Morning All, 

 

I was wondering if anyone out there has had any experience with LED headlight bulbs? I'm always looking to change thing on my car, with that in mind i wanted to change my headlight bulbs. Ideally I wanted to brilliant white look similar to DRL's / LED's, but i know halogens don't 'legally' provide this colour. 

I was wondering what peoples thoughts on LED lights are these days, i know they're relatively new in the market but if anymore has some I'd love to know there thoughts on the following:

- How easy are they to install? 

- Are they technically road legal? 

- how do they compare again traditional halogen bulbs in light output

- How much do they cost? 

 

I'm currently using some Philips Diamond Vision bulbs but to be honest they're only 5000k, so when paired next to my LED side lights and DRL's they look  inferior.

 

Anyways, let me know your thoughts.

 

Ben. 

LED bulbs cannot legally be fitted into lenses designed for regular halogen light bulbs, it's highly illegal and the throw of the light it produces will be all over the place.  (Headlights, you might get away with it for a lower front fog light).

Others will no doubt be along shortly to provide more detail.

LED headlight bulbs are illegal to fit full stop unless from the factory. You need automatic levelling, and washers as you would with HID bulbs. Plus the light output from an aftermarket bulb is not going to be the same as a factory fitted one this includes both pattern and lumens.

Plus good luck getting your insurance company to insure your car after fitting such kits. Most of them will not allow it.

See below, applies to LED too.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/408941/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf

Would they be ok in projector lenses?

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There not legal full stop unless they meet all the criteria outlined by @DJ_Andy_M

Light levels should not be above 4800k as then the colour is more into the blue spectrum
Basically You should not fit lights which are obviously blue (or any colour other than white), which means lights marketed as having a colour temperature higher than around the 5,000K mark, although light colour parameters on an MoT is quite a subjective test.

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I told my insurance that I fitted uprated Projectors, that was their wording, not mine. They never asked for specifics.  I have installed 4600k bulbs because for anyone who actually drives at night knows, blue / white light on a black top gives you about as much visibility as looking through a pair of socks. That's why in some cases you can see folk driving around with white blue beams but your yellow / white beams return more clarity of the road ahead.

Often people install 5000k bulbs expecting them to be awesome but the reality is you end up deluding yourself.  Stick to around 4500, that is what most factory fitted bulbs are.

LEDs are catching up but they suffer with the throw of light as well.