hids and some important point that i would like answered

[notty]

NOT SURE IF THIS IS IN THE RIGHT PART OF THE SITE IF NOT COULD SOME1 PLEAASE TELL ME WHERE IT WOULD GO??

my friend tells me as of january i may get stopped by police for having hids in headlights that are designed for haolgen bulbs, is there any truth behind this as i dont really fancy spending 50 quid on a hid kit for an officer to give me either a 60 pound fine, points, or a defect form or a mixture of all 3!!!

i know the mot rule that is coming in jan that unless a car is fitted from the manufacture with hids it wont pass 1 with them in which aint an issue to change them once a year.

also i am aware that hids are not suitable for reflector headlights as it causes too much glare for oncoming drivers but i was under the influence that with projector headlights it makes the hids legal as the beam is focused in the correct way.

[kam-325i]

The police bit is a tall tale, if any headlight is bad enough (missallinged,dazzling other road users) you could be stopped anyway.
The new VOSA MoT rule states that HID headlights MUST have a washer system & levelling system fitted. That's it, whether manufacturer fitted or aftermarket.

HIDS should only be used in projector type headlights, not reflector type.

[TouringTash]

Another question to ask could be about the Law and fittment of kit availabe at the time of manufacture.

For example these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1987-BMW-7-Se ... 2c6111c486 and a bit of work may pay dividends.
And keep some of the homo brigade in their caves

In here is fine fella if it isn't a friendly MOD will put it right.

[TouringTash]

Opps was typing mine whilst kam answered it.

[notty]

brilliant, am i likely to get stopped for not having the washers or levelers on the road or not?

[lyricalnut02]

unless ur blinding the coppers with ur lights, i doubt it.

[gooner1]

The new VOSA MoT rule states that HID headlights MUST have a washer system & levelling system fitted. That's it, whether manufacturer fitted or aftermarket.

.

This is the part that's confusing me.
Why does the Washer part only apply to HIDS?
A dirty Lens is a dirty Lens, whatever light it happens to be on.

[Demlotcrew]

The police bit is a tall tale, if any headlight is bad enough (missallinged,dazzling other road users) you could be stopped anyway.
The new VOSA MoT rule states that HID headlights MUST have a washer system & levelling system fitted. That's it, whether manufacturer fitted or aftermarket.

HIDS should only be used in projector type headlights, not reflector type.

Are you 100% sure of this>?

[kam-325i]

The police bit is a tall tale, if any headlight is bad enough (missallinged,dazzling other road users) you could be stopped anyway.
The new VOSA MoT rule states that HID headlights MUST have a washer system & levelling system fitted. That's it, whether manufacturer fitted or aftermarket.

HIDS should only be used in projector type headlights, not reflector type.

Are you 100% sure of this>?

Yes.

Info is from VOSA.
I'll find the link out and put it up.

[Demlotcrew]

Ok lets see it.

[skipunda]

Section 1.7

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/M ... Manual.pdf

[Demlotcrew]

Section 1.7

"It is also worthy of note that a few high performance vehicles fitted with HID headlamps that have barely any luggage space and stiff suspension do not require a self-levelling system."

Woop Woop

[skipunda]

That's uncanny. Anyway a couple of links.

Andrew if this proves to be fact and not just forum talk then I'd go with a sticky with a single post. Up to you

[kam-325i]

Section 1.7

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/M ... Manual.pdf

Beat you to it !!!!

[Demlotcrew]

That's uncanny. Anyway a couple of links.

Andrew if this proves to be fact and not just forum talk then I'd go with a sticky with a single post. Up to you

Absolutely!

[kam-325i]

I think the only thing an E30 "Could fall down on" would be the Self-leveling bit.....

[bss325i]

E34 electric head lamp adjusters and some E30 head lamp washer jets.

Job jobed!

[Morat]

Hah, my washers still wash, even though the wipers have been removed.
Barry, what's the score with the E34 adjusters?

[Demlotcrew]

Hah, my washers still wash, even though the wipers have been removed.
Barry, what's the score with the E34 adjusters?

Three wires and a pot.

Very good actually, this was one of the very first mods i ever did

[Morat]

Don't suppose you've got any photos? I'm sure grrrmachine would stick them up on the wiki

[Morat]

Hmm I foresee some discussion over the potential difference between a Manual Levelling System and an Auto-Levelling System.

[zaust]

Put the spoon away morat.

[Brianmoooore]

E34 adjusters fit E30 lights with just the tiniest of mods, or E36 ones can be used with some cutting/drilling/thread tapping to convert the adjuster rod.
The adjusters have three electrical terminals. One is earth, another 12 volts live, and the third needs a variable voltage at low current applied to it from a potentiometer inside the cabin. An electronic comparator inside the adjuster then powers the motor, until the voltage on the slider of a second potentiometer connected to the adjuster rod, inside the adjuster, matches that applied to the third terminal.
I've got a couple of lever arm potentiometers that came off of the rear suspension of an E39 touring, IIRC. It should be possible to hook these up to the rear ARB of an E30 and devise an auto headlamp system.
IMHO, VOSA, plod and the EU should turn their attention to the hordes of newer cars on the road under three years old that have yet to see a beam setter, and are driving around with headlamps pointing randomly where they happened to point when the car drove off of the production line.

[TouringMatt]

Looked into E34 adjusters but found either breakers wanted to sell complete with the headlights, or the units were seized up. Got as far as getting some wiring and plugs etc but no further, interesting about the E36 units

[Ajsingh]

E34 adjusters fit E30 lights with just the tiniest of mods, or E36 ones can be used with some cutting/drilling/thread tapping to convert the adjuster rod.
The adjusters have three electrical terminals. One is earth, another 12 volts live, and the third needs a variable voltage at low current applied to it from a potentiometer inside the cabin. An electronic comparator inside the adjuster then powers the motor, until the voltage on the slider of a second potentiometer connected to the adjuster rod, inside the adjuster, matches that applied to the third terminal.
I've got a couple of lever arm potentiometers that came off of the rear suspension of an E39 touring, IIRC. It should be possible to hook these up to the rear ARB of an E30 and devise an auto headlamp system.
IMHO, VOSA, plod and the EU should turn their attention to the hordes of newer cars on the road under three years old that have yet to see a beam setter, and are driving around with headlamps pointing randomly where they happened to point when the car drove off of the production line.

Soo true!!

The amount of newer cars that shine into my rear view mirror in the e30 is crazy! I don't know if its me but its always been fookin range rovers and audi's! The self level is annoying especially if the car is on coming and your on a bumpy road, you get flashes of HID light as its adjusting while you drive along.... But yeah get newer cars on the beam adjuster because they are way out!

[HairyScreech]

well as far as i can tell all the info in this thread so far is 100% correct and most of it is currently in force.

head lamp wash and wipe will nail it for 99% of us, the rest should be able to get away with the "performance vehicle" catch all that is new info to me (and of use for a couple of cars we are building)

the SELF leveling bit is a bit of a sore point, im not sure if a MANUAL adjuster will cut it.

also the way a hid works means it HAS to be put into a projector lamp, if you put them in a normal lamp the light goes all over the place, which i think is why the rules are being tightened anyway.

[kam-325i]

No mention of wipe from vosa, just wash.
I know a few new cars only squirt water onto the hid lights, no wipe......

[DanThe]

No mention of wipe from vosa, just wash.
I know a few new cars only squirt water onto the hid lights, no wipe......

Lots do, I dont see the point, if the lamps are covered in dirt so bad that a squirt of water/screenwash will clear them im sure most people would have stopped the car and physically cleaned them before it got that bad?

[hennabm]

There is no failure item for a missing wash system or levelling system. IF they are fitted then they need to work. If they are missing it cannot be failed as there isn't a corresponding fail item.

On the information column it states that HID or LED lamps MAY be fitted with self levelling and wash system.

[ed325i]

http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/d ... lamps.html



Ed

[Cloggy Saint]

"The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval". No, but I bet they'd like to.

[bss325i]

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.

Well this is because of people fitting HID kits to reflector headlamps without an elipsoid lense which is needed to give the correct beam pattern with a xennon gas discharge bulb.

As we all know, all E30's from sept '87 used an elispoid type lense so work perfectly well with HID type kits and no doubt would pass the DFT's "lab" tests.

[kam-325i]

There is no failure item for a missing wash system or levelling system. IF they are fitted then they need to work. If they are missing it cannot be failed as there isn't a corresponding fail item.

On the information column it states that HID or LED lamps MAY be fitted with self levelling and wash system.

Wash and Leveling system for HID and LED headlights will become mandatory from 1/1/2012. So if one or both is missing, it is a fail.

Both systems (Wash & Level) are currently mandatory for LED Headlights.

[deanocool]

ive researched this quite a few times on the ukpoliceonline website and various other forums in the past. even the police refer to it as a very grey area but laid down a few facts. auto leveling means auto leveling, so a bodged e34 manual switch will simply not do and is a total waste of time. my golf had electric leveling but that was irrelevant to when i fitted hids to it as it was manual adjustment on that switch. one of the lads has hids fitted as standard to 55 plate motor at work. when you switch them on at 1st they point right at the floor and (heres the key word) 'automatically' raise themselves up with no need to faf about with a switch. as far as i can make out its not 100% legal to retro fit any hid bulb and i very much doubt youll find a set with 'e' marks on to back up the legality of them.

ive still fitted them in the past - worst case scenario is you take them off if you get yanked or take 10 mins out to switch back to candles before the mot man cometh. For £45 quid off ebay its not the end of the world if you get told to remove them altogether but ive never heard anyone on any of these forums ive spoke to get told to take them out by the police regardless of glare or otherwise. due to how cack my lights are my 30 will be seeing another set very soon regardless

[hennabm]

Don't confuse what is required by law/Type Approval and what the MOT test asks for. The MOT asks only to check specific items and if they are not listed or a reason for refusal is not shown, then it cannot fail the MOT test.

This doesn't mean to say the car is legal; it has met the minimum criteria laid down in the manual and therefore has to pass but still can be illegal or unfit to use because of items not covered in the MOT test.