Mysticality's Light Thread!!

[Mysticality]

Oh, sorry. Don't know where I got the idea that you are a woman. Maybe the Kia photo?

Fair enough.
She just models a whole lot better than I do.
I mean, not like I can go and take a new photo of the vehicle is it? :p

Rice is different from bogan but in this case, I think you've nailed it. It's like Fried Rice, a dish that is easily available in any Aussie Chinese restaurant but never heard of in China.

I look at what Mysticality is doing with his car & cringe - especially when he can't be shagged fixing a flat tyre but has time to stuff about with inconsequential stuff.

Its not so much with the being bothered, its more to do with the fact that $550 is a lot of money for two tyres, especially in this job climate, and as of yet, I don't actually HAVE two new tyres to replace the old ones with. Time or not, there is nothing that can be done at this point.

so if he's happy then good luck to her.

I am male.

[DunlopRS]

getting back on track…..
I too am somewhat disappointed in the high beams on my RS. Not a patch on the high beams of my previous 2 AUS assembled cars (a lot may be to do with the Octavia only having 2x55W while the AUS cars had 4x55W..). Straight after taking delivery I replaced the low & high beam globes with osram nightbreaker plus (55W, cheap from powerbulbs) which made a significant difference & lifted the high beam to just acceptable. However, after a close run in with a couple of roos on my last trip to the in-laws I am seriously considering a light bar & decent spot lights regardless of the looks (all that will then be needed is a bale of hay in the boot to make me think I got the Subaru…).
Has anyone put a ‘light bar’ on an Octavia? I am yet to get underneath and look but the attachment into the number plate holes on the front bumper does not seem very secure, even for a set of light polycarbonate lights? Any experiences??
thanks

[Mysticality]

The unibar and lights attached to the plastic bumper of my 2007 Rio held on fine, for 12 months of rough tracks, dirt tracks, campsites and dodgy NSW highways and back roads. I doubt it would be a problem for the Octy.

That being said, the front of the octy is curved. The numberplate, when attached, ends up moulding to the bumper.
The unibar won't be able to go.
As far as a light bar is concerned, the most stealthy way I have thought of to attach it is either underneath a roof rack, situated at the very front of the rails, or behind the bottom grille, attached to the front metal section behind the bumper.
When my car goes in for its 4th BCM (aftermarket HID's attack. not putting them back in.) I'm going to ask them to remove the bottom grille, so I can go about my investigations and measuring, without having to take the bumper off.

I had a look at attaching the two old large halogen spotties behind the bottom grille, and they wouldn't fit.
Well, they would, but you would have to attach them to the bottom of the skid pan. So any time you actually scrape something, it'll rip the mounts to shreds. Not a good idea, although looked great with two of them lit up.

This is the light bar I ended up looking at.
eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d

Something like this would be excellent. You could mount them somewhere small and discrete... Like that useless bottom section of black plastic on the front bumper.
SR-M2 Flush Mount Driving
At US$169 each, minus any shipping, its a bit expensive, though.


I know I am going to get some more high beam lighting. Its a safety issue.
I'll let you know what I end up with.

[IBN]

I've used a light bar successfully on my Scout. It has been braced to the steel bar behind the plastic bumper so shake and vibration are minimal, even on dirt roads. The install is Ver1.0, so next time the whole thing would be more refined.
Considering I used some old Cibie Oscar+ lights which are quite heavy, I'm quite happy with the result. Night driving is once again a pleasure.
Cheers, Ivars.

[Mysticality]

I would love to see some pics of this setup, please.


-Matt

[wfdTamar]

Yes. I'd like to see photo's. I saw some light bars in Supercheap yesterday (and they weren't so super cheap). What sort of light power do they have? Can anyone equate it to normal driving lights? Is the colour of the light white or a bit yellow like normal lights. The beam spread?

At the other end of the lighting scale I got a Narva 'plug into the ciggy lighter' rechargable torch which has a few leds. Not the brightest thing in the world , but ok for changing wheels and small enough to hold in your mouth. Ideal for the socket in the boot.

[IBN]

Yes. I'd like to see photo's. I saw some light bars in Supercheap yesterday (and they weren't so super cheap). What sort of light power do they have? Can anyone equate it to normal driving lights? Is the colour of the light white or a bit yellow like normal lights. The beam spread?

Oops! Cocked that one up.
When I started talking light bars, I took them to be the bars to which lights are mounted rather than these LED units that people speak of.
Anyway here's a pic of my set-up for what it's worth.
Cheers, Ivars

[wfdTamar]

Still interesting to see as that's pretty much what mine would look like if/when I put my dual beam driving lights on (I have the same bar).

How have you wired them up? There's a good source of power to the right of the battery where the postive cable from the battery is terminated. Where did you put the switch?

[IBN]

Power is taken from the +ve bus on the fusebox which you've seen. This was done via an original fuse/fusible link. The lights are switched with a "transistorized" relay so as not to cause problems with the car's CANBUS as I've just spliced the switch wire into the high beam circuit.
I thought I'd bring wiring into the cabin for a switch, but ended up being too lazy to do this. After years of using driving lights, I pretty much had them working all the time and the switches ended up being just for show. If I do need to disable the lights I have a switch behind the grille.
Cheers, Ivars

[Mysticality]

Yes. I'd like to see photo's. I saw some light bars in Supercheap yesterday (and they weren't so super cheap). What sort of light power do they have? Can anyone equate it to normal driving lights? Is the colour of the light white or a bit yellow like normal lights. The beam spread?

At the other end of the lighting scale I got a Narva 'plug into the ciggy lighter' rechargable torch which has a few leds. Not the brightest thing in the world , but ok for changing wheels and small enough to hold in your mouth. Ideal for the socket in the boot.

Check these guys out: LED Lights | Off Road LED Light Bars | Military | Defense | Agriculture | Marine | Mining | Landscape | Police | Fire | Rigid Industries
Thats the website of the US-based manufacturer that makes pretty well the best range of LED light bars around, at the moment.
They have an Aussie reseller, too. Snakeracing, I think. Or Sharkracing. One of them.
Beam pattern/throw is pretty damn good, for LED's.

I have one of those little rechargeable jobs, too. Its excellent. It really is.