illegal number plate issue (Vic)

[HZ Hero]

My neighbor was pulled over by police for having a light bar (fitted on one of those number plate brackets) on his front number plate. Police reckon it's illegal and obscures the number plate because it can't be seen from within a 45 degree angle above the plate. He warned me about it because I've also got one fitted to the front of my VF. The neighbor has taken his off the car because he reckons it's not worth the drama. We are in a country areas with kangaroos on the road at night and the light bars definitely help see them sooner. The brackets are sold by every auto shop and drilled to fit the screws holding the number plate, so naturally people think they're allowed. Does anyone know more about this situation which seems a bit unfair and tyrannical.

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

My lightbar is mounted behind the lower grill. does the job and it's out of the way. Probably kills about 10% of the light output, so just buy a bigger lightbar. Mine is white and yellow, so I can use it on yellow for foggy mornings/night, or flip the switch and its white to add depth to the high beams. Better option, I think is to change your high beams to HIDs as they really do light the road up once they warm up

 

[Skylarking]

Just because a product is sold in an auto shop doesn’t make it legal to use on a road registered vehicle.

In this case, it seems that your neighbours infraction is obscuring the number plate, which inhibits the government from bolstering their automated fine revenue You don’t really want to be messing with the governments revenue; just ask Al Capone how that can turn out

LED globes are an option for high beams, though they may still be illegal for road use depending on their light output, day of the week, or policeman’s mood. But as it’s not a revenue impacting alteration it is more likely to go under the radar. Such globes are definitely illegal in your low beam lamp unless self levelling and washer features are included in the headlamp assembly.

The other option is moving the light bar up or down so it is within the road rules

What I find unfair is that shops continue to sell products that are illegal to use on road registered vehicles in the first instance. Often there are no warnings on the packaging that specify “not for road use” or if there is it’s in very fine print in some obscure place. Sometimes such statements are in bold on the front of the package but not often and usually people simply ignore these statements anyway. Oddly, some auto stores will even install these illegal items (HID globes in your low beams) to your road registered vehicle Way to create a liability for the business

However, if you want a clear understanding of the road rules re lighting, best to ring Vic Roads and talk to their engineering department. Most of what is done related to lighting has a basis in reason and is usually not tyrannical or unfair; it’s done so we can all see at night rather than be blinded by some guy with a poorly engineered cheap and illegal ‘light upgrade’

 

[vc commodore]

Isf it was me, I'd be making a bracket to move the number plate, so it fits within the regulations,

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

Yip if road (speed) cameras cant see your plate from above then its illegal, if you cant push them back behind the plate you will have to raise them so your plate can be seen. Why not get some round tube and move the Number plate forward of the light.

 

[Calaber]

I have a light bar on a number plate mount. The standard headlights on the car are typical of many foreign built cars - adequate low beam and crap high beam. I tried upgraded globes but they have a short life and aren't cheap. The light bar provides a brilliant spread and decent range increase. It's not the light that obscures the number plate, it's the bar and mounting plate that overhang the plate. As suggested above, why not just space the no. plate further forward so that it is level with the front of the light bar?

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

I have a light bar on a number plate mount. The standard headlights on the car are typical of many foreign built cars - adequate low beam and crap high beam. I tried upgraded globes but they have a short life and aren't cheap. The light bar provides a brilliant spread and decent range increase. It's not the light that obscures the number plate, it's the bar and mounting plate that overhang the plate. As suggested above, why not just space the no. plate further forward so that it is level with the front of the light bar?

Higher wattage is not good anyway there is a reason the manufacturers put a rating on them, getting bigger wattage means burning out your wiring, if you want to get brighter globes then get the Plus 150 at the same wattage and don't put your fingers on the bulb or you will create a hot spot from the oil on your skin shorting there life span, and yes that's what I meant by pack the plate out.

 

[Calaber]

Higher wattage is not good anyway there is a reason the manufacturers put a rating on them, getting bigger wattage means burning out your wiring, if you want to get brighter globes then get the Plus 150 at the same wattage and don't put your fingers on the bulb or you will create a hot spot from the oil on your skin shorting there life span, and yes that's what I meant by pack the plate out.

It was a set of Phillips Plus globes I used. One burnt out after only about two months use. Decided that additional light was more practical than upgraded standard lights. Part of the problem with imports is reflector design, rather than inadequate wattage. The standard projector high beams on my VY 2 Berlina were absolutely superb and never left me wanting for more light.

 

[vc commodore]

Higher wattage is not good anyway there is a reason the manufacturers put a rating on them, getting bigger wattage means burning out your wiring, if you want to get brighter globes then get the Plus 150 at the same wattage and don't put your fingers on the bulb or you will create a hot spot from the oil on your skin shorting there life span, and yes that's what I meant by pack the plate out.

So if this was the case, why haven't I burnt out my wiring? I have a light bar and 2 X 130W spot lights hanging from the front of my VC.

The spot light relay is wired to trigger from the high beam wire and the lightbar relay triggers from the spot light relay

To keep on the theme of the thread, I have relocated my number plate to the left side of the bullbar, so I don't have any issues with the police not being able to read the number plate

 

[Calaber]

VC I assume you have separate circuits with upgraded wiring and relays for your light bar and driving lights, as have I. It's when you load additional wattage to the lightweight factory headlight wiring that you strike problems. The wire gauge is too thin to carry the extra resistance of upgraded globes and overheats. Connectors melt, loose connections result then shorts/sparks/smoke/fire.