Fitting HID bulbs

[MonsterMork]

Not sure if I have mentioned this one before but if you fit HID bulbs into a non-HID headlight then that is illegal and an MoT failure, summat I reckon one or two people here may have found

Details, reasoning and links to relevant statutary legislation can be found here courtesy of DVSA:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -headlamps

The MoT manual is here in section 4.1.4:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspect ... tion-4-1-4

MoTMork

[88V8]

I've fitted LED bulbs to two of my four heads.
They're pretty bright/antisocial, but when driving at night it just feels like keeping up with the Joneses.
And the car is 1963 so it wouldn't be a 'fail' anyway, which seems illogical.
Another attraction on that car was the much lower current draw.

The particular bulbs I used have the light emitters in the same place as halogens, so the beam pattern is the same, but more so.

I vaguely thought HIDs could only be fitted to cars with self-levelling suspension, regardless of the lamp units.

V8

[MonsterMork]

They're pretty bright/antisocial, but when driving at night it just feels like keeping up with the Joneses.

I vaguely thought HIDs could only be fitted to cars with self-levelling suspension, regardless of the lamp units.

V8

Compared to the standard issue Land Rover glow worms anything would seem bright! Those who have never suffered night-time driving in Solihull's finest will not understand

Nope, nowt to do with self -levelling suspension, or any other suspension variety for that matter.

MM

[DrFfybes]

They're pretty bright/antisocial, but when driving at night it just feels like keeping up with the Joneses.

I vaguely thought HIDs could only be fitted to cars with self-levelling suspension, regardless of the lamp units.

V8

Compared to the standard issue Land Rover glow worms anything would seem bright! Those who have never suffered night-time driving in Solihull's finest will not understand

Nope, nowt to do with self -levelling suspension, or any other suspension variety for that matter.

MM

Do HIDs still require headlight washers?

And I thought Landy headlights were there to enable the Allies to see you coming whilst not ruining your night vision for scanning the distance.

[MonsterMork]

Do HIDs still require headlight washers?

And I thought Landy headlights were there to enable the Allies to see you coming whilst not ruining your night vision for scanning the distance.

There is no requirement for them that I am aware of in the Construction And Use regulations. Normal halogen type headlamps are just a minor (advisory) if washers don't work, however LED and HID headlamps do require working headlamp washers if fitted to vehicles first used after 1 September 2009, section 4.1.6 of the manual:

4.1.6. Headlamp cleaning devices

You must inspect vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2009 equipped with headlamp washers.

You can identify HID headlamps from:

‘DCR’ mark on the headlamp lens or body
an igniter module or inverter behind the headlamp
taking a few seconds to reach full intensity
a bluish tinge to the light

HID headlamps use high voltage. You should take care when inspecting these headlamps.
Defect Category
(a) Headlamp cleaning device:

(i) inoperative Minor
(ii) inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID) Major

MoTMork


Land Rover headlamps are designed to allow our allies to identify "friend or foe"

MilitaryBratMork