Has LED reached this point

eringobragh

Not planning on doing it myself but this popped up on my feed - has LED reached the point it can replace the halogen bulb in an older car?

https://www.banggood.com/Autoleader-7S-Car-LED-Headlight-XHP-50-40W-8000LM-H4-H7-H11-9005-9006-8000LM-LED-Bulb-for-Auto-p-1143774.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc_elc&utm_content=sakura&utm_ho=1864&utm_campaign=auto2-bulb-eur-in-repair-m-sli1864&utm_design=46&utm_sid=36592

Id imagine it causes the same issues as the HID kits spreading light everywhere

honda boi

Ye they,ve been around for awhile now. No experience with those kind of ones.
I bought ones that have the same connections as my h7s for the crack, and there pure s**t. They look nice but couldn't see a thing in front of me.

punisher5112

They won't be road legal as the housing isn't designed for them similar to xenon.

colm_mcm

punisher5112 wrote: »

They won't be road legal as the housing isn't designed for them similar to xenon.

Does the law or the NCT manual specify anything to do with LED?

punisher5112

colm_mcm wrote: »

Does the law or the NCT manual specify anything to do with LED?

Does it not need self level and washer

CIP4

I agree with you. Any new car with LED headlights including my own Leon has several LED bulbs spread throughout the headlight unit to give an even beam pattern with no dark spots. I don't see how you would achieve this by putting one LED bulb to replace the halogen bulb surely you would just end up with two patches of light on the road although I suppose that's basically what you get with halogens.

The other issue is no self levelling function on the bulbs could lead to oncoming cars being blinded.

colm_mcm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Does it not need self level and washer

HID does (there are exceptions where the manufacturer didn't got levellers
or washers and they let it through an NCT) but have they actually got anything that says an LED bulbs needs anything like that?

Cee-Jay-Cee

I have LED bulbs in my high beams and fog lights and HID's in my low beams. The LED bulbs give brilliantly bright and clear light. I'm very very impressed with them. They H11 bulbs with the metal body with the little fan housing attached. They were around €25 from AliExpress.

I have them a few months now and seeing as they're in the main beams they aren't used too often so I have no idea how long they'll last but if I get a year or so out if them then I'll be happy. I love that they're instant and no warm up period like HID's.

I was going to try them in the low beams but prefer the HIDs as I know they will last whereas the LED's are an unknown entity at this stage. I did stick them in the low beams when fitting them (my car uses same bulb fitment for all lights - H11/H8) and they looked excellent and gave a very sharp clear light with excellent cut off in the projector housings but like I said I don't know how long they'll last so use them only in fog lights and high beams.

I have ordered another set to have as spares as having good lights is not something I mind paying for.

joujoujou

They may be decent replacement for ordinary bulbs in projector style headlamps, but they're crap in old style lamps (reflector ones). Very bright indeed, but light goes not in the right direction.

Tested them in a number of cars with reflectors and they're not good - but obviously it could be still an exception.

yannakis

punisher5112 wrote: »

They won't be road legal as the housing isn't designed for them similar to xenon.

A friend actually dropped in an NCT centre and asked them before switching his (reflector) headlights. There is no requirements in place for LEDs.

honda boi

I actuality have led as my front parking lights,would that pass Nct?

colm_mcm

Yes..

punisher5112

I had led in my pajero and failed cvrt.

grogi

eringobragh wrote: »

Not planning on doing it myself but this popped up on my feed - has LED reached the point it can replace the halogen bulb in an older car?

https://www.banggood.com/Autoleader-7S-Car-LED-Headlight-XHP-50-40W-8000LM-H4-H7-H11-9005-9006-8000LM-LED-Bulb-for-Auto-p-1143774.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc_elc&utm_content=sakura&utm_ho=1864&utm_campaign=auto2-bulb-eur-in-repair-m-sli1864&utm_design=46&utm_sid=36592

Id imagine it causes the same issues as the HID kits spreading light everywhere

Don't....

Not only illegal, but such led is a worse light source... Hids might be improvement, LEDs are not.

grogi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Does the law or the NCT manual specify anything to do with LED?

Yes. They check for approved light sources listed on the glass.

ironclaw

New Volvo, at least the XC90, has an option for LED in the headlights, main and dipped.

Gumbo

My car has LED from the factory. It may have self leveling but it doesn't have any form of washer system.

mikeecho

kceire wrote: »

My car has LED from the factory. It may have self leveling but it doesn't have any form of washer system.

Self levelling and/or washers are not required for regular or led, only hid(xenon)

grogi

mikeecho wrote: »

Self levelling and/or washers are not required for regular or led, only hid(xenon)

No, it is not about that. There is a certain brightness level above which washers are required - 2000 lm IIRC. Regardless of the source.

Cee-Jay-Cee

grogi wrote: »

Don't....

Not only illegal, but such led is a worse light source... Hids might be improvement, LEDs are not.

I have those very type bulbs. I have them in my high beams which are reflector lights and they give great light when needed so I don't understand your comment on 'worse light source' They are an extremely good light source in my experience, considerably brighter than the Philips night breakers that I had in before. They're rated at 5000k and give a crisp white light very close to day light. There are no dark spots and they light up the road for a longer distance than the halogens.

Pete123456

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I have those very type bulbs. I have them in my high beams which are reflector lights and they give great light when needed so I don't understand your comment on 'worse light source' They are an extremely good light source in my experience, considerably brighter than the Philips night breakers that I had in before. They're rated at 5000k and give a crisp white light very close to day light. There are no dark spots and they light up the road for a longer distance than the halogens.

Can i ask what brand you got and bulb type? and did you have to add resistors etc. or just plug and play? I have nightbreakers at the moment and theyre not anything to write home about... I wish i had xenons