Question about led bulbs headlights

[AliasFaux]

Thinking of upgrading my h7 bulbs with led ones and noticed that there are some that come with a driver and some that don’t. I’m assuming the ones that don’t use your hid xenon driver already present in your car while the ones that do come with a driver and are for cars with standard halogen bulbs which don’t have a hid xenon driver such as mine?

Can someone shed some light pls

Regards
AF

[Fitzy]

You’ll probably find your lights beam pattern will be out as your light units aren’t designed for LED bulbs, plus it migh not pass the next MOT with the LED’s fitted.

[Jim_S-V6_2004]

Snap, Fitzy!

In my view you're better off replacing your H7 bulbs with +130% "upgrade" bulbs, AF.

They are 55 Watt and are fully road legal.

They are a straight swap and they really do give out double the light, and my beams are now at least 50 metres long, and they light up the road brilliantly.

But they aren't all good quality.

I fitted Ring Xenon Ultima +120% and they lasted well over 2 years until I sold my S Type.

These bulbs are filled with 100% XENON gas, it's not just a name.

I fitted Philips Xtreme Vision +130% to my daughter's Kuga and the first one blew within a few months. The second bulb blew a few months later, less than a year.

I fitted another pair of Philips Xtreme Vision +130% to my Prado last year and they are both dimmed now.

I'm not happy and I won't be buying Philips again.

HID kits are illegal because of the reflector shape again plus no self levelling and no headlamp wash. And at 70+ Watts they can burn your wiring.

Blue "Styling" bulbs and bulbs over 70(?) Watts are illegal for road use too.

I've got another pair of Ring Xenon Ultima +130% waiting to fit in the Prado now. All are 55 Watts and not blue.

As far as LED bulbs go, despite all the excitement and marketing gumph, they are not focussed when fitted in H7 headlamps, and many people who have fitted them are dazzling oncoming traffic and the beams are not lighting the road as well as they were told they would.

Have a look here, I got my Ring Ultimas from them: http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

We've also got a thread in our S Type Stickies on upgrade bulbs.

I've not tried Osram Nightbreakers so I can't comment, but they too have a warning about short life.

And I wouldn't fit the +150% bulbs, which have an even shorter life, because there's no need.

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[S-Type Owner]

The 130% Ring H7s are currently on sale at autobulbsdirect.co.uk; these do not appear to be readily available here, "across the pond," so I ordered a spare set at the sale price!

[rchiv]

HID kits are illegal because of the reflector shape again plus no self levelling and no headlamp wash. And at 70+ Watts they can burn your wiring.

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From May 2018 HID kits are an MOT failure if the headlight unit has been modified in any way. Headlamp Leveling is standard on the later S Type.
I have a feeling that if LED's are fitted then they too could be a failure if there is any sign of modification.

Roger

[Jim_S-V6_2004]

From May 2018 HID kits are an MOT failure if the headlight unit has been modified in any way. Headlamp Leveling is standard on the later S Type.
I have a feeling that if LED's are fitted then they too could be a failure if there is any sign of modification.

Roger

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Auto levelling Roger?

I thought that was only on HID S Types, as it is regulations for it to be fitted?

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[Jim_S-V6_2004]

The 130% Ring H7s are currently on sale at autobulbsdirect.co.uk; these do not appear to be readily available here, "across the pond," so I ordered a spare set at the sale price!

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How much is the postage to you bud?

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[rchiv]

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Auto levelling Roger?

I thought that was only on HID S Types, as it is regulations for it to be fitted?

.

Yes, sorry Jim your right.

Roger

[S-Type Owner]

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How much is the postage to you bud?

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£10 for 2 sets. The point here is also that these Ring units are not readily available in the States...

[Jim_S-V6_2004]

Yes, sorry Jim your right.

Roger

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No apology needed Roger. I can't remember if my 2004 non-HID 2.5-litre S had the manual adjuster. Did they?

The plastic adjuster gears on my headlamps themselves crumbled, I used electrical terminal block slugs to prevent them from drooping and to adjust them, that worked well.

£10 for 2 sets. The point here is also that these Ring units are not readily available in the States...

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That's a good price, worthwhile.

Sometimes we see silly postage prices for light items from the States on eBay.

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