only pencil beams on windy roads is not a good idea but you could fit some good headlights and use just the high beams in that situation. It all depends on when/where you actually think you will use them. The only situation that I believe I need additional lighting is when I drive hours in a straight line in remote areas so I am going to fit two pencil beams.

[weef]

Having all the bright auxiluary lights, of whichever design you prefer, are fantastic until you meet another vehicle on that twisty road and have to down to dip beam, your eyes take time to adjust and think "where did the road go".

[Ethel]

Beats me why they make modern headlights that are brighter than daylight in the beam, abruptly turning in to pitch black out of them.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

Having all the bright auxiluary lights, of whichever design you prefer, are fantastic until you meet another vehicle on that twisty road and have to down to dip beam, your eyes take time to adjust and think "where did the road go".

This is a real issue.  All you can do is fit the best headlamps possible for the best dip beam pattern.  I find Cibie headlamps with high quality bulbs do a good job but an improvement on that would still be welcome for those times when it's wet out, you have to dip, the oncoming lights are very bright and the windscreen isn't quite as clean as you thought it was.

[coopertaz]

on other mini have 2 fogs and one spot on italian job bar have spot on seperate switch to full beam

[Ethel]

All lights should dip on one switch to be road legal.