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HID conversions

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Old Dec 6th, 2019, 12:38   #11
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Originally Posted by theharomaster View Post
any car that has the projector headlights hid bulbs are a total must
bulbs are brighter, last longer so that's a win win
only go for a 5 or 6000k bulb though
and even the balast boxes fit inside headlight too!!
I wouldnt go as far as "every projector headlight..." as some older cars (i.e. pre FL V50) have frosted lenses on projectors that scatter light way to much to be deemed "friendly" for other road users with HID bulbs.
I had those, I tested it myself, I ended up immediately replacing projectors with clear lenses.
It wont make HID conversion legal (no self levelling or washers) but wont affect other road users as much.
4000K, 5000K, 6000K - thats mostly a personal feeling, scientifically - 4200/4300K light will have most lumens and will be brightest. Anything over or under will be LESS bright, but still my eyes feel better with 5000K bulbs than 4300K and sense of "lightness" is better.
Unless its a crazy value like 8/10000K with almost purple light output - it will be fine :}
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Old Dec 6th, 2019, 13:15   #12
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easy to swap back for mot
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Old Dec 6th, 2019, 13:37   #13
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easy to swap back for mot
hence my old grey lamps still kept in the box, just plug&play once a year and done.
Volvo did that part really well, I have to give them that
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Old Dec 7th, 2019, 10:32   #14
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I think its about time we all did some LED bulb tests....

HID still seem to be superior in terms of what is available from a single bulb, but given these cars have an 'always on' design, getting a good LED bulb that works well in our projectors seems like a good idea.
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Old Dec 7th, 2019, 14:26   #15
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I think its about time we all did some LED bulb tests....

HID still seem to be superior in terms of what is available from a single bulb, but given these cars have an 'always on' design, getting a good LED bulb that works well in our projectors seems like a good idea.
This, had a look on youtube etc and LED seems to be a step up on HID in terms of light output and longevity, the only concern I have is if its compatible with Volvo V50 as some installs flicker and need can bus adaptors.These ones seem to look good, can anyone concur?

https://www.hids4u.co.uk/h7-philips-...-led-gen2.html
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Old Dec 7th, 2019, 15:35   #16
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This, had a look on youtube etc and LED seems to be a step up on HID in terms of light output and longevity, the only concern I have is if its compatible with Volvo V50 as some installs flicker and need can bus adaptors.These ones seem to look good, can anyone concur?

https://www.hids4u.co.uk/h7-philips-...-led-gen2.html
I have a pair of good V50 reflectors with LED H7 bulbs in and the beam pattern is correct and sharp and no bulb fail message when i tested them in a friend's V50 ......
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Old Dec 9th, 2019, 17:40   #17
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This, had a look on youtube etc and LED seems to be a step up on HID in terms of light output and longevity, ...
all thumbs up for proper testing, but I remain sceptical ref "light output" - single xenon burner can easily output over 3k lumens in 360degree form, LED chips probably could go higher but only as a cluster of LEDs, I wonder if any of "retrofit" applications can actually output better lumens than HIDs.
I may test the LEDs one day just for sake of experiment and I really wonder how GOOD LEd bulb (like those expensive Phillips from link) will work on the same clear lens projector as I use, better/worse or what...

[NERD MODE ON]
Only problem is - you will never get the same gains from retro-LEDs as you would with LED-designed headlamp. In our case, you can only provide much more bright light source into a halogen/xenon designed reflector and lens and hope it will work out. In some cases it does, in some it doesnt (seen a lot of failed LED applications as it is NOT only reflector+lens that create proper light output - actual light source matter aswell). But you never achieve results as seen on new cars. Jus for example, a comparison of pics I took last week (yes, I am the weirdo photographing light patterns, sue me...). I have a pretty good HID retro with bixenon projectors and powerful Xenarc burners, but light output is still hapmered by old technology (lens+reflector) and beam spread is laughable comparing to proper led headlamp.
pic 1- Audi A6 in front of Renault on the picture - see the amount of side-light provided by shaped LED beam on the right wall. My beam on the same wall is non-existent due to narrow beam pattern of retrofitted projectors.


pic2 - BMW 7 series, beam shape is pretty similar to mine as for amount of left-throw, but the difference light intensity of xenon+reflector&lens, versus direct-throw LED is, again - insane. Arrow points where my beam is overtaken by BMW's LED throw. Amazing.


bottom line is - LEDs are future and are already much better/efficient than xenons, but we are VERY limited as for retrofitting options and I am not sure if there are any gains over HIDs if used in our lamps, given price/problems/heat dissipation/uniformity issues. Happy to be proven wrong, but so far, for me, HIDS>LEDS on our headlamp design.
[NERD MODE OFF] :}
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Old Dec 9th, 2019, 21:41   #18
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Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom View Post
all thumbs up for proper testing, but I remain sceptical ref "light output" - single xenon burner can easily output over 3k lumens in 360degree form, LED chips probably could go higher but only as a cluster of LEDs, I wonder if any of "retrofit" applications can actually output better lumens than HIDs.
I may test the LEDs one day just for sake of experiment and I really wonder how GOOD LEd bulb (like those expensive Phillips from link) will work on the same clear lens projector as I use, better/worse or what...

[NERD MODE ON]
Only problem is - you will never get the same gains from retro-LEDs as you would with LED-designed headlamp. In our case, you can only provide much more bright light source into a halogen/xenon designed reflector and lens and hope it will work out. In some cases it does, in some it doesnt (seen a lot of failed LED applications as it is NOT only reflector+lens that create proper light output - actual light source matter aswell). But you never achieve results as seen on new cars. Jus for example, a comparison of pics I took last week (yes, I am the weirdo photographing light patterns, sue me...). I have a pretty good HID retro with bixenon projectors and powerful Xenarc burners, but light output is still hapmered by old technology (lens+reflector) and beam spread is laughable comparing to proper led headlamp.
pic 1- Audi A6 in front of Renault on the picture - see the amount of side-light provided by shaped LED beam on the right wall. My beam on the same wall is non-existent due to narrow beam pattern of retrofitted projectors.


pic2 - BMW 7 series, beam shape is pretty similar to mine as for amount of left-throw, but the difference light intensity of xenon+reflector&lens, versus direct-throw LED is, again - insane. Arrow points where my beam is overtaken by BMW's LED throw. Amazing.

bottom line is - LEDs are future and are already much better/efficient than xenons, but we are VERY limited as for retrofitting options and I am not sure if there are any gains over HIDs if used in our lamps, given price/problems/heat dissipation/uniformity issues. Happy to be proven wrong, but so far, for me, HIDS>LEDS on our headlamp design.
[NERD MODE OFF] :}
I bought some decent LED bulbs and tried them in a V50 projector as an experiment ( I don't have a V50 ) , they gave a sharp beam cut off and No bulb fail message .... worth trying I would say ... PM for info .
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Old Dec 9th, 2019, 22:27   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom View Post
all thumbs up for proper testing, but I remain sceptical ref "light output" - single xenon burner can easily output over 3k lumens in 360degree form, LED chips probably could go higher but only as a cluster of LEDs, I wonder if any of "retrofit" applications can actually output better lumens than HIDs.
I may test the LEDs one day just for sake of experiment and I really wonder how GOOD LEd bulb (like those expensive Phillips from link) will work on the same clear lens projector as I use, better/worse or what...

[NERD MODE ON]
Only problem is - you will never get the same gains from retro-LEDs as you would with LED-designed headlamp. In our case, you can only provide much more bright light source into a halogen/xenon designed reflector and lens and hope it will work out. In some cases it does, in some it doesnt (seen a lot of failed LED applications as it is NOT only reflector+lens that create proper light output - actual light source matter aswell). But you never achieve results as seen on new cars. Jus for example, a comparison of pics I took last week (yes, I am the weirdo photographing light patterns, sue me...). I have a pretty good HID retro with bixenon projectors and powerful Xenarc burners, but light output is still hapmered by old technology (lens+reflector) and beam spread is laughable comparing to proper led headlamp.
pic 1- Audi A6 in front of Renault on the picture - see the amount of side-light provided by shaped LED beam on the right wall. My beam on the same wall is non-existent due to narrow beam pattern of retrofitted projectors.


pic2 - BMW 7 series, beam shape is pretty similar to mine as for amount of left-throw, but the difference light intensity of xenon+reflector&lens, versus direct-throw LED is, again - insane. Arrow points where my beam is overtaken by BMW's LED throw. Amazing.


bottom line is - LEDs are future and are already much better/efficient than xenons, but we are VERY limited as for retrofitting options and I am not sure if there are any gains over HIDs if used in our lamps, given price/problems/heat dissipation/uniformity issues. Happy to be proven wrong, but so far, for me, HIDS>LEDS on our headlamp design.
[NERD MODE OFF] :}
Sounds like you just volunteered to do the experiement Lizard!

My problem with LED lighting is their colour.... blue is BAD for your eyes.. the eyes adjust slower and it is harder to focus.

The reason these cars all have blue LEDS is because that is the cheapest, brightest output available to produce. If you want soft warm yellow, it requires a coating over the original blue.
I want warm white LED headlamps (4300k) but they simply arent available. Though I hold high hopes as we can buy LED bayontte cap bulbs for indoors that are putting out better light than filament bulb equivalent.

There is definitely a reason why all of our smart phones and smart TVs are now coming with anti-blue "sleeping" modes that change the colour of the screen to yellow...they know that blue tint is bad for our health and they have to offer something to alieviate that... I'm surprised Volvo havent been all over that aspect, given their reputation in Safety.

Then, having said that, look at the crappy headlights they gave us in the P1 cars.
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Old Dec 10th, 2019, 13:10   #20
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Sounds like you just volunteered to do the experiement Lizard!

My problem with LED lighting is their colour.... blue is BAD for your eyes.. the eyes adjust slower and it is harder to focus.
.........
Then, having said that, look at the crappy headlights they gave us in the P1 cars.
Hehe, no doubt I will one day try it out, but rather not gonna spend money on it as I suspect it wont stay. I will eventually come across a one bulb off a broken set or something to try out on bench and will for sure post up results.

agreed with colour issue, also refraction caused by lenses (especially on french cars) make the output VIOLET is just ridiculous. Also every manufacturer seem to choose their Kelvin rating at their own will and not much can be done to change it. Was driving in front of this 2019 V60 and its dual-LED headlamps, while providing a nice spread and pattern, are stupidly blue, like 6500K as per my eye, terrible light colour! Best so far seem to be Audis/BMWs that have output close to pure white 5000K. This I would be OK with.

Clan - maybe share the link here, if worth recommending? - atleast proven and tested so better for others to get those rather than uncertain chinese cr*p
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