Main Beam

When the Mrs puts on her main beam the dips go out.

When we hold the main back both dips and main beam stay on. Can anyone give any indication as to why the dips are going out when the switch is pushed forward to put on main beam?

This is what it's meant to do. Otherwise they would get to hot and blow.

It depends on the head lamp bulbs fitted. If the car uses a twin filament bulb like a 472 then the dip will switch to mail beem and turn off the dip beem. If you the later single filament dip bulb with a separate main beem bulb then the dips normaly stay on all the time. Running 2 filaments in one bulb would overheat it very quickly.

dito

You obviously have a pre-facelift with H4s. If not you have a fuse/wiring problem.

H4s can be re-wired to light both filaments on main beam, but as has correctly been said the bulb life would be lessened.

My rallye cars had H4s where bulb life was not a problem.

More importantly they had glass lenses - I would not try rewiring H4s on a car with plastic lenses like a freelander for obvious reasons.

Singvogel.

Unless its a badly facelifted early one and they haven't rewired the lights correctly!! It would help if they said!

Sack em off and fit an HID kit!

fitting a hid kit is a no no because you need the self leveling system or it is illeagal and will not pass the MOT

teddywood1 said:

fitting a hid kit is a no no because you need the self leveling system or it is illeagal and will not pass the MOT

Click to expand...

I think you may not be completely correct there Teddy.

Due to the wording of the MOT regs - they say may be fitted with self-levelling and washing equipment - not must be fitted.

They then go on to say that if it is fitted then it must be operating correctly.

The MOT now needs to be read like an English teacher marking an essay. Look at the number-plate rules - one lamp is sufficient - but if 2 or more are fitted then they must all work.

They are slowly changing the rules by stealth - very soon it'll be very simple - Doesn't have to be there, but if it is there, it must work.

Anyhow the solution to getting more light is to fit Osram NightBreakers!

SV.

Singvogel said:

I think you may not be completely correct there Teddy.

Due to the wording of the MOT regs - they say may be fitted with self-levelling and washing equipment - not must be fitted.

They then go on to say that if it is fitted then it must be operating correctly.

The MOT now needs to be read like an English teacher marking an essay. Look at the number-plate rules - one lamp is sufficient - but if 2 or more are fitted then they must all work.

They are slowly changing the rules by stealth - very soon it'll be very simple - Doesn't have to be there, but if it is there, it must work.

Anyhow the solution to getting more light is to fit Osram NightBreakers!

SV.

Click to expand...

I'll second that about the NightBreakers, dam good bulbs.

Don't HID headlights strictly have to use a projector lamp as well, so the filament doesn't every oncomer arc eye??

Singvogel said:

I think you may not be completely correct there Teddy.

Due to the wording of the MOT regs - they say may be fitted with self-levelling and washing equipment - not must be fitted.

They then go on to say that if it is fitted then it must be operating correctly.

The MOT now needs to be read like an English teacher marking an essay. Look at the number-plate rules - one lamp is sufficient - but if 2 or more are fitted then they must all work.

They are slowly changing the rules by stealth - very soon it'll be very simple - Doesn't have to be there, but if it is there, it must work.

Anyhow the solution to getting more light is to fit Osram NightBreakers!

SV.

Click to expand...

Not all cars with HIDs fitted from the factory had self levelling or washers! Tends to be sporty things with stiff suspension and not a huge load carrying capacity so there isn't a lot of beam variation. So its a wording loophole that will pass a HID conversion. But they won't necessarily pass on beam pattern cos the reflectors aren't designed for them it can affect the dip pattern. So some will pass some wont!
I've got nightbreakers, they pass!

Diesel Do said:

Not all cars with HIDs fitted from the factory had self levelling or washers! Tends to be sporty things with stiff suspension and not a huge load carrying capacity so there isn't a lot of beam variation. So its a wording loophole that will pass a HID conversion. But they won't necessarily pass on beam pattern cos the reflectors aren't designed for them it can affect the dip pattern. So some will pass some wont!
I've got nightbreakers, they pass!

Click to expand...

There was a story of that on the Audi forums, someone had fitted after market HIDs and the dip beam was a total crock of sh!t, the filament ended up in the wrong place for the design of the headlight, ended up worse than halogens..

just going on what my friend said and he is a MOT man

teddywood1 said:

just going on what my friend said and he is a MOT man

Click to expand...

The whole MOT thing is a farce at the moment.

Here's a link to the latest info:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/Special Notice 5-12.pdf

You'll see that they still aren't able to introduce the changes they wanted to bring in earlier this year. All the 'new' things are still to be 'advisory' until God knows when. Including the levelling and cleaning devices on HIDs when fitted.

These regular updates called Special Notices make interesting reading for those of us with a mod or two.

SV.

teddywood1 said:

just going on what my friend said and he is a MOT man

Click to expand...

There is far too much room for interpretation! Not all testers bother to read things so will just fail em when if the beam pattern is ok they really shouldn't!

Diesel Do said:

There is far too much room for interpretation! Not all testers bother to read things so will just fail em when if the beam pattern is ok they really shouldn't!

Click to expand...

i agree with you there, i am an mot tester, have been for 20years but you can still missread the interpretations of the test manual.i dont think anyone is perfect in doing the mot (except vosa) have you ever seen the full test manual?

mickymck said:

i agree with you there, i am an mot tester, have been for 20years but you can still missread the interpretations of the test manual.i dont think anyone is perfect in doing the mot (except vosa) have you ever seen the full test manual?

Click to expand...

Yup. Used to be a tester about five years ago so this stuffs new to me

I've been responsible for the admin of the servicing, testing and paperwork of various UK registered 4X4s belonging to the organization I work for, for many years

Several of them are LHD and ex-Army - British, German & Austrian Army - Defenders, Unimogs and M-Benz 1017s - hardy kit indeed.

I have a load of 'fun' keeping them legal!

It isn't easy keeping on top of the latest information from VOSA.

I regularly exchange e-mails seeking clarification - and from the answers I get, it's pretty clear that some of the amendments are not thought through thoroughly / properly before being implemented.

SV.