Better bulbs for Mk3 headlights.

[GavtheGat]

Cant recommend Nightbreakers enough, quality bulb. Hopefully there do a H15 equivalent. Have osram cool blue 501's as rear number plate bulbs

[themanwithnoaim]

Gav, I couldn't find either nightbreakers or nightbreaker unlimiteds in H8 or H15

 

FYI Nightbreakers are 3600k whilst the unlimiteds are 3900K

 

Regards

T

[Keith64]

DRL's look good Tony compared to my yellow ones  ...LED Perf H15's it will be then....  Going to stick with my Nightbreakers Unlimited until they blow or the cars's changed.

[themanwithnoaim]

Keith Fogs ? or are you sticking with the yellow's for practicality ?

 

We've got Fog forecast for the morning so, I'll get an early chance to check what white light is like in the real world.

 

Regards

T

[Keith64]

Don't think I'll bother about the fogs..  I believe that the yellowness (?) would be an advantage in fog as brilliant white is more likely to bounce back, like using your main beam in fog. Its a bit pea soup out now...!

[themanwithnoaim]

No fog here, guess I'll have to wait

[Dr Zoidberg]

I put some of the Philips Vision XTreme in mine yesterday, but last night when I went out, the high beam assist wasn't playing nicely.
I don't know whether it was slightly confused by the higher light output and decided that I didn't need high beam or what, but I had to turn it on manually (how quaint).

Has anyone else had similar issues?

[themanwithnoaim]

No issues for me, HBA functioning perfectly.

[gasman58]

hi tmwna im a bit confused m8. but that doesnt take much. im wanting to change all my front bulbs as well but not sure wats what.first can u tell me how many bulbs there is. is it one for main beam and one for dipped beam and one for the lights thats on during the day.i would like to use all the same as u so at least they are same colour cause they look brilliant and bright. sorry about such a basic question m8

[themanwithnoaim]

Hi gasman58

 

H7 do the dipped beam

H8 do the front fog lights

H15 do the main beam and the DRL (lights that are on during the day) they use a lower voltage I believe for the DRLs, I dunno how that bit works but, it does.

 

Hope that all helps

 

Regards

T

[johnrowley]

Tmwna - how are the lights now you've had them a few days - is there much improvement?

John

[themanwithnoaim]

John, I reallly like the new bulbs so far, I've even been 100 yards behind a copper at 5am and not got a tug so, they must look legal enough for them, they were doing 48mph in the outside lane of NSL dual carriage way so, I had to assume they were desparately looking for someone to pull over.

 

I don't think they have a far greater range (unlike the Nightbreaker Unlimited claims) maybe 5 or 10 yards longer but they are way brighter, got a lot of praise from the guys at the meon hut meeting tonight however, I went out in a vRS with Bixeons and they ain't even close to them but, far better than standard.  In short well worth the £84 including exchange fees I paid for them.

[johnrowley]

Brill thanks for that !!

[D@z]

these look interesting:
http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/2-x-h15-80w-12v-cree-xbd-smd-16-5w-high-power-canbus-white-led/

[themanwithnoaim]

The only thing I'd ask about them D@z, is do they do them in H7 & 8's also, I Fn hate it when I see a car with two or three even slightly different colour lights, its my OCD kicking in.

 

You've also gotta remember the H15's are dual voltage, the lower voltage being for the DRL and are they white then ?

[themanwithnoaim]

D@z, those bulbs don't state a colour/temp. or whether they are for road use or not. Certainly ask for some more info.

[D@z]

yeah very true, as they are LED, im sure they look great for DRL, but probably not going to match the H7 dip bulbs so well!

[iDENTITi]

Hi gasman58

H7 do the dipped beam

H8 do the front fog lights

H15 do the main beam and the DRL (lights that are on during the day) they use a lower voltage I believe for the DRLs, I dunno how that bit works but, it does.

Hope that all helps

Regards

T

DRL is second filament full voltage, side light is same filament dimmed (I think using PWM not voltage drop, but don't quote me).

Hence why the sidelight looks so "orange".

Full beam is it's own filament and the full 55 or 60w and a different beam shape.

[themanwithnoaim]

IDENTITI, I just had a look at the standard H15's I took out and you're absolutely right, twin filament with three supplies, I take it they share the neutral.

 

D@z, I got a look at some Nightbreaker Unlimited's Tuesday night at the meon hu meet and although, showing bright white down the road, looking at the headlamps from various angle there's a hue of blue in the reflectors themselves.  As I say the road is bright white but I'd be ****ed off looking at them with people pointing it out and you just know its gonna happen especially at a club meet.

[iDENTITi]

IDENTITI, I just had a look at the standard H15's I took out and you're absolutely right, twin filament with three supplies, I take it they share the neutral.

D@z, I got a look at some Nightbreaker Unlimited's Tuesday night at the meon hu meet and although, showing bright white down the road, looking at the headlamps from various angle there's a hue of blue in the reflectors themselves. As I say the road is bright white but I'd be ****ed off looking at them with people pointing it out and you just know its gonna happen especially at a club meet.

Didn't realise they shared a neutral, I just knew from when I looked at replacements, how damn expensive they are, and how little choice there is!

[themanwithnoaim]

I'll see if I can get a closeup photo of the H15's filament and  power supply pole arrangement also I agree H15's are like rocking horse **** but, it could be worst the vRS has H16 front fogs !!!

 

New platform I suppose.

 

Regards

T

Edited 4 December, 2014 by themanwithnoaim

[iDENTITi]

Cost saving I think, all the MQB cars use a shared high beam bulb.

Less wire, less holders, simpler design with only two reflectors, all adds up.

They seem exactly like an older H4 bulb, only with the dip being a lower wattage.

I think until they're widely used (ala h4,h7,h1 etc) there won't be much choice.

I also think if I'm right with them being PWM controlled, the car might not like an upgraded bulb.

[gasman58]

hi all iv replaced all my front bulbs for leds. h7,for dipped beam,h8 for fogs and h15 for main beam and drl.but my question is there a seperate bulb for the sidelights as they are still yellowish. cheers

[Keith64]

hi all iv replaced all my front bulbs for leds. h7,for dipped beam,h8 for fogs and h15 for main beam and drl.but my question is there a seperate bulb for the sidelights as they are still yellowish. cheers

Your side lights are your DRLs. The H15 is a dual element bulb. Hope this helps.

[themanwithnoaim]

DRL is second filament full voltage, side light is same filament dimmed (I think using PWM not voltage drop, but don't quote me).

Hence why the sidelight looks so "orange".

Full beam is it's own filament and the full 55 or 60w and a different beam shape.

Gasman, it would seem iDENTITi has already told us the sidelights are the same bulb as the DLR's using PWM (whatever that is) that makes them orange/yellow.

 

I need to take a look at this, I've seen some guy on here posting about different VCDS settings for lights, must be something in there to maintain DLR's instead of switching to sidelights, its the only way I can think around this issue as we're not gonna fight the hard wiring of the lighting system so, it'll have to be a software switch.

 

I'll come back to you when I've sussed it.