Illegal HID conversion

[chrizzlephaa]

Just read this thread as I have ordered some 5k HIDs and wanna be as legal as possible. Reading through this:

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.


1. I assume is the regulation which allows OEM fitted HID converstions, which any car on here pre 2008 or so wont have... Am I right?
2. Is it possible to install self levelers? Or are they mega complex and not worth it?
3. People have mentioned headlight washers but that section makes no mention and only says 'like any other headlight'. Wouldnt that imply washers arent necessarily mandatory?

 

[Hellcat]

Just read this thread as I have ordered some 5k HIDs and wanna be as legal as possible. Reading through this:

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.


1. I assume is the regulation which allows OEM fitted HID converstions, which any car on here pre 2008 or so wont have... Am I right?
2. Is it possible to install self levelers? Or are they mega complex and not worth it?
3. People have mentioned headlight washers but that section makes no mention and only says 'like any other headlight'. Wouldnt that imply washers arent necessarily mandatory?

For number 3 see number 2.

 

[Chas Uno]

Just read this thread as I have ordered some 5k HIDs and wanna be as legal as possible. Reading through this:

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

If your headlights don't meet regulations 1 to 3 then they won't be legal.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

:yeahthat:

 

[chrizzlephaa]

For number 3 see number 2.

Chrizzlephaa shoulda gone to Specsavers Hah!

So the essence is they've made it impossible for HID conversions to be legal on cars that were never fitted with HIDs from factory? *jumps on Dave's bandwagon*. What are the point of headlights? To see in the dark, and to be seen. Surely if you can have the brightness of HID lights, without blinding other drivers (Being properly set up etc) Then whats the problem? Your visibility is improved, and you'll be seen by other motorists and pedestrians much easier. The law needs changing IMO.

 

[Chas Uno]

Chrizzlephaa shoulda gone to Specsavers Hah!

So the essence is they've made it impossible for HID conversions to be legal on cars that were never fitted with HIDs from factory? *jumps on Dave's bandwagon*. What are the point of headlights? To see in the dark, and to be seen. Surely if you can have the brightness of HID lights, without blinding other drivers (Being properly set up etc) Then whats the problem? Your visibility is improved, and you'll be seen by other motorists and pedestrians much easier. The law needs changing IMO.

Yes, but "properly set up" means having the correct lenses and systems to work with HID's so that you DON'T risk blinding other drivers. Also, HID's aren't essential to see or be seen, plus if you increase the brightness of your headlamps then you increase the risk of blinding other drivers/ road users more than non HIDs if they aren't used properly. How do you think drivers managed before HIDs? In the right application HIDs can give benefits, but in the wrong application they're a dangerous hazard to others on the road. The rules and regulations aren't there to spoil your fun, they're there for these reasons.

You should also bear in mind that some other countries, such as the USA and Malaysia, have completely banned the retro fitting of HID's into vehicles that didn't come with them as original equipment. The UK isn't alone in this tightening of vehicle lighting regulations for HIDs, and the more people that fit them illegally into unsuitable headlights the more likely all aftermarket kits will be banned altogether...

If your headlamp units have the correct lenses along with self leveling and washers, then go ahead and fit them. If they don't, then buy complete headlight units that do comply and then you'll be covered by constructions and use regulations and the law. One other thing, why not contact your insurance company and ask if your cover is still valid if you fit aftermarket HID units into your existing headlamps? That should be the deciding factor as you wouldn't want to drive around with no insurance would you...

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Chrizzlephaa shoulda gone to Specsavers Hah!

So the essence is they've made it impossible for HID conversions to be legal on cars that were never fitted with HIDs from factory? *jumps on Dave's bandwagon*. What are the point of headlights? To see in the dark, and to be seen. Surely if you can have the brightness of HID lights, without blinding other drivers (Being properly set up etc) Then whats the problem? Your visibility is improved, and you'll be seen by other motorists and pedestrians much easier. The law needs changing IMO.

The problem is with blinding other road users, something that can't be easily avoided no matter how well set-up they are as without a 'headlamp wash' kit, build-up of dirt will scatter the beam about apparently.

 

[punto_matt]

Well you just clean the lights yourself when they get dirty then.

Maybe banned in america and other countries but they still fit them anyway.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Well you just clean the lights yourself when they get dirty then.

When doing 70 along motorway

 

[sludgeguts]

And so back to my post.
The other guy hits you - completely his fault.
He notices your HIDs - maybe even gets into conversation with you whilst waiting for the towtruck "neat lights, been thinking about getting some, where from? are they easy to install..."
Next thing you know, your insurance cannot pay out because his insurance have the car for examination - in particular, your HIDs as he claims you were blinding him.

Oh look, HIDs and they don't conform.
Oh dear.
The other guy's insurers just found a nice legal opt out & your lovely motor won't get fixed until you can pay for the work.

 

[punto_matt]

When doing 70 along motorway

Clean them before you go out or pull in at services. If they are that bad you cant see then sh*tty headlamp washers arent going to make any difference when you use them.

 

[punto_matt]

And so back to my post.
The other guy hits you - completely his fault.
He notices your HIDs - maybe even gets into conversation with you whilst waiting for the towtruck "neat lights, been thinking about getting some, where from? are they easy to install..."
Next thing you know, your insurance cannot pay out because his insurance have the car for examination - in particular, your HIDs as he claims you were blinding him.

Oh look, HIDs and they don't conform.
Oh dear.
The other guy's insurers just found a nice legal opt out & your lovely motor won't get fixed until you can pay for the work.

Heard you the first time.

 

[mehstg]

I love lamp.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Clean them before you go out or pull in at services. If they are that bad you cant see then sh*tty headlamp washers arent going to make any difference when you use them.

Salt in road spray is something you'll have no affect over, it just happens. You not going to pull in at every services to stop and wipe your headlamps are you, but I can bet you you'll use your screen wash fairly often

 

[punto_matt]

I cant even be arsed arguing with you over what quite frankly are stupid situations that are being put forward on your part. Your headlights arent going to need cleaning at every services no matter how bad road spray is, nor did i say pull in at every services to clean them. If your headlights do happen to get dirty quick enough to need to pull in at every services to clean them then you and everyone else on the road is going to be deep in the sh*t anyway.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I cant even be arsed arguing with you over what quite frankly are stupid situations that are being put forward on your part. Your headlights arent going to need cleaning at every services no matter how bad road spray is, nor did i say pull in at every services to clean them. If your headlights do happen to get dirty quick enough to need to pull in at every services to clean them then you and everyone else on the road is going to be deep in the sh*t anyway.

Not really. Having enough cack on light to be able to defract light beam, and having enough to completly block light beam are totally different things!

Your not telling me you ever use the screen washers to remove cack from your windscreen then, or that don't worry about them being a legal reqirement for MOT, just pull in every time screen gets dirty

 

[punto_matt]

Right i dont know if you have noticed but on windscreens you have window wipers. Now with the aid of screen wash this clears windscreens but if you just spray screen wash onto your screen then it doesnt do anything. Now on a headlight you rarely have wipers so even if you spray screen wash at them it will just run off and do nothing as i said in an earlier post.

I hope that clears stuff up for your simple little mind.

 

[karbineftw]

Right i dont know if you have noticed but on windscreens you have window wipers.

 

[Chas Uno]

Right i dont know if you have noticed but on windscreens you have window wipers. Now with the aid of screen wash this clears windscreens but if you just spray screen wash onto your screen then it doesnt do anything. Now on a headlight you rarely have wipers so even if you spray screen wash at them it will just run off and do nothing as i said in an earlier post.

I hope that clears stuff up for your simple little mind.

Headlight washers use a small but powerful jet of water on a small area of glass, working in a similar way to a jet wash lance. To have the same effect on a surface area as large as a windscreen would require greater water pressure, larger washer jets and a substantially larger screen wash reservoir. Hence a more practical solution for windscreens is to use lower powered jets in conjunction with wipers.

And is it necessary to insult MEP just because he puts forward a valid point that you don't agree with?

 

[punto_matt]

They dont do anything so no its not a valid point. The cars we have with HIDs as standard obviously have them, do they clean the lights when used? Do they sh*t hence why i put what i did.