Upgraded Halogen Car Headlights - Still Terrible. Should I Go LED Next?

LikeClockwork on 29/03/2021 - 21:15

My stock halogen headlights were shocking, so I upgraded them to brighter + whiter Philips ones. I sometimes think my lights aren't on when they indeed are. It's a bit of a safety concern at this point.

I would like to upgrade to LED, however, I also don't want to annoy other drivers. On top of that, LED retrofits aren't exactly ADR compliant and the last thing I want to do is give my insurance company any reason to void my policy.

Any suggestions? I'm new to the world of insurance and all that, just looking for some advice on being able to see where I'm driving at night.

Automotive

Comments

  • Hybroid on 29/03/2021 - 21:21

    On the side of your instrument cluster is a little roller switch that changes the height of your headlights. I bet that's the problem if you have brand new bulbs and your headlight cluster plastic is clear.

    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aBQfcSDSg5A/hqdefault.jpg

    https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H3b3564c78a14410fa192b1b39364c581…

    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GrBzQa1DREg/maxresdefault.jpg

    • Euphemistic on 29/03/2021 - 22:38
      +3

      On the side of your instrument cluster is a little roller

      Do you have some info on what car OP has that they haven’t shared with everyone else?

      Not all cars have that.

      • Hybroid on 29/03/2021 - 22:44

        Stab in the dark based on age and likelihood of having a relatively older car rather than a modern one. I have the Phillips WhiteVision Ultras too and they're very bright, even for night time offroading. So if isn't dirty headlight lenses, it's likely they're pointing downwards.

        I know many many people that don't know what some of the switches in their cars do, let alone half the warning lights…

      • buckethat on 29/03/2021 - 22:51
        +1

        Yeah mine doesn't have that either.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 20:56

      Yeah I’ve played around that a fair bit, it’s got 4 settings and usually I run it on the second lowest height.

      The car is an Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2014, quite notorious among owners for having bad headlights. In Europe they all run retrofitted LEDs it seems. Being younger with less money to lose on having a non-legal car, I’m just a bit more wary.

  • pinchies on 29/03/2021 - 21:27
    +3

    Are the headlight lenses fogged or oxidised?
    I never noticed any difference with the philips bulbs personally.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 29/03/2021 - 22:22

      +1 - polished my headlights with toothpaste / brush (no joke - look it up, youtube vids) and waxed them with car wax to clear them up and protect a bit.
      You can get proper restorer kits though

      • Naigrabzo on 30/03/2021 - 09:16
        +1

        $25 restorer kit. Worth about $250 which is what a headlight kit is worth excluding labour (Free because I will do it myself).

        • MrFrugalSpend on 30/03/2021 - 19:56

          i used a freebie sample toothpaste and car wax I already have <$1
          worked okay.
          If I was doing it on a more expensive car I cared more about, I'd get the proper kit though yes

          • Naigrabzo on 31/03/2021 - 11:15

            @MrFrugalSpend: Without the UV clear coating, the light will yellow again quite quickly.

            Otherwise toothpaste is ok as a cheap sandpaper.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 20:58

      They were oxidised when I got the car, but I’ve fixed them up by wet sanding and polishing.

      I was going to put a clear coat over them, but I was too scared to buy and use the 2K clear coat I found to work best.

      Just did a ceramic coating over them instead.

  • brendanm on 29/03/2021 - 21:47
    +3

    What car?

    • Euphemistic on 29/03/2021 - 22:30

      It isn’t hard to mention what car and makes a big difference to making an informed response.

      • pegaxs on 31/03/2021 - 06:27
        +1

        Even the age of the car would help.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 20:58

      I don’t know how I forgot to say the car - Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2014.

      • Euphemistic on 31/03/2021 - 22:34

        Oh good. Italian wiring.

  • Blue Cat on 29/03/2021 - 22:17
    -6

    I fully submit that my retrofitted LED lights are probably not ADR compliant, however, the increase in visibility is well worth whatever fine the police will issue me one day if they are in a bad mood. For some reason, LED light reflects from signs, road markings and any other reflective surface from very, very far away, which I absolutely love and I feel more safer while driving at night.

    I don't really feel bad that I am "blinding" others as there are so many SUVs on the road with proper LED headlights that blind the shit out of me at night and there is nothing I can do about it. Besides, my cheapo LEDs are nowhere as bright as the one that more luxurious cars have, but surely brighter than halogen.

    Not sure about how insurance will work though…

    • Euphemistic on 29/03/2021 - 22:36
      +1

      Having lights that you know don’t conform to relevant standards, reflect of street signs from further away (which indicates they aren’t aimed properly or are overly bright) and you don’t care if the blind other drivers isn’t justified just because other cars hve bright lights.

      I hope you get defected, and an insurance claim denied.

      • Blue Cat on 29/03/2021 - 22:45

        I’ve been stopped by coppers for RBT at night many times in the last 2 years and not a single one even questioned about the lights so I don’t think they are as blinding as you believe.

        They have that weird effect where the beam on the road doesn’t actually travel far, but the reflections show up from more further away.

        I never see this “effect” when I put halogens back sometimes.

        • Euphemistic on 29/03/2021 - 22:54

          They have that weird effect where the beam on the road doesn’t actually travel far, but the reflections show up from more further away.

          The weird effect is probably contributing to night blindness for a lot more motorists than you think. it’s not smart to blind the operator of 2t of metal hurtling towards you at 120km/h

          And for he record I agree there are too many ‘too bright’ lights out there. Xenons are the worst with the super sharp cutoff beam that’s brilliant until the oncoming car hits a bump and it feels like you’ve been high beamed.

        • MS Paint on 29/03/2021 - 23:17

          I’ve been stopped by coppers for RBT at night

          Booze buses or random pull overs by Highway Patrol?

    • buckethat on 29/03/2021 - 22:53
      +1

      I'd be more concerned with insurance more than anything else. It's all fun and games until your claims get denied for having non compliant light.

    • brendanm on 29/03/2021 - 22:53
      +4

      I flash my high beams wildly at people like you.

  • Euphemistic on 29/03/2021 - 22:41
    1. Use your high beam more often.

    Considered getting your eyes checked? I’ve had glasses for years. Can pass a driving test without them, but driving at night can be very difficult. I need lots more light to be able to see without glasses. High beam is fine, especially with driving lights, but low beam means I really have to concentrate if I’ve forgotten my glasses.

    • apsilon on 30/03/2021 - 07:07

      As you age your eye undergoes changes. Some of those is a reduction in pupil size as well as hardening and thickening of the lens both of which reduce the amount of light entering the eye. I think the estimate I recall is a 60 year old will see 30% less light than a 20 year old.

    • Naigrabzo on 30/03/2021 - 09:16

      Cataract alert!!!1

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:01

      I think I’m a bit too young for them haha, but when I drive/am a passenger in other cars I’m always jealous of their ability to illuminate the road ahead of them.

  • Simoneee on 30/03/2021 - 00:03

    Reflector or Projector housing?

  • apsilon on 30/03/2021 - 07:13
    +2

    You've replaced the bulbs but have you checked that the headlights are aimed properly?

    LED and HID conversions into housings not designed for them are illegal. IMO there's unfortunately little chance of being stopped and fined by a cop but in the case of an accident, if the other party makes any claim about being blinded by your lights etc the insurer will likely check and if they find mods making the car unroadworthy your insurance will probably be void. Other than that you'll likely be constantly flashed by the people you're annoying and be considered a word the forum will censor.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:02

      Is there a way perhaps I’ve inserted them incorrectly?

      • apsilon on 31/03/2021 - 21:17
        +1

        Well that's possible though should be noticeable but I'm referring to the actual aiming adjustment built into the headlights.

        • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:21

          I've tried every setting in the past, only a marginal change unofrtunately.

          • apsilon on 31/03/2021 - 21:27
            +1

            @LikeClockwork: Check your manual, under the bonnet there should be a way (usually screws) of physically adjusting the aim. It's not a setting. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't put that sort of info in manuals anymore or instead of just needing a phillips screwdriver you need a special dealer only tool.

            • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:35

              @apsilon: I'll research around and go do it tonight - thanks for the help!

  • Naigrabzo on 30/03/2021 - 09:17

    I have had a similar issue like that and I was blaming all sorts of things.

    TURNED OUT I HAD CATARACTS. After surgery it's like being born again to a wonderful crisp world!

  • ZachBlasphemy on 30/03/2021 - 09:36

    I have these in my car with reflector headlights. Perfect cutoff pattern, much brighter than a typical bulb. Different headlights may reflect the light differently and I can't say if they'll work for every car.

    • Naigrabzo on 31/03/2021 - 11:15

      I installed something similar and blew my fuses. My car was rated or 55W headlights.

      • ZachBlasphemy on 31/03/2021 - 12:03
        +2

        According to the specs these are 36W each and aren't most standard incandescents around 55W?

        Not sure what happened for that to happen to you but maybe they were faulty.

        • Naigrabzo on 31/03/2021 - 12:04

          Interesting…. good point.

  • redvaldez on 30/03/2021 - 10:00
    +1

    Precisely what bulbs did you fit? Generally the whiter you go the less colour output you get. If you went Philips, something like the Xtreme Visions would be preferable to, say, the WhiteVisions.

    If your factory wiring is on the thin side, you might benefit from upgrading the wiring. You could arrange that with an auto electrician. I had a 2001 Magna which had relatively average headlights and the auto electrician I spoke ran a multi meter across the wiring and did comment that there'd be gains to be had by installing new wiring and relays.

    You might also want to make sure that they are aligned properly. This is particularly relevant if you don't know the history of the car or if they've been replaced previously. There are some guides online on how to level them. If you installed the bulbs yourself, double check that they are sitting correct in the housing.

    If your car has projector headlights standard, you could take your chances on a LED retrofit. Putting LEDs into reflector headlights is a big no no, but installing them into projector headlights isn't much different to a car that has them from factory (although they obviously won't be self levelling). Back many moons ago I also installed projectors into a reflector housing along with a 35w HID kit into a previous car - now that gave the lighting a good kick.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:06

      I got the WhiteVisions. I see they’ve got some called Racing Vision now which allows up to 150% extra light or something.

      Interesting about the wiring. Alfa Romeos are pretty notorious for their electronics. Could be a reason why most Giulietta owners hate their halogen headlights too.

      I do fortunately have projector housings.

      Managed to find a LED headlight retrofit which claims to have spent 12 months getting approval to be the first ADR compliant bulbs in Aus. Bit skeptical though. Was hoping someone could give more insight on if this is too good to be true?

      https://www.lumenpro.com.au/lumenpro-adr-compliant-led-headl…

  • jsrz18 on 30/03/2021 - 20:04

    Get LEDs. Installed them in my car which came with halogens originally. If you've got projector headlights you won't be blinding others/wont' attract the cops.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:07

      I’ve got projectors, so at this point I’m probably just going to give it a try.

      • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2021 - 11:05
        +1

        Don't put LEDs in a projector setup , you will get light scatter and you will end up with WORSE vision.

        I highly recommend putting in a HID kit setup , in projectors you will get the best possible vision spending the least amount of money (in comparison to buying an aftermarket LED headlamp set and replacing your current setup

        I am not affiliated with these guys but i have ordered a kit from HERE before and they are reasonably priced and the kit is quality.

        Basically …for the least technical (simpleton explanation) the kit supercharges the bulb that has a special filament inside that increases the brightness of the bulb immensely. however for precautionary purposes i would not choose anything more then 55w as you could damage your stock wiring and worse melt the inside of your stock headlamps. (its usually 100w kits that do this but just stick with the voltage recommended by your manufacturer)

        Good luck

        • jsrz18 on 01/04/2021 - 19:53

          I've got iilumo LEDs in my projectors and I love them. No complaints here. I believe if you put HIDs in it would be better no doubt, but possibly blinding

          • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2021 - 20:02
            +1

            @jsrz18: as far as i am aware , any ADR headlights sold/supplied/fitted that are projectors will already have a shutter/self leveller/block by design so you can put the brightest bulb you want and you won't blind anyone.

            being very specific , Projector style headlamps not Halogen.

  • Naigrabzo on 31/03/2021 - 11:16

    For a cheap toyota, projector housing is about $250 on ebay. not sure on longevity though.

    • LikeClockwork on 31/03/2021 - 21:08
      +1

      I’d probably do that, unfortunately most stock HID housings for my car are $700+ each.

      • Naigrabzo on 01/04/2021 - 09:03
        +1

        My car isn't worth that much. I can't afford a damn driver side Visor because it's like $150 via Toyota.

  • Bid Sniper on 01/04/2021 - 12:29

    Is the aim correct? google how to adjust headlight. Aim might be off so doesn't matter what bulbs you put in.

    I use for halogen Philips +150, osram night breaker, Navara +100, expensive but they're good for halogen. Navara are yellowish however.

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