Bulbs

[ANTO41belfast]

Hi got a company car last month. Cla 180 amg line but didn't get the led lights. Can you get bright white bulbs to replace all bulbs as I don't like the standard yellow looking lights. If so can anyone recommend and brand names as I don't know what to look for

 

[Gazwould]

All the 100%+ performance halogen bulbs aren't white .

To get white the bulb has to have completely blue glass .

 

[ANTO41belfast]

All the 100%+ performance halogen bulbs aren't white .

To get white the bulb has to have completely blue glass .

Cheers so instead of buying the conversion kit do I just buy blue holagen bulbs. Also are they road legal

 

[John]

Yes. A lot cheaper and less hassle than retro-fitting LEDs or Xenons. They are road legal. Something like these as an example:

Philips White Vision Ultra Upgrade Headlight Bulb Set - H7 | Euro Car Parts

 

[ANTO41belfast]

Yes. A lot cheaper and less hassle than retro-fitting LEDs or Xenons. They are road legal. Something like these as an example:

Philips White Vision Ultra Upgrade Headlight Bulb Set - H7 | Euro Car Parts

Perfect so that's the main bulbs sorted and links for the side lights. Also is it best to stay away from the eBay ones and go for a brand name

 

[John]

Just check you get the right ones for your car though - I just posted those as an example... they aren't necessarily for your car.

I would go with a trusted brand name. I see many cars with aftermarket DRLs probably purchased cheaply from eBay and either some LEDs are out, the whole thing is out one side, they are a crazy colour temperature, they may not match and / or it flashes like some late 80s Rave!

 

[ANTO41belfast]

Just check you get the right ones for your car though - I just posted those as an example... they aren't necessarily for your car.

I would go with a trusted brand name. I see many cars with aftermarket DRLs probably purchased cheaply from eBay and either some LEDs are out, the whole thing is out one side, they are a crazy colour temperature, they may not match and / or it flashes like some late 80s Rave!

I am looking at going for the brand name osram but they have so many different ranges. So it's either going to be osram cool blue intense or osram night breaker laser or night breaker unlimited. Now to find out which is better. Thanks for all your help by The way

 

[Chrishazle]

NB Unlimited are as good as Laser (I have UL in dips and Laser in mains), don't know about the latest version of Laser as that's the one version of NB I've not tried! Light output from UL and Laser is the same, but Lasers cost more! My NB's have lasted well, have dips on full time as I don't have DRL's.

 

[markjay]

Osram Blue Cool Intense aka CBI will give you a much whiter light with a bluish hue (the 'fake Xenon HID' effect), but won't actually produce much more light than the standard bulbs.
See also: https://www.osram.com/appsj/pdc/pdf.do?cid=GPS01_1056960&vid=PP_EUROPE_Europe_eCat&lid=EN

Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited aka NBU (replacing the older models 'Osram Nightbreakers' aka NB and 'Osram Nightbreaker Plus' aka NBP), will produce considerably more light, and a somewhat whiter colour. But their service life is relatively short (about half that of a standard bulb).
See also: https://www.osram.com/appsj/pdc/pdf.do?cid=GPS01_1090035&vid=PP_EUROPE_Europe_eCat&lid=EN

Osram Nightbreaker Laser aka NBL are the latest and - on paper at least - are the most powerful model in the Nightbreaker range, however reviews claim that it is not much better than the Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited (some even say it is actually not as good). Service life is short, similar to the Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited.
See also: https://www.osram.com/appsj/pdc/pdf.do?cid=GPS01_3043435&vid=PP_EUROPE_Europe_eCat&lid=EN
This was the most powerful model in the Nightbreaker range before the introduction of the newest model Osram Nightbreaker Laser (see below).

Osram Nightbreaker Silver aka NBS are a compromise between increased light output and service life - they produce more light than standard bulbs, are somewhat whiter, and last almost as long as standard bulbs.
See also: https://www.osram.com/appsj/pdc/pdf.do?cid=GPS01_3043414&vid=PP_EUROPE_Europe_eCat&lid=EN

And thanks to user 190 who pointed-out the Nightbreaker Silver - I have now ordered 4

 

[Gazwould]

I am looking at going for the brand name osram but they have so many different ranges. So it's either going to be osram cool blue intense or osram night breaker laser or night breaker unlimited. Now to find out which is better. Thanks for all your help by The way

Laser and Unlimited no good if you want white , has to have all blue glass .

 

[ANTO41belfast]

Laser and Unlimited no good if you want white , has to have all blue glass .

Will go for the cbi

 

[Gazwould]

There are others even rated to 5000K !

Probably the whitest is Philips 5000K Diamond Vision but not road legal ?

But there are road legal 5000K I've had good results with !

 

[ANTO41belfast]

There are others even rated to 5000K !

Probably the whitest is Philips 5000K Diamond Vision but not road legal ?

But there are road legal 5000K I've had good results with !

What's the road legal ones. It's a company car so has to be road legal

 

[Gazwould]

Stock

Ultra 5000K



In another car

 

[stephenmercedes]

What's the road legal ones. It's a company car so has to be road legal

That's a great company, paying for mods to their car! LOL And, if you're paying to mod a company car, why bother?

 

[ANTO41belfast]

That's a great company, paying for mods to their car! LOL And, if you're paying to mod a company car, why bother?

Lol they wouldn't get me the black edition they said next car in 3 years they will lol. I just don't like yellow lights and replacing the bulbs is cheap so why not

 

[markjay]

It is quite sad that LED conversion kits for Halogen driving lamps do no have ECE approval.

Osram and Philips make them, among other manufacturers, but they are sold to markets outside the EU (or for off-road use in the EU).

It would be a reasonably-priced upgrade (compared to complete HID retrofit) that enhances safety.

Not sure what are the hurdles to obtaining ECE approval.... presumably the main issue is dazzling oncoming traffic, but surely a technological solution can be found? E.g. complete new headlamp and lense, erc?

It seems that the only LED headlamps approved for use in the EU are those fitted by the car manufacturer and ECU controlled to prevent dazzling.

 

[stephenmercedes]

... I just don't like yellow lights and replacing the bulbs is cheap so why not

I get that. On my rust bucket, I changed the headlamp bulbs to 6000k temp, and LED sidelights, and LED fog lights. Also LED number plate bulbs, and 9 x interior bulbs all changed to LEDs. But it's my car LOL Must admit if it belonged to someone else, I wouldn't be fussed. Still, it's your money and you're obviously on a good wedge so fill your boots

 

[ANTO41belfast]

It is quite sad that LED conversion kits for Halogen driving lamps do no have ECE approval.

Osram and Philips make them, among other manufacturers, but they are sold to markets outside the EU (or for off-road use in the EU).

It would be a reasonably-priced upgrade (compared to complete HID retrofit) that enhances safety.

Not sure what are the hurdles to obtaining ECE approval.... presumably the main issue is dazzling oncoming traffic, but surely a technological solution can be found? E.g. complete new headlamp and lense, erc?

It seems that the only LED headlamps approved for use in the EU are those fitted by the car manufacturer and ECU controlled to prevent dazzling.

Are the osram not road legal. Also wonder what the laws are when we leave the eu

 

[markjay]

Are the osram not road legal. Also wonder what the laws are when we leave the eu

From:

LEDriving HL H7 Gen1 ≙ H7 | OSRAM Automotive

"Please note: These products do not have ECE approval. This means they must not be used on public roads in any exterior application. Use on public roads leads to cancellation of operating license and loss of insurance coverage."

I believe that nothing will change when we leave the EU. Most probably ECE will be replaced by BS.