Xenon Kits (HID) and MOT?
Xenon Kits (HID) and MOT?
11 January 2009, 11:03 PM
#6
Doesn't matter; as long as the beam is focused and at the correct level with the correct kick-up angle it'll pass.
However, if the beam is out of focus and light bleeds out above the cutoff lines, it will fail. Sometimes duff bulbs and lenses can cause this and no adjustment will fix it.
However, if the beam is out of focus and light bleeds out above the cutoff lines, it will fail. Sometimes duff bulbs and lenses can cause this and no adjustment will fix it.
11 January 2009, 11:53 PM
#7
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Depends on the tester.
HID lights should have h/lamps washers fitted.
It is also illegal to fit a hid kit to a headlamp unit that was design for halogen bulbs.
Been through all this on another forum, and its deffo illegal unless your headlamp has been tested and type approved for use with hids.
If the tester knows his stuff, its a fail.
And it doesn't matter if the hid kit is 'e' marked, its still illegal with a standard headlamp unit.
A guy on another forum contacted Hella (I think) for advice on fitting one of their hid kits. He was told by them that it was illegal, and pointed in the direction of the particular law regarding it.
HID lights should have h/lamps washers fitted.
It is also illegal to fit a hid kit to a headlamp unit that was design for halogen bulbs.
Been through all this on another forum, and its deffo illegal unless your headlamp has been tested and type approved for use with hids.
If the tester knows his stuff, its a fail.
And it doesn't matter if the hid kit is 'e' marked, its still illegal with a standard headlamp unit.
A guy on another forum contacted Hella (I think) for advice on fitting one of their hid kits. He was told by them that it was illegal, and pointed in the direction of the particular law regarding it.
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11 January 2009, 11:56 PM
#8
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Here is a statement from the technical director at hella UK after my enquiry about fitting hid's to hella celis lights:
And the link to The Department of Transport for more info.
Hi ******
Sorry but they are wrong and somewhere on those websites there will
probably be a disclaimer about road use. They may well be e-marked but
they are not approved for use with any headlamp on the market manufactured by any company.
All halogen lamps are tested and approved with the lens and reflector designed around halogen filament bulbs working to very precise tolerances.
The bulbsin these HID kits are not tested with any headlamp. Fitting this
'upgrade' will not create the correct beam pattern, causing glare in some parts and not enough light output in others. Also the gas in a xenon bulb is ignited by a ballast unit, using 27,000 volts, so there is a serious danger of electrocution or melting of any wiring with an untested ballast unit.
You are correct that all vehicles with xenon lighting have to have headlamp washer systems and automatic levelling fitted by law, but this does not overide the basic approval certification of the lamp itself.
The Department of Transport are very clear on the matter and state:
"Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal. .... In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated".
The trouble with forums is that they're not really thinking about endangering the lives of other road users or other legalities. It's all about the look.
Hope this is of some help.
Kind regards
**************
Technical Advisor
Hella Limited
Wildmere Industrial Estate
Banbury, Oxfordshire
OX16 3JU
England, UK
Sorry but they are wrong and somewhere on those websites there will
probably be a disclaimer about road use. They may well be e-marked but
they are not approved for use with any headlamp on the market manufactured by any company.
All halogen lamps are tested and approved with the lens and reflector designed around halogen filament bulbs working to very precise tolerances.
The bulbsin these HID kits are not tested with any headlamp. Fitting this
'upgrade' will not create the correct beam pattern, causing glare in some parts and not enough light output in others. Also the gas in a xenon bulb is ignited by a ballast unit, using 27,000 volts, so there is a serious danger of electrocution or melting of any wiring with an untested ballast unit.
You are correct that all vehicles with xenon lighting have to have headlamp washer systems and automatic levelling fitted by law, but this does not overide the basic approval certification of the lamp itself.
The Department of Transport are very clear on the matter and state:
"Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal. .... In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated".
The trouble with forums is that they're not really thinking about endangering the lives of other road users or other legalities. It's all about the look.
Hope this is of some help.
Kind regards
**************
Technical Advisor
Hella Limited
Wildmere Industrial Estate
Banbury, Oxfordshire
OX16 3JU
England, UK
12 January 2009, 12:02 AM
#10
They ARE illegal BUT thats under type approval for construction and use on the highways. And that criteria (self leveling and washers) is not tested in the MOT.
I can check the manual on the computer tomorrow to confirm this (as I'm not a tester, but do have access to current data).
As I must stress, what is legal and what passes MOT are two different things; Illegal lights will pass an MOT, but that doesn't make them legal.
Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps
What I'm saying is, the only thing MOT tests is they work, are secure, give an adeqaute white-ish beam and the beam aim is correct. Washers and auto-levelling are not tested.
I can check the manual on the computer tomorrow to confirm this (as I'm not a tester, but do have access to current data).
As I must stress, what is legal and what passes MOT are two different things; Illegal lights will pass an MOT, but that doesn't make them legal.
Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps
What I'm saying is, the only thing MOT tests is they work, are secure, give an adeqaute white-ish beam and the beam aim is correct. Washers and auto-levelling are not tested.
Last edited by ALi-B; 12 January 2009 at 12:06 AM. Reason: auto levelling
12 January 2009, 12:03 AM
#11
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Copied and pasted from the DOT website, and kinda sums it all up:
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
So fingers crossed for your mot and hope the tester isn't up to date with the hid info!
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
So fingers crossed for your mot and hope the tester isn't up to date with the hid info!
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