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C30 / S40 & V50 '04-'12 / C70 '06-'13 General Forum for the P1-platform C30 / S40 / V50 / C70 models |
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C30 Headlamp Bulb UpgradeViews : 3444 Replies : 15Users Viewing This Thread : |
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Feb 4th, 2019, 16:49 | #1 |
Junior Member
Last Online: May 10th, 2021 17:11
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Leeds
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C30 Headlamp Bulb Upgrade
Hi there,
The standard halogen headlamps on the C30 are absolutely terrible and I've read much about them on here. Whilst I'm sure the best option is to go for some sort of Xenon HID type upgrade kit, if I just stuck with the standard set up, are any of the various bulb upgrades on the likes of eBay worth bothering with? (see attached links for examples) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-55w...a7ua:rk:2:pf:0 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H7-100w-8...SKrw:rk:3:pf:0 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H7-Cob-Cr...NDC1UQCA%3D%3D Also, would anything more than the standard 55w cause my wiring to melt? Any feedback would be great! J |
Feb 4th, 2019, 17:15 | #2 |
FCW Auto Service
Last Online: Yesterday 23:31
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Gloucester
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Don't bother with LED bulbs...
At this present moment in time you have to buy REALLY expensive LED bulbs (£150+ for a pair) to match the output of a good set of Halogen bulbs. In most LED bulbs, the position of the LEDs is in a difference location compared to the filament in a regular halogen bulb, meaning the headlamp housing cannot reflect the LED light in the same way that it can for a halogen bulb. The cheapest way to marginally improve the headlamps is to unscrew the internal projector units (3x torx screws) and clean the projector lens, then fit new bulbs. This will help a little bit, but you can adjust the height of the headlamps as they are set too low in most cases, meaning you can barely see anything over a certain distance. The best solution is to buy new aftermarket "E46" projectors and install those. They are around £115 for a pair from here: https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/aharo...-design-1.html Buy them in "H7" format if you want to use regular halogen bulbs. The difference in light output between these and the light output you're currently getting is immense. Worth every penny. Last edited by T5R92011; Feb 4th, 2019 at 17:25. |
Feb 4th, 2019, 17:19 | #3 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Today 19:47
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Near Bicester, Oxon
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I haven't bought a really expensive set of LEDs and my judgement is that the illumination is better.
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Feb 4th, 2019, 17:23 | #4 | |
WowIcanwriteAnythingHere!
Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 16:05
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Dublin/Meath
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Quote:
I am far from original statement "LED wont work" as a lot have changed thorough recent years, but I agree fully with T5R90210 - unless you spend decent money on LED set, you are asking for trouble or in best case scenario- will have a nice looking light colour output and...thats all. :}
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2005 V50 T5AWD M66, Stage1 Hilton tune E-focus torque mount, E46 bi-xenon retrofit v2 , (also available in PDF form), DTSC fully-off mod, Brembo discs+ATE ceramic pads |
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Feb 4th, 2019, 17:29 | #5 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Today 19:47
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Location: Near Bicester, Oxon
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Forty quid.
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Feb 4th, 2019, 17:54 | #6 |
Bungling Amateur
Last Online: Today 19:42
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
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[post deleted as I'd not read the thread fully and it's all been said... LED's are mostly sh*t, if Nightbreaker unlimited's aren't good enough then you need to change your projectors...]
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2011 XC90 D5 Executive 2003 C70 T5 GT 2012 Ford Ranger XL SC 1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1976 Massey Ferguson 135 Last edited by Tannaton; Feb 4th, 2019 at 17:57. |
Feb 4th, 2019, 17:19 | #7 | |
WowIcanwriteAnythingHere!
Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 16:05
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Dublin/Meath
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Quote:
You are 100% guaranteed those will work WORSE than any decent bulb as those are suppose to pretend xenon look and not actually shine the road. Any "zenon look super colour magic blue" miracle contraptions or "super hyper mega LED bulbs costing pennies are worth nothing, seriously. Also, stay away from HID unless you know what you are doing, do your research and spend some decent money to bulletproof the installation. My advice to you - get one of those : Osram NB Laser or something similar in NightBreaker range. Then take out your projectors, clean lenses, inspect the chrome coatong and you should be sorted.
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2005 V50 T5AWD M66, Stage1 Hilton tune E-focus torque mount, E46 bi-xenon retrofit v2 , (also available in PDF form), DTSC fully-off mod, Brembo discs+ATE ceramic pads |
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Feb 5th, 2019, 10:58 | #8 | |
Junior Member
Last Online: May 10th, 2021 17:11
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Leeds
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Quote:
Bizarrely though, eBay seems to think that these won't fit a 2007 C30?? I'll get them anyway! J |
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Feb 5th, 2019, 11:31 | #9 |
WowIcanwriteAnythingHere!
Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 16:05
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Just make sure you get them in H7 type, there are a lot of variations of those! Maybe double-check if your car have H7 bulbs to be 100% sure, I would think it does but better safe then sorry.
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2005 V50 T5AWD M66, Stage1 Hilton tune E-focus torque mount, E46 bi-xenon retrofit v2 , (also available in PDF form), DTSC fully-off mod, Brembo discs+ATE ceramic pads |
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Feb 6th, 2019, 18:02 | #10 |
New Member
Last Online: Nov 12th, 2023 12:09
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: London
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Hi guys, new member here.
I too have been pondering the ridiculously poor light output of my C30’s headlights since I picked it up last week. A look at the headlight units themselves has revealed that they have previously been fitted with an HID ‘upgrade’ of dubious quality (or a hungry badger has knawed holes in the back of my headlights and half the wiring), net result is the reflectors are toast and the Osram night breaker laser lamps I put in are currently putting out less additional light than a clipper lighter waved at an Ed Sheeran gig. Properly designed LED’s are unbelievably good, I have an Audi with matrix headlights and they are beyond excellent, but throwing a LED or an HID lamp into a housing it was never designed for will never replicate them, and I’m unwilling to run illegal lights. This leaves me with the option of new OEM headlights (££££££-ouch), or fitting the new H7 modules from retrofitlab as suggested by T5R92001. Thing is, these E46 clones are based on a decades old design and are far from perfect, so perhaps fitting something like a 50mm Hella 1BL 009 071-001 into the headlight housing would offer something with more modern output? It’s fully legal, it’s halogen so doesn’t need self levelling tech, and it looks like it should be fairly easy to fit... Which begs the question, has anyone done it? |
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