HID Lights - retro - fit MOT advice

[brittleware]

As I'm about to fit some HID lights to our Eurovan I checked the latest MOT bulletin - I quote:

"Due to the adverse affect on the beam pattern, it is not considered legal to convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID
xenon using the existing lens and reflector. Fitment of complete HID xenon headlamps is permitted, although the lamp
may still be required to have some form of self levelling system to be legal. In either case, there are currently no
Reasons for Rejection in respect of MOTORCYCLE HID headlamps, providing, of course, that the headlamp aim requirements are met."

How does this relate to CAR headlights? Anybody?

[neil123]

How does this relate to CAR headlights? Anybody?

"Due to the adverse affect on the beam pattern,

it is not considered legal to convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID

xenon using the existing lens and reflector. Fitment of complete HID xenon headlamps is permitted, although the lamp

may still be required to have some form of self levelling system to be legal."

Er...Does that help?

[Deanxm]

No vehicle is exempt, any HID Xenon burner must be housed in a reflector designed to be used with it, ie projector lamps, they must be self leveling and they must have headlamp washers.

D

[Chlorate]

They're quite illegal to fit into standard housings in a lot of places, special HID lenses are a must I'm afraid. If you've ever been stuck with some b*stard with illegal after market HIDs behind you at night it's obvious as to why.

[GB]

Road Traffic Act 1988 (RTA) Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (RVLR) covers the technical lighting requirements for all vehicles on UK roads. Section 42 of the RTA makes it an offence to contravene any regulations made under section 41: using a vehicle with lighting that doesn't meet the RVLR requirements is an offence with a maximum penalty of £1000.

Aftermarket HID conversion kits do NOT meet the requirements of RVLR in several respects, eg. headlamps must be fitted with the light source for which they are intended - halogen headlamp with halogen bulb, and HID lamp with HID bulb only (E-type approval).

[brittleware]

How does this relate to CAR headlights? Anybody?

"Due to the adverse affect on the beam pattern,
it is not considered legal to convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID
xenon using the existing lens and reflector. Fitment of complete HID xenon headlamps is permitted, although the lamp
may still be required to have some form of self levelling system to be legal."
Er...Does that help?

Well... the headlamps on our C8 clone (Fiat Ulysse) are ALL projector types. There's seemingly no difference in the projector
assembly between H7 Xenon and H7 tungsten.

There's also an interesting dichotomy in the piece of legislation you quote:

"may still be required"?

Whatever, I'll fit 'em and see.

[brittleware]

How does this relate to CAR headlights? Anybody?

"Due to the adverse affect on the beam pattern,
it is not considered legal to convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID
xenon using the existing lens and reflector. Fitment of complete HID xenon headlamps is permitted, although the lamp
may still be required to have some form of self levelling system to be legal."
Er...Does that help?

Well... the headlamps on our C8 clone (Fiat Ulysse) are ALL projector types. There's seemingly no difference in the projector
assembly between H7 Xenon and H7 tungsten.

There's also an interesting dichotomy in the piece of legislation you quote:

"may still be required"?

Whatever, I'll fit 'em and see.

(That info about the projector lights gained via Fiat Eper. Prices range between an absurd £220 to a fantastic £749. No wonder scrappies are in business!)

[lurchy666]

Basically I was told by my mot bloke when I was there with the xantia ( as I was considering hids in the xantia) unless the car has projector headlamps, self leveling suspension or headlamps and headlight washer ystem they wouldnt pass an mot

[Deanxm]

"may still be required"?

Thats right, self leveling must be built into either the light unit itself or into the cars suspension system, so a hydraulic citroen does not need leveling light units.

D

[DickieG]

Well my C5 has hydraulic suspension plus the factory fitted xenon headlight option and the headlights are also self levelling.

[Deanxm]

yes but there is no legal requirement for it or need really, prob a leftover from the conventionaly sprung version?

D

[kentc5]

Well the 1st gen C5 that have Xenon's also have self leveling lights as well as the suspension.

I was told by a dew MOT places some friends work in that lights have to be self leveling / washing system and correct pattern layout.

I must admit I did not know that the self leveling suspension can replace the self leveling lights ... as it does take a while to adjust as the self leveling lights are much quicker to respond.

[Hell Razor5543]

I beleive that the self levelling requirement is there to make sure the lights are pointing at the correct attitude. A normally sprung vehicle with a heavy load in the back would (obviously) have the nose pointing upwards in relationship to the same car empty. When I had a Skoda Octavia with these lights, it would adjust them with the load balance in mind. As a Citroen with hydraulic suspension makes the adjustment for the whole car, the lights will be aimed correctly.

[DickieG]

When I had a Skoda Octavia with these lights, it would adjust them with the load balance in mind.

Factory xenon headlights adjust their height pretty much instantly and always maintain the correct headlight height during use.

As a Citroen with hydraulic suspension makes the adjustment for the whole car, the lights will be aimed correctly.

Citroen suspension height adjustment happens very slowly with a fair degree of delay which makes me wonder whether to comply with regulations the lights themselves need to have automatic height adjustment.

[Deanxm]

Vosa states self leveling air/hydraulic suspension is acceptable for compensating headlamp allignment due to loads added to the vehicle so im not sure why citroen use both, maybe all xenon units are produced self leveling regardless, maybe citroen were planning on ditching hydraulics when the C51 was concieved and were being prepared, would be interesting to know why they done it anyway.

D