Passat projector lens LED retrofit

kmax86

kmax86

kmax86

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Quick question motoring people.

We have a 2007 Passat (B6 I think as it has circular tail lights). The dipped beams are quite weak even after changing the bulbs. Tried Philips Xtreme Vision and Osram Nightbreakers and none of them gave improvements.

Now I think that car has projector type headlight as it has this circular thing surrounding the bulb. Will it be legal and safe to buy an H7 LED bulb to fit?

The LED kit I am looking at is https://www.aurorabulbs.com/collect...s-g7-led-4000-lumens-headlight-conversion-kit

Thanks
 
I'm planning on doing the same with my mondeo just as soon as a bulb needs changing as it's a full bumper off. Actually with the exact same leds.
Think you're okay as long as you have projector housings, just head straight to an mot place and get the light pattern checked if you're unsure.
 
Do MOT places accept walk in checks? I never heard of this before as here, as far as I know, you always have to be booked in for an MOT test to be in there.
Also pattern check is different to alignment check, correct?
 
kmax86 said:
Do MOT places accept walk in checks? I never heard of this before as here, as far as I know, you always have to be booked in for an MOT test to be in there.
Also pattern check is different to alignment check, correct?
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Of course you can have your lights checked. When I have changed my headlight unit before I've just gone in and asked them to check the lights and it's cost about £5.
 
I retrofitted hids to a projector type lens on an old shape jag XF.
Put it through an MOT at Jaguar just to be sure. Asked them to check the lights specifically and had the old ones in the boot just in case.
Went though with no issues.
 
LED bulbs are fantastic, and you don't need to spend anywhere near that much IMO, a £50 set should be equally as good. I have a £30 set as main beam and they are phenomenal. There's no reason why there should be any problems come MOT time.
 
Will try the walk MOT test for the lights when it is fitted. Thanks for the tip.

Do you have a recommended kit which is cheaper to the Philips from aurora bulb?
I just picked the Philips Kit as it seems well reviewed in another forum I visit.
 
You are right. Very wide range from £15 to £150 kits lol
Will probably get the TECHMAX or NightEye before going all in with Philips
 
Not sure to be honest. So far Ive seen differences in the following:
LED chip: Cree, Bridgelux, Lumileds
Cooling: Passive and active with Fan ranging from 5000 - 12000 rpm
PnP: Some do not require resistors for dash light warning
Lifespan: 20k to 50k hours
Looks: Some looks like a normal halogen without the filament/glass while others are like LED flashlights.

I find very confusing to be honest. So many choices.
 
kmax86 said:
Quick question motoring people.

We have a 2007 Passat (B6 I think as it has circular tail lights). The dipped beams are quite weak even after changing the bulbs. Tried Philips Xtreme Vision and Osram Nightbreakers and none of them gave improvements.

Now I think that car has projector type headlight as it has this circular thing surrounding the bulb. Will it be legal and safe to buy an H7 LED bulb to fit?

The LED kit I am looking at is https://www.aurorabulbs.com/collect...s-g7-led-4000-lumens-headlight-conversion-kit

Thanks
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Bull**** product with bull**** specifications.

They claim 4000lm but have only 4 Luxeon Z ES LEDs on the product. The Luxeon Z ES has a typical output of 245lm @ 700mA, or even if you get the BEST bin (which you won't) it's 290lm / LED. Bit of maths suggests that this equates to just 1160lm / bulb. "Ah, bu you can drive them harder" I hear you say. Well, yes you can. At maximum current they will produce 450lm, so 4 x 450lm = 1800lm. Still a long way of the 4000lm they claim. Maybe there are 8 LEDs (and we can't see the 4 on the other side). OK, that's 3600lm then, but that assumes optimal operating conditions, which I can guarantee you now will not be the case with these junk things or that design.

They claim 25W power consumption. 4000lm @ 25W = 160lm/W. LumiLEDs own data sheet says it's only 125lm/W for the LED itself, at 85 degrees C & 700mA (that's the 245lm output level). At maximum power (1200mA) the efficacy drops to just 113lm/W. This also does not take into account the thermal & optical losses of this design.

Finally, that heat sink is nowhere near big enough to dissipate 25W in an automotive application (it's probably only borderline big enough to dissipate 25W in a free ambient air situation but not without the LEDs running hotter than the rated values are calculated at, which will further reduce light output and dramatically impact on lifetime).

At the VERY best, these bulbs will deliver maybe 3000lm each at ~30W, and that assumes there are 4 LEDs each side, not just 4 on one side.

I would also wager that the only thing Philips have to do with these is the supply of the LEDs themselves.

Avoid.
 
Havana_UK said:
I would also wager that the only thing Philips have to do with these is the supply of the LEDs themselves.

Avoid.
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This, they're the same cheap Chinese tat as every other LED bulb is, they're just trying to play on the LED chip manufacturers name as if they make the bulb in its entirety.

Same with all the cheap 'CREE' branded torches on Amazon and eBay, CREE have nothing to do with the torches bar supplying an LED chip.
 
robj20 said:
Here don't advertise them as Philips bulbs, just Philips chip LED and state "powered by x16 Philips Luxeon ZES Chips". So what do 16 of them give you?

http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/headlamp-cree-led/5th-gen-4000-lumens/h7-5th-gen-4000-lumens

I wonder if the other site just have a stock photo, or there specs are wrong.

What are a good brand light to get in H7.
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16 LEDs could get you to 4000lm, but NOT at 25W (at least not with that particular LED), and that heat sink is still insufficient for dissipate that load and keep the LEDs at a decent operating temperature IMO.

Personally I would avoid any aftermarket LED retrofits for this sort of application like the plague.
 
Get 5000 or 6000k bulbs then? You'll get a bit less light output than standard 4300k but it will match led better. Most led are around 6000k.
 
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