Thread: LED Headlights

I was trying to think of a way to make them look to my satisfaction on the D2...but now I have a D2a and the lights are chalk and cheese....no longer any urgency!

Originally Posted by Carnut1100

Nice!
what brand did you get?
Good to hear there is finally something that isn't absolutely rubbish....

I got the ridiculously pricey Philips Ultinons(~ $200 for the pair) and easy to fit into the D1's lights (and D2's as they're the same design).

Many of the cheap H4 LEDs use large heat sink designs that won't allow the rubber cover to fit back on, without cutting it up first, and obviously creating a leaky mess.

The Ultinons use a removable heat sink, so you install the globe re fit the rubber boot and then screw the heatsink 'thing' on at the end.
They do use a separate electronics box tho, but the lead is long and the box could be installed in the engine bay if need be.
But the lights pull out easy-peasy, and I installed each electronics box behind the lights with very short self tapping(metal) tech screws .. plenty of room for them in there.

My options were to re do the lights wiring loom, or find LED options. LED option was more expensive, but as they only run at 13w each, they draw less than half the amps of a halogen .. so in effect without touching the wiring, it's a similar overall effect as replacing the wiring!
No more dull yellow glow .. brilliant white light instead .. I'd estimate at least 2 x brighter .. maybe more.
In fact, on high beam, the LED headlights have rendered my lowline slim 12x5w LED light bar pretty useless, other than for a bit more spread that the light bar gives.
With the halogens the light bar added a ton more light .. but with the LEDs you can see a difference.. just no much.

Dunno if they are ADR compliant, but have a look at the design of the Ultinons, and how they're properly the led chips are properly shielded and the distances of each chip is spot on as per a halogen H4 design.
Far from those pathetic multi chipped H4 LEDs that scatter the light output randomly.

Philips(.com.au) don't list ADR or ECE compliance on their website, but by the same token they haven't noted anywhere on the Ultinon specific site that they are not road legal, or for 'off road' use only .. I have seen references to them being ADR compliant .. but I'm reading any kind of authority on that info.
Philips site only mentions getting a licensed mechanic to fit them .. and the way I read their related info on that topic is that some models of cars may not be compatible due to canbus/operational issues.
They work perfectly on the D1.

As for the lights themselves .. if they aren't ADR compliant, Philips(au) aren't doing them justice! they work brilliantly(pun intended).
My observations of them over the past year or so:
viewed independently, or in isolation from any other light source .. they just look white .. bright white. In terms of colour they are actually a tad green, but when you don't have any other lighting reference to compare, they just look white.
After years of being used to halogens, they look plain old white. Pull up to another vehicle with halogens tho, and the Philips are heaps brighter, no matter what car you're next too.
Where the colour illusion comes into play tho, is that if you look hard enough you then see the very slight green tinge that they produce. You only see this when you have a 'reference' point to compare against tho.
When I turn on my slim LED light bar, the light bar LEDs are much more blue compared to the Philips.

The light throw is perfect. My D1 has the front down bum up suspension attitude(how I got it!) .. so the lights are pointing a bit downwards to begin with.
Light throw tho is pretty much OK, could do with a bit of a tweak up relative to other cars I drive, but what's noteworthy is that the light cut off is sharp and well defined(about 20-30m up the road). You can clearly see the white cut off point where the light seems to 'end'(so to speak). I've viewed the D1 from in front with them on, and they don't scatter light at all, in fact they barely look bright from head on.
Left side of the road has a well defined delineation as well that rises up at about 45° and forward. helps with peripheral vision. RHS side of the road doesn't do the same, so oncoming drivers don't get blinded.
With the Halgoens you can't see that delineated light cut off point at all ... they just faded to nothing by comparison.
Like I said tho, the halogens were current limited due to the old wiring loom ... for sure. I'm sure that a loom upgrade would have brought them back up to acceptable levels.

I drive trucks for a living, and mostly at night. They all have standard halogen lights, and I hate them now.
Brother's D2 has some 'ice blue' type halogens(can't remember brand tho) .. and I prefer the Philips LEDs.

In terms of easier to see details from the lights .. I do prefer the slightly bluer white colour of the LED light bar.
I do a fair bit of my recreational travelling at night time, and even tho you can't see much at night, you can still see some things .. enough to know what you want to know(if that makes sense).
I've driven on remote gravel roads with the headlights blocked with cardboard using only the lightbar as the light source, and the details I'm looking for are more easily spotted with this bluer white light(for me).