[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by R2D2

White light is uncomfortable in rain and fog where the light reflects off the rain or fog and partially dazzles the driver. That's why fog lamps are yellow. They also offer better throw in bad weather.

There are dual color options in LED available which gives the best of both worlds. I am happy with my most recent setup with oEdRo dual color LED Headlights. More details here: Dual Color LED - URL

Originally Posted by rosh_aveo1.4

Totally agree with most of the posts here saying the LED is not good.

I would agree as well as disagree. The problem I see is that the behavior of LED Headlights across the brands in not consistent and most brands make LED Headlights that scatter the light way too much and focus is less. Hence the advantage of the higher brightness of the LEDs is lost.

I upgraded to Lasfit lighting on my Honda City recently and found the same issues that everyone has called out here - the scatter of light and the glare for oncoming vehicles etc. My Lastfit experience is detailed here: Lasfit - URL

I decided to give it one more shot and upgraded again to LED Headlights from oEDro brand and found a completely different experience as compared to the Lastfits. The focus was spot on and the bulbs mirrored the behavior of stock halogens with additional brightness and throw. More details here: Oedro URL

In conclusion, its too early to dismiss LED bulbs as these are still evolving. Finding the correct LED Headlights that work fine is possible but requires lot of research and some good luck

[blackasta]

Thanks all for their comments & concern.
I personally feel from a driver's POV that the cut off line for these lamps are quite crisp.
Yet to find time to do the in person comparo with my colleague, plus check the cutoff possibly in front of a dark wall.
Shall post some pictures once the above exercise is done.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

There are dual color options in LED available which gives the best of both worlds. I am happy with my most recent setup with oEdRo dual color LED Headlights.

Thanks for this tip, these bulbs consume 40 W according to Amazon. It's the 9000 RPM cooling fans' longevity that concerns me. And according to one customer radio interference is also present. Are you facing this issue?

My car uses factory fitted HID on the low beam (which I will not change) and 9005/HB3 halogens on high. Fitting LED bulbs may be a problem due to the large heat sink and limited space behind the LHS headlamp assembly. Need to recheck this.

But for $55 excl. shipping this kit seems to be a good deal.

[McLaren Roxx]

Originally Posted by R2D2

I stay away from 100/90s after premium bulbs were made available. Best part? No need to install an aux harness, no additional load on the alternator or the battery when the car at running at low RPMs in the city.

If your car's reflector can stand the heat from a 100/90 set then it's good but one doesn't know till you see the slow deterioration i.e. yellowing of the lens, discoloration of the reflector surface, melting of the bulb holder etc.

The current generation of bulbs are UV cut so they do away or at least slow down the discoloration of the lens to a great extent.

White light is uncomfortable in rain and fog where the light reflects off the rain or fog and partially dazzles the driver. That's why fog lamps are yellow. They also offer better throw in bad weather.

Heating point to be noted. 100/90s are definitely not recommended for projectors or reflectors which are extremely tiny.

It is also important to go in for a good quality relay which will be able to handle the added load and have higher quality ceramic holders. Cheaper ones compromise on these and you end up with a melted holder or blown fuse/fuse holder.

I have these on my Alto for over 10 years now and absolutely no damage seen. Battery holds up well and overall performance/user experience is great.

I would personally opt for a projector setup upgrade rather than the LEDs that have flooded the market off late.

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Thanks for this tip, these bulbs consume 40 W according to Amazon. It's the 9000 RPM cooling fans' longevity that concerns me. And according to one customer radio interference is also present. Are you facing this issue?

My car uses factory fitted HID on the low beam (which I will not change) and 9005/HB3 halogens on high. Fitting LED bulbs may be a problem due to the large heat sink and limited space behind the LHS headlamp assembly. Need to recheck this.

But for $55 excl. shipping this kit seems to be a good deal.

I had read those reviews as well - I have checked for the Radio Interference and did not face it with the Stock Head Unit of the Honda City. If I go near the Headlights and keep my ear against the headlights, the whirring of the fan can be felt. It is a very mild sound and does not seep into the cabin even if the window is not rolled up.

Yes, the Oedro brand is not available on AliExpress and cheaper shipping options are not available. I am also planning to buy another pair in the HB3-9005 socket type for my High Beam but waiting for the next person who could carry it for me from the USA to avoid the heavy shipping cost

[aspire]

Originally Posted by R2D2

I would strongly recommend going in for high(er) output premium H4 bulbs instead of LEDs.

Can you please recommend some of these bulbs, I had gone for the Night breaker plus for my elite i20, its definitely better than stock bulbs, but still has room for improvement, Mine is the first generation elite i20,what would you recommend for me?
BR
Shailesh

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by aspire

Can you please recommend some of these bulbs, I had gone for the Night breaker plus for my elite i20, its definitely better than stock bulbs, but still has room for improvement, Mine is the first generation elite i20,what would you recommend for me?

I assume you are referring to Osram Night Breakers, these along with the Philips Xtreme vision are some of the best. If you find the Osrams lacking the only other option is to try the similarly specced Philips product. The caveat being you may not find much of a difference if any at all.

100/90s are an option but with drawbacks of heat, higher power draw and require aux wiring.

I think one needs to be realistic with these premium bulbs. They provide extra light whilst complying with manufacturer and motor vehicle department guidelines for power draw, heat, UV light emission, focus, glare reduction etc.

As for LEDs and HIDs, well, I dislike drivers whose headlamp glare causes other road users discomfort and temporary disorientation. The idea of good lighting is to illuminate the road not blind oncoming traffic which seems to be one of the purposes of those fitting HIDs/LEDs. This, to me, is irresponsible behaviour. Not really expected of the learned lot that we D/T-BHPians are. No offence to anybody here on this thread but we all know how upsetting it is when we are dazzled/blinded by an oncoming vehicle whose lights are not adjusted properly or those morons who do not dip their lights as a courtesy to other road users.

My recommendation? Stick to premium bulbs or if you are willing to risk your headlamp assembly try the 100/90s. But should you choose to fit LEDs please, please, please make sure the glare and focus are adjusted such that the headlamp beams do not disorient/blind oncoming traffic.

[autotranny]

BlackAsta, I had a pretty scary experience with Chinese aftermarket headlights on my old i10 (2009 - Magna AT).

I bought a pair of H4 White light bulbs, which were mentioned as 55/60W, from an automobile accessory dealer in Hong Kong. From day 1, I did not like the light throw ; but the bigger problem was that these lights started interfering with the electricals of the car . A couple of times, the car ignition cut off and on another two occasions my power steering locked up. All these happened within the first two days after switching to the new bulbs. While I could not pin point the exact issue, my FNG suggested swapping to my old Philips Rally Lights (100/90 with relay) and never thereafter this problem occurred.

By the way, I don't recommend the 100/90 either, because the heat was so bad that it damaged the reflector chrome and I had to do a full headlamp assembly replacement at the end of 3 years.

[McLaren Roxx]

Originally Posted by aspire

Can you please recommend some of these bulbs, I had gone for the Night breaker plus for my elite i20, its definitely better than stock bulbs, but still has room for improvement, Mine is the first generation elite i20,what would you recommend for me?
BR
Shailesh

100/90 Philips Essential Vision White Light | Rs. 700
Roots (or similar hi-quality) relay | Rs. 900

I have it installed in a 2001 Alto & 2010 i20. You will be happy, i am.

Heat isn't an issue as long as these are housed in a reflector setup and NOT projectors. Reflectors of most India cars are pretty large anyways.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by autotranny

BlackAsta, I had a pretty scary experience with Chinese aftermarket headlights on my old i10 (2009 - Magna AT).

Driving for a week with the new bulbs, touch wood no untoward incidents till now.
As I have mentioned earlier, safety shall not be compromised in any way, and if I get the hint that the bulbs are culprit for anything odd, they shall be removed.

[SnakemanJohny]

Just my two bits :

I have switched to FULL LEDs in my Gypsy King BS4 -- all interiors (cabin, dash, telltales) and exteriors ( side/parking, brakes, turn indicators with adjustable blink-rate flasher units from AMAZON.IN , reversing and fog lights) -- but left the headlights halogen. After trying out white LED fog lights ( I have one pair yellow too, for actual fog use) I too have seen that they are "all show and no go". Serve to impress, and glare the oncoming traffic if guys do not dip their high beams.

For real penetration power (visibility), halogens with their slight yellowish tint are best. Plan to go for higher powered units for more lumens.

LED bulbs in original headlights would only benefit the battery, wiring harness, switches and relays for their low load.

[TheMileCruncher]

Originally Posted by autotranny

By the way, I don't recommend the 100/90 either, because the heat was so bad that it damaged the reflector chrome and I had to do a full headlamp assembly replacement at the end of 3 years.

I upgraded to a pair of Phillips Rally 100/90W in December 2017 since I was scheduled for a Mumbai - Kashmir trip and the OEM 60/55W didn't offer much visibility. I haven't noticed any heat related issues yet (maybe it's too early).

Do you think it would be a good idea to switch back to the 60/55W for city driving and keep the Rally's only for long trips? Also, will it make any difference if I simply replace the bulbs (from 100/90 to 60/55) and continue using the same wiring harness I had installed for the 100/90's or do I need to get rid of the harness too?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by TheMileCruncher

Do you think it would be a good idea to switch back to the 60/55W for city driving and keep the Rally's only for long trips? Also, will it make any difference if I simply replace the bulbs (from 100/90 to 60/55) and continue using the same wiring harness I had installed for the 100/90's or do I need to get rid of the harness too?

Yes, shifting to 100/90s only when required would be a good way to reduce the chances of damaging the HL assembly. You can continue using the same wiring harness that you had installed for the more powerful bulbs.

[fighterace]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Driving for a week with the new bulbs, touch wood no untoward incidents till now.
As I have mentioned earlier, safety shall not be compromised in any way, and if I get the hint that the bulbs are culprit for anything odd, they shall be removed.

The issues that you'll face are

1. Low output due to heat- yes, the LEDs reduce output when hot, and since yours are passively cooled, summers can be problematic.
2. The LED chips are not the best in the business, hence focus is poor.
3. The removal of the dust cap will accelerate the detereoration of the headlamps.
4. Colour temperature is too hot for poor visibility conditions.

The last two factors caused me to revert back to halogens in my father's car.


If you really want an upgrade, go with HIDs. The sliding bulb type high low beam ones are the best- both in terms of output and focus. They'll destroy your reflectors over the years, but then, the real use of projector lenses is to hide burnt relectors . So dont worry. An average kit with a sliding cutoff shield will cut glare completely, if focussed well. And the high beam focus is also quite tight. Use it against all the rich morons who flash their OE lights as if they own the road. As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This was also one of my motivations for upgrading, and trust me the lights command respect .


I have been using them for about six months in the city and have done Delhi-Amritsar in the winter fog with them, so rest assured that I am not talking through my hat. Having said that, the upgrade is really not necessary unless you do highway drives at night. A switch from Halonix to Made in EU Philips or Osram or Hella REGULAR bulbs will also make a difference. Try that first.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by fighterace

The issues that you'll face are

1. Low output due to heat- yes, the LEDs reduce output when hot, and since yours are passively cooled, summers can be problematic.
2. The LED chips are not the best in the business, hence focus is poor.
3. The removal of the dust cap will accelerate the detereoration of the headlamps.
4. Colour temperature is too hot for poor visibility conditions.

The last two factors caused me to revert back to halogens in my father's car.


If you really want an upgrade, go with HIDs. The sliding bulb type high low beam ones are the best- both in terms of output and focus. They'll destroy your reflectors over the years, but then, the real use of projector lenses is to hide burnt relectors . So dont worry. An average kit with a sliding cutoff shield will cut glare completely, if focussed well. And the high beam focus is also quite tight. Use it against all the rich morons who flash their OE lights as if they own the road. As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This was also one of my motivations for upgrading, and trust me the lights command respect .


I have been using them for about six months in the city and have done Delhi-Amritsar in the winter fog with them, so rest assured that I am not talking through my hat. Having said that, the upgrade is really not necessary unless you do highway drives at night. A switch from Halonix to Made in EU Philips or Osram or Hella REGULAR bulbs will also make a difference. Try that first.

Normally 99% of my nighttime drives are office commutes ranging between 45 mins - 2 hrs, so don't think output fade due to heat shall be an issue.
Dust / muck are real threats - I have already ordered replacement dustcaps with rounded ends because else monsoon season muck shall mess it up big time.
I am , however, getting a pretty good focus point & cutoff with these bulbs.
I have already used Philips xtreme vision, and though output was about 20-30% better, the low beams conked off after barely an year of usage.
Don't wanna spend too much , so no HIDs on an almost decade old car.