MadaboutKitcars

Just a thought - does IVA require dim-dip running lights ?

Hi Mike,
I've never seen that referenced in any magazine or forum discussions so I think the answer is no.
You just need the normal Main beam and dipped headlights.
I included a typical main beam Flash function as it was on the BMW stalk but again I'm not sure this is a requirement.
And whilst we are talking lights, I wired my Driving lights to the main beams so I get lots of light in country lanes

...peter

Yep - that's how mine are wired as well.

Peter/GOO
How have you guys wired your headlights to get the Dip to come on with the Main beam, but not the other way around?

Have you used a third relay?

Mike

Ok - this is just me being dim (excuse the pun). I think I have confused your reference to Driving lights with Dipped Mainbeam.

A third relay certainly works to achieve Dip on with Mainbeam, but will IVA accept both Dip and Main beam at the same time, as long as there is a Dip only function?

I believe so, as I seem to recall that's how mine work. Dip beam is just that, full beam is both full & dip together. My driving lights are on a separate switch, that if toggled will put them on as well when full beam is selected.

On my Hunter, in the main headlamp units, the dip filament only gives dip beam and main filament only gives main beam. When main beam is selected a relay also switches on the separate aux driving lamps. On my modern, when selecting main beam the dip beam stays on and within the same reflector unit an extra "main beam" bulb comes on. For a Marlin set up I question whether the heat generated with both filaments "on" continuously in the same small Qtz Halogen bulb would last very long . That said I think years ago the rally boys used to wire both together to improve light output. Maybe they fitted new bulbs before every stage ! Peter.

I think some of us had the same discussion a few years back and came to exactly the same conclusion as Peter explains above.

Good point Peter - I had not even thought of heat issues. Better look for some driving lights at Stoneleigh - or better still pre-order some for collection!

In my rally days (mk 1 escort) I had mains and dip on togther, and 4 Oscar lamps with 100 watt bulbs, so on main beam there was about 600 watts of light on.
If you went onto full beam with the engine on tickover it nearly stalled the engine.

I can't say that I noticed the life expectancy of the main/dip bulbs was noticably shortened.