Hid Lights Wattage... Illegal?

[drbob11]

Hey does anyone know if the 75 and 100 watt Xenon HID lights are legal in the U.S.? i am going to buy the HID kit from HIDGEEKS.com as they seem to have the best price and I ordered from them b4 but b4 i only had 35w and 55w to choose from now they have 75w and 100w HID's as well. the 100w's are quite bright and would really lite the road up. any thots?

[min9861]

thats just over kill. might even melt the housing if its small. also, way too bright and youll be blinding on coming traffic and the people in front of you. it might light up the road for you, but itll blind everyone else.

[jrrod2004]

Consider some of the tech articles: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/trs_tech....f7b89ce7ccae9fa

[fraiolib]

im pretty sure it would deff melt your housing and lenses. that just seems ridiculous to me.

[drbob11]

there is no problems melting because heat is not a necessary component of light production in HID lights, they are able to produce the same/more light at a much cooler temperature. HID lights are also far more efficient because the electrical current is only the catalyst for the gas to discharge its light particles, not the primary source of heat and light. The ballast regulates a constant flow of power only to keep the gas molecules excited, while a standard light requires a constant intense electrical current to keep the filament hot. HID bulbs will last longer than standard bulbs because of the rapid decay of the tungsten filament found in std bulbs and will also produce more light toward the end of its life. as for blinding on coming traffic.. cant do much there. my truck sits high (3" lift) so the lights are already shining into windshields. my questions is does anyone know if these are illegal in the U.S.

[imollison]

I know up here in Canada it is illegal to run anything over 65w in highway.....off road is not regulated....I would assume that it would be the same in the states. Just don't get caught using them on the highway....

[tanked_darren]

Man, sometimes when I'm getting blinded by someone with those bright ass lights, I feel like whipping out my million candle power spotlight from behind the seat and returning fire!

[sic lsx]

all u need is 35W 6000k at the most! million times brighter then stock

[drbob11]

i had the 55w on my avalanche and they were better than the stock fur sure. i will of course stick with the 55w for legal issues but i was wondering is there a law about how bright the headlights can be? anyone know of such a law? i understand about the aftermarket laws regulating lights and lighting but what about a law about max lumins put out by head lights. when i lived in CA i know there are laws about the max ht ur lamps can be from the ground but i dont recall anything about the lumins. i am checking here in Texas for such regulation. there may not be anything on the books as of yet since the only bulbs up until recently were filament bulbs or projection.

[[email protected]]

Yeah, I hate people with those HIDs, especially in the city. I wanna get out the truck and just strangle them, it makes me that mad.

[jrrod2004]

Answer to OP:

§ 547.321. HEADLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall

be equipped with at least two headlamps.

(b) At least one headlamp shall be mounted on each side of

the front of the vehicle.

© Each headlamp shall be mounted at a height from 24 to 54

inches.

 

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

 

 

§ 547.3215. USE OF FEDERAL STANDARD. Unless specifically

prohibited by this chapter, lighting, reflective devices, and

associated equipment on a vehicle or motor vehicle must comply

with:

(1) the current federal standards in 49 C.F.R. Section

571.108; or

(2) the federal standards in that section in effect,

if any, at the time the vehicle or motor vehicle was manufactured.

 

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 324, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

 

 

FMVSS: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/oct...9cfr571.108.pdf

 

I would say that it is illegal...not based on power but based on aiming and controllability.....but I aint no lawyer....

[dlstewart01]

In tennessee...

 

55-9-406. Headlights on motor vehicles — Operation during inclement weather — Violation — Penalty — Costs. —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) The headlights of every motor vehicle shall be so constructed, equipped, arranged, focused, aimed, and adjusted, that they will at all times mentioned in § 55-9-401, and under normal atmospheric conditions and on a level road produce a driving light sufficient to render clearly discernible a person two hundred feet (200¢) ahead, but shall not project a glaring or dazzling light to persons in front of the headlights. The headlights shall be displayed during the period from one half (½) hour after sunset to one half (½) hour before sunrise, during fog, smoke, or rain and at all other times when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person on the road at a distance of two hundred feet (200¢) ahead of the vehicle.

 

 

(b) (1) Operation of headlights during periods of rain, as required in this section, shall be made during any time when rain, mist, or other precipitation, including snow, necessitates the constant use of windshield wipers by motorists.

 

 

(2) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any person who is arrested or receives a traffic citation for violation of subdivision (b)(1), upon conviction, shall not be fined more than the maximum fine nor less than the minimum fine as provided by law for the violation nor shall any cost be imposed or assessed against the person. The conviction shall not be reported to the department of safety under §§ 55-10-306 and 55-12-115.

 

 

 

55-9-408. Headlights complying with prohibition against glaring and dazzling lights — Anti-glare devices — Mounted height of lamps. —

 

 

Headlights shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of § 55-9-406, prohibiting glaring and dazzling lights, if the headlights are of a type customarily employed by manufacturers of automobiles and in addition are equipped with some anti-glare device approved by the department of safety; provided, that the department shall not approve any anti-glare device, or any combination thereof, unless it has been submitted to a laboratory test and has been found, when properly adjusted, to prevent any of the bright portions of the headlight beams from rising above a horizontal plane passing through the lamp centers parallel to a level road upon which the loaded vehicle stands and in no case higher than forty-two inches (42²), seventy-five feet (75¢) ahead of the vehicle.

 

 

 

[Acts 1931, ch. 82, § 15; 1937, ch. 245, § 5; 1939, ch. 206, § 4; C. Supp. 1950, § 2700.16 (Williams, § 2695); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-911.]

 

 

 

 

55-9-409. Inspecting and testing lamps emitting glare — Order to remove illegal lamps — Arrest of drivers. —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Any member of the highway patrol having reasonable ground to believe that any headlamp or auxiliary driving or fog lamp or any device subject to approval upon a vehicle emits a glaring light as defined in §§ 55-9-406 and 55-9-408, or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of this part, may require the driver of the vehicle to stop and submit the lamp to an inspection or test. In the event the lamp or device is not of the type that has been approved by the department, the officer making the inspection shall require the driver of the vehicle to remove the illegal lamp within twenty-four (24) hours, and may arrest the driver and give the driver a notice to appear, and may further require the driver or the owner of the vehicle to produce in court satisfactory evidence of the removal of the illegal lamp.

 

 

 

(b) In the event any headlight or auxiliary driving or fog light of a type that has been approved by the department, by reason of faulty adjustment or otherwise, emits a glaring light as defined in §§ 55-9-406 and 55-9-408 or otherwise fails to comply with this part, the officer making the inspection shall direct the driver to make the light or lights conform to the requirements of this part within forty-eight (48) hours. The officer may also arrest the driver and give the driver a notice to appear, and further require the driver or the owner of the vehicle to produce in court satisfactory evidence that the light or lights have been made to conform with the requirements of this part.

 

 

 

[Acts 1937, ch. 245, § 5; 1939, ch. 206, § 5; C. Supp. 1950, § 2700.16 (Williams, § 2695); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-912.]

 

55-9-410. Penalty for refusal or failure to submit to lamp inspection. —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whenever the driver of a vehicle is directed by a member of the highway patrol to stop and submit the lights upon the vehicle to an inspection or test under the conditions stated in § 55-9-409, it is the duty of the driver to stop and submit to the inspection or test, and a failure or refusal to do so is a Class C misdemeanor.

 

 

 

 

 

[Acts 1937, ch. 245, § 5; C. Supp. 1950, § 2700.16 (Williams, § 2695); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-913; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]

[drbob11]

these are all great legal-eze postings but here is something to think about... in both those posts there is nothing that states the use or illegal use of HID. That said, here in Texas there are no longer any headlight aiming requirements for inspection since the 90s. There are only laws for headlight height and distance they must illuminate (150 ft). They cannot be red in color and they must be functional and condensation free. This makes it perfectly legal to use HIDs that are blinding other motorists on high beam since all HID set ups in halogen reflector housings do this when adjusted to give the driver a good view of the road ahead. They can be as bright as you want, any color temerature as you want, and as blinding as you want ON HIGH BEAM. There are no TEXAS LAWS preventing use if adjusted correctly and only federal laws preventing sale for street use. The only statute that covers aiming states your low beams must illuminate at 150 feet minimum and not project the high intensity portion of the beam into oncoming driver's eyes. This only applies to the low beams. How many people have you seen or heard of getting pulled over and ticketed for HID lamps? i agree they are bright and irritate people but i am wondering if anyone has been stopped for the HIDs? from what i have gathered the use of HID is legal w/ some grey areas but they act as if you were driving with your high beams on and the last time i checked it wasnt illegal to run your high beams on all the time. like i said here in Texas cops dont care... as far as i know.

[sk]

Hey does anyone know if the 75 and 100 watt Xenon HID lights are legal in the U.S.? i am going to buy the HID kit from HIDGEEKS.com as they seem to have the best price and I ordered from them b4 but b4 i only had 35w and 55w to choose from now they have 75w and 100w HID's as well. the 100w's are quite bright and would really lite the road up. any thots?

If you only buy the bulbs and ballast, they are illegal. The only LEGAL kits include a housing and lens (usually "projector" style) designed to work specifically with a particular HID bulb. There is some good tech info here:

HID Kit Tech Info

[dlstewart01]

Yeah, put them on here and see what happens.

 

And put the brights on a LEO and you will be ticketed.