What’s folks’ experiences upgrading car headlight bulbs to Cree LEDs?

I got a pair of these for my ’02 Civic. Fitted fine, dipped work as expected, but full beam doesn’t function (there’s no increase in light output). Have contacted the seller to try and shed some light (sorry) on the problem.

Has anyone else had unexpected problems with low/high beam with any LED bulbs? Or which ones worked for you?

Unless modern cars are different from when I last changed a bulb, “high” beam doesn’t increase the light output, it changes the beam pattern.

… Or change the beam pattern 🙂

Don’t most light units have 2 bulbs fitted? One for dipped and one for full beam, both different wattage.I may be wrong.

Yeah, if you look at the bulbs in the link they have LEDs on the outside for dipped, and a forward facing LED which is reflected back and projected forward. Which I why I assumed there would be an increase in output as it switched or added the additional LED.

Dont know how the electrics on a civic work ….

But is there a chance the led isnt drawing enough current to throw the relay ?

I know this is an issue when you bodge led bulbs into places they shouldnt be on land rovers. – main beam was through a relay , the dip beam wasnt always.

The bodge around it was to stick a resistor in line thus creating heat build up in a place not designed to take heat.

Ps i have a switchable cree led light bar on the front of my land rover . The led light temperature is horrible to drive with when the roads damp , id think twice about using them for my only headlights.

Thanks trail rat, I’ll maybe jump onto a Honda forum and ask about. I understand what you’re saying, but electronics goes a bit over my head!

Unless modern cars are different from when I last changed a bulb, “high” beam doesn’t increase the light output, it changes the beam pattern.

I don’t think that’s true. If you changed one bulb for both high and low beam, it probably had two filaments in it.

You’re both right.
A H4 bulb has two filaments, usually both 55 watt.
When you turn on main beam the dipped filament goes off and the main beam filament comes on – this is in a different position so the beam pattern changes, but the actual amount of light stays the same.

I’m hoping those aren’t the sort of bulbs that blind everyone coming towards you…

They are – just the same as any other bulb you buy if adjusted incorrectly…..

I’m hoping those aren’t the sort of bulbs that blind everyone coming towards you…

Chances are they’ll be less than perfect – headlight reflectors are designed around the precise point where halogen bulbs produce light, stick one of those cheapo HID bulbs off eBay in a standard reflector headlight and the chances are that the light source is going to be in the wrong spot, cue poor beam pattern and potential dazzle for oncoming drivers. I can’t see that an LED bulb is going to be any different from HID in that respect.

For reference: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

Also, the lumen output quoted in that eBay ad is, I think, lower than produced by a standard 55w H4 halogen bulb, which begs the question of why bother in the first place.

80w bulb and only 5-700 lumens? I think my Kitchen lights are 625 lumens from 8w. Could be a typo I guess.

i ve just fitted cree led to my 1959 ford pop. the reason for doing it wasnt to get more light but to reduce the energy usage so i could power an 80w radiator fan..

looking at the ad they aren’t intended to replace your headlamp, there’s no mention of high & low beam ?

if it’s not an LED and reflector that was designed by the car manufacturer it will never work. You are wasting your time.

And with stuff from the internet…Proceed with caution. See bigclive.com on you tube for reliable LED advice.

They’re illegal.

No CE markings so have not been approved for road use in EU, not even as a retro fit. Haven’t heard of any retro fit bulbs getting approval and this looks like a cheapo ebay special.

The LED light is emitted in quite a different way from an incandescent bulb so the reflector which does the work of focussing and directing the beam doesn’t work in the same way and thus beam throw is altered…the heat output is quite different too, I’d love to know how the heat sinks on those bulbs work inside a closed lamp housing ( I used to design car headlamps for a living) so this could cause internal heat damage to the cans or lens or just melt the whole lamp.

Sorry, but if you are stopped by the police that’s the case ( just like an aftermarket HID kit which is a non approved change to a car) and don’t think about trying to get the through an MOT either as its a defo fail.

You can use them but at your own risk and possibly every other road user too….

What about the LED fog light bulbs? Are they legal? or not?

If you fancy the best light upgrade buy yourself Osram nightbreaker. It’s got 4000k which all most looks like real deal HiD and emits nice white light.

I upgraded my company car lights with “nightbreakers” and Philips extra vision … and preffer osram. They last few months but I’m ready to pay price for light performance.

My private car has got proper HiD conversion. So there is something to compare with.

Was in Halfords at the weekend for a new £9 H7, noticed all their blindin’ upgrade bulbs and HID style bulbs were BOGOF, right up to the £35 a go floodlights.

Ah shit, thanks guys. I’ll stick the originals back in for the meantime. A bit too early for good, legal retrofit LEDs?

Those nightbreakers look pretty good for the money.

My private car has got proper HiD conversion.

As in proper projector units and not just HID bulbs pushed into the bulb reflectors?

Those nightbreakers look pretty good for the money.

Got Nightbreaker plus for £10 the pair for my grimy old Pug, my understanding that was about as bright as I could get legally without serious spends.