HID problems

[comptoncj]

Bought some HIDs second hand a week or so ago, attempted to fit them tonight and I can get them to light up, The person I bought them off has good feedback and they were described as perfect working order and I have no reason to doubt that. I have connected everything up and ran all the earths to the gearbox as my battery is in the boot so I cant really use that. Has anyone had problems when fitting them maybe they need to be eathed on the battery? Just a bit confused why they havn't lit up.

[Jack]

Shouldn't need to be earthed on the battery, none of mine are.

Do you get any noise from the ballasts when they're on? How have you connected them to the original headlamp harness?

[pie]

are they bi/hid buddy?

i got hids with hid dip beam n normal high beam
didnt need to earth them

[Lee H]

They are a Hi/Lo kit. They worked fine on my car wired up as follows.

HID loom earthed to battery
live (with inline fuse) to battery
Ballasts earthed to body and lives connected to HID loom
Three pin plug on HID loom to standard headlight plug

[Novasport]

Dont worry, you'll have to remove them soon anyway....

2011 VOSA changes to MOT
Still 13 months away until these new regulations come into force, but some interesting changes. From MOT from December 2011, the below changes will come into force, which will be very bad news for some.
HID lights – Specifically those aftermarket kits that give the very bright headlight beams. Any cars found with these kits will be an automatic MOT failure. Testers are able to easily spot the difference between HID kits, and manufacturer fitted Xenon’s. Easy to spot as Xenon cars have suspension level sensors, in car beam adjuster, and usually headlight washers.
Chipped ECU’s - Unsure of just how/if this one will realistically be enforced, but any cars with chipped ECU’s will in theory be an MOT failure. I can only assume VOSA have found an easy way of checking ECU software through the cars OBD port (diagnostic plug).
Wiring harness – The general condition of he wiring harness will be checked to make sure there is no rubbing or chaffing, and that the harnesses are in generally good condition. If unsecure, or damaged again MOT failure.
Airbag warning lights - If any warning lights are illuminated, it will again be an MOT failure.

The HID part of it was confirmed as definately going ahead by one of my MOT tester at work.

[Jack]

I wouldn't count on that - a load of MOT stations and the Internet as a whole seems to have been caught up in mis-reading this document:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MoT%20-%20Issue%2048%20-%20Oct%202010.pdf

....which states


Other items – such as headlamp bulb and unit incompatibility, headlamp levelling devices and illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need further thought before we can get a workable solution for MOT stations.
So HIDs (and engine chips) are nothing to do with the MOT now, or in the forseeable future.

ECE 98 makes them grey, but thats as close as you'll get to "illegal" (thats assuming you have headlight washers and the beam pattern is ok)