W219 CLS - LED H7 Headlights Installd (Novsight)

[DSK]

Despite my best efforts, I could not find anything helpful on google about successfully upgrading a W219 (2007) to LED headlights. I recently changed the bulbs to a new spare set of Osram cool blues which made no difference to the standard poor light output of the CLS's lights.

I have run HIDs on all my cars and bikes over the years but, lately LEDs have come a long way. So for the cost, I decided to try out the following after much research for a change over HIDs.

Optional decoder (didn't need it in the CLS)

I used a dremel style tool to open the gap in the metal bulb holder.
The LEDs units were a little fiddly to get to secure into position, having to do it by feel due to the poor access and depth of the recess of the lights in the CLS.

• The above units pictured, give a white 6000K sytyle light (looking at it in the day).

• The design of the LEDs pictured allow all the cable and built in box to fit inside the light housing and the cap to be placed back on, without any further messing around.
• I did not need the additional decoder and the lights are flicker and trouble free, should anyone else find themselves looking for a quality set that is just plug and play.

When I get a chance to take the car out at night I'll provide an update but, in the day light, looking at the intensity of the bulbs lighting the garden wall, I'm initially impressed.

 

[star]

Wait for it.

 

[LostKiwi]

Wait for it.

And here it is.

That upgrade is totally illegal as the light source does not comply with lighting regulations.
Colour temperature is also too high as it is tending to the blue end of the spectrum which is known to be a major factor in causing dazzle. Typically colour temperature should not exceed 5500K and oem is more usually 4300K to 5000K.

To be legal all components need to be UNECE approved and carry the appropriate E marking to indicate compliance. You cannot get H7 approved light sources in any other technology than halogen.
Fitting of illegal light sources may invalidate your insurance and may cause MOT issues (my local Mot tester has said this is an area of VOSA interest that will come under more scrutiny in future updates). My MOT tester already fails obviously incorrect light sources.

Incidentally the claims on the packaging are misleading. It states 360 degree illumination but it's obvious from the design there will be two major sources of shadow where the metal support from the LED shields the beam. This is one of the (many) failings of these conversions.

 

[Craiglxviii]

6500K? Very non ideal for road illumination. Good for spotlights though.

Plus, everything what LK said...

 

[Craiglxviii]

The reason that 360 degree illum is stated is because the light output has only been calculated (in candela) and not measured as a cast beam (in lumens). So, it’s a pretty meaningless comparison with anything else.

Which makes one wonder why the manufacturers don’t simply state their light output, if it’s so good? Almost certainly because it isn’t so good. Also, if it’s beyond 2000lm the car will require headlamp cleaner system to be installed.

 

[Botus]

6000 seems to be the std. and it works OK, but no doubt they are idiots, 5500 would OK at a stretch, 5000 would be about right

6500 will be an issue in fog where you will be able to see precisely nothing at all

 

[Craiglxviii]

4200K is the standard white CCT for Automotive OEM headlamps. Not 6000, at that CCT there will be issues with illumination.

 

[DSK]

Interesting points. The shadow that you mention is news to me. I understood that upto 6000K was OK and 8000K or more is the boy racer blue where light quality also drops drastically. I thought this was a decent kit by Novsight as it stated its DOT approved with a decent beam cut off (rather than scatter etc) and comes with a mini driver box all built in. In reality these look no more than 6000K, if that, from my experience over the years with 5000-6000K HID kits.

I appreciate there are many individuals who will spend £15 and get the cheapest thing and shove it in regardless (e.g using a non reflector/anti-glare style HID bulb in reflector lamps etc) but, I personally try to get the best I can, (legalities aside) to ensure beam and quality. I do not have any issues with any of my other cars lights (we do occasionally travel in convoy) but, they are always checked at the local MOT station whether the lamp assembly is removed or not to ensure any minor tweaks if can be made (if required) following any bulb change. Just had the other 3 cars MOT'd without issue. CLS goes in next time its out. If they tell me to remove them or highlight any concerns, then I am the sort of person who will remove them and replace them for the strongest halogen's I can find or see if the facelift model light assemblies are a viable option.

Anyway, managed to get a picture just before leaving it in the corner of the drive and heading back down south for the week.

 

[star]

Can’t be any worse than Audi’s Q7 leds or incorrectly fitted H7’s.

 

[Botus]

my point was regarding the "standard for after market LEDs" which are around 6000,

no idea why they are that stupid, 4200 to 5000 is much of a muchness, but 6000 is too blue and higher is stupid

 

[LostKiwi]

It cannot be DOT approved in the UK (not sure about US DOT but you aren't in the US). They cannot be e-marked as only halogens can be e-marked. They will also be illegal in EU countries.
You will probably pass the MOT as a tester cannot dismantle anything to check legality hence has to give the benefit of the doubt. Passing an MOT does not confirm legality. Likewise a sharp beam cutoff does not confer legality.
VOSA on the otherhand can take stuff apart at a roadside check. Whilst this is rare for cars it can happen if they feel something doesn't look right and may prevent you carrying on your journey.

 

[DSK]

On a side note, putting the legalities aside, as I understand, the issuesover the years originally were a poor combination of bulbs and reflectors style lenses causing the majority of issues (glare, beam pattern etc) but, projectors style lights were not supposed to suffer this problem as they focused the light better making such upgrades less of an issue.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Nope, the issues were and always have been that the car moves away from a homologated condition as soon as a non H7 lamp is fitted into a luminaire in a vehicle homologated for H7 lighting source in that luminaire.

The poor lighting performance just forms part of the detail froth surrounding the issues.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Projector / PES lamps have a major problem in the height of the slit and indeed the PES lens internally that the light must pass through. As all LED light contains more blue than any halogen, which tends to yellow, that blue will tend spread more due to the slit effect. So, unless one is fitting an LED lighting source into a projector designed for an LED lighting source (and now, validated for Blue Light Hazard) then there will be significant beam splitting effects noticeable by oncoming drivers, pedestrians, passing birds & aeroplanes etc.

 

[LostKiwi]

Projector / PES lamps have a major problem in the height of the slit and indeed the PES lens internally that the light must pass through. As all LED light contains more blue than any halogen, which tends to yellow, that blue will tend spread more due to the slit effect. So, unless one is fitting an LED lighting source into a projector designed for an LED lighting source (and now, validated for Blue Light Hazard) then there will be significant beam splitting effects noticeable by oncoming drivers, pedestrians, passing birds & aeroplanes etc.

Sometimes also referred to as Diffraction effects.
Light at the blue end of the spectrum diffracts far more than light at the red end of the spectrum, hence the blue light is harder to control accurately.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Sometimes also referred to as Diffraction effects.
Light at the blue end of the spectrum diffracts far more than light at the red end of the spectrum, hence the blue light is harder to control accurately.

Also, the human eye is much more sensitive to blue light than red...

 

[LostKiwi]

Also, the human eye is much more sensitive to blue light than red...

I thought it was more sensitive to yellow light but irritated by blue hence why phone displays reduce blue if they have eye comfort mode set.

Edit:
It appears that as the eye has two types of optical sensor (rods and cones) there are 2 sensitivity peaks. Cones (responsible for daylight vision) are most sensitive at 550nm wavelength (border of green/yellow) whereas rods (responsible for low light monochrome vision) are most sensitive at 510nm (green bordering blue). At 510nm the cones have only 20% sensitivity compared to at 550nm.

 

[ajlsl600]

I thought it was more sensitive to yellow light but irritated by blue hence why phone displays reduce blue if they have eye comfort mode set.

Edit:
It appears that as the eye has two types of optical sensor (rods and cones) there are 2 sensitivity peaks. Cones (responsible for daylight vision) are most sensitive at 550nm wavelength (border of green/yellow) whereas rods (responsible for low light monochrome vision) are most sensitive at 510nm (green bordering blue). At 510nm the cones have only 20% sensitivity compared to at 550nm.

reading all this with some somewhat confused interest , i have H7 in my A class and ,frankly they are crap, my clk is much better as is the sl so what,if anything can i do about my A class, was looking in leclerc auto and there were a number of options, less than 10 then 18 , 26 and 32 euro ! advertising from std to 150% better? is this just boxxxxs or is there a district improvement for the money and WILL they last

 

[DSK]

AJSL600 - the standard H7 bulbs, in all their guises such as Philips Ultra/Extreme, Osram Nightbreakers etc offer minimal improvement in the real world in my experience. As a general rule of thumb, the brighter or more extreme the halogen bulb is, the shorter its life span. For example, Philips do a racing vision one +150% and it only lasted me 4 months, whereas under the same conditions a normal Philips/Osram bulb or HID kit is still going strong several years down the line.

Taking into account the cost of them, that is why I personally prefer a good HID or LED kit as with these, the difference is highly noticeable.

One point to to note is, ensure that your headlamp lens (and reflector if applicable) is in good condition (some fade over time).

 

[LostKiwi]

Taking into account the cost of them, that is why I personally prefer a good HID or LED kit as with these, the difference is highly noticeable.

One point to to note is, ensure that your headlamp lens (and reflector if applicable) is in good condition (some fade over time).

HiD in H7 guise (like LED) are illegal. Using them is at best inconsiderate and at worst dangerous.

Andy, the Osram Nightbreaker Unlimiteds are what I use in my 210. In my experience they give a significant improvement (and are legal).
In the past I tried an H7 HiD (before finding they were illegal) and didn't find them significantly better. They're somewhere in the shed now.