H7 headlamps with LED bulbs fitted

[Depron Donkey]

I am sceptical about LED bulbs and have seen some really poor beam patterns and DAB problems but today I have been speaking with a local automotive lighting importer about the newer LED bulbs available.
He has asked me to take my van in and they will try a few different types so we can check beam pattern, brightness and to check for canbus errors and DAB reception problems.
I will post pictures showing light throw in the dark for H4, H7 and the H7 with LED's.
I cant post a pic of the genuine VW led as I havnt got one )-: unless there is another forum member local to Keighley with genuine LED's that can meet one evening for pictures?
I will then give a link to the LED's used, if their good enough!

 

[Scruffy]

But aren’t all led bulbs for the main beam, illegal for road use in the UK?

 

[Depron Donkey]

VW sell vans with them in so no there not illegal. To be legal the vehicle does have to be fitted with self level though I believe. What should be illegal is VW selling £30K vans with really poor H4 headlights!

 

[Loz]

But aren’t all led bulbs for the main beam, illegal for road use in the UK?

If you mean retro fit LED Lamps, yes you are correct as none are E marked.

Factory LED headlights are a different thing.

 

[Depron Donkey]

We have set up one of the vans today with the best H7 LED set. Before we swapped to the H7 lights I also tried a LED conversion in the H4 lamp. The H4 with LED was useless proving it is the reflector in the lights which must be a poor design. There is a picture showing the light output against the shutter door compared to the H7 with led.



The lights were set up on a MOT type beam tester and am really happy with the beam pattern, nice and flat with a kick up to the left as there is supposed to be.
We waited for dark then took some pictures on our typical country roads at night. The first picture is a H7 light with Phillips Extreme bulbs, the second is with the H7 light with LED.


I don’t think we got the vans in exactly the same place so the wall on the left is not lit up the same but you can see how much brighter the LED is. Although you can see a difference the pictures really don’t do the LED set justice. The light is so crisp and clearer. The H7 with the Phillips bulbs is very good, the LED set is brilliant!
To conclude, the standard H4 is downright dangerous.
The H7 Caravelle light is what you would have expected on a premium van like the T6.
The H7 Caravelle with upgraded bulbs is very good but with LED is as good as you would want.
They do not throw up any CAN warnings and have had no problem with the DAB even on our dubious local radio station the pays for the cheapest transmission!
I am not endorsing the use of LED bulbs for highway use as they are not e marked for road use.
I am not recommending the dealer I bought them from either, he did me no favours!!
If your interested in the LED they are called F2, they are apparently a true 36w (some manufacturers lie apparently!) with an output of 6000 lumens. We have tried driving towards each other and although you can tell the lights are bright they do not dazzle, make sure they are set up properly if your going to use them.

 

[trooutie]

is that 6000 lupins each bulb or both together .
I can show you a light that is a a measured 6000 lumens to compare with

 

[Depron Donkey]

I have no idea, I presume it is each. Have you got a lumin tester Chris?

 

[trooutie]

sadly no but I had my lights tested in a lab that did
the light in my video on the THQ lights thread is just a tad over 6000 lumens
i can bring it along and compare it to the led headlights

 

[Depron Donkey]

sadly no but I had my lights tested in a lab that did
the light in my video on the THQ lights thread is just a tad over 6000 lumens
i can bring it along and compare it to the led headlights

I’ll give you a ring and arrange.

 

[Richard Wood]

wow, look good depron, how did you go fitting them? Does it all fit in the back of the light unit? Admit am tempted especially as I've found them for just over 30 delivered

 

[Depron Donkey]

You found the same ones for £30?!!!
Mine were £45.
Fitting ok, easier to pull the bumper off and remove the lamps.

The only thing we noticed was to make sure the bulb was held properly by the two spring clips, I had to lift the clips over the bulb mount. The webbing on the inside of the cover on the left light had to be cut out to make way for the fan. The bulb twists in the bulb mount and has several lock positions. This enables you to rotate the bulb to get the correct beam pattern. There is also a load that gets plugged between the bulb and the plug for the can error correction. I had been sceptical about the replacements but with the beam pattern being so good I don’t see any problems in use.

 

[andys]

We have set up one of the vans today with the best H7 LED set. Before we swapped to the H7 lights I also tried a LED conversion in the H4 lamp. The H4 with LED was useless proving it is the reflector in the lights which must be a poor design. There is a picture showing the light output against the shutter door compared to the H7 with led.
View attachment 33077
View attachment 33074

The lights were set up on a MOT type beam tester and am really happy with the beam pattern, nice and flat with a kick up to the left as there is supposed to be.
We waited for dark then took some pictures on our typical country roads at night. The first picture is a H7 light with Phillips Extreme bulbs, the second is with the H7 light with LED.
View attachment 33075
View attachment 33076
I don’t think we got the vans in exactly the same place so the wall on the left is not lit up the same but you can see how much brighter the LED is. Although you can see a difference the pictures really don’t do the LED set justice. The light is so crisp and clearer. The H7 with the Phillips bulbs is very good, the LED set is brilliant!
To conclude, the standard H4 is downright dangerous.
The H7 Caravelle light is what you would have expected on a premium van like the T6.
The H7 Caravelle with upgraded bulbs is very good but with LED is as good as you would want.
They do not throw up any CAN warnings and have had no problem with the DAB even on our dubious local radio station the pays for the cheapest transmission!
I am not endorsing the use of LED bulbs for highway use as they are not e marked for road use.
I am not recommending the dealer I bought them from either, he did me no favours!!
If your interested in the LED they are called F2, they are apparently a true 36w (some manufacturers lie apparently!) with an output of 6000 lumens. We have tried driving towards each other and although you can tell the lights are bright they do not dazzle, make sure they are set up properly if your going to use them.

View attachment 33073

Are these photos on high beam or low beam?

 

[Depron Donkey]

Are these photos on high beam or low beam?

All low beam, high beam as yet untouched. I have coded the low beams to stay on with high beam though.

 

[trooutie]

I’ll give you a ring and arrange.

Yes Andy. happy to meet in some dark place and check out lights .

The Chinese have allways had a problem in their lumen measuring and stating unobtainable outputs .
seeing as the Philips extreme ultinon H7 puts out just over 1000 lumens to 1300 I cant see 6000 coming from these lights and times 2. 12000 lumens is a lot of light
but they do look like an improvement over the Halogens .
be intersting to hook one up to a lab power supply and see what current it draws and how hot the heat sink gets .

 

[andys]

Yes Andy. happy to meet in some dark place and check out lights .

The Chinese have allways had a problem in their lumen measuring and stating unobtainable outputs .
seeing as the Philips extreme ultinon H7 puts out just over 1000 lumens to 1300 I cant see 6000 coming from these lights and times 2. 12000 lumens is a lot of light
but they do look like an improvement over the Halogens .
be intersting to hook one up to a lab power supply and see what current it draws and how hot the heat sink gets .

That’s what I was thinking, most of the aftermarket LED lamps I’ve seen tested have put out around 800-1000 lumens, 6000 would be record breaking! Bit like the 10000mAh 18650s that you see on eBay that actually turn out to be 1200mAh

 

[Depron Donkey]

Yes Andy. happy to meet in some dark place and check out lights .

The Chinese have allways had a problem in their lumen measuring and stating unobtainable outputs .
seeing as the Philips extreme ultinon H7 puts out just over 1000 lumens to 1300 I cant see 6000 coming from these lights and times 2. 12000 lumens is a lot of light
but they do look like an improvement over the Halogens .
be intersting to hook one up to a lab power supply and see what current it draws and how hot the heat sink gets .

I have an inline watt/ammeter I could set it up, might have a go this afternoon. You doing anything, I could come over if you give me a ring?

 

[trooutie]

I have an inline watt/ammeter I could set it up, might have a go this afternoon. You doing anything, I could come over if you give me a ring?

Happy after dark but mending the shed / brewery shed now we have a dry day

 

[T6180]

Anyone fitted these and are the just plug and play? Also are the separate canbus resisters plug and play or do they need separate wiring?

 

[StueyStuey]

Anyone fitted these and are the just plug and play? Also are the separate canbus resisters plug and play or do they need separate wiring?

View attachment 34369

Depends what headlights you have

 

[T6180]

View attachment 34369Depends what headlights you have

H7 Transporter HQ upgrades