Technical Running lights

[babbo umbro]

The issue of running lights has come up in another thread and I'd like to know if current Pandas have all the components in place - apart from a fuse, presumably - to provide running lights. Some markets where Pandas are sold already have obligatory running lights legislation. I'm interested because we spend several months each year in Italy, where running lights have been obligatory on main roads for several years and everywhere since last year - though the minority of drivers use them - so there's still hope of Italy remaining Italian.

The UK 100HP handbook makes no reference to them in the fuses info - is there a forum member in a running lights country who could check this, please?

It's interesting that my N reg Cinquecento Sporting (still boohoo) had running lights provision on sidelights - dipped beams with reduced brightness - while our W reg Seicento (not so boohoo) didn't.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

It's interesting that my N reg Cinquecento Sporting (still boohoo) had running lights provision on sidelights - dipped beams with reduced brightness - while our W reg Seicento (not so boohoo) didn't.

That isn't a provission for running lights, that's dim dipped, designed for use in city's with streetlights as an imbetween side/parking lights and dipped beam. It was something phased in by some regulation, and then phased out some years later with a revision iirc

Have Fiat not already combatted this by turning the lights on and off with the ignition? So drivers in countrys affected by these reg's just always leave their headlight in the 'on' possition and they go on and off with the key?

That's how I run about in all of my Panda's (except the one I've fitted LED DRL's to) and easy easy as pie

 

[Ingvarr]

Actually, Fiat 500 has a true and proper daytime running lights.

 

[babbo umbro]

Ingvarr "Actually, Fiat 500 has a true and proper daytime running lights."

and Most easterly pandas - thanks for the info - I see the distinction, but putting on dipped headlights is not really the answer (Fiats have switched off al lights with the ignition for as long as I can remember - 40 plus years - the only disadvantage comes when you drive something else and don't think to check that the lights are switched off) as panel lighting has to be adjusted.

If the 500 has proper running lights, the question remains - is there provision for them in the Panda's electrical system? I doubt that the 500 has a completely different setup from the Panda as that would cancel out a good deal of the advantage of commonality.

 

[Ingvarr]

If the 500 has proper running lights, the question remains - is there provision for them in the Panda's electrical system? I doubt that the 500 has a completely different setup from the Panda as that would cancel out a good deal of the advantage of commonality.

What exactly do you mean by "provision"?

First of all, running lights should be switched off when car is stationary, so what is the problem in switching them off with ignition?

And you can actually keep parking lights on Panda running even when its stationary (on side of your choosing or both sides).

So if you want lights running with engine, just plug into whatever fusebox socket is key-energised. Or plug along with sidelights. Its very easy using plug-ins like these - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ADD-A-CIRCUIT-ATO-STYLE-BLADE-FUSE-HOLDER-10-AMP-QTY-1_W0QQitemZ360124044752QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Terminals_Cabling_ET?hash=item360124044752&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

As for wiring, you'll have to wire it yourself. Pandas never provided wiring "just in case", for example, Panda has optional foglights, but unless they are actually fitted, neither wiring nor fuse are present. The boot light is only exception I know

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

If the 500 has proper running lights, the question remains - is there provision for them in the Panda's electrical system? I doubt that the 500 has a completely different setup from the Panda as that would cancel out a good deal of the advantage of commonality.

The 500 has a compleatly different set-up in the fact that it has compleatly seperate light units at the front that contain the DRL's iirc.

They're controlled by the cars computer system as they can be activated or de-activated by going through the options on the system.

Regulations to be brought in, 2011 will only require all newly manufactured vehicles from a certain date after the reg is introduced to have DRL's. So current cars shouldn't be affected by its introduction.

 

[babbo umbro]

Ingvarr "What exactly do you mean by "provision"?

First of all, running lights should be switched off when car is stationary, so what is the problem in switching them off with ignition?

And you can actually keep parking lights on Panda running even when its stationary (on side of your choosing or both sides).

So if you want lights running with engine, just plug into whatever fusebox socket is key-energised. Or plug along with sidelights.
......

As for wiring, you'll have to wire it yourself. Pandas never provided wiring "just in case", for example, Panda has optional foglights, but unless they are actually fitted, neither wiring nor fuse are present. The boot light is only exception I know"

I'm really looking for information - I've assumed that a bus-based electrical system would have the equivalent of a ring main - common to every model - and that you could attach or detach services - hence "provision". On the Cinquecento Sporting, for instance, with its old-fashioned wiring setup, there was "provision" for height-adjustable headlamps even if they weren't fitted - the wiring and plugs were in place by the lamps and the wiring was also in place so that you could just pop the switches into the fascia and the connection was made.

When you state that running lights should be off when the car's stationary - do you mean stationary or when the engine's off?

All I wanted to know was how easy it would be to have a Panda with running lights that come on when you start the engine and go off when you stop it, without using the lighting switch. As there are markets where this happens - just as there are models with boot illumination - I wondered if the logic/provision/wiring/connections/slot in the fuse box(es) was already in place.

I must say that my friends would probably describe me as a pedant but communing with the Fiat Forum has introduced me to pedantry on entirely new levels.

 

[Ingvarr]

All I wanted to know was how easy it would be to have a Panda with running lights that come on when you start the engine and go off when you stop it, without using the lighting switch.

As with any other car.

a) Open fuse box
b) Locate a fuse that gets energised when engine is on
c) Plug add-a-cirtuit tap in this fuse slot (retaining original fuse & adding fuse for new circuit)
d) Connect wire to the light +, connect earth to any nut nearby.
(optional) You can use relay instead of direct connection for extra robustness.

It does not get any easier with that (except maybe when you already have a dangling cable with "DRL" label on it )

 

[babbo umbro]

Ingvarr "As with any other car.

a) Open fuse box
b) Locate a fuse that gets energised when engine is on
c) Plug add-a-cirtuit tap in this fuse slot (retaining original fuse & adding fuse for new circuit)
d) Connect wire to the light +, connect earth to any nut nearby.
(optional) You can use relay instead of direct connection for extra robustness.

It does not get any easier with that (except maybe when you already have a dangling cable with "DRL" label on it"

Thanks for that (though a phrase containing the words grandma, eggs, an suck comes to mind) - it was the dangling cable I was asking about.

By the way - there's a detailed examination of DRLs at
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/drls/daytimerunninglampsfinalreport

Interesting that full-intensity dipped headlights on cars can actually make life more dangerous for motorcyclists. And that the provision of ABS can be shown to reduce multi-vehicle and pedestrian accidents but INCREASES the likelihood of single-vehicle accidents.