Ring has urged technicians to focus on bulbs and batteries this MOT season, stating it’s vital for technicians to think about the ramifications to their customers of a fail or advisories during the test.
During many MOTs, common issues which crop up are with bulbs and batteries, both of which are relied on by the driver, making the run up to MOT season the perfect time for technicians to be checking both thoroughly.
While drivers may assume the bulbs aspect of an MOT is just the headlights, technicians know it’s checking most of the lights on the vehicle, such as side lights, registration plate bulbs, indicator bulbs and more.
For technicians to be prepared for every MOT eventuality, it’s a good idea to have a stock of bulbs to hand, in case there’s a replacement needed.
To assist with this, Ring has extended its mega deal promotion on bulbs, with up to 33% discount on its bulbs. The business has seen an increase in poor quality cheap bulbs entering the market. To ensure customers still get quality, road legal bulbs that are intrinsically safe for motorists, especially during MOT season, Ring had reduced its prices, without compromising on quality. This promotion was introduced in 2025, and due to popularity with customers, Ring decided to extend it in the run up to a busy MOT season.
Ring is also impressing on mechanics the need to offer bulb replacement and alignment as a paid service. After changing a bulb, all workshops should then check the alignment, to make sure there is no risk of causing glare to other road users.
Ring’s range of more than 900 bulb types covers approximately 99% of the vehicle car parc, meaning there is a bulb for almost every application on a car, motorbike or truck. Dependent on the type of bulb a customer would prefer, Ring offers its Brighter range which, as the name suggests, puts more light on the road for the driver. The Whiter bulbs give a high spec look, match the white light emitted by LED daytime running bulbs, which are road legal and require no wiring change. The Enhanced Performance range covers long life car bulbs, rapid response bulbs and enhanced quality bulbs.
The company also supplies standard bulbs for other areas of the vehicle, such as the R501, which is Ring’s most popular bulb by volume, as it has the possibility of being fitted to seven or eight different applications on a vehicle, such as the instrument panel, interior lights and side and tail lights.
While to check a bulb on a vehicle can be easy as it just requires a visual test of the bulb, as well as looking at the beam pattern it gives out, a battery needs equipment in order to be checked effectively.
Ring recommends technicians check every battery entering the workshop, which includes vehicles in for an MOT test. If a replacement battery is needed, the new battery should also be checked as it could have been sat on a motor factor’s shelf for some time and may have naturally discharged below 12.5V.
To conduct this check, Ring’s battery analyser (RBAG950) can provide a complete health check of the battery and electrical systems in both 12V and 24V vehicles, including motorcycles, cars and vans.
Suitable for 12V lead acid, AGM, EFB, gel and LiFePO4 lithium, as well as start/stop batteries, this multi-functional analyser is able to test the battery, alternator, starter and vehicle earth, via its intuitive graphical interface.
The battery analyser test carries out a battery health check and gives the user a reading detailing the state of the battery, whereas the alternator test, for both normal and smart 12V/24V alternators, will detect battery charging problems by checking if the alternator voltages fall within normal operating ranges.
In a similar vein is the starter test for both 12V and 24V vehicles, which checks for potential starting problems by measuring battery voltage drop during engine cranking. The final test this battery analyser can undertake is the earth test to check the earth connections between battery, engine and chassis are in good condition.
The RBAG950 can also diagnose if a battery is faulty or not. As is known, if a battery falls below 12.5V, then it will be in depletion mode and will have damaged the plates. So, even though the battery is not necessarily low, the damage done is permanent. Yet, if the battery is at 12.5V or above, it can be charged and will work effectively, so there is a known tipping point for battery charging states.
Ring also suggests technicians should advise their customers on keeping on top of regular maintenance with their vehicles to give them the best chance of passing an MOT. This can include bulbs, tyres, batteries, brakes and regular servicing, including changing the filters and oil.
