LED Low Beams

[N0Klu3]

Hi guys,

I've read a ton and still 100% confused if we can actually change the default halogen bulbs to LED's for the normal low beam daily night time city/town driving dipped beam lights.

Not the high beams/brights that are 100% halogens.

If it is possible to change the low beams (normal light, however you would like to call them) to LED's please link me what I need to purchase and maybe a guide on how to fit?
Also I would replace the high beams/brights with LED's at the same time so a spec for those too would be awesome!

I know I wont be able to get Adaptive LED's fitted, that's not my question. But would like to change out the bog standard Halogens to LED's if poss that don't move is fine with me.

I am based in the UK so UK sites would help

 

[jadnashuanh]

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1Z62-EUR-07-2016-I01-BMW_i-i3_94Ah&diagId=63_1515

It takes a 55W H7 bulb if I'm reading the diagram properly. That website is a good resource to identify parts.

 

[I33t]

Jim, I think the poster is looking to replace the standard halogen globes with LEDs... Just replacing a standard globe with a LED globe requires some investigation.

My understanding is that a replacement LED globe needs a good heatsink or cooling system so that the globe lasts well.

 

[N0Klu3]

I am if that is a possibility?

Thanks for the info so far Jim.
But yeah would love to replace to all LED lights if possible?

 

[I33t]

If you have a look at Jim's RealOEM link, you can see that the factory LED modules have a large heatsink.

Look at ebay, http://www.ebay.com/bhp/h7-led and there are a lot of H7 globes with almost no heatsink!

The challenge is to find a well designed LED globe with adequate heatsinking that will fit between the globe mount and the mudguard liner.

Edit: Also require canbus error free specification.

 

[jadnashuanh]

There's a lot of variation in LED replacement bulbs from their overall pattern (technically, at least in the USA, you could fail a safety inspection with more than half of the LED replacements out there - they are required to have a DOT approval, even if they fit; not many are), their brightness, their wattage (usually not an issue since most end up using less than the halogens), their color temperature, and last, their heat dissipation (heat sink) capacity. Then, as mentioned, you may need to add in some extra bits to keep the bulb status sensors from always indicating the bulb is out.

Since the USA gets LED low-beams, I've not tried to look for a replacement. The beam pattern is a combination of the bulb and the reflector, so even if it fits, it may not meet local codes and it could overheat or blind people (shortening its life or worst case, melting something) which would end up being quite costly.

 

[N0Klu3]

So got my i3 on Friday and driven a few times, the standard halogens are really poor
I'm used to Xeons and LED's and now a future car feels like its going back in time Really sucks

 

[jadnashuanh]

It would be a really rare car where halogens were better than xenon bulbs!

Rather than going with led's, had you considered xenons for the low beams? Not a good idea for the high beams as they don't like being turned on/off and take some time to reach full intensity, but the low beams stay on all of the time once activated. All of the i3's in the USA come standard with the LED low beams, so do not know of anyone that has tried it.

 

[N0Klu3]

I'd definably prefer xenon's ones halogens...

But would still prefer if there was a way for LEDs especially considering the power savings when lights can run for hours.

If USA used LEDs as standard then there should be a way?

 

[jadnashuanh]

I'd definably prefer xenon's ones halogens...

But would still prefer if there was a way for LEDs especially considering the power savings when lights can run for hours.

If USA used LEDs as standard then there should be a way?

One reason xenons came into being is that they use less power for the light output they provide...IOW, depending on the one you choose, it might have less power consumption than some of the LED bulbs!

Someone had pointed you to the http://www.realoem.com parts listings...that's how they come from the factory when you select the LED option, or in our case, BMWUSA does for us (as a 'standard' feature). Some of the xenon kits are pretty simple to install, but you still have to find a place to mount the power supply. Some do not require any other wiring, just plug in. Not to say it would work on the i3, but it should.

Many xenons are available in either 35W or 55W versions...so, they would utilize the same or less power than the OEM bulbs. Here's one, but I'm sure that there are a bunch available locally or at least from within the Eurozone. http://www.xenonhids.com/low-beam-h7-full-xenon-hid-conversion-kit.html is one kit.

 

[hambrook]

https://youtu.be/DV4xkZeBAPA

 

[kc1]

Grant, I couldn't see or hear in the video which LED bulbs you have installed. Could you precise the spec/link please. Thanks

 

[ad78]

here in US the low beam LED is standard. i just had to replace the high beam with H11. i bet those low beam you installed were so loud! get the fanless instead..

 

[castigan]

Ive installed LED bulbs into my low beams.
pretty easy...some things to watch out for.....

1) dont buy bulbs with fans on them for cooling, the fans crap out, get ones with a decent heatsink instead.
2) buy bulbs with leds on both sides of the unit so that they send light up and down at the same time inside the light housing.
3) they are hard to hold in place as the retention clips for the normal bulbs dont fit around the LEDs as the leds are larger, i solved this buy using hot melt glue to hold the leds into the mount. (works fine)

other than that everything was quite easy, straight forward and just a little hard to get ya hands in the back of the housing to put bulbs in.

 

[kc1]

Ive installed LED bulbs into my low beams.
pretty easy...some things to watch out for.....

1) dont buy bulbs with fans on them for cooling, the fans crap out, get ones with a decent heatsink instead.
2) buy bulbs with leds on both sides of the unit so that they send light up and down at the same time inside the light housing.

Which ones did you buy?

 

[castigan]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Autoleader-1Pair-Auto-Car-Headlight-LED-H4-H7-H11-9006-9005-50W-Set-6500K-White-8000LM/32800030454.html

these will do just nicely !

 

[kc1]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Autoleader-1Pair-Auto-Car-Headlight-LED-H4-H7-H11-9006-9005-50W-Set-6500K-White-8000LM/32800030454.html

these will do just nicely !

That's what you used? or are what you are now recommending?

 

[alohart]

To me, that video demonstrates how poorly LED replacement bulbs work with reflectors and lenses designed for near point source incandescent bulbs. The light from LED bulbs doesn't emanate from a near point source so it is scattered about rather than concentrated down the road as intended.

It's very unfortunate the BMW didn't include LED high beams, but I haven't seen any LED conversion that does much other than produces a higher temperature color (i.e., whiter) that's a better color match with the LED low beams.

 

[kc1]

Are these the ones in the video?:


http://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/12901HPX2/x-tremeultinon-led-car-headlight-bulb/specifications

 

[castigan]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Autoleader-1Pair-Auto-Car-Headlight-LED-H4-H7-H11-9006-9005-50W-Set-6500K-White-8000LM/32800030454.html

these will do just nicely !

That's what you used? or are what you are now recommending?

these are better than the ones i used, but same sizing and fitment.
these are double sided leds, which would allow a better light pattern, mine are good, but im going to order some of these also.