Xenon lights,new rules ?

[television]

Some car owners are turning towards the after market way of coverting to Xenon headlamps.
Though by just changing the halogen bulbs for xenon the lamps will be brighter and will create a headlamp, where the focal point has moved, and will generate 100 times more glare,impossible to adjust, and all that is illegal.

To recieve E markings in the first place, the lamp goes through a specific test.
and receives the certificate with a halogen bulb. Once you have changed to xenon this certificate is invalid, in this case the cars certificate is also invalid, this all effects the insurance and MOT.

Xenon lamps must be self leveling and they must have a cleaning device, if this is picked up on the MOT with new rules, problems will be waiting around the corner for cars modified in this way.

Malcolm

 

[blassberg]

thanks for throwing more light on this Malcolm

 

[Timechaser]

Malcolm

1. What about the cool blue bulbs from philips? Essentially halogen, but whiter with 50% more light

2. Is it only MOT which is the issue? What about the plod? (my car's MOT is 2+ years away)

3. If one were to source the entire assembly for the xenon headlamp from mercedes themselves, I assume this would include a self levelling unit? I ask this as there is one on ebay for the W209, which is on for £120 (for the driver's side), so on and so forth etc.

Thanks
TC

 

[television]

Malcolm

1. What about the cool blue bulbs from philips? Essentially halogen, but whiter with 50% more light

2. Is it only MOT which is the issue? What about the plod? (my car's MOT is 2+ years away)

3. If one were to source the entire assembly for the xenon headlamp from mercedes themselves, I assume this would include a self levelling unit? I ask this as there is one on ebay for the W209, which is on for £120 (for the driver's side), so on and so forth etc.

Thanks
TC

1 If the bulbs that you using are E marked, no problem.

2 If you were stopped for blinding the on comming trafic, who knows.

3 The self leveling device is seperate from the lamps, if the components are MB and fitted as the retro fit, there should be no problem.

Malcolm

 

[television]

------------------FACT SHEET--------------
December 2006

Aftermarket HID headlamps


In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.

The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

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.


If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:

Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk
__________________


I have moved this info kindly posted by Chas from his posting.

Malcolm

 

[niva441]

Interesting, as full kits are now available to convert classics to Xenons, I wonder how they cope with the cleaning and leveling requirements.

 

[Timechaser]

Cleaning shouldnt be an issue as a lot of cars come with cleaners nowadays! Hell even 10 year old SAABs had cleaning.

The levelling thing is something else altogether. I wonder how they are going to cope with it. I am trying to find out what all I need to upgrade my headlamps, but cant find any information! the dealer I am sure is going to charge me an arm AND a leg for the upgrade!!!

 

[television]

Cleaning shouldnt be an issue as a lot of cars come with cleaners nowadays! Hell even 10 year old SAABs had cleaning.

The levelling thing is something else altogether. I wonder how they are going to cope with it. I am trying to find out what all I need to upgrade my headlamps, but cant find any information! the dealer I am sure is going to charge me an arm AND a leg for the upgrade!!!

I cant help you much here as your car is too new for me. Many dealers are nervous of retro's. I think that if you ask MB direct if there is a retro, it amy help a bit.

Malcolm

 

[Timechaser]

I've contacted MBenzNL who appear to be specialist suppliers of such things. Will report back if I hear anything from them. One thing is for sure though. The conversion now is going to be much much more expensive than just a £250 kit from hids4u.

 

[television]

I've contacted MBenzNL who appear to be specialist suppliers of such things. Will report back if I hear anything from them. One thing is for sure though. The conversion now is going to be much much more expensive than just a £250 kit from hids4u.

Yes thats possible, but the price has been dropping in this last 12 months.

malcolm

 

[Timechaser]

Got a reply from them saying that the levelling mechanism will require extensive wiring which will be expensive to fit. however, the kits wont be enough and you will need full reflectors. The levelling you can do by hand - but I guess that goes against the tenets of the DfT circular posted by Television.

 

[television]

Got a reply from them saying that the levelling mechanism will require extensive wiring which will be expensive to fit. however, the kits wont be enough and you will need full reflectors. The levelling you can do by hand - but I guess that goes against the tenets of the DfT circular posted by Television.

Just adding on this,the levelling mechanism normally sits on the rear axel, wiring is never run under the car, it has to go through the interior with a huge amount of dismantling. I dont think that I would trust anyone to take out the center console on my car.

Malcolm

 

[Timechaser]

Yeah I know! That's what I got told by two bodyshops, my dealer and MBenzNL yday!

so If you want to stay within the law, retrofitting Xenons is absolutely out of the question!

Philips white bulbs anyone?

BTW - on that note - is Philips Blue Vision better or PIAA Extreme White? The PIAA are about a third more expensive as well.