Auxiliary spot light control unit

Afternoon all... First post here so pls be kind!

I have finally (after 3 yrs!) got round to trying to fix my dealer fitted spot lamps on my 2003 V8 Disco 2. At first, the spots would work intermittently and not for long periods of time but about 3 yrs ago, they stopped working completely.

I registered on here this-morning and - after tracking down an article on the excellent www.discovery2.co.uk website www.discovery2.co.uk** Driving / Spot Lamps - it seems that I have a defective control unit.

I've also tried looking on various parts websites but can't locate the unit on any of them.. There appears to be a few potential part numbers on the unit; 10r - 021303, 11336 or 12223 - it's made by 'reed automotive'

I don't live too close to a main dealer so need to make sure I get the part number right.. Can anyone help with this pls?

Thanks in advance...

James

The part number of the factory unit is

VUB501690

Thanks mate... Will get it ordered tomorrow.. Was seriously considering the mod with the switch but think I'll give the control unit another go.. Will defo make the change if it goes again though.

Cheers,
J

Hello,

I live in the US and I have the same issue with my Discovery. Where can I order that control unit? (online or in the US)

Thanks

On a related topic. I have a set of Reed Automotive driving lights (7" semi-sealed H3 inserts). The glass has gone cloudy inside. Tried every strong thinners type chemical, no real luck. I cannot find Reed Automotive on the internet. Anyone know where to buy new inserts?

Jason F said:

On a related topic. I have a set of Reed Automotive driving lights (7" semi-sealed H3 inserts). The glass has gone cloudy inside. Tried every strong thinners type chemical, no real luck. I cannot find Reed Automotive on the internet. Anyone know where to buy new inserts?

Click to expand...

I found these details for them -

REED AUTOMOTIVE LTD - Company A-Z Listings, find suppliers and distributors in the automotive aftermarket



REED AUTOMOTIVE LTD
19/20 Avenue One
Station Lane Industrial Estate
Witney
Oxford
OX8 6XZ

Contact: Brian Webb
Tel: 01993 778711
Fax: 01993 778951

Suppliers of …

REED AUTOMOTIVE LTD are suppliers of:

• Lighting

.

changed mine at the week end to a "retro" switch and relay. The switch doesnt match BUT the damn lights work! The control box is completely pointless complication IMHO, get rid of it!!!

Just checked the price of this - what a laugh, £90 + carriage!!!! My switch and relay were free nicked of my neighbours Mini they were scrapping!!!!

You've got the part numbers right etc. It would be great if LR would take responsibility for "notoriously bad parts". I've been hearing that everyone who ever bought the big driving lights from LR (series 5000 at $500) has had problems with the relay switch. I had "3" opportunities to use mine before the relay went bad and now they're just a decorative item. Land Rover wants to sell the replacement as a unit combined with the wiring for over $200.00. That's just as much a robbery as their hourly shop rate $145.00.

If it's of any use to you all, I have spent a bit of time looking at the "Auxiliary Driving Lights" conundrum.

Most users I have spoken to seem to have decided that the original control unit is a particularly troublesome beast. Because of that, I decided to initially wire my auxiliary lights with just a relay triggered from the main beam wiring.

Although I must admit that I have looked at what the control box would do and tried to replicate one of my own.

What I came up with was a small plastic box housing 4 relays wired up to give a latching function and the proper LR Aux light switch on the binnacle. The latching circuit would then work to connect or disconnect the trigger wire from the main beam wiring with each press of the dashboard switch.

It's set up so that when the headlights are off the flash facility from the stalk control will work. The unit defaults to the Aux lights enabled condition.
When power is applied, the LED tell-tale will light when the Aux lights are enabed and is out when the Aux lights are disabled.

The cost of the parts for the box was about 20 quid, all parts from ebay suppliers, but the proper switch from Paddocks was about 35 quid including carriage.
I've done it with relays, they are more robust in the "hostile" environment of a motor vehicle but there are also various electronic methods particularly those utilising the NE555 timer chip. There are also small latching relays available which I'm sure could be used to provide the similar function.

I have a facelift Disco 2, so the dipped beam lights are always on and the main beams are then added, unlike earlier vehicles where the main and dipped beams are changed over. That allowed me to splice into the dipped beam wiring to supply the power to the box. There is a method of combining the feeds using diodes from both beam wires to provide power in the earlier versions.

The auxiliary lights I've fitted are just cheapo units, well they are out at the front of the Disco on the sports light bar, vulnerable to damage or even theft.

Brain47
Sounds like you have fingered out the solution to my problem too.
I have change these relays three time. If you could you share a schematic
of your retro/electric rewire. It would be of great help.
Many thanks ed

Have a look at this thread -http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/safari-5000-driving-lamps-wiring-diagram-203300.html


I've posted details of how to do-away with the expensive and unreliable 'control unit', replacing it with a standard automotive relay.

Doing this, requires the existing non-latching D2 Spotlights switch to be modified to a 'proper' latching on/off switch, which can be done for around a fiver, using a Puma Defender heated seat switch body

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Great tip my spotlights haven't worked for ages just carried out the wiring mod to change the exspensive control unit to a normal relay,spotlights work great now!