[pawo007]

I doubt they actually spin that fast based on the sound they make which is nearly none, certainly only audible if the car is off and lights are on...a small hum.

I've worked on plenty of equipment with ~40mm 6000+ rpm fans, they are LOUD, as in, screaming loud.

Just an FYI, even the MB factory LED lighting system has fans. My brother's E400 has cooling fans in the headlights, you can hear those too.

You seem slightly obsessed with bashing LED alternative bulbs. Did they take your lunch money or stuff you in a locker or something?

 

[Vercingetorix]

• SAE MOBILUS®
• 0

Browse Publications Technical Papers 2019-01-0850
2019-04-02
Evaluation of After-Market Light Emitting Diode Headlight Bulbs 2019-01-0850
Taking advantage of growing consumer interest in light emitting diode (LED) headlights, an increasing number of after-market LED replacement bulbs is available on the market. They are designed to have similar socket shapes and sizes as halogen bulbs, in order to fit into existing headlight housings. Although none of these LED replacement bulbs conform to present federal headlighting regulations, and some are labeled for "off road use" only, others claim to meet current regulations. Regardless, many different LED bulbs can be easily purchased and installed by vehicle owners, who may or may not be aware of their regulatory status. Several different LED replacement bulb kits, each designed to replace a conventional 55-W H11 halogen bulb, were purchased and tested in three different low-beam headlight units. Photometric measurements at several critical test points for headlight performance revealed that none of the resulting distributions met all of the test point photometric requirements. Some intensity values were lower than allowed minima while others exceeded allowed maxima. Photographs of the resulting beam patterns for each combination of LED bulb and headlight unit, when compared to the patterns with the halogen bulb, revealed stark differences in performance between the halogen and LED bulbs. Even though some bulbs more closely matched halogen performance, performance for different headlights using the same LED bulb could vary widely. These findings suggest that using after-market LEDs to replace halogen bulbs can compromise headlighting performance.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

The SAE has terrible grammar apparently. But I agree with the sentiment. Those lights are illegal, badly aimed, and dangerous.

 

[metris_____]

There are now integrated LED's available for the metris, I installed them in my van, and they're awesome. Nice bright white light and focused beam.

Boslla Integrated LED Archives - Boslla

Boslla Integrated LED headlight bulbs are the new design products. Currently, there are 2 models for low beam headlight and high beam headlight. Confirm your car make, model, and year before ordering.

www.boslla.com

Highly recommended!

View attachment 18000

Looks great! I am wondering to get one!

 

[icerabbit]

A small point RE: installing different bulbs in the factory housings
May I highlight:

Why LEDs should not be run in Halogen reflectors

This forum is awash with mis-information on lighting. Rather than trying to reiterate the same points repetitively to no end, I thought it would be...

www.tacomaworld.com

 

[icerabbit]

PS:
I shared the above as both somebody who has struggled with poor incandescent performance in cars, minivans and SUVs, and has looked for solutions to see better at night. I know 100% that the default lights even on MB can be mediocre at best.

At the same time, I am ... exasperated ... trying to drive in the evening and at night; surrounded by cars, vans and especially jacked up pickup trucks with whatever kind of lights in their factory housings and completely blinding me from behind through my three mirrors ... and worse, as oncoming traffic. Curving twisty two lane roads, a one hour drive ... at least a dozen instances of not being able to see for 10-15 secs due to ignoramuses wanting the brightest and whitest light on their truck ... with complete disregard of other road users and what is actually legal. Can't see a thing before you cross paths for 10 secs and it takes another 5 for eyes to re-adjust.

Please think twice before putting different bulb types in factory housings, and spread the message.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

The truth is that light is a thing measured in many different ways- color, directionality, diffusion, intensity, focus. LEDs are not a universally bad lighting technology, but the nature of them (a very bright light emanating from a small single spot diode) requires that they be harnessed properly when being used in any capacity other than direct illumination (e.g. a light bar of a digit on a calculator), as their nature is to concentrate all of their light output at their source.

They need to be diffused to be used for decent room illumination in a lightbulb, for instance, while incandescent lights do not. Most applications of light are not terribly specific- a lamp in a house has the job of flooding a room with general light usually, for instance.

Headlamps, however, are very specific. They are supposed to produce some light to oncoming traffic, a decent amount of light to the floor in front of the car, and a strong amount of light to the distance directly in front of the car. The headlamp bulbs do this by producing full radiant light, and letting reflectors and focusing lenses modulate it.

It is possible to create an LED bulbunit that could project that kind of light into the headlamp housing, but it requires dozens if not hundreds of small diodes, and a diffuser, which would be very expensive, generate rather intense heat, and would not realistically produce substantially superior light to the simple halogen unit it would replace. When combined with the external cooling unit the system would require, it would likely not fit in many housings, and would probably cost a good percentage of the price of retrofitting a OEM dedicated LED headlamp unit, which would actually produce better lighting performance.

Reallt, just don’t do it.

 

[MOWO]

Well the op put in led with new assembly so I'd say he gets a pass on all the finger waving.

 

[icerabbit]

As long as the fabricator puts in quality components, the headlights may perform well; builds them in such a way that they are equivalent to OEM aim and dispersion then other road users may not be blinded; ... but personally, I'd have serious doubts about quality and durability.

Some of the stuff seen in the marketplace is like one-off built DIY jobs ... vs actually factory built by a specialized company to a decent spec. But do they actually perform to the proper manufacturer spec? are they within national or federal standards? Are the aim adjustments there? If they are ... are people actually adjusting their lights properly?

If they're using projectors ... there should be auto-leveling.

...

And still, some of these I have seen have dozens of wires hanging loose out the back, in the engine compartment.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Well the op put in led with new assembly so I'd say he gets a pass on all the finger waving.

Can almost guarantee that any headlight out of china not only does not meet the legal requirements, but is also worse performing than the halogens. Most led headlights put out too much foreground, blinding distance vision. The human eye cannot be trusted when it comes to lighting. Looks brighter, does not equal seeing better.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

If somebody puts in a MB Vito or v-class headlamp OEM, it might be safe to use or an improvement, but it would remain fully illegal. If you put in garbage from China that is not OEM, it is both illegal and unsafe. By unsafe I mean both blinding other drivers and risking melting and fire problems.

Putting in an ILS OEM Unit but not the Electronics to control the thing is also unsafe and illegal.

 

[kbcool]

I noticed some of the semi tractor trailer drivers have put these garbage aftermarket LED headlights on their rigs during a recent road trip. Guy got behind me and i was blinded by the glare in my rear view mirror, My wife grabs the mirror and points it back at him until we got away.

 

[icerabbit]

I was on the road for a few weeks. Plenty of glare was experienced.

Tractor trailers are indeed multiplying the number of lights up front, and copying the lifted truck + brightest lights trend.
Many more idiots who " tint " their headlights and tail lights with spray paint to make them look black ... killing any outward visibility for them and making it extra hard for traffic behind them to see them.

Also saw a new thing of tinting your headlights green and blue.

The thing I don't get is, that in the US, this does not seem to get any attention as a safety issue.

 

[pounce]

Some states do not permit colored lights in front. I think that should be all 50, but it's not.

Idiots in Georgia, mostly in Jeeps for some reason, are running red ring headlights. Huge safety issue imho.

 

[Greenmanedlion]

I’ve seen the damned red lights here in Jersey, too. It IS illegal here, but there is no enforcement if the motorist operating it appears to be white.

 

[MOWO]

Can almost guarantee that any headlight out of china not only does not meet the legal requirements, but is also worse performing than the halogens.

I disagree. The Morimoto LED bulbs and headlight housing assemblies have a great track record of better than halogen performance and as so as the 'governing bodies' get off their arse and update their paperworks these guys are already ahead of the game and just waiting the stamp of approval. Granted they're out of Japan, but dismissing everything 'made in china' is futile logic.
I find it funny some are harping on the legalities of these lights when other topics on 'mods' in this forum doesn't get any flack...like the rear seating and bed conversions, lifts, etc...etc.
The bulbs in the OEM housing keep burning out and the headlight assembly design appearance leaves many wanting a more classy setup. I didn't really care for the look of the EURO V-Class LED headlights but these 'maybach-style' is a step in the right direction. With that said, I will probably put these on my cargo van too at the right price.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Your research is flawed. Pretty amazing how many people fall for marketing. The simple fact is an LED cannot replicate what a halogen bulb does. Again pay attention, read the article:

Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

 

[MOWO]

You're entitled to your own opinion and how you choose to outfit your vehicle. I really don't understand this hard-nose approach to topic. While I'm sure Mr. Stern is a standup guy, his thoughts and/or findings have had little to no bearings on swaying the average vehicle owner.
Also from the same website:

The agency's interest in addressing the problem of glare particularly, and the issues related to lighting regulation in general, are described here as "nominal" because the agency never had any real intention of doing anything significant. The public was allowed to vent via the public comment period, and then, as happened with the agency's nominal interest in reducing glare from overly-bright daytime running lights, the docket was quietly closed and nothing was done.

I don't think anyone is saying an LED can replicate halogen... it's the fact the LED has more going for it in the areas of light performance, longevity, visual appearance, power consumption, etc.
I'll just end with there's no need to throw around 'legalities' in this day and age of muffler deletes, free flow cats, RGB lighting, lift kits, Carolina squats, and rolling coal.

 

[pounce]

I think that article assumes that a person is converting rather than comparing a purpose built LED Headlight to a Halogen Headlight with an LED retrofit. I think the gist of most of the "Just don't do it.." articles is that LED just cannot be placed in a unit designed for Halogen. I'd agree with that. I do not know if any of the W447 headlights out of China were designed for LED. Fortunately, you can buy various combinations these days if that's what you want. These are pretty disco Xenon units 1296.0US $ 20% OFF|AKD tuning car Headlight For VITO V260 V250 V Class 2015 2019 Maybach Headlights LED DRL Running lights Bi Xenon Beam lights|Car Light Assembly| - AliExpress

 

[Greenmanedlion]

LED has its advantages, but it requires a specialized unit; you can’t just put a LED equivalent in a halogen housing. Anything that fits that description is illegal and likely dangerous.