240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[360beast]

The barge is older than 1986 anyway so it isn't an MOT failure and more than legal to use LED's, I personally would take it to get the beam pattern checked to ensure you aren't blinding others on the road but you're absolutely fine to use them.

My 940 however would be a big no no, however I can't see properly at night with my glow worm headlights so I think the original halogen bulbs are much more dangerous than some led bulbs that are setup correctly.

[360beast]

https://classicandsportscar.com/news...s-legal-or-not

No mention that Alan has to use E marked bulbs in his car because the headlights are E marked.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 360beast

The barge is older than 1986 anyway so it isn't an MOT failure and more than legal to use LED's, I personally would take it to get the beam pattern checked to ensure you aren't blinding others on the road but you're absolutely fine to use them.

My 940 however would be a big no no, however I can't see properly at night with my glow worm headlights so I think the original halogen bulbs are much more dangerous than some led bulbs that are setup correctly.

Our expectations move on quickly Luke. When halogen lamps became available they were the bee's knees (compared with the incandescent bulbs that preceded), now are things that are much better so they seem poor.

I'll be setting up the LED lights against the garage door the way I nearly always do. If they are exactly the same as the halogen lights that passed the MoT last week they will be absolutely fine.

That doesn't help you and your 940 much. I rather suspect you wouldn't have any problems with LED headlamps, and I'm certainly not advocating that you do anything illegal but it only takes 5 minutes to swap than back to halogen bulbs once per year.

Alan

PS. I wonder whether the 'E4' logo from the product's packaging refers to an E mark granted in the Netherlands, or if it is a similar but not the same graphic used in Hong Kong?



... I think I'll keep the box the bulbs came in with the spare bulbs and fuses in the offside well of the boot - just in case there is a query :-).

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 360beast

https://classicandsportscar.com/news...s-legal-or-not

No mention that Alan has to use E marked bulbs in his car because the headlights are E marked.

Thank you Luke, that is very helpful. If I ever get the Barge MoT tested again I may print a copy... just in case.

[360beast]

Being Chinese that e4 will mean nothing in the real world and will be used as a fake e mark to dupe people. But you don't need to worry about an e mark with the barge so keep on motoring in well lit bliss, another day in paradise as you would say.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Being Chinese that e4 will mean nothing in the real world and will be used as a fake e mark to dupe people. But you don't need to worry about an e mark with the barge so keep on motoring in well lit bliss, another day in paradise as you would say.

I rather suspect you are right Luke. It is a safety net for me though, if this was to be taken to its ridiculous end and the CPS tried to convict me of an offence it would be incredibly unlikely to convince a magistrate that I had not acted in good faith because of that mark :-).

[360beast]

Well that's a bugger, the 940 does indeed illuminate the BFU light if a headlight bulb is unplugged. I would have to fit resistors inline to fit an LED bulb in to it.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Well that's a bugger, the 940 does indeed illuminate the BFU light if a headlight bulb is unplugged. I would have to fit resistors inline to fit an LED bulb in to it.

... probably not Luke, I don't think your car has a CANBUS arrangement, so as long as you have complete circuits for both headlamps that should work. The impedance of the LEDs will be much greater than a similar halogen or incandescent bulb (hence it will draw much less current - that is the issue, not resistance being too low).

I don't know whether your 940 has the same arrangement for the bulb failure system as does the Barge Luke, but as you may see from this diagram the 240 has a pretty chunky electrical system in this respect:



... no computers here, nothing measuring current, it is just checking for complete circuits (a bit like an RCD does). As long as there is a working bulb fitted and drawing a sensible current it shouldn't give an error.

Alan

:-)

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

I rather suspect you are right Luke. It is a safety net for me though, if this was to be taken to its ridiculous end and the CPS tried to convict me of an offence it would be incredibly unlikely to convince a magistrate that I had not acted in good faith because of that mark :-).

Luke is spot on Alan, you have no worries about using LED headlamp bulbs in the Barge or GAM (or your bikes either).

As for E-marked bulbs, biggest load of bolony going - invented by bulb mnaufacturers to sell more of their own bulbs way back when. Sadly some people believed the bulbs also had to be E-marked but its very difficult not only to produce bulbs to a specific standard but for them to maintain that standard for the simple reason incandescent bulbs blacken the glass envelope as they work, reducing the light output.

The local police round here use Nightbreakers but have to replace them every 2 months as the light output has reduced so much - they're only brighter when new because the filament burns hotter which obviously increases the rate the glass envelope blackens.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Well that's a bugger, the 940 does indeed illuminate the BFU light if a headlight bulb is unplugged. I would have to fit resistors inline to fit an LED bulb in to it.

Originally Posted by Othen

... probably not Luke, I don't think your car has a CANBUS arrangement, so as long as you have complete circuits for both headlamps that should work. The impedance of the LEDs will be much greater than a similar halogen or incandescent bulb (hence it will draw much less current - that is the issue, not resistance being too low).

Alan

:-)

I'm surprised the 940 BFU monitors the headlamps Luke but as Alan suggests and as i told you last night, the BFU is looking for balance between left and right so as long as the two LED headlamp bulbs draw the same current then the BFU lamp will remain off. Also did you switch to headlamps and not just sidelights? On dim-dip it may cause more of a problem than normal dip.

I'd say try the LED headlamp bulbs before deciding the BFU is triggered by them