LED and HID mandatory fail.

As of Jan 2021 all Coupés fitted with hid and led kits will now fail an mot so keep a set of H1's bulbs to hand.
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4.1.4[align:left][/align] 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.'

Well that's just marvellous

I'll stick one of these behind the grill and be done with it

brightness

Useful to know but this change seems to me illogical and therefore very annoying .

Ah feck!!!

May cut down on the number of people using what appears to be military grade 'dazzlers' or anti-personnel lasers for car headlights

That’s a pain, I wonder how strictly it will be applied?

Is that dip as well Joe?

It will be, yes. I suspect that this is courtesy of the B word... previously they have been arguably acceptable on the grounds that they were acceptable throughout Europe, of which the UK was a part.

I'm seeing a second set of light clusters with OEM bulbs to swap out at MOT time (not that I don't already swap the decat out at MOT time)

But most annoying....

*EDIT* I only read references to after market HIDs lights, nothing about LEDs....

DS

A point: the car must be able to pass an MOT test at any time. Therefore the use of them on the road is also illegal.

Same risk for anyone running a decat, or an aftermarket ecu (which will change the emissions profile and fail a road side test) .... this isnt new.

DS

Aftermarket ECU usually doesn't affect emissions so much as to fail emissions though, IME

And as per the other thread, the new MoT text is in section 4.1.4 about half way down

What about reading a car number plate from a minimum distance of 20.5metres?

I can understand the requirements for this, especially when people fit alternative lamps to old style headlamps with the lamp focus controlled by the glass. But cars like the Fiat coupé that have projector style lamps are far less of an issue and generally produce a defined beam with no scatter. The extra rules regarding headlamp washers and height adjusters is also odd as many cars with factory LED lamps don't now have washers!

Sadly the most frustrating issue with modern lamps is the height of headlamps from the ground. I have dimming rear view, and door mirrors and these are regularly activated by following vehicles. These following vehicles are rarely cars with incorrectly fitted lamps, it's usually "fully Legal" lamps fitted on Vans or 4x4's. These headlamps are higher than a car driver's usual head height. It is shocking that the type approval never addressed this issue, an issue I would saw is far worse and increasing.

So the law is an ass!

I suppose the only advantage, for the Coupé, is that it is fast becoming a car that will rarely be driven at night!

Two sets of legislation, Bob: Type approval says which bits you can fit / legally use on the road, and the Lighting Regulations say what colour and where lights can be fitted. They're very precise about minimum and maximum heights and also spacing from the outside of the vehicle and symmetry and suchlike, but the issue is that there are a lot of older vehicles whose dimensions got grandfathered in to the regs.

So anything other than a 'car' car - an SUV or a lorry for example - is likely to have higher lights than your low-slung car simply because from their point of view, they work better and they're legal.

Perhaps it's time for an update for the regs - but it still won't change anything significantly for twenty years or so.

Hi All,

What are the alternatives to HID/LED's that people currently use? Other than ending up in a ditch of course!

I have HID's, i have recently split the headlights and refurbished them taking all the yellow gunk off, and i still don't think that my HID's on the coupe are anywhere near as good as my standard halogens on my van!! So the thought of putting halogens back in the coupe is as tempting as driving blind!

Thank you,
Dan

That's your only legal option, though. I'd be looking for the '180% brighter' or whatever the catchphrase is this year.

Perhaps members can suggest a make? I can't really get into Halfords these days... https://carnesmechanical.com/best-h1-bulbs/ suggest the Philips H1 X-tremeVision Upgrade Headlight Bulb is the one to go for, if you can find it.

It's been suggested in the past that if you've got the headlights apart, refitting the internal cables with a heavier gauge will help (though I have my doubts, unless you follow that all the way back to the fuse box) though some attention to the spade connectors and cleaning the reflectors could benefit things.

As regards the halogen "candles", I think the "brighter / whiter" they are the shorter the life span as they over drive them (or whatever the phrase is).

They add a blue tint to get the output whiter which actually reduces useable output by our eyes, I believe.

If you want the "best of the worst" light output you want regular bulbs with no tinted glass (I think a GE one was mentioned once and maybe standard Bosch ones). Cheaper, last longer and "better" output.

Oh the joys of going back to "brown orange" light output.

Having checked my MOT is due in March so I suspect like many of us our options are;
a, see if it’s picked up by the tester and cross fingers
b, temporarily remove HID lamp and fit halogen lamp but leave HID drivers and wiring temp taped out of harms way.
c, return to permanent halogen candle lamps / fit auxiliary driving lights providing CE approved design.
Not sure We will be looking forward to MOT time with having to faff around with lamps but I couldn’t go back to candle power.

There's another option - trying to fit aftermarket projectors. I was almost doing that, but I managed to find okayish reflectors for my headlights. I think most of the light output from the headlights is lost in the burned reflectors, which can be additionally damaged by the high temperature emitted from high wattage bulbs, and definitely from HIDs. It also seems that even as standard on our cars, the reflective surface on the reflector is not of high quality, but I might be wrong about this.
Also, proper resurfacing of the reflectors should do the trick - but here in Macedonia it's not easy to find someone that does it.

And at the end - it's important to see the voltage received at the bulbs. For this, you need to start the car, switch on the lights and measure at the bulb. I think European standards for bulb light output and longevity are set for 13.2v at the bulb. Anything less than that negatively affects light output (I think the percentage difference in voltage affects the percentage of light output 3.4 times), and anything more than that will increase output, but decrease bulb life span. So if you experience less than 13v, it will be benefitial to fit relay circuit to up the voltage.

Older HID conversions are generally easy to spot by the big ballasts stuck on the underside of the bonnet on on the side of the headlight housing, and/or the wires passing through the rubber caps. Newer HIDs had smaller ballasts but I don't think it was possible to squeeze them in behind the rubber caps (maybe some people have done this?) whereas LEDs can fit inconspicuously behind the rubber caps. Whilst the main beam "bulb" can be seen easily through the outer cover (and therefore it's easy to see if it is HID or LED) the dipped beam "bulb" is hidden behind the lens. Without removing the rubber cap (and AFAIK the MoT tester is not supposed to start taking things apart) I don't think it would be possible to know if there was an LED there (and thus get failed) but an HID is easily detected by the initial flash/dimming and slow warming up...

Keep us informed Cooperman. I have LEDs I’m wondering is it easy to swap over to h1 bulbs from LEDs if not, I’m thinking of a spare pair of headlight units with h1 bulbs.

Is it because I eat lots of carrots that I actually think my candle powered lights are quite good??

Surely it's your aversion to doing anything bordering on illegal ?

good point, well presented

So had the MOT test today, Car passed no issues at all and no mention of HID lights being fitted. Looks like less of an issue than thought maybe.

Hi all,

My MOT is due in July and i am just starting to think about refreshing the bulbs at the front, one of my sidelights has gone anyway which is kick starting this. Has anybody tried these bulbs? They have some good reviews, but i always have a feeling that i will be changing halogens every few weeks!

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h1-twenty20-daylight-150-12v-55w-448-halogen-bulbs.html

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product-group-tests/76760/best-car-headlight-bulbs-2021

Thank you,
Dan

Likewise my recent MOT went very smoothly but then I do have a very friendly garage.

Hi Dan, I purchased my Coop about fourteen years ago, I picked it up at night way out in the country side off the A9 Driving home was a mini nightmare, could hardly see a thing and that was me before glasses I tried different bulbs over the years, but nothing worked. Upgraded bulbs just did not shine brighter in my opinion. Then I fitted HIDs some years back bingo, night and day. Fast forward and we are at this stage of affairs. I’ve got rid of the HIDs now. You pays your money and take your chances if you know what I mean.