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[hotel21]

cant you just use your original for the mot and after the mot put these on for a year? obviosly its not legal but do the police have something to check even once you flattened out light???

The basic concept to keep in mind is the reason why the headlamp pattern flicks rowards the kerb - irrespective of LHD or RHD - which is to ensure that drivers see pedestrians on footpaths at the earliest opportunity without blinding oncoming drivers with high beam lights.  

If you flatten the dipped headlight beam to compromise light pattern you remove those several feet of extra vision along the footpath.  A basic safety feature.  Your descision as to whether to remove/refit for MOT purposes.

Whilst making absolutely no difference whatsoever in 99.999999% of cases please be assured that, in the event of a serious/fatal accident your vehicle will unbdoubtedly be rigorously examined by the Police (and the Vehicle Inspectorate and, potentially, the insurers) to ensure all is 100% legal.  If, for whatever reason your vehicle is found to be lacking, well, who knows......  

[carper]

Hello guys....
just read a thread in the Test zone  which states that if you have the Black projector headlamps from Canada they should fail the M.O.T due to the fact they are for left hand drive Omegas only?
i've just orderd a set over the weekend feeling all chuffed with myself but now i want to blub like a baby
will someone please say "there, there it'll all be ok dont worry"

Take yours apart (can be done), spray them black, loads of different black sprays available today, put them back together, sorted, saved yer'self a fortune, and got the result you wanted.  

[Entwood]

To put it VERY simply, AFAIK ... ...  if the headlights are NOT "E" marked they are illegal in UK (and europe) ..  this is covered, I believe by the requirement of the MOT.

http://www.ukmot.com/1-6.asp

in detail :

http://www.ukmot.com/1-2.asp#Text_top


and I understand it is the wording "obligatory headlamps" that covers the "E" marking requirement. This link is for Taxicab inspections but I believe it is basically the MOT test in writing !!

http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/FF278036-0657-447C-B566-9DEA6850CD01/0/ManualofInspectionStandardsFullDoc.pdf

as on page 52 section F4 para 5 f

you could also argue that the "black" coating is a reason for failure 5a .. as the reflector is "deteriorated or tarnished"

but I could well be wrong .......

[vauxsull]

Oh jeeeez i've made a horrible mistake ordering these lights. yes they are the same as the piccy above.
i didnt see any wording telling of m.o.t failure unless it was a different supplier to the one i'm using?
they where purchased from Ebay and are know doubt on a big silver bird over the Atlantic as we speak...
i simply say this, f***ing t**ting hell...........

[ians]

Try to cancel it saying they are not fit for purpose (illegal in UK).  If this is the regular ebayer selling these, someone must have realised by now (failed MOT) and complained, so they should be well aware of the issue.  

[Entwood]

Just lifted this off the ABS forum ...   seems to support what I wrote earlier .. for different reasons !!

Fact sheet: Aftermarket HID headlamps
December 2006


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

I have highlighted the bit that should get you your money back !!  HTH  

[hotel21]

Good find!

But I think that you will fall over, legally, at your highlighted part....

Lamps are offered for sale from outwith the UK.  Buyer is asking the seller to send to the UK, therefore a distinct grey area as to who is actually at fault - buyer or seller.....   :-/

Main get out area is the 'E' marking of lense, reflector and lamp, IMHO...  

[TheBoy]

Just lifted this off the ABS forum ...   seems to support what I wrote earlier .. for different reasons !!

Fact sheet: Aftermarket HID headlamps
December 2006


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

I have highlighted the bit that should get you your money back !!  HTH  

And hopefully, that will put the other constant argument to bed about HID kits.

[Mick_600]

If you can flatten the beam with the adjuster you should be OK for an MOT. The rules should be the same for cars and Motor bikes and there are thousands of imported bikes in the UK that use a flat beam solution (one in my garage) and some aftermarket lamps are manufactured with a flat beam so they can be sold anywhere.

[TheBoy]

If you can flatten the beam with the adjuster you should be OK for an MOT. The rules should be the same for cars and Motor bikes and there are thousands of imported bikes in the UK that use a flat beam solution (one in my garage) and some aftermarket lamps are manufactured with a flat beam so they can be sold anywhere.

The Omega 'flat' beam is for short term use only. Its very low, and gives poor lighting.  If you try to raise, as they are not aimed kerbside, they dazzle.

Technically, the beam pattern for mot should be \___  \___

[vauxsull]

Hello guys...
it was me who started this blog about the black headlamps. i've spoken to the seller who informs me that if
the lights are illigal in the u.k just send them back for a full refund.

[Tony H]

Hello guys...
it was me who started this blog about the black headlamps. i've spoken to the seller who informs me that if
the lights are illigal in the u.k just send them back for a full refund.

Result

[nixoro]

Certain types of kiddy wipes will take the silver colour off the insert and make them black almost did this with my lights to give it the black look.

Cheap solution almost wrecked my projectors when i gave them a clean fortunately I had the surrounds from another set of light I have.