Better bulbs for Mk3 headlights.

[andyvee]

I personally wouldn't fit CANBUS ballasts, but Waqar has been running these for over 6 months.

I would like to try non Canbus Digital AC and see if they can be coded in, but someone is going to have to take the risk of buying some

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[R22JGB]

OK. I have just fitted the kit recommended by 1600cr, to my Scout and Success, all is working fine with no flickering, no faults and no bulb failure warning light!

Here is the link for the kit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181763048176?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The box is different to the one shown, but the kit supplied works well. I specified 4300K so as close as possible to a standard HID bulb without being too blue.

These are dipped beam H7R, I have yet to figure out what to do with the H15 Main beam/DRL bulb. I can source H15 HID, but there is a bit of a delay as HIDs "fade up" to full brightness, so I'm not sure if I want ago go down that route yet.

[aki78]

OK. I have just fitted the kit recommended by 1600cr, to my Scout and Success, all is working fine with no flickering, no faults and no bulb failure warning light!

Here is the link for the kit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181763048176?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The box is different to the one shown, but the kit supplied works well. I specified 4300K so as close as possible to a standard HID bulb without being too blue.

These are dipped beam H7R, I have yet to figure out what to do with the H15 Main beam/DRL bulb. I can source H15 HID, but there is a bit of a delay as HIDs "fade up" to full brightness, so I'm not sure if I want ago go down that route yet.

What about the beam pattern? Did you test it on a wall, etc?

Please post some (comparison) pictures if you have, thanks.

[R22JGB]

Aki78 here are a couple of pics showing beam pattern, the right hand light still has the Phillips X-treme vision +130 halogen bulb, the left hand light has the HID unit.

So you can see there is no glare head on and the pattern on the garage door shows the beam pattern and the cut off.

I now have fitted both HIDs

[R22JGB]

Here are a couple showing the kit and all safely tucked away into the headlamp unit

[aki78]

Thanks.

[1600cr]

Glad they worked well, the difference is huge - so much so that my "upgraded" Blue H15s aren't any brighter than my dipped HIDs. I'm gonna have to swap back to the std H15s to see if they're any better before figuring out what to do. LEDs have to be the answer for the full beams I think.

[andyvee]

Waqar fitted LEDs for main beam / DRL. Ask him what he bought? They worked well.

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[1600cr]

Cheers Andy.

[R22JGB]

I tried those but you could not see anything in front of you, there is hardly any light projecting ahead...

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Andyvee, don't think Waqar was impressed with LEDs

[andyvee]

Fair enough, didn't realise he had removed them

[andyvee]

Just realised, you have quoted Waqars response to the H7s. Aren't they the dipped beam?

Pretty sure he has LED H15 for main beam/DRL

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[ednmra]

Would it make any sense for me to go to my local Halfords and get them to fit new dipped bulbs for me? They seem to fit most things if asked (and paid!)

 

If so, what would you ask for?

[themanwithnoaim]

Don't recommend it Ed, I tried that first about a year ago, it wasn't the best of conversaions I've ever had and I'll try to remember the way it went

 

Basically they've 3 types of bulb upgrade, lets call them Bright, Brighter and Fn Bright.  All are street legal, none have a wattage on them or a temperature !!! Errrrrrr and none are available in H7, H8 and H15 so WTF

 

Haven't been back to Halfords since.

 

Yeah it is to do with the Court Order cos yes I did tell them whaat I thought of them

 

Regards

T

[Waqar]

Just realised, you have quoted Waqars response to the H7s. Aren't they the dipped beam?

Pretty sure he has LED H15 for main beam/DRL

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Yes andyvee is right I have led H15 still fitted for DRLs and main beam & H7r for dipped beam. Also have the fog lights coded to come on with main beam to compensate for loss of light using LEDs..

Works really well..

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[jonro2009]

Personally I wouldn't recommend HID in main beam, the initial draw to start them is higher than a standard halogen bulb, then they dip and fade up as the diode heats. These HID bulbs just aren't designed to be flicked on and off and only have a limited number of 'startups' in their life time. I would go with decent upgraded bulbs and look at coding in the fogs as Waqar has done. I'm not a big fan of HID in a reflector housing tbh, I am conscious that a cheap Chinese pair of bulbs just don't function properly and dazzle other road users.

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[R22JGB]

The HID kit I fitted is the same as 1600cr, the beam pattern does not appear distorted and I have yet to have someone flash me.

Close up to the car there is a bit of scatter, see the cut off on my previous picture, stand away from the car and there is no glare.

Really happy with the dipped beam, I just need to resolve the main beam!

[jonro2009]

I think the best resolution would be to code the fogs to come on with the main beam. From research and reading reviews, watching videos etc LED headlights have a very nice clean light but aren't as good as decent upgraded halogens. That's looking at other people's reviews though, I have no personal experience. On the black pack lights the difference between dipped and main beam was woeful!

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[AlleyCat`]

Out of interest has anyone used the H7 Osram Silverstars (as opposed to the nightbreakers).

I appreciate they aren't as powerful but i wonder if the trade off on longevity is better?

I assume, reading this, the H15's are still the "problem" bulb with regards to good / legal ones?

Edited 31 December, 2015 by AlleyCat`

[ajw1100]

The poor headlights became very apparent the other night, a twisty B road with no curb or street lights and a light drizzle. Could hardly see the mud at the roadside.

 

Okay, I cannot code anything, no VCDS. So need a plug and play improvement that will not screw up the Light Assist or the electrics, will not have splatter that may affect oncoming vehicles and will be legal and okay with the plastic lenses.

 

I may well replace all the front lights so keeping the colours similar would be an advantage but if I just replace the Main Dipped then that would not matter.

 

Looks like, reading these posts, the contenders could be H7 Osram NightBreaker Unlimted, H7 Philips X-Treme Vision + 130% or MTEC Super White-Pure White 4200K. Any others to consider?

 

There is a link to a set of HID's from Ebay but the sellers listing states that the one linked to is not suitable for a 2015 Octavia, is there an HID Plug and Play set that fits my needs?

[jonro2009]

I've used the Osram bulbs and they are very good but have a shorter lifespan, pretty amazing though. I would be tempted to try the Philips in the dipped beam and the Osram on the main. I'm not familiar with the MTEC bulbs, I've not heard people rave about them either, not like the other two you are considering.

HID plug and play are very hit and miss in my experience, some that say CANBUS do not actually do the job. Coding is certainly required on the MY15 Octy. Try giving HID Direct a call, they will be able to guide you and they are widely used and recommended on the Fabia forum.

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[johnrowley]

hi - been through the same with mine, tried a fair few combinations of bulbs (including the MTECs) finally settled and happy with Nightbreakers in the dipped (last longer than the fragile phillips) and Osrram Coolblue intense as the main beam. They are the weak point in the whole thing as they dont seem very distrance powerful but certainly a big improvement on the halogens. they are in my view the best in a somewhat limited choice in the h15. i sold all the ones i had tried on ebay before Christmas a fair collection so it has proved an expensive research project but I'm a high mileage driver and like to see adequately where I'm going. - still not as good as xenons though !

[themanwithnoaim]

No love for the MTEC's John ? mine are still running fine, increase in distance is an issue but, I find the brighter colour light far easier on my eyes.

[johnrowley]

yes I liked the lighter colour - the much whiter light made illuminated items much clearer, sadly there didn't seem to be much illumination! they didn't seem to me to be very powerful at all and overall not much better (distance particularly) than the standard setup. The phillips 130's were excellent for the dipped but 1 went after clipping a pheasant lightly on the headlamp and the replacement blew for no apparent reason, so the nightbreakers went in and so they remain.

what I do find irritating is the inside of the headlamp lens appearing to be dirty, seems to be dust on the inside of the lens and cloudiness presumably from condensation drying

we now have a street lamp that works in the village so .....   no ill not get started on that

[GoneToBeemer]

I know I've already said it, but someone needs to try PIAA Extreme White Plus bulbs - best upgrade bulb I've used by a country mile, and they don't blow after 5 minutes of use!