Should I upgrade headlight bulbs (1 Viewer)

[Darthnog]

I dont often drive my motorhome at night, but recently I noticed that the headlights were not very bright, nothing like my ev. I have a 2021 fiat ducato based motorhome. My question, is it worth upgrading the bulbs, has anyone done it, was it worth it. some claim 150-200% brighter seems quite a big claim. Also we are going on our first European trip in July and would love bright headlights for it.

 

[PP Bear]

Sorry, you lost me at EV

 

[PP Bear]

I upgraded all the front bulbs on mine, I fink it was worth it

 

[Lenny HB]

Have a look at this thread.

LED H7 headlight bulbs upgrade - impressed (so far)

Before I start, I know that most LED bulbs are not e-marked, and they work much better in general with projector headlamps rather than the old fashioned reflector headlamps that are fitted to Fiat Ducatos. I have fitted these knowing that they aren’t authorised for road use, so please don’t...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Guigsy]

If you want a simple upgrade, Osram Night Breakers are a good step up from OEM bulbs.

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[pappajohn]

If you want a simple upgrade, Osram Night Breakers are a good step up from OEM bulbs.

With a much shorter lifespan in general.

 

[meanders]

You need to check that the bulbs you intend to use are legal. A lot are not mainly because the beams cannot be accurately profiled and they cause a lot of 'spill'.

Also the 'brightness' claim is likely to be a nonsense? What are they measuring and at what distance? Lumens for light, like decibels in sound is logarithmic and not linear in profile.

Remember if driving at night abroad unless you are lucky enough to have units where you can vary the dip pattern between left and right, you will have to use beam deflectors. I don't know for certain, but suspect if replacing with LED rather than better filiament lamps, that they will catch less of the beam and therefore the overall dazzle factor to oncoming traffic will increase making it far more likely that you will be pulled over.

I was with someone in an EV in the dark a few weeks ago and they proudly told me how they have put the lights on maximum height so they can see even better! At every other drivers expense. I hate having them behind me as they cast such a shadow it looks as though you are constantly driving into a dark patch, yet I could comfortable read a newspaper inside my car from the spill bouncing off my headlining. I understand the AA are making a formal complaint to VOSA about the very bright and poorly focussed lights as they see it as a safety issue.

There is a fundamental issue with single source LED lamps with lack of focus because the source is so big. In entertainment we have either multiple focussed LED sources in a single unit for a wash, or a single COB unit with substantial optics to focus the beam for a spot light. There is no room in a car to install the appropriate optics because they look like this when housed.

Rant over.

 

[Jake Royd]

I have upgraded to Nightbreakers.
Yes, their life is shorter than a std bulb but you are not using them every day, so I think it's a good trade off.

 

[pappajohn]

I was with someone in an EV in the dark a few weeks ago and they proudly told me how they have put the lights on maximum height so they can see even better! At every other drivers expense

Before my brother became a college lecturer he was an MOT tester.
He had a solution to this problem.
He adjusted LED lighting to its lowest possible effective setting.....no more dazzle from those cars

 

[Darthnog]

Have a look at this thread.

LED H7 headlight bulbs upgrade - impressed (so far)

Before I start, I know that most LED bulbs are not e-marked, and they work much better in general with projector headlamps rather than the old fashioned reflector headlamps that are fitted to Fiat Ducatos. I have fitted these knowing that they aren’t authorised for road use, so please don’t...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Thanks Lenny,

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[Manic]

Also we are going on our first European trip in July and would love bright headlights for it.

Why would you need brighter headlights with longer days?

 

[Mikeco]

I have upgraded to Nightbreakers.
Yes, their life is shorter than a std bulb but you are not using them every day, so I think it's a good trade off.

I fitted those as well and quite a bit better than the original ones.

 

[Guigsy]

With a much shorter lifespan in general.

I ran Night Breakers for years and never had one fail. They aren't cheapo over driven fragile filaments.

 

[3crispies]

fitted Hid upgrade kit, that bright dont need full beam and fully compliant. Will see if I have any pics... can only be fitted on main beam and have an equivalent upgrade lamp to match for high beam.

 

[dunnah01]

Tried all sorts of Nightbreaker, LED, HID etc in various cars. Only HIDs made any real difference but were borderline illegal. Eventually gave up and stuck with std halogens and lived with them.

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[Bessy765]

We have a 2019 Burstner, with the little round headlights with a single bulb and a motor to dip or main beam, the old saying P***holes in the snow springs to mind. Anyone found a solution to overcome this

 

[Jez1966]

Why would you need brighter headlights with longer days?

Winters coming

 

[Lenny HB]

We have a 2019 Burstner, with the little round headlights with a single bulb and a motor to dip or main beam, the old saying P***holes in the snow springs to mind. Anyone found a solution to overcome this

Same in my Hymer I fitted LEDs and can now actually see at night.
See the thread I linked to in post #4, my install is in the thread

 

[pappajohn]

fitted Hid upgrade kit, that bright dont need full beam and fully compliant. Will see if I have any pics... can only be fitted on main beam and have an equivalent upgrade lamp to match for high beam.

HID.... do you have headlamp washers and wipers.
HID must have both to be legal.

 

[Lenny HB]

HID.... do you have headlamp washers and wipers.
HID must have both to be legal.

Also have to be self leveling lamps.

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[Jez1966]

HID.... do you have headlamp washers and wipers.
HID must have both to be legal.

No knowledge on the requirements, BUT when was the last time you saw a car with headlight wipers.
Best recollection is the 1990's Volvo, SAAB, BMW unless I've missed one in the past 30 years.

 

[CAB96]

Philips Pro were the brightest I could find which didn't have a reduced lifespan.

Edited to add: yes, worth doing, and then you have a spare set of bulbs as well!

 

[Darthnog]

Why would you need brighter headlights with longer days?

It still gets dark at the end.

 

[Darthnog]

Philips Pro were the brightest I could find which didn't have a reduced lifespan.

Edited to add: yes, worth doing, and then you have a spare set of bulbs as well!

My thoughts exactly

 

[Orion]

I found the headlights on our 2022 Ducato were woeful. Replaced the bulbs with Beamtech fanless LEDs (I’ve used them before to good effect in other vehicles) and it’s massively improved the night driving experience. The cutoffs are still well defined and the spread, with the nearside bias maintained, also good. Not having any issues with oncoming traffic. No canbus errors.

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[RustyRuss]

I’ve fitted LED’s in my dip beams, they are much better in terms of overall light output, but the beam pattern needs to be adjusted a little, they aren’t as clear cut as I’d like, but they are MUCH better than the originals. The main beams are truly astonishing, like driving with a full rally spec set up whilst maintaining the original beam pattern. Worth doing in my opinion. Judging the difference in light output is very subject because the mark one eyeball fitted to the average human is quite good at adapting to different light levels, so my subjective thoughts are dipped beams are about 60% better and main beams about 100% better.
If I had access to a light meter I’d be able to give you accurate figures……

Cheers!

Russ

 

[TDub49]

This article might shed some light on the debate https://www.driving.co.uk/car-clinic/gadgets/are-led-headlight-bulbs-for-cars-legal/ (unless the rules have changed since 2022 when it was published).

 

[3crispies]

HID.... do you have headlamp washers and wipers.
HID must have both to be legal

They are only CE approved so not road legal due also to oem reflector possibly. Point I was making the after market Leds are bright and thats it, no proper light dispersion. When I put a light meter on these about 5m away they were if I remember 120% brighter than originals which will do for me....

 

[Tonks]

With a much shorter lifespan in general.

Maybe, but at least changing my bulbs to Nightbreakers means I now have SOME chance of seeing the road ahead, rather than the candlepower I had before.