4.1.4 Headlamps - Compliance with requirements - Changed sentence from 'Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with HID bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.' to 'Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.'
Maybe using complete fittings will be the answer. SM25T chose this route.
Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty
I wonder what meaning DVSA attach to "converted"? Do they mean a comprehensive modification or simply a bulb swap. If it was the latter, you'd think they'd say so.
Can someone explain why LED headlamp conversions are now a fail? There's maybe a hint here, although the advice is presumably now out of date. Is it simply down to E-marking?
yes as pointed out many times putting an E marked bulb into an E marked lens ( front or rear) does not make an E mark light unit.
...and on the front there's a lack of self levelling in order to prevent you dazzling other road users too - naturally this doesn't apply to many [email protected] in big Germanic saloons who still haven't developed the ability to dip their own lights, suppose they expect everything to be done for them...
apply to many [email protected] in big Germanic saloons who still haven't developed the ability to dip their own lights,
And 50% of the people around here seem to drive vehicles which dodge the regulations by claiming to be "off roaders" do the headlamps are mounted at waist height so it doesn't matter if they are dipped or not.
Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty
Stephen, my previous car (a big German saloon) had excellent headlights, modern units with a very defined horizontal cutoff line below which the illumination was incredible, above is hardly illuminated at all. General night time driving I was aware that the divide would be at quite a high level, just below the rear window/boot level of the car I'd be following. The reality is though that this is not user adjustable, it's as it is, take it or leave it, and certainly occasionally (but rarely) I'd get flashed by cars coming the other way thinking I'd switched to high beam, a flash of my high beam and the subsequent retina burn would let me inform them that it's "not my fault guv".
By contrast my current car (not a big German saloon) has mediocre headlights and switching to high beam doesn't add a great deal more light, it just tips the light upwards a little, more akin to an old 55/60w bulb. The result is that I rarely use high beam because it's not worth the effort.
Changing the MOT requirements to correct some seriously wrong headlight/bulb installations does make sense, but IMHO the manufacturers have too much free reign over what is permissible or not and some installations are bordering on unsafe, indicators lost in headlight glare being a prime culprit.
Stu.
Lotus Seven Club Leadership Team Member
The register for all numbered limited-edition Caterhams ....... www.thecaterhamregister.net ...... www.instagram.com/thecaterhamregister
Stu, it is true the 3 prestige German brands certainly lead the way in ultrabright forward illumination. I'm sorry your replacement isn't as effective.
My point (sorry rant) was mostly about inadequacy of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 with respect to the height of headlamps.
Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty
Thanks, Tony.
JV
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/updates
The MOT manual has been updated to indicate LED replacement bulbs in halogen units should be a fail.
Maybe I'll need to swop back for the MOT
Maybe using complete fittings will be the answer. SM25T chose this route.Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty
Thanks for the alert.
I wonder what meaning DVSA attach to "converted"? Do they mean a comprehensive modification or simply a bulb swap. If it was the latter, you'd think they'd say so.
Can someone explain why LED headlamp conversions are now a fail? There's maybe a hint here, although the advice is presumably now out of date. Is it simply down to E-marking?
JV
yes as pointed out many times putting an E marked bulb into an E marked lens ( front or rear) does not make an E mark light unit.
...and on the front there's a lack of self levelling in order to prevent you dazzling other road users too - naturally this doesn't apply to many [email protected] in big Germanic saloons who still haven't developed the ability to dip their own lights, suppose they expect everything to be done for them...
And 50% of the people around here seem to drive vehicles which dodge the regulations by claiming to be "off roaders" do the headlamps are mounted at waist height so it doesn't matter if they are dipped or not.
Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty
Stephen, my previous car (a big German saloon) had excellent headlights, modern units with a very defined horizontal cutoff line below which the illumination was incredible, above is hardly illuminated at all. General night time driving I was aware that the divide would be at quite a high level, just below the rear window/boot level of the car I'd be following. The reality is though that this is not user adjustable, it's as it is, take it or leave it, and certainly occasionally (but rarely) I'd get flashed by cars coming the other way thinking I'd switched to high beam, a flash of my high beam and the subsequent retina burn would let me inform them that it's "not my fault guv".
By contrast my current car (not a big German saloon) has mediocre headlights and switching to high beam doesn't add a great deal more light, it just tips the light upwards a little, more akin to an old 55/60w bulb. The result is that I rarely use high beam because it's not worth the effort.
Changing the MOT requirements to correct some seriously wrong headlight/bulb installations does make sense, but IMHO the manufacturers have too much free reign over what is permissible or not and some installations are bordering on unsafe, indicators lost in headlight glare being a prime culprit.
Stu.
Lotus Seven Club Leadership Team Member
The register for all numbered limited-edition Caterhams ....... www.thecaterhamregister.net ...... www.instagram.com/thecaterhamregister
MoT rules nust changed apparently - led conversions now an automatic fail
David "Sooty" Sutton - Full blown Carbon Tart
I'm assuming this change to the MoT only applies to headlamps and doesn't signal similar changes to other lights such as tail lights and indicators?
Stu, it is true the 3 prestige German brands certainly lead the way in ultrabright forward illumination. I'm sorry your replacement isn't as effective.
My point (sorry rant) was mostly about inadequacy of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 with respect to the height of headlamps.
Stephen
Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty