LED H7 headlight bulbs upgrade - impressed (so far)

[kevenh]

And you are proud of that ?

You didn't have good nights sleep did you?

Or Law RVLR reg 27 has not been repealed (#114)

(More on that law here)
I don't know why people have to have lights that are just to dazzle others - you see their light positions and they're set to go straight out, not down to the ground ahead of them
& WTF you get cyclists on the road with headband lights
Great off road tho

 

[DrewE127]

Last night I went up the motorway to try out the multibeam lights on the Merc - it’s been complaining of a dirty camera so I gave the windscreen a good clean inside and out, and added a layer of RainX.

Anyway, a marked X5 police car thundered past with no flashing blue lights or sirens. After it passed I sped up to see what speed he/she was doing - 95mph!? I then slowed to 70 again.

These are the people who are supposed to enforce the laws of the road, and keep everyone in line with regulations...

I should really have reported it but it happens so often I can’t be bothered.

Their headlights were pretty good tho

 

[robnchris]

It was OK. Thought the comment was just a typical motorist comment who only think of other motorist not other road uses.

Although you thought it funny to deliberately blind people.

Or maybe ....just maybe it was one of those humorous comments, said in the manner of a good old Britishdown the pub sense of humour.

Do you remember when we used to have those harmless funny conversations...
Motorhome FUN.

 

[DrewE127]

We need a “Team Candlepower” and a “Team 2020” ...see who wins

 

[63720]

Now then I have a fabulous bright set of LED day time running lights fitted to my Honda motorcycle and I have found I can blindingly dazzle Pedestrians and Cyclist with just a small lean to either side.
Super fun made all the better when imagining you are sat astride a Star Wars Speeder Bike.View attachment 446807

Sorry, not a patch on a late 60s GP200

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[2x2camper]

Or maybe ....just maybe it was one of those humorous comments, said in the manner of a good old Britishdown the pub sense of humour.

Do you remember when we used to have those harmless funny conversations...
Motorhome FUN.

Again, what is humorous about deliberately blinding people ? I really don't see that as funny and I doubt that any sensible person ever has.

 

[DrewE127]

Again, what is humorous about deliberately blinding people ? I really don't see that as funny and I doubt that any sensible person ever has.

I don’t think it was meant that way..
It sounds like you’d have to either ride the bike round in a perpetual circle or swerve violently from side to side to actually cause any prolonged discomfort to others, so it was clearly just a humorous comment as mentioned

 

[2x2camper]

I don’t think it was meant that way..
It sounds like you’d have to either ride the bike round in a perpetual circle or swerve violently from side to side to actually cause any prolonged discomfort to others, so it was clearly just a humorous comment as mentioned

Yes that's what robnchris said in their reply.

Why would you think it funny to say though ?

I get fed up by motorist blinding me as I walk along, because they do not think that they have to dip their lights for a mere pedestrian. It is obvious though that some think its a joke to go out of there way to to it deliberately.

 

[DrewE127]

Yes that's what robnchris said in their reply.

Why would you think it funny to say though ?

I get fed up by motorist blinding me as I walk along, because they do not think that they have to dip their lights for a mere pedestrian. It is obvious though that some think its a joke to go out of there way to to it deliberately.

I give up

Actually, I don’t give up because 2x2 camper is talking about people not dipping their full beam for pedestrians and cyclists which they SHOULD do.

I don’t think Robnchris’ lights are full beam? They are just running lights or headlights that just happen to be attached to the bike, so leaning for corners is kind of unavoidable

 

[63720]

I give up

You ain't going to win this

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[Lenny HB]

Or Law RVLR reg 27 has not been repealed (#114)

From your link:-

"use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting."

That law was changed 40 years ago.

 

[DrewE127]

You ain't going to win this

I’ve had a think, and retracted my surrender (see edited post above)

 

[gus-lopez]

Last night I went up the motorway to try out the multibeam lights on the Merc - it’s been complaining of a dirty camera so I gave the windscreen a good clean inside and out, and added a layer of RainX.

Anyway, a marked X5 police car thundered past with no flashing blue lights or sirens. After it passed I sped up to see what speed he/she was doing - 95mph!? I then slowed to 70 again.

These are the people who are supposed to enforce the laws of the road, and keep everyone in line with regulations...

I should really have reported it but it happens so often I can’t be bothered.

Their headlights were pretty good tho

I've never found the need ,on an unlit motorway, to use anything but dipped lights up to 130 mph.
I do tend to use main beam now in the UK ,along with spots for anyone coming the other way who feels the need or has the inability to see where the road is & uses main beam.
I mean really ,what is that all about? Main beam on a motorway? & another thing why do they feel the need to light them all these days? Even my spanish neighbour commented on it in being the case in Belgium or Holland?

We need a “Team Candlepower” and a “Team 2020” ...see who wins

Team candlepower always wins here as 75 is the law & checked along with the alignment , at the itv,Sadly. Excessive lighting at the itv is not only a failure but on par with having no brakes & means the vehicle cannot leave the test station to be rectified except by recovery/trailer. Unless of coutse, like me, you can rectify the situation in the parking area & drive back in for the retest.

 

[kevenh]

From your link:-

"use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting."

That law was changed 40 years ago.

was that related to #114?
(The part I was interested in at the time)
Good to know that the link is needing a refresh tho

edit: those wallies at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-hig...-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158 repeat the same advice. tcch.

 

[Jim]

Again, what is humorous about deliberately blinding people ?

This is motorhomefun, Lighten up please.

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[DrewE127]

I've never found the need ,on an unlit motorway, to use anything but dipped lights up to 130 mph.

Unlit motorways in the UK are just tarmac laid through the middle of nowhere, with some bad surfaces and the token bad driver with a light missing or going far too slow.

Full beam is probably not necessary especially under 70 but if there’s nobody else about it’s nice to have, and surely safer.

The Merc doesn’t have full beam when the camera is working - the multibeam system just turns off individual LEDs as cars/pedestrians/cyclists approach and then track that moving object until it disappears, so that nobody gets blinded.

In town the light spreads out wide and low covering the pavements etc, and in bad weather it does the same.

If anyone is interested this video shows how it works, if there was a similar system available to retrofit to the van I’d already have it lol. This is on the old CLS but it’s pretty much the same system;

 

[raysalaugh]

Yes that's what robnchris said in their reply.

Why would you think it funny to say though ?

I get fed up by motorist blinding me as I walk along, because they do not think that they have to dip their lights for a mere pedestrian. It is obvious though that some think its a joke to go out of there way to to it deliberately.

Some people as they grow older lose their sense of humour ( that's if they had one to start with ), so they are easily offended and are always looking to be offended.
Government advice is to stay in and stay safe.

 

[robnchris]

Some people as they grow older lose their sense of humour ( that's if they had one to start with ), so they are easily offended and are always looking to be offended.
Government advice is to stay in and stay safe.

Or even worse be offended for someone else.

I do have a pair of pliers that can remove that big thorn from anyone's foot, might make them smile.

Naaah I guess not, definitely a half empty glass view of life.

 

[63720]

Oh no, now we've attracted the Main Beam police keep left everyone, err, or right whatever suits you and remember Dip Don't Dazzle

 

[Wild Oggie]

I can't see a bloody thing now

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[XxAnthxX]

PLEASE be aware......No pedestrians, cyclists or motorists were harmed during the making of this thread.

Also it’s never been funny to adjust a windscreen washer to spray a pedestrian

 

[bridgedino]

Again, what is humorous about deliberately blinding people ? I really don't see that as funny and I doubt that any sensible person ever has.

Not quite sticking pins in their eyes to be honest. In fact the new led pedestrian crossing lights are now incredibly bright and distracting, and they're quite high up. Even the led speed signs that illuminate when you enter a village at 25mph instead of 20mph are even worse

 

[EssexBoy]

My view is that there seems to be an assumption that if lights are adjusted as per spec, then brighter is always better...

Unfortunately, reality intervenes in the shape of sleeping policemen, hump back bridges, on & off ramps, pot holes, speed bumps, hills, etc when headlights point skywards - and therefore in to the faces of oncoming traffic & rear view mirrors of the cars in front... the equivalent of having a torch shone in your eyes.

When you also add in the amount of light "leak" that headlights give off nowadays - it feels like I get most dazzled just as oncoming cars go past me - the dazzle is even more

My point really is brighter lights are not a win-win, no-brainer...

 

[DrewE127]

Not quite sticking pins in their eyes to be honest. In fact the new led pedestrian crossing lights are now incredibly bright and distracting, and they're quite high up. Even the led speed signs that illuminate when you enter a village at 25mph instead of 20mph are even worse

I’ve been reading about some of the newest cars which have pedestrian detection. This gives a quick concentrated flash of light at a pedestrian on a dark road, to help the driver notice them quickly.

Basically the new safe technology is blinding pedestrians anyway

 

[10tenmen]

Last night I went up the motorway to try out the multibeam lights on the Merc - it’s been complaining of a dirty camera so I gave the windscreen a good clean inside and out, and added a layer of RainX.

Anyway, a marked X5 police car thundered past with no flashing blue lights or sirens. After it passed I sped up to see what speed he/she was doing - 95mph!? I then slowed to 70 again.

These are the people who are supposed to enforce the laws of the road, and keep everyone in line with regulations...

I should really have reported it but it happens so often I can’t be bothered.

Their headlights were pretty good tho

Lol the police do not have to activate blues n twos to exceed the speed limit, I find it hilarious that you sped up to 95mph but that’s ok.
Double standards I think.

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[DrewE127]

Lol the police do not have to activate blues n twos to exceed the speed limit, I find it hilarious that you sped up to 95mph but that’s ok.
Double standards I think.

So I’ve been told!
Many sincere apologies for my double standards

 

[RustyRuss]

Drew I hope you're feeling suitably chastened, I'm still looking into which bulbs to use in the MoHo, seems like H7's for dipped beams and H1 for "fog lights"? I was in Halfrauds earlier and they have Osram H7 LED types in for £115 a pair!!!! Does say on the Halfrauds website

....."Premium quality LED bulbs, from Osram - the world-leading automotive lighting brand. The LEDriving Gen2 H7 LED Bulbs Twin Pack which features cool white LED H7 replacement bulbs with 6,000K colour temperature which gives exceptionally white light, providing better reflections from signs, road markings and obstacles. The optimised light distribution reduces glare, for an excellent driving experience. LEDs have an outstanding life span – up to 5,000 hours. These compact replacements have entirely integrated electronics, with no external driver. These products do not have ECE approval, which means they must not be used on public roads in any exterior application."
Interesting to note that Osram and Halfords think that they provide exceptionally white light, providing better reflections from signs, road markings and obstacles. but there's an arse covering caveat saying they must not be used on public roads

So Osram make them in H7, H1 & H4 forms, Philips are on their second generation "Philips X-tremeUltinon LED gen2 H7" priced at around £140 a pair, they also mention better illumination of roads and road furniture and also mention that because of superior design they do not dazzle oncoming drivers, they even say beware of cheap copies! they even have a unique QR code on their packaging to prove the item is a genuine Philips product. They do state that the user must ensure the legality of their vehicle for local conditions, but if the two market leaders, and truly multi-national lighting manufacturers, are willing to invest substantial sums of money, in Philips' case on a second generation, then I can't see that fitting them retrospectively to your vehicle is going to cause too much problem. Philips, and indeed Osram, have a history of backing their lighting products when it comes to legality, I have personal experience, I represented Philips OEM lighting division in the late 80's at the zenith of the sunbed lamp boom, we sold literally millions of 5' & 6' fluorescent UVA and UVB sunbed lamps, and Philips and Osram backed their customers to the hilt if they hit legal problems. The headlight bulb market is many orders of magnitude larger than the European sunbed lamp market was, indeed the headlight market is truly global. I think you can rest assured that an E mark will be forthcoming in the very near future for this type of light source.

As an aside I have written to WHICH? magazine this evening, I am a member with them as well as MoHofun, and I'm hoping for a response back within their standard 3 day turnaround. I'll keep you posted!!
This is what I sent to WHICH?.....

"I am a member of a forum called Motorhomefun, unsurprisingly it is subscribed too by Motor Home owners and users. There has been a debate, whilst not exactly raging, at least heated, about the legality and use of the latest LED headlight bulbs, specifically those designated H1,H4 & H7. Several manufacturers including Philips and Osram now make variants of these as retrofit items for standard car headlight units. Government guidance states that as they don't, indeed cannot, have an E mark they are illegal for use on UK roads. However, advice from the DVLA/MOT testing organisation states that as long as they comply with the MOT regulations in terms of colour appearance and beam pattern on the road then they are legal. Many of the forum members are very keen to fit them but are understandably concerned about issues with insurance companies refusing to pay out in case their vehicle is involved in an accident. Can you offer advice, guidance and perhaps reassurance on this issue, especially in light (I'll get all my puns in quickly!) of the fact that all domestic halogen light sources are now effectively outlawed?

Best Regards,


Russ Aitken"



Cheers!
Russ

 

[DrewE127]

That’s great Russ I look forward to hearing a reply from them. You’re right, Osram etc wouldn’t bother making these products if they actually thought their only market was “off road” drivers (not necessarily the muddy 4x4 type!)

I bought some expensive Osram amber indicator bulbs for the front of the van but they caused errors! And these cheapo Amazon headlight bulbs I’ve got don’t

You should do a video of your results I’m hoping this thread will urge others to move away from halogens, I still think they are really dangerous

 

[Poutie57]

Hi quick question in Bob’s video he used 2 different makes of bulbs did you do the same or use the same make

 

[DrewE127]

Hi quick question in Bob’s video he used 2 different makes of bulbs did you do the same or use the same make

EDIT: Don’t bother with the other LEDs that Bob tried in his video, the reviews look awful. I bought 2 pairs of the ones linked above, for dipped and main beam.

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