H4's V's LED's - Real World Test

[Pauly]

How difficult is it to upgrade from H4 to H7? Is it technically possible?
(Sorry if this has been asked and answered already!)

Just had a look at the wiring for the two headlights and its looks identical, same cores/colours/sizes/plug so looks like a straight swap
Cant be 100% as VW has made a mistake in the wiring diagrams and shows the H7 headlights as having a twin filament lamp ? so cant differentiate between dip and main but 99.9% sure its a straight swap

The thing i cant get out of my head is why would H7s be any better than H4s ?
At the end of the day normal driving light (dipped beam) is still a single 55W halogen lamp shining out of a reflector that is going to be very similar (probably identical) to a H4 unit, does it make that much difference ?

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Pauly perhaps it is a case of on full beam both main and dipped beams being illuminated together and the dipped beams giving a better in-game? I know that some European cars operate like this where they have separated units. Plus which with separate units it is much easier to configure each reflector to a. single purpose rather than a compromise to carry out a dual function of dipped and high beam.

 

[KBF]

Wow, thats insane! I feel lucky that my van has the H7 lights, which isnt that BAD as them H4 lights...

 

[KBF]

The thing i cant get out of my head is why would H7s be any better than H4s ?
At the end of the day normal driving light (dipped beam) is still a single 55W halogen lamp shining out of a reflector that is going to be very similar (probably identical) to a H4 unit, does it make that much difference ?

Its a slight difference in the reflectors and the design of the light units on the H4 and H7. Its like the T5.1 with H4 lights and the one with Xenon/LED - Crap vs great..

 

[DaveBos]

I went from H4 to caravelle H7 lights on the T5 and were a big improvement. Had to do wiring mods though.

 

[T6 Dave]

Hi all, it will be that the reflector is working 100% on the single low beam bulb (h7), and not made to also work on the high beam location of the h4 filament, as there is then another h7 next door in a dedicated high beam reflector.

Glad to know the wiring appears same, now just need a plugin conversion loom.

 

[Pauly]

What i meant by straight swap is literally that, no wiring changes, no nothing just unplug H4 and H7 looks like it will plug straight in

 

[Montecha]

This is an interesting pic, not seen all three side by side before.
No real logic while the H4 is so poor, not looking forward to going back to the brown lights in my own Kombi.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

Thanks @T6 Dave for a clearer explanation of what I intended.

 

[Montecha]

Been over on the German T6 Board, there's a parallel thread to this.

Some great German humour, so poor soul asked how can you tell the difference between the halogen lights? Answer: if your lights are poor they are H7 if they are nonexistent they are H4.

People and even dealers are swapping to H7, sounds like there is some coding on the back of the physical change. I need to register to see the pictures, but need to find a better translation engine to do so.

 

[HHO]

@HHO , for VW, EASY for a retro fit upgrade kit.. New lights etc and possibly new sub loom, or plug in adaption loom, is then VW approved for warranty work and no need to notify insurance.

 

[T6 Dave]

@Pauly , hope your right, as that would make logical manufacturing sense, but won't hold my breath yet, as otherwise it will go pear shaped for us h4 users, and not be as simples as it could otherwise hopefully be!

 

[KBF]

Is there perhapes something different with the reflectors. Since there shouldn´t be that big differences on the bulbs on how much light they produce.

 

[CRD]

What i meant by straight swap is literally that, no wiring changes, no nothing just unplug H4 and H7 looks like it will plug straight in

I'm wondering how this can be the case? In H4 set up, you have a twin filament bulb in the main lens with a high an low beam feed- you then have a separate drl in the adjacecent lens that operates independently.
In the H7 set up, you will have 2 separate single filament bulbs (lo and hi beam) in their own lens units using individual plugs with a seperate drl?

Or am I mistaken?

*edit* unless the actual lamp unit has its own circuitry which directs feeds from standard H4 and drl plugs to the respective lamps?

 

[KBF]

H4 bulbs has twin filament and H7 has one filament. Therefor i guess the light output in one H4 bulb is lower on dipped compared with H7 on dipped since the dual filamet on the H4. Also the H4 has three connecting pins on the back, and H7 has two.

My father had the same issue on a Kawasaki bike, with H4 bulbs. He bought some LED headlights and they made the road bright again.

 

[Roadrunner]

The transporters are all the same body pressing so VW are not going to make one for different light units they will be interchangeable, I presume the wireing loom used will be the same as well

 

[CRD]

The transporters are all the same body pressing so VW are not going to make one for different light units they will be interchangeable, I presume the wireing loom used will be the same as well

Do you think the loom used in individual vans are the same irrespective of trim or options fitted?

 

[Roadrunner]

I would think the main loom was and they just add on the option that is needed. You could tell from the wireing diagram which I don't have. I used to be really into Mini's and have all the manuals on disc from 1959-2001 they had the wireing diagrams in, I presume the VW one is the same

 

[Pauly]

I'm wondering how this can be the case? In H4 set up, you have a twin filament bulb in the main lens with a high an low beam feed- you then have a separate drl in the adjacecent lens that operates independently.
In the H7 set up, you will have 2 separate single filament bulbs (lo and hi beam) in their own lens units using individual plugs with a seperate drl?

Or am I mistaken?

*edit* unless the actual lamp unit has its own circuitry which directs feeds from standard H4 and drl plugs to the respective lamps?

This is the 10 pin connector that goes into a H4 headlight, the pinouts on this seem to match the H7 exactly meaning it will be plug and play straight swap

 

[Pauly]

Do you think the loom used in individual vans are the same irrespective of trim or options fitted?

Every loom seems to be unique to the vehicle, i could not find a single core anywhere that is not connected/being used on my vehicle