Fog Lamp

[Oldone]

Hi All
My rear fog light was happly working away until Jim's Towbar man fitted my nice new shiny puller. For some reason best known to himself he decided to take a feed for his test board from my poor little fog lamp. Now the little chap don't work!
Having crawled under and over, pulled the dash apart,removed the batteries,
poked about in the drivers side headlight I have made a drawing of how I think the wiring should be. But I am not an electrician. Please will some bright sparky person tell me if my rough drawing is correct.
Don

[Guest]

Hi All
My rear fog light was happly working away until Jim's Towbar man fitted my nice new shiny puller. For some reason best known to himself he decided to take a feed for his test board from my poor little fog lamp. Now the little chap don't work!
Having crawled under and over, pulled the dash apart,removed the batteries,
poked about in the drivers side headlight I have made a drawing of how I think the wiring should be. But I am not an electrician. Please will some bright sparky person tell me if my rough drawing is correct.
Don

Don.

That should do the job. Not sure on the switch terminals but if they are correct (should be marked on the switch which one is the earth for the switch illumination). The only difference I might say is that the legal requirement is that they only work with at least side lights so you could wire them to that instead of the heads.

Cheers

[whippet]

Don.

The only difference I might say is that the legal requirement is that they only work with at least side lights so you could wire them to that instead of the heads.

Cheers

Although they should only be used with dipped head lights, it is not a legal requirement that they are wired in with them.

From MOT Testers Manual -

6. Rear fog lamps
The inspection of rear fog lamps is confined to the one rear fog lamp which is required to be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1980.
Note: On some vehicles the front fog lamps need to be switched on before the rear fog lamp(s) will work.
Note: A rear fog lamp is permitted to operate independently of headlamp, position lamp or ignition systems.

[Guest]

Although they should only be used with dipped head lights, it is not a legal requirement that they are wired in with them.

From MOT Testers Manual -

6. Rear fog lamps
The inspection of rear fog lamps is confined to the one rear fog lamp which is required to be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1980.
Note: On some vehicles the front fog lamps need to be switched on before the rear fog lamp(s) will work.
Note: A rear fog lamp is permitted to operate independently of headlamp, position lamp or ignition systems.

Interesting that, when I used to be an MOT tester (back in 1979 - 1980) vehicles with rear fogs had to have them wired to at least sidelights otherwise they would fail the MOT. We probably failed a few cars that we shouldn't have.

Cheers

[Tallyman]

Fog light

Just a thought on this. Did the towbar fitter use an 8 core 12N cable? If so, that should have a connection to a cut-out on the 12N socket so that when the 12N plug is fitted (i.e. when you're towing) it stops the car foglight from being on at the same time as the trailer / caravan fog light. Could be a faulty 12N socket if he's wired it up to the foglight and it was working ok before. Try disconnecting any connection to the 12N cable and see if it works then.

Mike G

[Oldone]

Fog light

Thank you all for your advice,
My first thoughts were to find out how the wiring should be.
Next buy a fog light kit from Halfords and fit a new light leaving
the tow bar wiring alone. It is working OK.
Halford’s don’t sell kits at my branch only bits.
When I put my ancient Mark 8 from the live to earth on the dash switch
only 5 volts are read.Something wrong there!
I still fancy a new installation from the sidelights with an inline fuse
somewhere accessible. Anyone know who sells fog lamp kits?
I am still recovering from the shock and expense of a new cylinder head
and have just fitted a new thermostat after a few short runs without one
in an attempt to get rid of any airlocks.
Our other cars are boringly reliable. Thank goodness.
Don

[Oldone]

Although they should only be used with dipped head lights, it is not a legal requirement that they are wired in with them.

From MOT Testers Manual -

6. Rear fog lamps
The inspection of rear fog lamps is confined to the one rear fog lamp which is required to be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1980.
Note: On some vehicles the front fog lamps need to be switched on before the rear fog lamp(s) will work.
Note: A rear fog lamp is permitted to operate independently of headlamp, position lamp or ignition systems.

Thank you Whippet
I believe most MOT inspectors will expect the fog lights to work with the dipped headlights.
Why try to convince a man in a position of power he is less than competent?
Don

[whippet]

Thank you Whippet
I believe most MOT inspectors will expect the fog lights to work with the dipped headlights.
Why try to convince a man in a position of power he is less than competent?
Don

I wasn't suggesting that you should wire them up independantly... just pointing out to any one else that might about to fit one (as I will be if they ever decide to put on another ship from Japan and get my Surf over here!!! ), that it is not a LEGAL requiremnet.

I think you'll find that most of the time they just go through their set routine, with a man at the back checking the lights light up... they will already have switched the headlights on... switch on rear fog lamp - lights up OK - carry on to the next item. I have never heard a tester ask the other fella if the fog light has gone off again!!