H7 LED advice

[grahamwoodward]

So, what's the best upgrade for the H7 main-beams in my W211 e-class - Osram nightbreaker NB Ultimates?

 

[LostKiwi]

So, what's the best upgrade for the H7 main-beams in my W211 e-class - Osram nightbreaker NB Ultimates?

As good as anything and this will probably sound strange but if you want to fit LEDs to your high beam then it's not going to bother folks as high beam creates glare anyway. They're still not legal of course but you won't annoy anyone!
Just don't be tempted with HiDs as they're too slow to come up to brightness.

 

[grahamwoodward]

Thanks Lostkiwi. I just want better lights within the law and ones that last a reasonable time. The current 'standard' halogen bulbs are not up to the car's performance.

 

[LostKiwi]

The brightest H7s are probably Philips Racing Visions but they have a very short lifespan (mine lasted 3 months in low beam when I tried them). I now have Nightbreaker Lasers but I'm not convinced they're any better to use than Philips Extreme Visions (in spite of what spec sheets say).

 

[Craiglxviii]

The current highest light output H7 tested and validated in the market are the Nightbreaker Unlimited on 2500lm.

 

[monkeh]

I am talking about beam cutoff with stray light on the cutoff where it hits the road. MOT centre says they are spot on. I experimented on a few types of lamp assy before settling with plastic lenses with reflector diffuser. The glass fluting on glass lenses tend to throw about 2-3 mm of stray light outside the cutoffs, on the road, yes that's significant scatter.
Have you seen the design of the new higher power LED headlights? You can run and hide all you want saying they're illegal, But the design, temperature cooling, beam emission and glare cap have improved drastically over the past year. All depends on the housing you put them in, Projector, Plastic reflector are ok. Glass is a no no.
Illegal or not, They're on to stay. The law have said nothing apart from 'nice bike'. LED's are here to stay.

As for dazzling? Its not the 'illegal' kits being fitted, its the inconsiderate swines that drive around with bonk eyed headlights. Leave the 'kits' alone and focus on the ones that are shining their improperly aimed lights into space and our eyes.

 

[LostKiwi]

I am talking about beam cutoff with stray light on the cutoff where it hits the road. MOT centre says they are spot on. I experimented on a few types of lamp assy before settling with plastic lenses with reflector diffuser. The glass fluting on glass lenses tend to throw about 2-3 mm of stray light outside the cutoffs, on the road, yes that's significant scatter.
Have you seen the design of the new higher power LED headlights? You can run and hide all you want saying they're illegal, But the design, temperature cooling, beam emission and glare cap have improved drastically over the past year. All depends on the housing you put them in, Projector, Plastic reflector are ok. Glass is a no no.
Illegal or not, They're on to stay. The law have said nothing apart from 'nice bike'. LED's are here to stay.

As for dazzling? Its not the 'illegal' kits being fitted, its the inconsiderate swines that drive around with bonk eyed headlights. Leave the 'kits' alone and focus on the ones that are shining their improperly aimed lights into space and our eyes.

Fine you use them knowing they are illegal. It's up to you. But if you get prosecuted or have an accident and your illegal lights are found to have been contributory to the accident then don't moan about it.

I'm not hiding behind the fact they are illegal. I have no need to. Rather it's selfish people who knowingly fit these illegal lights because "they look cool innit bruv" or want the brightest lughts possible showing no regard for other road users or the law that hide behind statements such as "my mot centre says they're fine" or other such drivel trying to excuse the simple indisputable fact that they are still ILLEGAL!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Monkeh,

Amongst other things I actually do some little headlamp design work for one of the Big 5 automakers.

Your modification has dehomologated your bike. It is now not operating as it was designed to, it has been modified as Construction & Use regs have been contravened. Your insurance is invalid whether you realise it or not. If you take your bike abroad and it is inspected, it can be seized as an unhomologated vehicle.

You can bring out any argument you like. But very simply, if you fit anything other than an H7 (or whatever form factor) into a lamp homologated for it, that becomes illegal.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Monkeh,

Amongst other things I actually do some little headlamp design work for one of the Big 5 automakers.

Your modification has dehomologated your bike. It is now not operating as it was designed to, it has been modified as Construction & Use regs have been contravened. Your insurance is invalid whether you realise it or not. If you take your bike abroad and it is inspected, it can be seized as an unhomologated vehicle.

You can bring out any argument you like. But very simply, if you fit anything other than an H7 (or whatever form factor) into a lamp homologated for it, that becomes illegal.

 

[monkeh]

Monkeh,

Amongst other things I actually do some little headlamp design work for one of the Big 5 automakers.

Your modification has dehomologated your bike. It is now not operating as it was designed to, it has been modified as Construction & Use regs have been contravened. Your insurance is invalid whether you realise it or not. If you take your bike abroad and it is inspected, it can be seized as an unhomologated vehicle.

You can bring out any argument you like. But very simply, if you fit anything other than an H7 (or whatever form factor) into a lamp homologated for it, that becomes illegal.

'Rat bike', Self built to an extent. All 'mods' declared and insurance are happy with it. And it'll never make it to the continent, the only time it'll go overseas is if it gets stolen.

Agree to disagree, You go your way, I will go mine, Thread has totally gone sideways. I was answering the question asked. That's all.

 

[C350Carl]

Just don't be tempted with HiDs as they're too slow to come up to brightness.

That’s not true. There are fast strike HID out there but they would also be illegal.

 

[LostKiwi]

'

Agree to disagree, You go your way, I will go mine, Thread has totally gone sideways. I was answering the question asked. That's all.

So were we. You can disagree as much as you like but it will never change facts.
Your bike does not meet construction and use regulations as the light fitted does not use the appropriate e-marked components. . Nothing you say changes the fact that H7 LEDs are not approved for use in any country that uses UNECE regulations as the basis for it's vehicle regulations (most of the world). If you want me to quote the relevant UNECE regulations I'll dig them out for you.
If you want to use an LED headlight then get a unit designed for it and appropriately e-marked instead of trying to do it on the cheap using illegal and potentially dangerous components that are not fit for purpose.