LED head light bulb
Discussion
Has any tied fitting LED headlight bulbs to in place of the H4s (think they were) in the twin light pods.
eBay is a wash with them but I tried LED lights from eBay for the house & they had all given up with in a few months. I swapped to screwfix bulbs for the house & they are great. I just don't know who is the automotive equivalent of screwfix!
eBay is a wash with them but I tried LED lights from eBay for the house & they had all given up with in a few months. I swapped to screwfix bulbs for the house & they are great. I just don't know who is the automotive equivalent of screwfix!
Hi,
I looked into this a couple of months ago, and also looked at the H4 led headlights out there. It seemed a bit unclear about the legalities of using LED bulbs in older headlights, basically legislation is lagging behind technology. The LED headlight units looked good, but fitting looked a bit of work.
In the end I replaced my 20 year old headlight lenses with new ones, and installed Phillips racing vision H4 bulbs. This made quite a difference. I'd like to fit led bulbs, but might wait for a bit and see how things settle out.
Good luck!
Simon
I looked into this a couple of months ago, and also looked at the H4 led headlights out there. It seemed a bit unclear about the legalities of using LED bulbs in older headlights, basically legislation is lagging behind technology. The LED headlight units looked good, but fitting looked a bit of work.
In the end I replaced my 20 year old headlight lenses with new ones, and installed Phillips racing vision H4 bulbs. This made quite a difference. I'd like to fit led bulbs, but might wait for a bit and see how things settle out.
Good luck!
Simon
Ah H7, thanks.
Yes the Cerb is so low as long as the beams are adjusted correctly they shouldn't dazzle anyone, unlike the all the all the Chelsea tractors that have their dip beams at the hight of cerbs low review mirror. I think there was a factory option for HIDs in the twin pod lights.
I'd think twice about fitting them in a car I was using every day but it's rare the Cerb is out in the dark.
I swapped to the twin pod lights some 15 years ago now in the hope of getting better lights but was disappointed. However we lived in London then so it wasn't really much of an issue, now we're out in the sticks it's more of an issue.
I did find just after we moved that the crap main beam (almost never used before) was actually down to one of the light units shining up far too high, it was lightning up all the tops of the trees. The main beam isn't adjustment isn't an MOT check so it had been like it for 10+ years!
I did try fitting relays a good few years ago as some one here said the cables weren't thick enough for the very long run they have from the back of the car, but they kept turning them selves on a while after locking the car so I removed them.
I may well be wrong but am assuming as LEDs require less current the standard cables should be up to getting them enough juice, regardless of whether they are brighter then standard H7.
I knew the lights were crap but was coming of the M42 on to the M6 the other day & someone was behind me with HIDs, there was a very clear shadow cast by the Cerb, the darkest part being where my my head light were shining just infront of me!
I think I will try some LEDs just need to work out when to get them from, only £20 off eBay but they are right pain to change again if they fail in a month or two...
Yes the Cerb is so low as long as the beams are adjusted correctly they shouldn't dazzle anyone, unlike the all the all the Chelsea tractors that have their dip beams at the hight of cerbs low review mirror. I think there was a factory option for HIDs in the twin pod lights.
I'd think twice about fitting them in a car I was using every day but it's rare the Cerb is out in the dark.
I swapped to the twin pod lights some 15 years ago now in the hope of getting better lights but was disappointed. However we lived in London then so it wasn't really much of an issue, now we're out in the sticks it's more of an issue.
I did find just after we moved that the crap main beam (almost never used before) was actually down to one of the light units shining up far too high, it was lightning up all the tops of the trees. The main beam isn't adjustment isn't an MOT check so it had been like it for 10+ years!
I did try fitting relays a good few years ago as some one here said the cables weren't thick enough for the very long run they have from the back of the car, but they kept turning them selves on a while after locking the car so I removed them.
I may well be wrong but am assuming as LEDs require less current the standard cables should be up to getting them enough juice, regardless of whether they are brighter then standard H7.
I knew the lights were crap but was coming of the M42 on to the M6 the other day & someone was behind me with HIDs, there was a very clear shadow cast by the Cerb, the darkest part being where my my head light were shining just infront of me!
I think I will try some LEDs just need to work out when to get them from, only £20 off eBay but they are right pain to change again if they fail in a month or two...
I've got Phillips 50%? brighter bulbs in the headlights, they work ok and have been in there since I had the car, but i have original large headlights which seem to throw a decent beam of light. I have fitted led bulbs in the rear lights as I was aware the smokey cover obscures the light output so it wasn't the brightest. The led bulbs work well as rears
Luckyone said:
Ah H7, thanks.
Yes the Cerb is so low as long as the beams are adjusted correctly they shouldn't dazzle anyone, unlike the all the all the Chelsea tractors that have their dip beams at the hight of cerbs low review mirror. I think there was a factory option for HIDs in the twin pod lights.
I'd think twice about fitting them in a car I was using every day but it's rare the Cerb is out in the dark.
I swapped to the twin pod lights some 15 years ago now in the hope of getting better lights but was disappointed. However we lived in London then so it wasn't really much of an issue, now we're out in the sticks it's more of an issue.
I did find just after we moved that the crap main beam (almost never used before) was actually down to one of the light units shining up far too high, it was lightning up all the tops of the trees. The main beam isn't adjustment isn't an MOT check so it had been like it for 10+ years!
I did try fitting relays a good few years ago as some one here said the cables weren't thick enough for the very long run they have from the back of the car, but they kept turning them selves on a while after locking the car so I removed them.
I may well be wrong but am assuming as LEDs require less current the standard cables should be up to getting them enough juice, regardless of whether they are brighter then standard H7.
I knew the lights were crap but was coming of the M42 on to the M6 the other day & someone was behind me with HIDs, there was a very clear shadow cast by the Cerb, the darkest part being where my my head light were shining just infront of me!
I think I will try some LEDs just need to work out when to get them from, only £20 off eBay but they are right pain to change again if they fail in a month or two...
I'm not sure what the cerbera bulb enclosure is like but you need to make sure you have enough clearance between the rear of the enclosure and the bulb mounting face. Yes the Cerb is so low as long as the beams are adjusted correctly they shouldn't dazzle anyone, unlike the all the all the Chelsea tractors that have their dip beams at the hight of cerbs low review mirror. I think there was a factory option for HIDs in the twin pod lights.
I'd think twice about fitting them in a car I was using every day but it's rare the Cerb is out in the dark.
I swapped to the twin pod lights some 15 years ago now in the hope of getting better lights but was disappointed. However we lived in London then so it wasn't really much of an issue, now we're out in the sticks it's more of an issue.
I did find just after we moved that the crap main beam (almost never used before) was actually down to one of the light units shining up far too high, it was lightning up all the tops of the trees. The main beam isn't adjustment isn't an MOT check so it had been like it for 10+ years!
I did try fitting relays a good few years ago as some one here said the cables weren't thick enough for the very long run they have from the back of the car, but they kept turning them selves on a while after locking the car so I removed them.
I may well be wrong but am assuming as LEDs require less current the standard cables should be up to getting them enough juice, regardless of whether they are brighter then standard H7.
I knew the lights were crap but was coming of the M42 on to the M6 the other day & someone was behind me with HIDs, there was a very clear shadow cast by the Cerb, the darkest part being where my my head light were shining just infront of me!
I think I will try some LEDs just need to work out when to get them from, only £20 off eBay but they are right pain to change again if they fail in a month or two...
To do that on the Tuscan I used these, which use a flat metal ribbon type heat sink to dissipate heat. Most use fans which are too bulky and may not fit. The ribbons cables fold freely.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B012NA51QC?ref_=m...
Edited by m4tti on Thursday 30th November 17:23
I've used this guy to replace the dip beam lamps, tail/brake lights and side lights all with LED's.
He's very approachable, knows his stuff and is happy to talk through any issues over the 'phone.
www.bettercarlighting.co.uk - 0121 773 7000
My car is a Tuscan S and I found the dip beam units not very effective. Main are HID - which light up the road ahead very well...but predominantly we're usually on dipped headlights - and the units supplied fitted easily into the Mk.1 Tuscan 'pod'.
Nick
He's very approachable, knows his stuff and is happy to talk through any issues over the 'phone.
www.bettercarlighting.co.uk - 0121 773 7000
My car is a Tuscan S and I found the dip beam units not very effective. Main are HID - which light up the road ahead very well...but predominantly we're usually on dipped headlights - and the units supplied fitted easily into the Mk.1 Tuscan 'pod'.
Nick
m4tti said:
I'm not sure what the cerbera bulb enclosure is like but you need to make sure you have enough clearance between the rear of the enclosure and the bulb mounting face.
To do that on the Tuscan I used these, which use a flat metal ribbon type heat sink to dissipate heat. Most use fans which are too bulky and may not fit. The ribbons cables fold freely.
Ah yes good call, I thought there was loads of room in mine (I fitted the twin pods my self), but now you mention it the inner wheel arch cover may come quite close to the back of them when fitted so I'll check, thanks!To do that on the Tuscan I used these, which use a flat metal ribbon type heat sink to dissipate heat. Most use fans which are too bulky and may not fit. The ribbons cables fold freely.
I was thinking maybe amazon with all the reviews would be a better place too
I've been running the new generation of LED H4s in my Chimaera for some three years now and would never go back to incandescent bulbs, they are amazing, but you will need to make some adjustments so make sure your adjusters are free, they are also not a solution to corroded reflectors.
Try to get the newest versions that appeared about 12 months ago that allow you to alter the position of the LED emitter in relation to the reflector, these help you fine tune the beam pattern to get the best from both dip and full beam.
Happy reading....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The post is only 23 pages long
But the results are worth it!
Try to get the newest versions that appeared about 12 months ago that allow you to alter the position of the LED emitter in relation to the reflector, these help you fine tune the beam pattern to get the best from both dip and full beam.
Happy reading....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The post is only 23 pages long
But the results are worth it!
I fiited H4 Hi/Low CREE XLamp MTG2 LED costing £57 three years ago, rated 72W 6400LM as a pair
They are excellent when dipped, but main beam is disappointing so I wouldn't recommend them
However they have ensured that the wiring hasn't burn't out
One day I'll swap them out for something that works better, but I will stick with CREE technology
They are excellent when dipped, but main beam is disappointing so I wouldn't recommend them
However they have ensured that the wiring hasn't burn't out
One day I'll swap them out for something that works better, but I will stick with CREE technology
ChimpOnGas said:
I fitted exactly the same bulbs that you show on the first page, at about the same time tooChimpOnGas said:
I've been running the new generation of LED H4s in my Chimaera for some three years now and would never go back to incandescent bulbs, they are amazing, but you will need to make some adjustments so make sure your adjusters are free, they are also not a solution to corroded reflectors.
Try to get the newest versions that appeared about 12 months ago that allow you to alter the position of the LED emitter in relation to the reflector, these help you fine tune the beam pattern to get the best from both dip and full beam.
Happy reading....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The post is only 23 pages long
But the results are worth it!
Great thanks, some good bedtime reading then! Try to get the newest versions that appeared about 12 months ago that allow you to alter the position of the LED emitter in relation to the reflector, these help you fine tune the beam pattern to get the best from both dip and full beam.
Happy reading....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The post is only 23 pages long
But the results are worth it!
I'd much rather fiddle myself than pay anyone else, but I'm sure the contact above will be helpful for some.
I swapped from the original big single light to the twin pods when the Cerb was only about 5 years old, the reflectors were quite corroded even then! I think the twin pod lamp units are much better sealed, but I will check.
I been having fun trying different focal lengths with the LED lights I put in my boys Tamiya RC cars for him, even in those it makes a big difference, I think his little 1:10 scale cars give more light then the standard Cerb ones now
In summary of the linked thread -
LED bulbs are very bright.
H7 form this is fine as you can adjust the light fitting to get the beam pattern 'legal'.
H4 form is a problem as the LEDs are located in an 'odd' postion on the end of the bulb which leads to pattern set up issues - basically either brilliant full beam and dodgy dipped beam or vice versa.
Latest generation of LEDs have started to address this (as shown in CoGs post above).
This type of LED bulb is not suitable / vry low output
ebay link
LED bulbs are very bright.
H7 form this is fine as you can adjust the light fitting to get the beam pattern 'legal'.
H4 form is a problem as the LEDs are located in an 'odd' postion on the end of the bulb which leads to pattern set up issues - basically either brilliant full beam and dodgy dipped beam or vice versa.
Latest generation of LEDs have started to address this (as shown in CoGs post above).
This type of LED bulb is not suitable / vry low output
ebay link
mk1fan said:
In summary of the linked thread -
LED bulbs are very bright.
H7 form this is fine as you can adjust the light fitting to get the beam pattern 'legal'.
H4 form is a problem as the LEDs are located in an 'odd' postion on the end of the bulb which leads to pattern set up issues - basically either brilliant full beam and dodgy dipped beam or vice versa.
Latest generation of LEDs have started to address this (as shown in CoGs post above).
This type of LED bulb is not suitable / vry low output
ebay link
Good summing up thanks!LED bulbs are very bright.
H7 form this is fine as you can adjust the light fitting to get the beam pattern 'legal'.
H4 form is a problem as the LEDs are located in an 'odd' postion on the end of the bulb which leads to pattern set up issues - basically either brilliant full beam and dodgy dipped beam or vice versa.
Latest generation of LEDs have started to address this (as shown in CoGs post above).
This type of LED bulb is not suitable / vry low output
ebay link
The older big single single light with the H4 bulb is a reflector style, as said the adjustable focal length is great for those.
I have the twin pods with H7 bulbs, the dip beams in these are projectors so basically made for LED bulbs
I've been checking behind them, I put the dipped beams in the upper holes (I don't know if the factory put them there) they are a lot closer to the inner wings, if you extended the cylinder shape of the back of the light unit back its about 50mm clearance. Where as the lowers have masses of space behind them.
Looking at the fan cooled H7 bulbs that do give dimensions it seems they should just about fit in my upper dip beam projectors.
The only problem then is that gives you a massive range of choices of LED bulb!
Ok, so I guarantee the reason some say they are great on dip but not so good on main beam.. is because they didn't adjust their headlights when they fitted their LED bulbs.
They absolutely demand the headlights are adjusted, this is a pain on a TVR so people conveniently skip the adjusting
then say they dont work well on main beam, take some time to make the adjustments and the situation is very different indeed.
If you fit these new generation LED bulbs as a straight replacement to standard incandescent bulbs they will be pointing high if you dont adjust them down, I recommend starting with the lights on main beam and getting a good long distance throw down the road... and you will!
Now flick to dip, and you'll typically find the dips are a bit too low, very carefully bring them up a little at a time, periodically make sure the main beams are still giving you that excellent long range throw down the road. What you'll find is there's an optimum compromise adjustment point, I chose to keep the dips on the low side of this point out of respect to other road users as blinding oncoming traffic is not clever.
Because the point where the mains deliver their full long range potential leaves the dips a fraction low, and because I wanted to respect other road users I found while the dips are very good indeed the bulk of the light was a little too concentrated directly in front of the car. To deliver a fraction more reach on dip I fitted a pair of Piaa LP270s driving lights mounted low so again they do not trouble oncoming traffic.
https://www.carid.com/piaa/piaa-off-road-lights-58...
The system works fantastically well, incredible main beams, excellent dips with further enhanced dip reach from the Piaa LP270s, and best of all a setup that respects other road users.
They absolutely demand the headlights are adjusted, this is a pain on a TVR so people conveniently skip the adjusting
then say they dont work well on main beam, take some time to make the adjustments and the situation is very different indeed.
If you fit these new generation LED bulbs as a straight replacement to standard incandescent bulbs they will be pointing high if you dont adjust them down, I recommend starting with the lights on main beam and getting a good long distance throw down the road... and you will!
Now flick to dip, and you'll typically find the dips are a bit too low, very carefully bring them up a little at a time, periodically make sure the main beams are still giving you that excellent long range throw down the road. What you'll find is there's an optimum compromise adjustment point, I chose to keep the dips on the low side of this point out of respect to other road users as blinding oncoming traffic is not clever.
Because the point where the mains deliver their full long range potential leaves the dips a fraction low, and because I wanted to respect other road users I found while the dips are very good indeed the bulk of the light was a little too concentrated directly in front of the car. To deliver a fraction more reach on dip I fitted a pair of Piaa LP270s driving lights mounted low so again they do not trouble oncoming traffic.
https://www.carid.com/piaa/piaa-off-road-lights-58...
The system works fantastically well, incredible main beams, excellent dips with further enhanced dip reach from the Piaa LP270s, and best of all a setup that respects other road users.
At a risk of stating the obvious the twin head light later cerbs (should!) keep the dip beams on when the main beams come on, so there shouldn't really be an need for extra lights on those. The twin light units can have their main & dip lights adjusted independently.
Any car with a single head light using the H4 bulb that has the dip & main beam filament in the same bulb can't have both dip & main beam on at the same time or the bulb will over heat.
Sorry if that was too much of an obvious statement!
My LED H7 bulbs have turned up at last, I'm only fitting the LEDs into the dip units for now at least, the main beam is ok. I'm part way through fitting them now. There is plenty of room for the cooling fan as it turns out. As a lot of the reviews say the wire holder needs some bending to get them to fit, they were a right pain to get into the dip units that I put in the upper holes. Maybe a Cerb that had the twin pod lights from new will have the access holes in a better place.
I only stuck my meter on to double check which was + & - but then realised what a massive voltage drop there actually is. I need to double check but it seems the stock 55w bulbs pull the voltage down by something 2v, where as the 36w LEDs only pull it down by 1.2v at the bulb. I checked where the wire comes out of the box in the boot & it had only lost 0.5v there!
It seems like rather a lot, if it's not to wet tomorrow I'll test the old E39 BM to see how much voltage drop that has at its H7 bulbs. (They are a lot easier to get at than the Cerbs!)
After swapping to the later twin pod lights I didn't ever do the mod on the light unit in the boot so my dip beams still go off when the mains come on, I was a bit bothered that the supply cable to the box may not be upto powering all 4 lights at once. Looking at the wires now I can't see that any single one is obviously thicker than any other.
I think I'll need to try again with my relay....
Out of interest does anyone know if the later cerbs had a thicker supply cable to the light unit in the boot?
Any car with a single head light using the H4 bulb that has the dip & main beam filament in the same bulb can't have both dip & main beam on at the same time or the bulb will over heat.
Sorry if that was too much of an obvious statement!
My LED H7 bulbs have turned up at last, I'm only fitting the LEDs into the dip units for now at least, the main beam is ok. I'm part way through fitting them now. There is plenty of room for the cooling fan as it turns out. As a lot of the reviews say the wire holder needs some bending to get them to fit, they were a right pain to get into the dip units that I put in the upper holes. Maybe a Cerb that had the twin pod lights from new will have the access holes in a better place.
I only stuck my meter on to double check which was + & - but then realised what a massive voltage drop there actually is. I need to double check but it seems the stock 55w bulbs pull the voltage down by something 2v, where as the 36w LEDs only pull it down by 1.2v at the bulb. I checked where the wire comes out of the box in the boot & it had only lost 0.5v there!
It seems like rather a lot, if it's not to wet tomorrow I'll test the old E39 BM to see how much voltage drop that has at its H7 bulbs. (They are a lot easier to get at than the Cerbs!)
After swapping to the later twin pod lights I didn't ever do the mod on the light unit in the boot so my dip beams still go off when the mains come on, I was a bit bothered that the supply cable to the box may not be upto powering all 4 lights at once. Looking at the wires now I can't see that any single one is obviously thicker than any other.
I think I'll need to try again with my relay....
Out of interest does anyone know if the later cerbs had a thicker supply cable to the light unit in the boot?
I had much the same on mine with the original head lights.
I ended up using the original wiring to control a relay and ran a fused feed from the battery to power the bulbs.
I put HID bulbs in the end as even with no voltage drop the headlight performance did not match the cars performance.
I ended up using the original wiring to control a relay and ran a fused feed from the battery to power the bulbs.
I put HID bulbs in the end as even with no voltage drop the headlight performance did not match the cars performance.
gruffalo said:
I had much the same on mine with the original head lights.
I ended up using the original wiring to control a relay and ran a fused feed from the battery to power the bulbs.
I put HID bulbs in the end as even with no voltage drop the headlight performance did not match the cars performance.
Yes, the old BM only drops 0.3v at it's bulbs (it has much thicker wires) & has the same projector type lenses as the Cerbs twin pods but the light output is still not great on that compared to other modern cars with HIDs. I ended up using the original wiring to control a relay and ran a fused feed from the battery to power the bulbs.
I put HID bulbs in the end as even with no voltage drop the headlight performance did not match the cars performance.
I've been going over the wiring diagrams & noticed the main beams have a wire for each light running all the way back to box in the boot. The dips for some reason have a wire each for most of way back through the car but some where between the last mutil connector J35 & the light box in the boot it drops down to a single cable, of course TVR didn't use a heaver cable to run to where it splits to two.
The main beams drop about 1v at the bulb were as the dips drop about 2v (with the normal 55w bulbs). I'm assuming that single cable may well have something to do with it.
I was going to put a relay in, but realised I couldn't as the side lights send a lower voltage to the dip beam bulbs as well as the little side lights bulbs them selves. If I put a relay in I suspect the lower side light feed would still trigger the relay & put the dips on at full brightness meaning I had no side lights.
Also I fitted the little side light bulbs in the main beam lights so when I put the sight lights on all 4 lights come on at about the same brightness & I quite like that!
I've found too that usual wire that gets burned out on the main light box was starting to go, it seems to be the feed for the side lights, so I'm going to do the bodge of putting a wire directly into the box for that one.
I have realised there are separate power feeds to the box for dip & main beam though, so there should be no problems running them both together.
I'm going to see how it is with the LEDs in & the standard wiring, then think about trying some thicker cable to where the two wires from the dips become one...
I removed the dim dip on side function by snipping the wire so I could use a relay.
If your LED lights are lower current draw then you will get a smaller voltage drop so you may get away with the standard wiring. I put the relay in to ensure the original wiring wouldn't burn out as it now carries almost no current.
Let us know how you get on could you?
If your LED lights are lower current draw then you will get a smaller voltage drop so you may get away with the standard wiring. I put the relay in to ensure the original wiring wouldn't burn out as it now carries almost no current.
Let us know how you get on could you?
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