Head light bulbs

[jdlexus]

Can anyone recommend a good quality replacement the ones fitted are very dim.

My previous car had a really bright set fitted, they were on the car when I bought it they lasted 7 years never needed replacing so I don't know what make they were.

Thanks in advance 

[Spock66]

17 minutes ago, jdlexus said:

Can anyone recommend a good quality replacement the ones fitted are very dim.

Osram Night Breakers are pretty good, available in most fitments Halogen, Xenon etc.

[katabrontes]

I had an HID conversion from Autobulbs Direct for the main beams (Ihave Lexus HID on the dipped) about 6 years ago which were excellent apart from a short delay while they warmed up when first switched on.  I have just replaced these with Philips LED also from ABD which cost a little more (£129.99) but are brighter, come on immediately and don't need the external high voltage drivers either so a bit safer if you need to change them.  They are a bit tricky to fit as the instructions that come with them are not very good.  They need to be aligned so that the 'bar' on the top of the LED is on top and theLED module is vertically aligned in the headlight.  Download the installation instructions which show how to do this.  Take special care when unscrewing the small hex screws to lock the mounting ring after rotating it to align the bulbs as it is quite fragile and unless you hold it down firmly, as recommended, the screw will chew up the notches on the ring preventing it from locking securely.

[Braxton Tyler]

One of my friends purchased an Osram D4S bulb for his car four years ago, and he still raves about it to this day. Not only has it provided consistent and reliable illumination, but it's also helped him avoid potential accidents on the road.
I can confidently say that the D4S bulb is one of the best options available on the market. Its durable construction and impressive lifespan make it a cost-effective choice in the long run, and its superior performance is sure to exceed your expectations.
I strongly recommend the Osram D4S 66440 35W P32D-5 Xenarc Original Xenon Bulb.

[Herbie]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:08 AM, jdlexus said:

Can anyone recommend a good quality replacement the ones fitted are very dim.

My previous car had a really bright set fitted, they were on the car when I bought it they lasted 7 years never needed replacing so I don't know what make they were.

Thanks in advance 

Just be careful or it'll fail the MOT.

If a headlamp unit was designed to have a halogen bulb in it but you put something else in there, it's a 'Major' defect and an instant fail. Similarly, if the unit is designed to have a HID (Xenon) bulb in it and you put something else in there, it's a Major defect and instant fail. Whatever the light source (bulb) it must match the unit it's meant to be in.

From the MOT Inspection Manual:

[Las Palmas]

Xenon and LED bulbs need to have headlight washing and auto levelling installed in the car so if there is much weight in the trunk the light does not blind oncoming cars and the washing to wipe off snow as the bulbs are not warming as much as halogen bulbs do.

[katabrontes]

This is interesting.  I note that on the box it did state that the LED bulbs were 'for off road use only'.

My RX has passed its MoT regularly ever since I upgraded to the HID conversion and recently since I changed this to the LEDs.  Evidently there is some flexibility in the way testers interpret this.

[PCM]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:08 AM, jdlexus said:

Can anyone recommend a good quality replacement the ones fitted are very dim.

My previous car had a really bright set fitted, they were on the car when I bought it they lasted 7 years never needed replacing so I don't know what make they were.

Thanks in advance 

What did you decide on, John?

[jdlexus]

I have not made a decision yet . I'm having a service later this month so I will be taking to the mechanic for his suggestion.

John 

[Spacewagon52]

The lights on my RX300 were very good. But the 400h I owned was poor, even after a lens buff. No comparison compared to the excellent LED's they now fit.

[Las Palmas]

On 5/27/2023 at 4:23 PM, katabrontes said:

This is interesting.  I note that on the box it did state that the LED bulbs were 'for off road use only'.

My RX has passed its MoT regularly ever since I upgraded to the HID conversion and recently since I changed this to the LEDs.  Evidently there is some flexibility in the way testers interpret this.

If the car had HID from factory it also had headlamp washing and automatic leveling of light, so no reason why LED should not be acceptec when HID are.

[ColinBarber]

2 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

If the car had HID from factory it also had headlamp washing and automatic leveling of light, so no reason why LED should not be acceptec when HID are.

There is when the lens and reflectors have been designed for a specific lamp/light output. There are more to the requirements than just auto levelling and as a minimum lamps need to have gone through European or British Standards approval and be marked accordingly.

[Las Palmas]

3 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

There is when the lens and reflectors have been designed for a specific lamp/light output. There are more to the requirements than just auto levelling and as a minimum lamps need to have gone through European or British Standards approval and be marked accordingly.

Some HID are longer than halogen but for the ones that have same dimensions and position where light is emitted will have no problem finding LED lamps that will give correct light output. If the people looking at the light take out the bulbs many will have problems, but so far, I have never seen anything else than them looking at the light pattern and level and if the machine say that is OK, all is fine here. Doubt that in UK MOT personnel have time to take the bulbs out and search for approval stamps on them.

But sure, you are right. What it looks like to me is that as long as cars passes MOT most owners will be pleased.

 

   

LED's are in exactly same place as halogen light emitting wire. Emitting light to all sides except forward.

Will install when the OEM bulbs need replacement. So far, they are still OK and may be forever as high beam is rarely used.

[Herbie]

6 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

LED's are in exactly same place as halogen light emitting wire. Emitting light to all sides except forward.

Will install when the OEM bulbs need replacement. So far, they are still OK and may be forever as high beam is rarely used.

Even if that is true you still can't say that an LED lamp will work in a halogen fitting. All those nice lines, grooves and patterns on the lens of a halogen fitting play a part in directing the beam and a lot of science and technology has gone into developing the workings of the lamp and housing as one unit. Anyone who thinks they can just plonk any lamp in there and expect it to work as intended is just deluding themselves.

It's not all about 'us' and how it looks from our side of the steering wheel. It's more about not dazzling oncoming drivers and causing accidents, which is the very reason the MOT rules were changed to take this into account.

[scudney]

Very true Herbs,it's one factor that gets missed these days as a lot of things seem to be about me,me,me rather than how my decisions, choices impact others 

[Las Palmas]

6 hours ago, Herbie said:

Even if that is true you still can't say that an LED lamp will work in a halogen fitting. All those nice lines, grooves and patterns on the lens of a halogen fitting play a part in directing the beam and a lot of science and technology has gone into developing the workings of the lamp and housing as one unit. Anyone who thinks they can just plonk any lamp in there and expect it to work as intended is just deluding themselves.

It's not all about 'us' and how it looks from our side of the steering wheel. It's more about not dazzling oncoming drivers and causing accidents, which is the very reason the MOT rules were changed to take this into account.

You make it sound like rocket science that when forcing power through a resistive wire it emits light. A H11 bulb has same fitment no matter what the light emitting part is made of. If the light emitting part is emitting light in same direction, light output will be identical; possibly, except for colour and intensity.

[ColinBarber]

16 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

What it looks like to me is that as long as cars passes MOT most owners will be pleased.

It's a common mistake to think that just because a car passes the MOT that it is road legal. The MOT has been tightened up with regards to lights but it isn't for an MOT inspector to check lamps are E marked etc. They have a quick look and then make sure the beam pattern falls within their permitted range.

However if you have an accident and the other party claims they were dazzled by your lights then the police will investigate and find non-legal lamps. Same with insurance companies who will state an undeclared modification LED to the accident....

[Las Palmas]

6 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

It's a common mistake to think that just because a car passes the MOT that it is road legal. The MOT has been tightened up with regards to lights but it isn't for an MOT inspector to check lamps are E marked etc. They have a quick look and then make sure the beam pattern falls within their permitted range.

However if you have an accident and the other party claims they were dazzled by your lights then the police will investigate and find non-legal lamps. Same with insurance companies who will state an undeclared modification led to the accident....

So, when a lamp has the correct fitment (H number, which will fit the socket and make sure the lamp will not move), the correct light output, the correct beam pattern it is not the correct lamp? Having sold HID when they first came out, I know the requirements, do not want to create danger on the road and have LED from factory with lwashers and auto levelling for the headlamps, I will go to IVA (MOT) and have the new written into the car papers should the halogen high beams need replacement. If that does not happen I will just have a pair of 12V LED lamps among the other spare parts.

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

So, when a lamp has the correct fitment (H number, which will fit the socket and make sure the lamp will not move), the correct light output, the correct beam pattern it is not the correct lamp?

No, not in the UK if it doesn't have an E or BS marking on it, nor if it is being fitting into a housing that wasn't designed for. No LED lamp can be approved with a H (Halogen) fitting.

[Las Palmas]

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

No, not in the UK if it doesn't have an E or BS marking on it, nor if it is being fitting into a housing that wasn't designed for. No LED lamp can be approved with a H (Halogen) fitting.

The H fittings are a standard that were made when halogen were the only bulbs and these standard fittings were designed, but if same fitting is used with a LED bulb that bulb will be sitting just as secure and firm as a halogen bulb would. H4 was most common for dual bulbs with both low and high in same for many years. Design shift and sometime it is smart to have both in one place and other times it is smart to have them separate places. When CT was designed Lexus thought it was best with different places for high and low beam; that changed later. The difference between H11 A and H11 B will only be of importance if you use a halogen bulb, the bulbs I have do not have a wire supporting the light emitting part of the wire of the bulb.

Next time I pass by Toyota I will buy a spare for the high beam lamp and see if it is perfectly same fitting as the LED I have. Easier than go down and take out a bulb that is functioning. Yes, I am lazy. Until I get stubborn.

[katabrontes]

I am puzzled by the references to dazzle et with LED bulbs.  My RX has twin headlights, one with original HID bulbs is the low beam and the other which was originally filament bulb is the main beam.  When the lights are dipped this one is off.

I can understand complaints about dazzle from drivers who are both inconsiderate and presumably illegal in their behaviour and fail to dip their lights when approaching vehicles get within, say, 3-400M and ditto is following close behind other cars.  If proper, and presumably legal, practice is followed then no oncoming cars would be dazzled.