HID xenon conversion kits

I thought HiD lamps had to be self levelling to be road legal in the UK?

Correct. Personally, because of the danger by them dazzling oncoming motorists, if I had one come to me for an MOT with them fitted and no self-levelling system tied in, I'd want to fail it. Whether VOSA would let me or not is another matter though. Badger.

nemo2, Darren and Badger Hi,

May I suggest you have a look at this site?

Apart from knowing the seller I have no other financial or business connection with him.

Take care Pantelis

May I also suggest you have a look at e-bay for HID lights under automotive related products?

There are several sellers with BUY NOW option at a lower price then the one quoted at hids4u but then again you should be careful as far as quality is regarded.

Take care Pantelis

And be careful on the description, so as not to just buy bulbs with a bit of blue paint on. "HID look", "appearance of HID" etc.

Strikes me as very dodgey ground to fit true HID without automatic headlamp levelling. Even if you can pass an MOT, the Construction and Use regulations may well get you, ultimately ending with a null insurance. Even if your insurance company accepts the modification.

I've certainly been dazzled by HID equiped cars, particulary when they are coming up hill onto the level where I am or over undulating/bumpy roads.

nemo2 Hi,

may I suggest you have a look at item number 8029935487 on

you may find it interesting.

Take care Pantelis

On or around Mon, 23 Jan 2006 22:11:06 +0000 (UTC), "Badger" enlightened us thusly:

I thought you could get 'em on "incorrcet beam pattern"?

the few I've seen that have HIDs in normal housings invariably dazzle. the proper ones are bad enough.

Only if the pattern is indeed incorrect. Badger.

Hi Badger,

I have self levelling suspension and headlamp washers, but I believe that's only a requirement for HID's fitted to a new vehicle.

regards

nemo2

Hi Austin,

Thanks, I'm still researching this so I see what I can find out about incorrect beam patterns. Is it the length of the bulb that changes the beam pattern?

regards

nemo2

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the reminder, I check with my insurance company. I had noticed the dodgy adverts as I like to do my research before commting myself; hence the post here. As far as I can ascertain, I would be legal and there should be no problems with the MOT, but I want to be sure that I end up with a better light system that wont annoy other drivers.

regards

nemo2

Hi Pantelis,

Thanks for your posts, I've been lurking here for a while and have seen your other posts and trust your integrity when you post details of a web site. The above item on ebay is interesting as my Discovery has H4 bulbs that have combined dipped and main beams. I'm going to take a look at the other sites you mentioned when I finished replying to this post. Quality rather than price is my main concern, but I don't want to throw money away.

regards

nemo2

On or around Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:26:34 +0000, nemo2 enlightened us thusly:

the reflector and glass of the headlamp are designed to produce the correct pattern with a fairly accurately-placed bulb filament, in a particular orientation. If the HID unit puts a light source of the same size in the same place, with the same shielding on the lower side of the beam, then it'll work.

Doesn't alter the requirements for self levelling etc.

Personally, I'd outlaw the bloody lot of 'em for dipped beams - they're far too bright and even with a correct pattern they dazzle more than is necessary. If you want 'em for super-bright main beams, that's fair enough.

Dipped beam lamps don't need to be (that) bright. The old-fashioned 40W or

nemo2 mumbled something on 23/01/2006 20:24:

I have one of their kits fitted on my car and I'm impressed with the results. I had a fault on one of the control/ballast units and they sent a replacement in the post the next day without waiting for me to send a faulty one back.

Compared with £700 for some of the competition (or £1200 at Overfinch), they sounded like a good deal to me. You might shave a few quid here or there, but they are the discount end of HID kits.

Andy

On or around Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:24:22 +0000, nemo2 enlightened us thusly:

don't think so.

I don't seem to have any legislation about 'em (or not that I can find easily), but there is some. I think it's an amendment to RVLR 1989.

Must update the legislation thing, if the bloody county council ever pay me for December's work.

Hear hear. if you can't see enough on dipped beam, then you are driving too fast for the conditions. I am sick fed up being dazzled by so-called lighting "improvements". Badger.

It's not the suspension that needs to be self levelling, it's sensors linked into the suspension that automatically alter the light position to avoid dazzle as the vehicle pitches with normal suspension movement. Badger.

I do agree. No use in further improvements except for the wallet of the manufacturer..... Erik-Jan.

ok - been following this thread and I think I get all the points made here, but there appears to be at least one missing clue. I don't really understand why anti-dazzle self-levelling technology is only relevant for this type of lighting?

Surely, if such tech is a good thing (tm) ... then a good thing it is, regardless of what the candles are made of?