Calif. Street Legal Aux Light Question
#16
08-18-2013, 03:42 PM
Cargo Master
I was under the understanding that you can have 2 headlights and 2 driving lights (white) on at low beam...on high beam the driving lights must shut off (hence why stock driving lights go out when you hit your high beams).
You can have 2 "fog" (yellow) lights on all the time (high and low beam).
...so yes, maximum 4 white bulbs illuminated at low beam, maximum 2 white bulbs illuminated at high beam, 2 yellow bulbs illuminated all the time.
I installed yellow fogs on my 97 Expedition and left them on full time, and had factory driving lights. Over the time I had it I drove through a decent amount of DUI street checks, etc., no-one ever said a word.
You can have 2 "fog" (yellow) lights on all the time (high and low beam).
...so yes, maximum 4 white bulbs illuminated at low beam, maximum 2 white bulbs illuminated at high beam, 2 yellow bulbs illuminated all the time.
I installed yellow fogs on my 97 Expedition and left them on full time, and had factory driving lights. Over the time I had it I drove through a decent amount of DUI street checks, etc., no-one ever said a word.
#17
08-19-2013, 12:29 AM
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Mr. No Expert here . . . seems like the more LEO's I speak with (spoke with two more today), the more of an understanding I am getting, at least in my humble corner of the world. As long as you stay within the spirit of the law, do not stand out too much, create an unsafe situation, or **** off a LEO or someone that will complain to a LEO - you are likely to not have a problem. "In other words," I said to the one Sheriff, "Just be Mr. Gray and your okay," - - he smiled and said "exactly..." I got a kick out of that. Thank you Sonoma Sheriffs Department for more clarification!
#18
08-20-2013, 01:48 AM
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Technically this is more complicated than we thought. However the CHP folks I spoke with today said it's rarely enforced unless you're doing something stupid or you pissed off a LEO during a stop.
Then you have this:
Now let's complicate this even more (not my idea) by adding aux driving lamps and passing lamps. So you can have 2 lamps tied to your high beams, and 2 others tied to your low beams. The folks in the CHP office say that these don't count as the 8 headlamps referred to in 24411.
Oh and don't forget fog lamps.
So what does it all boil down to?
You can have a total of 14 mounted lamps (28 lights) but only 4 lamps (8 lights counting the original headlights and fog lights it equipped by the manufacture) can be illuminated at any time unless you're off highway / off road (the CHP folks say it's implied since it's not written that way). All other lamps/lights need to be covered, again if you're off highway / off road it's implied you can have more illuminated).
8 pairs of headlamps (16 lights)
2 aux driving lamps (4 lights)
2 aux passing lamps (4 lights)
2 fog lamps (4 lights)
Originally Posted by CVC 24405
24405. (a) Not more than four lamps of the following types showing to the front of a vehicle may be lighted at any one time:
(1) Headlamps.
(2) Auxiliary driving or passing lamps.
(3) Fog lamps.
(4) Warning lamps.
(5) Spot lamps.
(6) Gaseous discharge lamps specified in Section 25258.
(b) For the purpose of this section each pair of a dual headlamp system shall be considered as one lamp.
(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any authorized emergency vehicle.
(1) Headlamps.
(2) Auxiliary driving or passing lamps.
(3) Fog lamps.
(4) Warning lamps.
(5) Spot lamps.
(6) Gaseous discharge lamps specified in Section 25258.
(b) For the purpose of this section each pair of a dual headlamp system shall be considered as one lamp.
(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any authorized emergency vehicle.
Originally Posted by CVC 24411
24411. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle may be equipped with not more than eight lamps for use as headlamps while the vehicle is operated or driven off the highway. The lamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 16 inches from the ground, or more than 12 inches above the top of the passenger compartment, at any place between the front of the vehicle and a line lying on a point 40 inches to the rear of the seat occupied by the driver, shall be wired independently of all other lighting circuits, and, whenever the vehicle is operated or driven upon a highway, shall be covered or hooded with an opaque hood or cover, and turned off.
Originally Posted by CVC 24402
24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not be lighted with the lower beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also be lighted with the upper beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also be lighted with the upper beam.
Originally Posted by CVC 24403
24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution of, headlamps.
(b) On a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, the foglamps authorized under this section shall be mounted on the front at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.
(c) On a motorcycle, the foglamps authorized under this section shall be mounted on the front at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 40 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.
(b) On a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, the foglamps authorized under this section shall be mounted on the front at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.
(c) On a motorcycle, the foglamps authorized under this section shall be mounted on the front at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 40 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.
You can have a total of 14 mounted lamps (28 lights) but only 4 lamps (8 lights counting the original headlights and fog lights it equipped by the manufacture) can be illuminated at any time unless you're off highway / off road (the CHP folks say it's implied since it's not written that way). All other lamps/lights need to be covered, again if you're off highway / off road it's implied you can have more illuminated).
8 pairs of headlamps (16 lights)
2 aux driving lamps (4 lights)
2 aux passing lamps (4 lights)
2 fog lamps (4 lights)
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