Steve928 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Have a new van sitting on the drive awaiting 1/1/15 and the spec. says it should have "LED daytime running lights", however, having fired it up today the DRLs use the standard filament sidelights. I expect that this is just a listing error carried over from the change from X2/50 to X2/90 base vehicle but I'd be interested to know if LED DRLs are available on the X2/90? Dealers etc are now closed so I can't ask them.. Not particularly bothered, especially as I feel that the proliferation of overly-bright frontal lighting is in fact detrimental to road safety, but would be interested to know what's what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 For the X/290, DRLs are standard, LED DRLs are, however, a cost option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 If the headlamps on the van has a row of LED's along the bottom edge and outer edge of the lens then the DRL's are LED's, if not then they are the small halogens that can be turned off if you don't want to use them by going into the menu function. Most motorhomes on the new X290 platform have the LED DRL's. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Thanks. Do you happen to know the cost of the option? If it's available but missing then I'll need to enter into negotiations when everyone reopens.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 AlanS - 2014-12-23 6:27 PM If the headlamps on the van has a row of LED's along the bottom edge and outer edge of the lens then the DRL's are LED's, if not then they are the small halogens that can be turned off if you don't want to use them by going into the menu function. Most motorhomes on the new X290 platform have the LED DRL's. Alan Thanks Alan - they are not LED strips neither are they halogen. they just illuminate the bog-standard xenon sidelight bulb. I had a good look around other vans in the showroom and they all seem to be the same - no sign of any LEDs on the X2/90 bases and the halogen H15(?) DRL bulb of the X2/50 has been dropped. Not a big issue at all, but if the spec. says that I should have something and it isn't there then I'd expect to get refunded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Nick mentioned somewhere on another thread that the ones with LED' s a replacement headlamp is around 450 quid and if the LED's fail you have to buy a new headlamp. Still nice and cheap compared to Hymer headlamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 ...this thread will give the pricing info, and the background Lenny refers to: https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Headlight-protectors-for-new-Ducato/36615/#M441774 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Steve928 - 2014-12-23 6:40 PM AlanS - 2014-12-23 6:27 PM If the headlamps on the van has a row of LED's along the bottom edge and outer edge of the lens then the DRL's are LED's, if not then they are the small halogens that can be turned off if you don't want to use them by going into the menu function. Most motorhomes on the new X290 platform have the LED DRL's. Alan Thanks Alan - they are not LED strips neither are they halogen. they just illuminate the bog-standard xenon sidelight bulb. I had a good look around other vans in the showroom and they all seem to be the same - no sign of any LEDs on the X2/90 bases and the halogen H15(?) DRL bulb of the X2/50 has been dropped. Not a big issue at all, but if the spec. says that I should have something and it isn't there then I'd expect to get refunded. The DRL options for a Ducato X290 are fairly well covered in the Owner Handbook, with Page 205 (of the on-line handbook) carrying a drawing of the headlamp-unit showing the position of the LED DRLs or the standard bulb. The bulb used with the standard DRL is quoted (Page 203) as being "W21/5W” type an example of which is shown here http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/R580-W21-5W-Wedge-Stop-and-Tail.html?gclid=CKijufih3sICFbLKtAodoxkA_Q This is not a halogen or xenon bulb, just an ‘old tech’ incandescent-filament type. Page 206 of the handbook deals with bulb replacement and seems to suggest that a bayonet-base bulb may be an alternative to the W21/5W. If that’s so, then it would probably be a P21W/5W bulb like this. http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/automotive-incandescent-lamps/0579168/ It’s likely that the type of bulb can be identified simply by looking through the front of the headlamp-unit. (It is possible to obtain LED versions of W21/5W and P21W/5W bulbs that would be lower wattage and brighter. Not sure if using them would have any negative impact on an X290’s electrical system though.) Where X290 headlamps with LEDs are concerned, the LED ‘strip’ evidently performs side-light duties as well as being a DRL. Regarding replacement, Page 206 of the handbook says "SIDE LIGHTS/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (LEDs) These are LEDs. For replacement, contact a Fiat Dealership.” This SEEMS to suggest that the LED part of the headlamp-unit may be replaceable, though I would have thought that’s not the case. As has been said above, the headlamp-unit with LEDs is much more expensive than the version with a side-light/DRL non-LED bulb, so perhaps the handbook advice should read "SIDE LIGHTS/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (LEDs) These are LEDs. For replacement, contact a Fiat Dealership. (Loans available from Wonga.)" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Steve928 - 2014-12-23 6:02 PM Not particularly bothered, especially as I feel that the proliferation of overly-bright frontal lighting is in fact detrimental to road safety, but would be interested to know what's what. As an ageing person I can assure anyone that DTL's are a safer means of going about, particularly for pedestrians. Most DTL's are not as bright as main lights. With the unavoidable increase in traffic anything to make life safer must be beneficial. I also have a much stronger view but that's moving away from the original question. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Will There is IMHO a potential problem with DRLs (I’ll leave you to look up “DTL” in the Urban Dictionary ;-) ) - in particular with LED-based DRLs. The principle is fine, but what began as a credible safety-related idea has, for many vehicle designers, mutated into a style-statement. LED DRLs, by their very brightness attract the eye. This is fine for pedestrians, but attraction can become distraction when a DRL’s dimensions are large and its position on the vehicle conflicts visually with a lamp that could be considered to be more important safety-wise. While I’ve found, as a driver, that DRLs are generally useful in helping me identify the presence of a DRL-equipped vehicle more readily than one with no frontal lights showing (in my rear-view mirror on a motorway for example), I’ve occasionally found, in certain circumstances (eg. daytime heavy town traffic) that the LED DRLs of some vehicles ’swamp’ the turn-signal lamps. Citroen’s DS3 is a case in point, where I’ve found that my attention is held momentarily by the DRL’s vertical line of LEDs and I do not immediately register that the car’s turn-signal is winking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Interesting, these days I'm more a pedestrian than a motorway user. Perhaps the whole front end lighting arrangement should be re-designed. There is certainly a tendency to position a fashionable lighting housing as a sales point rather than its practical use. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Got to agree with Derek on that one, on some cars the indicators are 'masked' by the DRL's very dangerous IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted December 25, 2014 Author Share Posted December 25, 2014 Will - these days I increasingly find myself driving blinded into the black hole somewhere between the edge of the road and the oncoming vehicle lit up like a christmas tree even in 'dipped' state. Partly down to my ageing eyes but mostly down to the seemingly unregulated proliference of forward facing ultra-bright lighting. I can't see how that is an improvement in road safety terms, particularly for the pedestrian or cyclist in that black hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 The Wikipedia entry for DRLs shows that this has been a contentious issue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifford Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 If the lights have been fitted fitted recently you can monitor before and after results on Doorda.com as they have mapped 8 years of road accidents. All you need is a postcode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 All i can say is thank god for DTRLs this morning i was trying to turn right into a main road and the sun was low as it is this time of year and i was more or less blinded by it but the bright running lights on vehicles made them more visible this helped immensley , and time and time again older people have told me how they now see vehicles at a distance etc , where they didnt before , as far as im concerned theyre a good thing whatever any one else says , ive seen it proved over and over again no matter what the stats say . lets face it these lights only should show in the daylight and not when the headlights are on , thats the whole idea of them , the clue is in the name . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Blinded by the Sun, but somehow helped by the intensity of these lights some of which are equally blinding, and presumably all other things not lit being all but invisible to you doesn't sound such a great leap forward in road safety . :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 woody. - 2014-12-29 11:00 AM . lets face it these lights only should show in the daylight and not when the headlights are on , thats the whole idea of them , the clue is in the name . But thats not how they are implemented,as above, increasingly now you will be driving into a black hole caused by HID's, DRL's and Fog lights all being switched on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 This AA webpage may be of interest http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/daytime-running-lights.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Joe90 - 2014-12-29 12:14 PM presumably all other things not lit being all but invisible to you doesn't sound such a great leap forward in road safety . :-S But thats the point of them to be seen ,where other unlit vehicles arnt ,and that is a leap in road safety , as far as im concerned . you leave the lighting switch on auto and they do the job perfectly well , i dont find myself being blinded by them , the vehicles with badly set headlights cause the problems , and when that happens you dont look into the lights you look at the road etc . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 woody. - 2014-12-29 9:42 PM Joe90 - 2014-12-29 12:14 PM presumably all other things not lit being all but invisible to you doesn't sound such a great leap forward in road safety . :-S But thats the point of them to be seen ,where other unlit vehicles arnt ,and that is a leap in road safety , as far as im concerned . you leave the lighting switch on auto and they do the job perfectly well , i dont find myself being blinded by them , the vehicles with badly set headlights cause the problems , and when that happens you dont look into the lights you look at the road etc . And the point I was making was that everything else NOT fitted with DRLs become far less conspicuous, so perhaps all pedestrians, cyclists, and everything in between should be fitted with them as well, then we can all go round blinding one another (!) P.S thanks for the driving tip though, God knows how I've got through 50 years of PCV, HGV, and private motoring without ploughing into everything and everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 There two websites may be worth visiting http://vastmeridian.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/do-we-really-need-daylight-running.html http://www.lightmare.org/ My understanding is that DRLs factory-fitted to ‘Sevel’ X250 and X290 vehicles can be easily activated/deactivated via the vehicle’s dashboard display if a driver so wishes. This does not seem to be the case with the latest Transit Mk 8 - the DRL system functions automatically and cannot be overridden by the driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 HaHa well answered joe , Derek Uzzells post concerns me regarding the Transit MK8 , anyone who has driven vehicles with DRLs and can overide them will know that in daytime fog and some other weather conditions you have to over ride the auto to put on dipped headlights etc , i have noticed some drivers dont have DRLs switched on so could this be a way of making sure they do ? Many years ago whilst driving into sheffield when the new lighting law had just started the police were pulling everybody in and asking them to drive with dipped headlights and giving out fliers with the new lighting law on , since then over the years ive seen thousands of vehicles not lit up in bad weather , foggy conditions , bad daylight etc etc , so something has to be done , a large portion of drivers seem to be oblivious to the need to be seen , so if they wont do it automise it , what other way is there . Perhaps thats the only way to go . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yes there are a lot of boneheads around, I've noticed like others I guess that these folk with their fancy designer DRLs omit to put their rear fog lights on in poor visibility, and yes of course folk should drive with due regard for the conditions and other road users, others with no DRLS insist on making a fashion statement as well with everything on, and sometimes on main beam, which kind of brings us round full circle...........perhaps we should go back to a man walking in front waving a red flag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Joe 90 .perhaps we should go back to a man walking in front waving a red flag. Ha ha your right there , perhaps thats why the driverless car is being talked about so much . ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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