HID Lights in the NCT

Tropheus · 10-10-2014 11:25am

KNS wrote: »

Failed the other day. 03 Audi TT. HID Lamps, Mandatory Headlamp Cleaning Device not Working.

Didn't realise this was a fail. Would've checked when doing the bulbs etc. Was working last winter. Hopefully something small. Although on my track record it won't be.

Could be the motor that's gone. I think it uses the water pressure to raise the nozzles. Hopefully it's not a bumper off job as that can be a pain. Although I'd imagine things are crammed in tight on a TT and they're not the easiest to work on.

KNS · 10-10-2014 1:50pm

Tropheus wrote: »

Could be the motor that's gone. I think it uses the water pressure to raise the nozzles. Hopefully it's not a bumper off job as that can be a pain. Although I'd imagine things are crammed in tight on a TT and they're not the easiest to work on.

When it did work you'd hold in the stalk and after a few seconds you'd hear the motor kick in. Now all you hear is a click and nothing so could well be the motor.

A lot of hassle for a feature I never use!

Tropheus · 10-10-2014 1:52pm

KNS wrote: »

When it did work you'd hold in the stalk and after a few seconds you'd hear the motor kick in. Now all you hear is a click and nothing so could well be the motor.

A lot of hassle for a feature I never use!

Let me know if you need a workshop diagram and I'll try and root one out.

NewApproach · 10-10-2014 1:53pm

pa990 wrote: »

Delighted

Muppet

mikeecho wrote: »

Aftermarket hids are a pet hate of mine.

Badly setup, blinding everybody.

Wrong

billbond4 · 10-10-2014 2:01pm

Gryzor wrote: »

Failed today, 08 accord (old model). Projector lenses, washers, manual adjustment and aftermarket HID's.

Saw them having a discussion about them, lots of pointing etc going on. They didn't test the alignment, just failed it...Have passed the last two times with the same setup...

Did you have your water washer filled up to the top?
The headlight washers wont pop up unless your water is a good way filled up maybe half to 2/3's

kirving · 10-10-2014 2:18pm

NewApproach wrote: »

Muppet

Wrong

He's not wrong, in many cases, they're terribly adjusted, probably in purpose, and do blind people.

ION08 · 10-10-2014 2:29pm

My car (Audi A4 B6) has passed every single NCT since I brought it in from the UK 3 years ago. (6000k HID in projector housing)

I have a feeling they will fail this time

NewApproach · 10-10-2014 3:21pm

Kevin Irving wrote: »

He's not wrong, in many cases, they're terribly adjusted, probably in purpose, and do blind people.

Everybody?

Tropheus · 10-10-2014 3:35pm

This thread nearly has everything that gets people in the Motors section wound up. After market kits and fog lights. What would it take to make it perfect? People hogging the "fast lane" with HID kits in their fog lights?

vectra · 10-10-2014 5:41pm

Kevin Irving wrote: »

He's not wrong, in many cases, they're terribly adjusted, probably in purpose, and do blind people.

Is there any possibility that these ones that Blind people are in fact non projector lamps and not the case of being wrongly adjusted?

Gryzor · 10-10-2014 5:52pm

billbond4 wrote: »

Did you have your water washer filled up to the top?
The headlight washers wont pop up unless your water is a good way filled up maybe half to 2/3's

Yeah, full up. They didn't test them in any way, just failed me for having an aftermarket installation as soon as they saw it.
I did argue the point about the projector housing etc. I didn't have my research done, and didn't know what the current regs were, so I had to just walk away...

KNS · 10-10-2014 6:31pm

Tropheus wrote: »

Let me know if you need a workshop diagram and I'll try and root one out.

Thanks for the offer but it's with the mechanic at the moment.

dr.fuzzenstein · 10-10-2014 8:15pm

Tropheus wrote: »

They're not checked. There's an Impreza around my area that drives around with HID fogs. A 747 will land on it one of these days.

If I ever have some fcuktard in front of me who has that and he has it on, I'll get this:

(not the car, though that would be nice, the lights)

barneygumble99 · 11-10-2014 10:22am

4. HID headlamps must be installed as a complete type-approved system. The system will include automatic cleaning. HID headlamps can be recognised by:
a) the light having a bluish tinge,
b) the light taking a few seconds to reach full intensity,
c) the headlamp having an igniter module/inverter behind the headlamp,
d) the headlamp having ”DC” (for HID dipped beam), “DR” (for HID main beam), or “DCR” (if both are HID) marked on the lens. This marking should be visible from the exterior of the vehicle but in some cases the markings may be hidden under the bonnet and this may need opening to obtain a clear view.

Point (d) is useful for identifying if your headlamps are HID compatible. The headlamps may not have HID bulbs fitted from factory though.

dougie-lampkin · 11-10-2014 6:42pm

Fitted €8 washers last night (separate tank, pump and nozzles) to my retrofit, for the looming NCT next week. I now have self levelling, bi-xenon projectors and washers. Your move, NCTS...

Anjobe · 11-10-2014 8:06pm

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

Fitted €8 washers last night (separate tank, pump and nozzles) to my retrofit, for the looming NCT next week. I now have self levelling, bi-xenon projectors and washers. Your move, NCTS...

Good luck, but unfortunately if your headlamp units are not marked as described above it should be failed. Be sure to let is know how you get on...

ION08 · 11-10-2014 8:20pm

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

Fitted €8 washers last night (separate tank, pump and nozzles) to my retrofit, for the looming NCT next week. I now have self levelling, bi-xenon projectors and washers. Your move, NCTS...

I admire your effort (particularly on a C5) but would you not have just stuck the Halogens back in for the NCT and the revereted to HID's after you passed!

ironclaw · 13-10-2014 6:32am

@dougie-lampkin, how did you make them self levelling?

dougie-lampkin · 13-10-2014 7:35am

ION08 wrote: »

I admire your effort (particularly on a C5) but would you not have just stuck the Halogens back in for the NCT and the revereted to HID's after you passed!

It's not so simple as putting halogens back in, I took apart the old lamps to install the bi-xenon projectors, which take a D2S bulb. I'd have to source a set of halogen lamps, and go through the process of installing and re-coding them. This seemed like a more long-term solution

This exact setup passed for me last year at this time sans washers, when the HID rules were in place, but they seem to have tightened up in the last few months from what I've read here.

ironclaw wrote: »

@dougie-lampkin, how did you make them self levelling?

It's a hydropneumatic Citroen, the car itself is self levelling from the factory. I planned this retrofit long before the NCT rules on HIDs came in so it's just a pure stroke of luck that I had been in something with hydropneumatic at the time!

ironclaw · 13-10-2014 9:12am

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

It's a hydropneumatic Citroen, the car itself is self levelling from the factory. I planned this retrofit long before the NCT rules on HIDs came in so it's just a pure stroke of luck that I had been in something with hydropneumatic at the time!

But does the unit itself not have to be self leveling? Any HID I've ever seen, the unit itself has self leveled independent of the suspension.

Chimaera · 13-10-2014 12:53pm

ironclaw wrote: »

But does the unit itself not have to be self leveling? Any HID I've ever seen, the unit itself has self leveled independent of the suspension.

No. The levelling system is required to correct the headlight aim when the car gets loaded up and the suspension sags, especially at the rear.

In a vehicle with self-levelling suspension, the entire suspension system corrects for this so the headlights don't need an aiming system.

On vehicles without self-levelling suspension, there are ride-height sensors on the suspension that detect when the vehicle's been loaded up and the system corrects the headlight aim.

pcardin · 13-10-2014 2:05pm

Chimaera wrote: »

No. The levelling system is required to correct the headlight aim when the car gets loaded up and the suspension sags, especially at the rear.

In a vehicle with self-levelling suspension, the entire suspension system corrects for this so the headlights don't need an aiming system.

On vehicles without self-levelling suspension, there are ride-height sensors on the suspension that detect when the vehicle's been loaded up and the system corrects the headlight aim.

If only NCT crowd would be that knowledgeable....

dougie-lampkin · 13-10-2014 2:52pm

ironclaw wrote: »

But does the unit itself not have to be self leveling? Any HID I've ever seen, the unit itself has self leveled independent of the suspension.

Since the car is actively self levelling while the engine is running, what would levelling motors on the lamps actually contribute? The motors would constantly stay at their 0 position, since there's nothing to adjust for.

The only issue I see with the current setup is that the ride height is adaptive. e.g., on the motorway above 130 km/h, the nose of the car drops by ~20mm to make the car more aerodynamic. This has a noticeable effect on headlamp distance. I don't think the NCT tester will notice in the garage though

Tropheus · 14-10-2014 9:51am

My Audi Allroad has self levelling air suspension but also has independent self levelling head HID factory headlamps. Hopefully they accept the levelling on the suspensions as self levelling headlamps.

ION08 · 20-12-2014 5:28pm

Well, just out of the NCT now and Failed on "HID Bulb in Non-HID Lamp"

Car is an Audi A4 with projectors and passed with these same HID bulbs last 3 years in a row.

Funnily enough your man tested the alignment anyway and said it was spot on :rolleyes:

Furthermore, he said nothing about washers or auto levelling. He just said that if they are not factory fitted HID's/Xenon's they will fail.

HID Lights in the NCT

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