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Our daughters car has HB3 headlight bulbs which appear to to be a single filament which provides both dip and main beam. I recently replaced them due to a blown bulb. Now another has failed, within a month. Has anyone used led replacements, (they don't seem to be ce marked) thanks
I think they are illegal unless you have full conversion including new reflector...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1694706
The problem is an led emitter is much much bigger than a filament. So in most cars completely ruins the beam pattern and dazzles oncoming traffic.
Philips make one thats an actuall drop in replacement with tiny LED'S. But it's about £130 a bulb!
Assuming its not something electrical causing bulbs to blow (low or high voltage) or she's not launching off speed bumps then just fit the halfords heavy duty or long life bulbs. The former is desigend for off roading and being bounced arround, the latter is just down rated slightly to increase its life. Bit yellow and dim, but last a very long time. I've got osram nightbreakers in the main beam but they were too fragile for being on all the time.
The only good one is supposedly the Philips one at £130 per bulb. It's also not road legal and marked as off-road use only.
I think the single filament dip and main beam is a shit idea, when it fails you loose both beams.I'll fit cheap low power bulbs next. Leds seem an attractive idea but not yet.
While led bulbs are bright in a lumen sence the angle of refraction of the led wavelengths of most bulbs means that the light is not useful on wet roads and surfaces.
Basically you throw loads of light down the road blind everyone and see very little.
I have led light bars on 2 of my vehicles linked to main beams and on dry roads they are unbelievable I can see everything for miles.
On wet roads its only slightly better than having the halogen high beams on
While led bulbs are bright in a lumen sence the angle of refraction of the led wavelengths of most bulbs means that the light is not useful on wet roads and surfaces.
I've often thought this with bike lights, over-volted Halogens had the best colour for commuting on roads, showed up much more detail than much higher lumen rated LED lights.
I think the single filament dip and main beam is a shit idea, when it fails you loose both beams.
Its not a single filament, its two filaments one inside a reflector and one outside.
While you could get a leak or bad groud connection that resulted in complete failure, it's still more common IME that one filament or the other snaps.
Also they'll probably flash when the car tests the bulbs, on start up and some cars do it at intervals too. It looks silly for a start but also you might well end up with the bulb out warning light on the dash. Unless you choo out the self test.
MOT from May 2018 is supposed to check for retro-fitted LED's.
If your car did not have LED's fitted by the manufacturer, then you will get fail.
Also, LED fitted into filament bulb lens WILL dazzle on-coming traffic. Experience shows too many of those on the road.
The failed bulb had exploded,lots of glass fragments in the unit, a halfords +100% brighter. I wouldn't recommend them. Replaced with bog standard osram bulbs. I can only see one filament in the remaining good bulb.
Generally the more % brighter they are the less resistant to life they are and expire quicker.
Good brand (osram) standard bulbs should see you right
Hb3s generally have a second bulb for the dipped Beam.
What car is it that uses one bulb for both?
The Philips H4 ones are supposed to work very well, probably because they've been developed by a major international lighting company rather than a man in a shed, don't aim to put out ridiculous amounts of light and are a sensible colour temperature rather than a weird blue white.
Still not road legal, but lots of reviews saying the beam pattern is indistinguishable from the original halogens in a reflector headlight. About £120 a pair but claimed to last up to 12 years, whatever that means, which probably depend on how much driving you do.
If I was going to buy an aftermarket LED that or the Osram equivalent is the only thing I'd consider. I wouldn't go near any cheapo eBay / Amazon copies etc. I'm not suggesting buying them btw, I'm just saying that they are supposed to work well.
The whole light thing based on a notional maximum output of 60w halogen doesn't really seem relevant when it comes to HIDs and LEDs. It does look like a legal area that needs tidying up.
Fwiw, Philips Racing Vision +150% halogen bulbs consistently win the Autoexpress comparison tests.
Vehicle is a range rover evoque. The handbook states halogen headlamp( low and high beam ) HB3 power 60 watts. Usually dual filaments state both wattages don't they? There are only two pins in the connector
I really miss the xenons I had on my mazda6, they were brilliant on dip. Does anyone do a xenon replacement bulb or does it not work like that, I have no idea?
I really miss the xenons I had on my mazda6, they were brilliant on dip. Does anyone do a xenon replacement bulb or does it not work like that, I have no idea?
People make them, but if you've got a halogen-based headlight, the optics are optimised so they work with the filament of a halogen bulb. HIDs work in a different way, so they produce an arc of light that won't be in the right position, hence the beam pattern tends to be wrong, lots of stray light, dazzle etc. So in short, no. If you want an HID headlight, you need a complete, purpose-built unit for your specific car or a custom-built retrofit.
You best bet is a premium legal halogen bulb, particularly if you have bog standard, old ones that are probably past their best.
I believe Xenons also by law need headlamp washers and a self levelling mechanism (Might be wrong)