Lights

[WylieCoyote]

Hi guys. Slight gremlin. I've put my new HID lights on the car and I've noticed that when I flash the mains, even with the lights off, the dipped beam comes on for a millisecond. Can anyone offer an explanation and cure?

Thanks.

Keith

[aztecbandit1]

Hi guys. Slight gremlin. I've put my new HID lights on the car and I've noticed that when I flash the mains, even with the lights off, the dipped beam comes on for a millisecond. Can anyone offer an explanation and cure?

Thanks.

Keith

Hello mate

Mine do the same both lights come on when i flash the high beam even though they both stay on while doing it just thought thats what they do to be honest??

Chris... :)

[MI_LEXX]

Hi guys. Slight gremlin. I've put my new HID lights on the car and I've noticed that when I flash the mains, even with the lights off, the dipped beam comes on for a millisecond. Can anyone offer an explanation and cure?

Thanks.

Keith

Hello mate

Mine do the same both lights come on when i flash the high beam even though they both stay on while doing it just thought thats what they do to be honest??

Chris... :)

same here :D

[WylieCoyote]

Hey guys. Thanks for replies. Glad to see I'm not the only one! Maybe it is just what they do. I'll contact the HID manufacturer on Monday, see if they can offer an explanation, I'll ask my local car electrician and I'll post what they say on here.

Thanks again.

Keith

I've just come across this extract from the Department of transport on the Mercedes Benz forum. I've underlined the important bit.

Department of Transport (UK)

The situation for Gas Discharge (HID High Intensity Discharge) (commonly known as Xenon) headlamps is complex.

I attach links to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 which regulate the situation in the UK.

Under these Regulations Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However you will be well aware that new vehicles have Xenon 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 Xenon headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

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

Therefore a Xenon headlamp sold in the aftermarket 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.

I'll still confirm this with the electrican and manufacturer, but it does appear that it's just normal!

Keith

[PiratePete]

Hey guys. Thanks for replies. Glad to see I'm not the only one! Maybe it is just what they do. I'll contact the HID manufacturer on Monday, see if they can offer an explanation, I'll ask my local car electrician and I'll post what they say on here.

Thanks again.

Keith

I've just come across this extract from the Department of transport on the Mercedes Benz forum. I've underlined the important bit.

Department of Transport (UK)

The situation for Gas Discharge (HID High Intensity Discharge) (commonly known as Xenon) headlamps is complex.

I attach links to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 which regulate the situation in the UK.

Under these Regulations Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However you will be well aware that new vehicles have Xenon 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 Xenon headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

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

Therefore a Xenon headlamp sold in the aftermarket 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.

I'll still confirm this with the electrican and manufacturer, but it does appear that it's just normal!

Keith

It is normal that both lights come on as you say. Unfortunately where the problem lies is with fitting a HID kit to a standard headlamp/reflector assembly. 'Type approval' and 'homologation' are required for every part of a car to allow it to be used on the roads, however these two approval mechanisms work on the complete unit only. You cannot type approve or homogate just a HID or a Headlamp unit in isolation. Therefore if you fit an HID unit to your car you are to all intensive purposes breaking the law.

HOWEVER, I worked in the headlight industry for over 10 years and never heard of anyone getting done for this, and from a practical point of view just ensure that the centre of the HID bulb lies at the same point as the centre of the Halogen bulb. Basically park your car up against a wall shining the headlamps onto the wall. You will see the beam starts at about 30 degrees coming down to the axis of the light (in other words straight in front of the headlight), and then runs horizontal to the right, the height of the beam should be at the same height as the bulb relative to the road (with levelling at 0). The beam itself should have a VERY crisp line on the wall, below the beam bright, above the line dim.

If the line between light and dark is not crisp and is mushy, or the shape isn't as described above then you need to see if the HID buld is in the right place. If you can't set it right then put halogens back in because the police will do you for that. I myself modified my Golf headlights and was stopped one night and had to shine my lights against the wall. Luckily I had made some spacers to put the HID in the right position (however the Golf headlight was never designed for HID so they were as bright as daylight but the police can't check this.)

Hope this helps.