LED replacement bulbs

[gwatpe]

Was hoping to improve the high beam lighting of the PHEV by replacing the HB3 bulb with a CREE LED. These are advertised as equivalent to the light output of a 70W halogen bulb for only 20W of electricity.

These are not drop in replacements as the heatsink housing is quite a bit larger than the original halogen bulb. Did not modify the fitting, but tested first to check performance.

Compared to the original, the beam is much whiter, but was not anywhere as bright as the halogen. The CREE has a power supply built in and the electrical noise when operating killed the radio reception on FM as well as AM.

Looks like HID replacements will still be an option.

 

[BeeJay]

Are these like the ones you tried? http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/hb3-9005-50w-cree-led-fog-bulbs?search=HB3

I upgraded to these straight away - http://www.amazon.co.uk/BREAKER-UNLIMITED-halogen-headlamp-9005NBU-HCB/dp/B00FQ8ANVC

But I still feel they could be brighter (Had Xenon HIDs on last car...)

 

[Bilbo59]

I upgraded to these:

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HB...lb-Pair.html?gclid=CM_30ayOhMMCFUbLtAodanAA0Q

Have found them really powerfull.

 

[Zimmerman]

Are these like the ones you tried? http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/hb3-9005-50w-cree-led-fog-bulbs?search=HB3

I upgraded to these straight away - http://www.amazon.co.uk/BREAKER-UNLIMITED-halogen-headlamp-9005NBU-HCB/dp/B00FQ8ANVC

But I still feel they could be brighter (Had Xenon HIDs on last car...)

I doubt that that you can by 50W of CREE LEDs for 20 quid. Most likely fake!

 

[Zimmerman]

Sorry, but a LED replacement bulb will not work very well. The headlight is designed for the filament of the halogen lamp to be in the focus of the parabolic reflector. The LED replacement has several LEDs on a much bigger surface. An LED headlight has to be designed with discrete lenses in front of each LED for good efficiency.

 

[BeeJay]

Indeed, I am massively sceptical, hence why I am on here asking. Was hoping I could copy someone else who had taken the risk first!!! ;-)

I do wonder why one of the major manufacturers (Osram, Philips) have not made LED replacements yet, there must be a reason, and not just legal as all my research in that area leads to some very grey areas involving old British legislation not keeping up with Type Approval.

My whole house is now LED, just seems strange that my very technically advanced car isn't... !

 

[BeeJay]

I upgraded to these:

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HB...lb-Pair.html?gclid=CM_30ayOhMMCFUbLtAodanAA0Q

Have found them really powerfull.

I looked at the RINGs as well, but the OSRAMs seemed to come out better in most of the online reviews/comparisons that I read including the Autocar test from 2 years ago using the previous generation OSRAMs - so I got those, having used them in other cars before!

 

[Carnut]

Luckily I do not often need to drive at night, but when I did I found the PHEV's high beam completely pathetic compared to my Yeti HIDs.
So I plumped for the Osram Night breakers as well.
Far superior to the original set up in high beam but nowhere near as good as HID.
I simply cannot understand MMC's ridiculous idea of HID low beam which ARE fantastic. Very bright with huge wide spread and then wreck the ship for a pen'orth of tar by fitting glow worm high beam bulbs . Pathetic.
I thought the MY16 had HID high beam as well?? But comments elsewhere would suppose not?? Until then I shall have to put up with my 2015's dim high beams.