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Replacement high-beam bulbs

8K views 82 replies 19 participants last post by  9570 
#1 ·
This morning, I had reason to look at the front of the car with both headlights and high beams on and was reminded of how yellow the halogen high beams are compared with the white xenon's. So I'm going to replace them. Can anyone tell me what options I have? Is there a white halogen or a replacement LED?

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#2 ·
IMHO I'd be looking at led, for that instant on. Halogen temp range are down at 4300-5000K so will always look yellow compared to HIDs
 
#5 ·
If they really are 50w then that's the equivalent of 350w halogen!:eek:
 
#7 ·
I think its 50W equivalent. Others quote 60, 70 and 100W. 50W is what's in there at the moment.

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#6 ·
John

Those bulbs are useless, LEDs dont work in projector lenses and aren't powerful enough for main beam

You need HID bulbs for the dipped and fan cooled LEDs for the main beam

I have been there done that on my last car.
 
#11 ·
Thanks Mark. Are those bulbs in my link, OK? Or can you recommend?

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#13 ·
They look well made for that money. Lumens output does seem a bit high, normal 55w halogens are around 1500 lumens, so even if these are half what they say they are it'd still be bright enough. Look forward to the review!
 
#15 ·
OK. Watch this space . . .

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#18 ·
Thanks Dave. Did those replace the dipped beam (which are xenon on mine) or the high beams?

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#19 · (Edited)
#21 ·
Seems I'm on a learning curve here. What are the "drivers" for? The CREE led bulbs I have on order just clearly replace the H7 bulbs and connect in exactly the same way. Yet those fan-cooled thingies need a driver. Why?

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#22 ·
John
Most LED bulbs come with some sort of external driver/ballast to control them. It stops the lamp triggering the lamp fail routine in the canbus software and also allows them to be 'quiet' so as not ot interfere with the radio/audio system

Putting the driver in the lamp may cause it to overheat and fail.

That's my understanding of it anyway, any LED bulbs I've bought have had them.
 
#23 ·
Thanks Steve. But I still don't get why these . . . .

Product Auto part Bicycle part Technology Electronic device


DON'T need/have a "driver" but these . . . .

White Light Automotive lighting Yellow Line


clearly DO.

What is the difference?
 
#24 ·
It's to do with the actual LED type used in the lamp.
It think the Cree need them due to their higher output. The ballast maintains linear power delivery. The fan cools the lamp unit.
If you combine them then it becomes too big for the headlamp.

I bought some less bright LED lamps for the eldest's Corsa sidelamps and they had no control/ballast but weren't Cree LED.
 
#25 ·
I replaced my sidelights some time back . . . with CREE LEDs. 😏. (confused.com)

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#27 ·
I replaced my sidelights some time back . . . with CREE LEDs. ��. (confused.com)

Sent from my Nexus 10 and a Black XF-S ��
This will be a series of Cree LED and low power so don't need a driver. They will probably be some rudimental electronics just after the contacts of the 5w5 wedge bulbs
 
#26 ·
There will be electronics (driver) in the base of that h7 John, unless they're wired led in series.
Normally you need a constant current driver for controlling a string of LED's which is what will be in the other bulbs.
 
#28 ·
I find all this so confusing, I have bought an HID kit with ballast and I understand that, for the dipped beam, however....I tried cutting the wires, threading through the bulb retaining clip, and crimping the wires........it didn't work after that, so I assume it of the HID bulbs. So I bought another set of bulbs and a be something to do with the voltage or frequency pair of the ebay metal clips with the slot in, seen elsewhere in this thread. I could not get the clips to engage and lock the bulbs in. So I gave up .......Ive not even thought about the LED bulbs I bought for the main beam which are fan cooled type with one large LED on one surface & have no ballast.
 
#30 ·
Cutting and splicing HID wires isn't recommended as they are HT leads running 6000 and 21000v (some vary) but all run very high voltages to start and run the bulbs.

You need to buy special clips or modify your existing to get them to fit.
 
#29 ·
Well, I've decided to try these initially (because I've ordered them and are on their way).

Product Auto part Automotive lighting Bicycle part Technology


If they're bright enough, great. If not I'll consider the fan-cooled ones.

Sent from my Nexus 10 and a Black XF-S 😎
 
#34 ·
The CREE LED bulbs arrived yesterday so I went out and swapped them at lunchtime. This is the view mid-swap. Not so obvious on the photo but the difference is chalk and cheese. I'll try them out on a dark road this evening and if they're at least as good (!) as the halogen bulbs I shall look no further. (There's a pun in there somewhere . . . :confused: )

Land vehicle Vehicle Luxury vehicle Car Motor vehicle
 
#36 ·
The CREE LED bulbs arrived yesterday so I went out and swapped them at lunchtime. This is the view mid-swap. Not so obvious on the photo but the difference is chalk and cheese. I'll try them out on a dark road this evening and if they're at least as good (!) as the halogen bulbs I shall look no further. (There's a pun in there somewhere . . . :confused: )

View attachment 117169
John, from experience, but I stand to be corrected, they will look fine now but will be useless in the dark.
 
#37 ·
Sorry for the off-topic but I'm wondering this for a long time. My car has halogen bulbs in the specs and I can't find anything like a HID aftermarket ballast near the lamps. Still, they dipped beam fade next second after start and then light up back normal. It's a like a flash when starting. They are also blue-whitish. Might be retrofit with Xenon? How should I check it without dismounting the lamp and check inside?
 
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