rutts Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 On 26/12/2021 at 15:09, Jessopia74 said: Correct, it is instant failure with headlight bulbs replacement that is not as type approval. I would definitely not tempt a pull over wrong headlight bulbs. The rules for side and tail lamps are less vague as they do not have a prescribed beam pattern/brightness etc, only about location on vehicle height/width and colour shown. Not in a classic car it's not a fail . On 26/12/2021 at 15:09, Jessopia74 said: Correct, it is instant failure with headlight bulbs replacement that is not as type approval. I would definitely not tempt a pull over wrong headlight bulbs. The rules for side and tail lamps are less vague as they do not have a prescribed beam pattern/brightness etc, only about location on vehicle height/width and colour shown. Not in a classic car it's not a fail . 22 March 2021, we’re changing these rules so that not all motorcycles and vehicles will fail the MOT test if their halogen headlamp units have been converted to be used with HID or LED bulbs. Class 1 and 2 motorcycles Class 1 and 2 motorcycles must not be failed for the defect ‘Light source and lamp not compatible’. Headlamps must comply with all other requirements of the test and headlamp aim. The motorcycle inspection manual will be updated shortly, and the ability to select the defect within the MOT testing service will be removed. Class 3,4,5 and 7 vehicles For class 3,4,5 and 7 vehicles, the defect ‘Light source and lamp not compatible’ only applies to vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986. Should a vehicle be presented for an MOT test with conversions before 1 April 1986 they must not be failed with immediate effect. Vehicles presented with converted halogen headlamp units first used on or after 1 April 1986 will continue to be failed. Headlamps must comply with all other requirements of the test and headlamp aim. The cars and passenger vehicles inspection manual will be updated shortly. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Thanks for that Rutts, but it still muddies the water a little. So 1986 'C Reg' onwards can't be converted, but anything prior can. So some classics are affected and sone not. Great 🤦🏻♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutts Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 On 27/12/2021 at 17:08, Jessopia74 said: Thanks for that Rutts, but it still muddies the water a little. So 1986 'C Reg' onwards can't be converted, but anything prior can. So some classics are affected and sone not. Great 🤦🏻♂️ Yes mine are legal. As one is a 1974 other is a 1985 . Much better at illuminating the road ahead. But as I said going back to standard filament bulbs for rear . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 yet another weird law exemption then in my opinion. people can now legally fit leds or hids into lights not designed or approved for them and if not checked properly will blind oncoming drivers.and never enough police around to see this. same daft idea as mot exemption for older cars. sorry if i sound a little victor meldrew but you get my point ( hopefully !) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Agree, i dont mind original lights, they are fine. Its crazy that alignment is tested (mot) but brightness, is not! Why? Alignment needs to be correct to not dazzle on coming vehicles, really! Sorry but if i get dazzled by a modern vehicle, its full beam for me, thinking of adding a light pod too? Wonder what the theory is on having stronger lights against, what have been fitted in the past. Read something that it is more stressful with brighter lights on long journeys. Who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I think there is has always been a limit on brightness as such. I wanted to swap the headlamp units to something more powerful some years ago and a friend supplied me some 100w bulbs, that had warning on them Not for public road use or something along those lines. Modern LED units are probably no brighter in terms of output, but they are more efficiently focused hence why they can be a bit blinding to oncoming vehicles. However, now that you have mentioned about brightness, I do recall there must be some legislation or test for this as the all the Nova owners craze for spraying lamps black in the last 90s made them virtually useless, as the lights was hardly visible, and the police did have a big crack down on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Brightness of car lights is measured in "candela", and there are rules about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 i would imagine that when the tester sees the beam pattern projected it should be obvious if it isnt correct and doesnt have the cut off slope above and also seeing as he does this all day long he should notice very bright bulbs too. yes the 100w bulbs are marked "not for road use" but does that now mean that you can fit them "pre- 86 ? . i hope not . one more issue regarding leds (etc) is that us classic owners dont want to be confused with the chavvy mod brigade that used to play with novas etc ,lol.and to me bright lights that shouldnt be reminds me of that. dont want us owners to be branded that way or give the gov more excuses to push us off the road they are already thinking about the ban on modified vehicles again ive heard ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 51 minutes ago, cam.in.head said: i would imagine that when the tester sees the beam pattern projected it should be obvious if it isnt correct and doesnt have the cut off slope above and also seeing as he does this all day long he should notice very bright bulbs too. yes the 100w bulbs are marked "not for road use" but does that now mean that you can fit them "pre- 86 ? . i hope not . one more issue regarding leds (etc) is that us classic owners dont want to be confused with the chavvy mod brigade that used to play with novas etc ,lol.and to me bright lights that shouldnt be reminds me of that. dont want us owners to be branded that way or give the gov more excuses to push us off the road they are already thinking about the ban on modified vehicles again ive heard ! My friendly MOT man at the time Iused said 100w bulbs, was not interested in the fact the headlights was bright. He only mentioned it as he was asking for all the cruddy cars that had poor headlights, nothing about the fact I should not use them. Nor did I ever get pulled over (for headlights anyway 🤣) but that was back in the 90s. I only have std fitted atm, with LED in the rears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Candela, thats interesting! Surely the beam pattern it due to the lens and the correct orientation of the bulb, and not the brightness. 4x4 or suv vehicles seem to be the worst, maybe its the height of the headlight itself, not sure but they seem the most dangerous and always dazzles on coming. Ive never had an issue with manta headlights being weak, i wonder how much of it is down to other road users needing their eyes tested without knowing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 6 hours ago, ®evo03 said: Ive never had an issue with manta headlights being weak, i wonder how much of it is down to other road users needing their eyes tested without knowing? what i always think too 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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