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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 15:10

Title: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 15:10
Recieved my Hella's earlier and just realised that whoever had 'em before put 100W highs in them. What's the legality of this? Really wanna put them on but are they illegal?

If so I'll have to get some 55w as it's MOT is soon.

Other then that they're pretty cool. Cracked cover but I'll get another, then just a bit of a clean on the inside where the engine bay has the road crap getting thrown up but I've bought a 1.9D engine cover for it for fifteen quid so we'll see if it helps.

So yeah, legal or not?

Thanks.  :wink:
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Len on 03 March 2009, 15:12
Is it only on the main beam? Or dipped? Or both?
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 15:14
Is it only on the main beam? Or dipped? Or both?

Just the full (main) others are 55w.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 15:15
Oh forgot to ask. Is the stock wiring really up to that?

I'm ordering 5M of 10AWG wire, would it be worthwhile upgrading the HELLA wiring to 10AWG? I have all the connectors they use.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Len on 03 March 2009, 15:17
Might be legal then. But I'm not sure about it!

Why not try VOSA to see if their website has any info.


Also those bulbs may cause fuses to blow and maybe the wiring not up to it!
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: boneybradley on 03 March 2009, 15:18
the wiring is/should be fine as mine was running 100w main before i fitted some 6500k bulbs (which although 55w they are brighter!! and legal for dip too)
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 15:20
OK might stick 'em on.

Gotta ask someone to move it on the drive. It's stupid, it is just over the road in a bay, facing the drive, just the road between it, traffic lights due to roadworks, and I can't move it over that three meters of road.  :sad:
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Wayne on 03 March 2009, 16:20
Yes it is illegal, 100watt bulbs are always marked for off highway use only.

Also you stock wiring / switch may not cope.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 16:58
OK cheers Wayned. Turns out the H1's are blown anyway so I'll get a full set.

Want HIDs but am now wondering if I should just go uprated bulbs route. It's not really my car and although my dad lets me do things to it, I guess it's unfair if they got pulled.

Fitted one of them anyway, passenger. Beam is a little lower them the stock and I think that the Hella has a slightly brighter output. Will tell when dark.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Len on 03 March 2009, 16:59
If you have true Hella's you will find that they are fine as they are!  :wink:
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 17:03
Yup genuine Hellas. £40 then got an email saying one is cracked. Sent me twenty quid partial refund, and I already knew they were cracked from the picture.

"angle eyes golf" - What great lights they are. :grin:

Waiting to hear if VR6 Joe has a spare cover before sticking it in. Might spray them colour match.

How much extra insurance do you reckon for a 55 year old man with over 5 years no claims and no accidents do you think for Hellas?
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Len on 03 March 2009, 17:05
Twins / Angel eyes ?? which are they?
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Josho on 03 March 2009, 17:08
Hella twins.

Not angel eyes. :sick:

The seller had them listed as "angle eyes golf" They are really genuine Hella twins.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Len on 04 March 2009, 10:29
Let you off in that case!  :grin:
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: VR6-Joe on 04 March 2009, 10:56
By 'high beam' I take it you mean full beam, so..

Not being funny but does it matter whether they're legal or not? If they're in the high beams, they're only used on dark roads when there's no other cars on the road, and when a car does come the other way, you switch them off anyway. This won't affect any other drivers on the road so I don't actually see a problem. :undecided:

In a way it's like my fog lights, illegal to use them when it's not foggy, but I used to use them on dark country roads that I've never been on before, but I always turned them off at the first sign of a car coming in the opposite direction. Now I've got my HID's I don't even need my full beam OR fog lights :grin:
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: Wayne on 04 March 2009, 11:45
By 'high beam' I take it you mean full beam, so..

Not being funny but does it matter whether they're legal or not? If they're in the high beams, they're only used on dark roads when there's no other cars on the road, and when a car does come the other way, you switch them off anyway. This won't affect any other drivers on the road so I don't actually see a problem. :undecided:

In a way it's like my fog lights, illegal to use them when it's not foggy, but I used to use them on dark country roads that I've never been on before, but I always turned them off at the first sign of a car coming in the opposite direction. Now I've got my HID's I don't even need my full beam OR fog lights :grin:

What about if you were stopped by the police, if they carried out a check and found them you could still get trouble.
Title: Re: Legal status of 100W bulbs in high-beam?
Post by: VR6-Joe on 04 March 2009, 13:15
Didn't think of that

Although to be fair, they can't be much brighter than standard?