LEDs - My findings and personal recommendations

I was intrigued by the thought of having LEDs after reading this tread and started looking for similar bulbs.

I did a search on eBay for (fanless) LED bulbs and bought a set of these (except these are on aliexpress as the eBay auction is gone now):
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free...ED-H1-H3-H7-H8-H9-H11-9005-6/32227644511.html

Install was pretty easy as you can unclip the mounting flange from the bulb, mount the flange then slide the bulb in and rotate it in place.
Makes it much easier to fasten the spring/clip.

Note that 1-gen bulbs with plastic mounting flange and built-in ballast won't fit as there´s not enough room for the spring/clip between the flange and the cooling ribs.
I know as I (ofc) ordered a set of those first. Oh well maybe they fit in the fog lights? :)

Both the light output and pattern looks pretty good so far and makes my full beams look rather yellow and dull in comparison :)
 
By way of an update with my LED H7s - I took them out. The left side one started flickering and, to be honest with the dubious beam pattern, I wasn't prepared to risk the MOT with them in. So I've removed them and put back some higher wattage halogen H7s.

I think whilst LED headlights might be the way forwards, they clearly require a lot more engineering both electrically, and in the optics, to work properly and simply dropping them into the A2's old-fashioned light clusters just doesn't cut it in my opinion.
 
THS said:
I was intrigued by the thought of having LEDs after reading this tread and started looking for similar bulbs.

I did a search on eBay for (fanless) LED bulbs and bought a set of these (except these are on aliexpress as the eBay auction is gone now):
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free...ED-H1-H3-H7-H8-H9-H11-9005-6/32227644511.html

Install was pretty easy as you can unclip the mounting flange from the bulb, mount the flange then slide the bulb in and rotate it in place.
Makes it much easier to fasten the spring/clip.

Note that 1-gen bulbs with plastic mounting flange and built-in ballast won't fit as there´s not enough room for the spring/clip between the flange and the cooling ribs.
I know as I (ofc) ordered a set of those first. Oh well maybe they fit in the fog lights? :)

Both the light output and pattern looks pretty good so far and makes my full beams look rather yellow and dull in comparison :)
Click to expand...

Interesting write up, THS. :p

Is there any possibility of a picture of the beam pattern please? I'm very interested in LED headlights, but only when the technology is available such that the beam pattern is correct and light output is good. From your description, you say this may be the case. :)

Thanks,

Matt.
 
I tried to snap a couple of pics late last night, but its hard to get it to show how it really is.
I need to adjust them properly.....when I get the chance

image.jpg
image.jpg
 
HI,

A quick update.

For the first time ever, one of our A2s failed the MOT (MINE!!!!) but it was self-inflicted.

The headlamp beam was not as clean a "cut-off" as it should be and so the LED H7s have now been replaced with uprated filament bulbs, The Sidelight on one side was "flickering" (LED again)

So I have now removed the LED bulbs from the headlamp assembly.

One bonus is that the radio reception is now better. With the LED headlights switched on the radio reception was useless, switch them off and it vastly improved.
I don't think it was the bulbs (because they are a constant drain), I think it was the cooling fans that caused the interference.

So to sum up, if you are thinking of fitting LED Bulbs in the exterior lights (headlamps, side-lamps etc.) I would advise you to think again.

When I fitted the LED headlamps last year I took the car to an independent MOT station and they said they were fine, but testers have different standards (even though they should not).

I might consider HIDs if there is a kit out there that fits inside the headlamp unit without drilling?

Cheers
Steve B
 
Hi guys,
Just been reading through this. I have got interior LED lights and find them better than the normal bulbs, however I am looking into getting LED reverse bulbs. First of all what is the bulb that I need for this? Second question that I have is that if I get the bulb will I need to fit any resistors? And finally what LED reverse bulbs do people recommend?

Many Thanks
Neel
 
There is no need for resistors in that case. The reversing lights (and fogs front and rear) are not covered by the "bulb out" checks.

i use the ones with a ribbed blue alloy collar and a lens at the end.

Steve B
 
Just an update of my own - I got an opportunity to drive at night on some un-lit country lanes the other night which meant being able to use high-beam. I recently fitted 100W H7s, and 130W H3s (ok, yes, I know, technically for "off-road use only), but I have to say the difference is quite literally brilliant. On dipped beam I felt like I could now actually see where I was going, and with high-beam added, it was really very bright indeed. Beam patterns are correct and proper as they're designed-for-purpose (which was the issue with the LEDs), no problems with flicker or RFI (which was the issue with the HIDs), and basically that's about as good as I've ever seen beam-wise from the A2's light clusters.

They're also significantly cheaper than LEDs or HIDs.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370989653204?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
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Hi Folks

I was about to spend a lot of money on LED's for my A2 as I think it is one of the only things that age it. All new 'modern' cars have LED's and whilst they can be annoying they certainly do get you noticed, day and night. So, before I break into my wallet I decided to check out what had been said about them on here and glad I did. Thanks to all those that have contributed to the debate on LED's you've just saved me a lot of money and time in fitting what sounds like not ideal enhancements. However, in my search to achieve better brighter whiter lights I wonder what the members think to the latest normal bulbs from this site..... http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/ The ones I'm interested in are these..... http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/comparison.php?show=&sort=price&sort_direction= Has anyone fitted them?

Cheers
Ruggie
 
Just watch out for the wattage. Anything over 55w is technically illegal. (I say "technically" because the A2 headlamps are not great and so the 100w bulbs cancel that out. But they are illegal.

If you stick to the 55w lamps you link to here you will be legal (but I wonder how they get more light without extra wattage? Yes they can use better materials, but I would have to see them to see if they are as good as they say. Or if people use the 55w on here then an opinion from them would be useful.

I am glad our thread helped you.

Steve B
 
Birchall said:
Just watch out for the wattage. Anything over 55w is technically illegal. (I say "technically" because the A2 headlamps are not great and so the 100w bulbs cancel that out. But they are illegal.

If you stick to the 55w lamps you link to here you will be legal (but I wonder how they get more light without extra wattage? Yes they can use better materials, but I would have to see them to see if they are as good as they say. Or if people use the 55w on here then an opinion from them would be useful.

I am glad our thread helped you.

Steve B
Click to expand...

Hi,

The "brighter" 55W bulbs achieve the extra visible light by running the filament at a slightly higher temperature than the standard bulbs. Although the same amount of energy is put in and therefore emitted, slightly more is output in the visible band of light so it is brighter to the human eye. The higher temperature reduces the lifetime of the filament, which is in some way mitigated by the use of more exotic gases (e.g. xenon), but overall the lifespan of a "brighter" bulb will be less than the standard one. I have used RING 120% brighter bulbs in my dipped beam since I got my A2 4 years ago and the first set lasted 3 years. I do a lot of driving at night so they get a lot of use. I am still using the original set of main beam Osram 110% brighter bulbs.

The "brighter" bulbs are really brighter, see my comparison test, although the achieved brightness on any given part of the road is also affected by other factors such as changes in light spread across the beam due to the design of the bulb itself and the position of the light source within the headlight.
http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?26787-Headlight-dipped-beam-upgrade-bulb-comparison

For different bulb designs, less of the input energy is output as light so the same wattage doesn't mean the the same light:

Typical direct light output for standard bulbs, for example:

55W H1 is about 1550 lumen
55W H4 is about 1000 lumen
55W H7 is about 1500 lumen

Note also that the tinted bulbs will produce less light than an untinted bulb. Buying a blue tinted bulb for example, apart from being illegal, will produce less light than one without the tint as the colour coating works by blocking certain wavelengths of light from the output to leave the ones which produce the desired colour. As light has been removed, the overall output is reduced!

regards

Andrew
 
Let there be light!!!

Fitted some new bulbs today:-

Osram LED W5W - front side lights - Wow! Amazingly bright white and makes the headlamp look so much better than the original candle that was there.
Osram H7 Night Breaker Unlimited Plus 110 - fitted to dip beam. Most definitely whiter and cleaner looking but yet to try at night
Osram H7 Night Breaker Unlimited Plus 110 - fitted to front fogs. Cleaned them out first as they were dirty on the inside of the lens. Same as dipped, whiter and cleaner but yet to try at night.
Osram H3 Night Breaker Unlimited Plus 110 - fitted to high beam - same result as dipped.

The overall look of the headlamps are now pure white lights which is much much better than the yellow lights that were there before. Mind, the car is 15 years old so probably the original bulbs. Most definitely standard ones anyhow.

Twenty20 382 LED - fitted to the reversing lights. Oh my goodness. Most definitely 'let there be light'. Just fantastic. Pure white and a vast improvement on looks and performance.

The only other thing I am considering for the exterior is 100 watt for the dipped if the Osram Night Breakers aren't good enough, but I'm concerned that the extra heat generated may either melt of damage the lense (as well as being illegal and not recommended). I'd be interested on the groups opinion as to the 100 watt, that they have tried on a private road of course ;-)

Next project.....changing the interior for LED but that will have to wait until the cuts, scratches and bruises have healed on my hands from the ridiculously tight cramped headlamp bulbs!

Ruggie
 
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