H7 Drl Bulb Upgrade

[Hinsley]

I wanted to upgrade the yellowish H7 DRL W21W bulb to a whiter light whilst remaining road legal. After checking this forum and Google it was difficult to find a bulb that was both legal (most of the LED bulbs) and without potential errors (Canbus or DAB?)

After speaking with @andy greenwood I could only find one bulb suitable! So I ordered this: W21W 7440 582 Sidelight Bulbs | DRL Xenon Effect Super White Bulbs

Removal was fairly easy on both sides. However, the install was a pain, the passenger side went in quite easily but the drivers side was harder (I had taken the air-filter shroud off). Anyway, after a few attempts it went in.

Difference between bulbs (clear OEM, blue replacement):


So the before and after, in the flesh there is a massive different yellow is now white. However the sun has come out on the after photos and the photos don't do the lights any justice!

 

[Stay Frosty]

I can't see a DRL led bulb replacing an halogen one being illegal as it's not a dip or main lamp but a bit of fluffy eye candy for the headlight dept. and turns off as soon as you go from no lights/sidelights to headlights on?

I say this as I put in a pair of white DRL led lamps from a link on here and while they don't look proper seckseh they are blindingly white and don't throw up an error sign.

Bugger, should have said but I've got H4 headlights

 

[Hinsley]

Oh, I’d thought I’d read that led in the H7 would be illegal/mot fail and some led bulbs gave CanBus errors.

I might be wrong, I have also changed the dipped bulbs and have been reading about the different options for them so might have got my wires crossed.

 

[St4n99]

Oh, I’d thought I’d read that led in the H7 would be illegal/mot fail and some led bulbs gave CanBus errors.

I might be wrong, I have also changed the dipped bulbs and have been reading about the different options for them so might have got my wires crossed.

Upgrading your w21w bulbs to led shouldn't be an issue, unfortunately it may cause a bulb out warning on dash . upgrading your h7 dipped beam bulbs to led would be an mot failure as there not self leveling and the beam pattern will be wrong , Aslo believe they need to have headlight washers but could be wrong about that

 

[Hinsley]

I think I had been looking at options for sale and kept finding sites like this which say not legal on the leds:

W21W (582) Replacement Car Light Bulbs | Halogen & LED | PowerBulbs

 

[St4n99]

I think I had been looking at options for sale and kept finding sites like this which say not legal on the leds:

W21W (582) Replacement Car Light Bulbs | Halogen & LED | PowerBulbs

I have a set of osram w21w cool white in mine and passed its MOT with them .only problem I have is there light failure light is on dash because of them but I can live with it .as long as there not blinding other people driving. Every car I have had coming to think of it I have fitted led side lights to and never had a problem . , think you would have to take the led bulb out to actually see if it's road legal or not .

 

[Hinsley]

I have a set of osram w21w cool white in mine and passed its MOT with them .only problem I have is there light failure light is on dash because of them but I can live with it .as long as there not blinding other people driving. Every car I have had coming to think of it I have fitted led side lights to and never had a problem . , think you would have to take the led bulb out to actually see if it's road legal or not .

I did wonder how they would test in an MOT. Also, there are loads of cars that have a really bright DRL that can’t be ok.

If they don’t last I might change them for LED but for a £5 the yellow has gone which I can’t even see!

 

[St4n99]

I did wonder how they would test in an MOT. Also, there are loads of cars that have a really bright DRL that can’t be ok.

If they don’t last I might change them for LED but for a £5 the yellow has gone which I can’t even see!

A think they look gd and they should last just as long as your original bulb ,gd price as well

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Just be aware that the Lumro bulb above is not E marked for type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. Would pass an Mot no problem, but just it's something an insurance company may use to wriggle of the hook or reduce a pay out. 'Our client was blinded by' or 'Our client didn't see the on coming vehicle because the lights weren't approved'.

We all know it would be utter nonsense, but that's the sort thing your up against with insurance companies.

My understanding is that an LED bulb wouldn't get type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. The reason being the lamp lens and reflector are type approved with the bulb filament being in a known position. LEDs tend to have a larger area and different position of light emission. So the spread of light emitted would differ.

Manufacturer factory fitted LED headlights/DRLs (like the T6 LED option) have had the whole light assembly tested and type approved, as one functioning unit.

 

[St4n99]

Just be aware that the Lumro bulb above is not E marked for type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. Would pass an Mot no problem, but just it's something an insurance company may use to wriggle of the hook or reduce a pay out. 'Our client was blinded by' or 'Our client didn't see the on coming vehicle because the lights weren't approved'.

We all know it would be utter nonsense, but that's the sort thing your up against with insurance companies.

My understanding is that an LED bulb wouldn't get type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. The reason being the lamp lens and reflector are type approved with the bulb filament being in a known position. LEDs tend to have a larger area and different position of light emission. So the spread of light emitted would differ.

Manufacturer factory fitted LED headlights/DRLs (like the T6 LED option) have had the whole light assembly tested and type approved, as one functioning unit.

Learn something new everyday lol

 

[Hinsley]

Just be aware that the Lumro bulb above is not E marked for type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. Would pass an Mot no problem, but just it's something an insurance company may use to wriggle of the hook or reduce a pay out. 'Our client was blinded by' or 'Our client didn't see the on coming vehicle because the lights weren't approved'.

We all know it would be utter nonsense, but that's the sort thing your up against with insurance companies.

My understanding is that an LED bulb wouldn't get type approval in a lamp designed for a filament bulb. The reason being the lamp lens and reflector are type approved with the bulb filament being in a known position. LEDs tend to have a larger area and different position of light emission. So the spread of light emitted would differ.

Manufacturer factory fitted LED headlights/DRLs (like the T6 LED option) have had the whole light assembly tested and type approved, as one functioning unit.

Pants.

I understand now the insurance aspect and can see them looking for any excuse to wriggle out of paying.

My only hope is that they are not actually that bright just a white colour so (fingers crossed) if I was in a bump it wouldn’t be due to the bulbs blinding someone.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Just as a side, you'll see the relevant date for vehicles with DRLs being a requirement for MOT test in here...

MOT rule changes: 20 May 2018

 

[bullracing]

Thats handy to know. So my 2016 does not have to have drl's on the mot.

 

[St4n99]

I also now know why my car is passing it's mot when headlight washers haven't been working for a while lol , a didn't want to fix them as they seam to use alot more water than my windscreen washers for some reason