10 replies to this topic

[BoXXerRACE]

We had some heavy rain last night and I noticed that my headlights randomly turned themselves on, even though the switch was in the off position. Since it was absolutely tipping it down I just disconnected the battery. I reconnected the battery today and they are still on, just the front headlights mind not the rear lights. I know something must be wet and causing a short but I don’t know where it could be. I’ve lathered all the wires and relays under the bonnet with WD40 and I need to have a drive into town today anyway so maybe the engine heat will dry things out, but if it doesn’t it’s going to be a pain in the arse disconnecting and reconnecting the battery all the time...

[Kevin Abbott]

If you have a later car or exclusive there is a relay for the lights fitted above the bonnet pull in the passenger footwell.  Disconnect it

[BoXXerRACE]

Yeah it’s an exclusive hatch, I’ll have a fiddle in a min. I think one of the neighbours had just died since there are a pair of black limos and a hearse at the end of the street, best wait till they’re gone before I start messing around with the car…

[BoXXerRACE]

Cheers mate you were spot on. The secton of blukhead where the relay should have been has been replaced at some point and it was just wedged behind the peice of trim next to the bonnet release, low and behold in a puddle. I'm going to dry it out (the relay and the puddle) and try and salvage it. and looks like i've got some waterproofing to do as well.

[BoXXerRACE]

Ok now i'm really confused, what does that relay do exactly? because all my lights are working fine now without it...

Edited by BoXXerRACE, 30 January 2012 - 01:38 PM.

[Kevin Abbott]

It was added to the manta due to European regulations in about 87
Just leave it unplugged.
It was something to do with dip beam IIRC

[BoXXerRACE]

Ok cheers mate

[stradacab]

Dim/dip relay, a complete waste of time, as already posted, bin it!

Here you are, this will send you to sleep!

U.K. regulations briefly required vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1987 to be equipped with a dim-dip device^[19] or functionally-dedicated daytime running lamps, except those vehicles type-approved to ECE Regulation 48 regarding installation of lighting equipment—this exception was made because ECE R48 did not require dim-dip or daytime running lights, and while countries signatory to the ECE Regulations are permitted to maintain their own national regulations as an option to the ECE regulations, they are not permitted to bar vehicles approved under the ECE regulations. The dim-dip system operated the low beam headlamps (called "dipped beam" in the UK) at between 10% and 20% of normal low-beam intensity. The running lamps permitted as an alternative to dim-dip were required to emit at least 200 candela straight ahead, and no more than 800 candela in any direction. In practice, most vehicles were equipped with the dim-dip option rather than the running lamps.^[19]
The dim-dip lights were not intended for use as daytime running lights. Rather, they operated when the engine was running and the driver switched on the front position (parking) lamps. Dim-dip was intended to provide a nighttime "town beam" with intensity between that of the parking lamps commonly used at the time by British drivers in city traffic after dark, and low beam headlamps; the former were considered insufficiently intense to provide improved conspicuity in conditions requiring it, while the latter were considered too glaring for safe use in built-up areas. The UK was the only country to require such dim-dip systems, though vehicles so equipped were sold in other Commonwealth countries with left-hand traffic.^[20]
In 1988, the European Commission successfully prosecuted the UK government in the European Court of Justice, arguing that the UK requirement for dim-dip was illegal under EC directives prohibiting member states from enacting vehicle lighting requirements not contained in pan-European EC directives. As a result, the UK requirement for dim-dip was quashed.^[19] Nevertheless, dim-dip systems remain permitted, and while such systems are not presently as common as they once were, dim-dip functionality was fitted on many new cars well into the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

Edited by stradacab, 30 January 2012 - 10:25 PM.

[mantadoc]

Except for it not being a relay that all correct

[stradacab]

mantadoc, on 30 January 2012 - 11:11 PM, said:

Except for it not being a relay that all correct

It's more of a resistor really isn't it?

[mantadoc]

More than that, it appears to have a couple of triacs in it, more like a voltage regulator