Manziel02

Have always used hids , wanted to try something different like the Vleds led headlight system with the heat sink fan built in.... Advice?

Link
http://www.vleds.com/new-products/h7-cxa.html

JChristo

I'm planning on doing some headlight upgrades too but I'm afraid of what effect the heat from the led would have on the reflector chrome coating. I know cheap hid kits can get too hot and blister the coating. The cooling fan appears to be just to keep the base of the led assembly cool.

I'm not too familiar though and don't want my car to be the test subject, but I'm curious too. Post updates if you give it a try.

jandmtv

I wouldn't go with LEDs. I have always used xentec premium AC hid ballasts and bulbs on my cars with no issues. Oh and canbus error cancelers on both heads and fogs.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...d=321118359394

N_Jay

LEDs generate much less heat than Halogen or HID bulbs. The reason they need the fan is because the heat they do generate in concentrated in the element and even moderate heating causes long term degradation.


So the heatsink and fan are to save the LED elements. Your reflectors are safe.

beejAMG

there you go mate, sounds like N_Jay knows what he's talking about. Additional question for N_Jay, would LED last longer the HID? and which would give a better light output? cheers! Manziel02, Im interested with this too, please keep us posted if you go through with it.

N_Jay

LEDs should last a long time, as long as they don't get hot (and unfortunately "HOT" is must over 150 Deg C at the element.


The elements used to dope the semiconductor migrate faster as the heat goes up. As they migrate the PN junction becomes more diffuse and the efficiency of the LED goes down.

beejAMG

Cheers N_Jay. I have an AC 55W 6000K HID set up at the moment. Would you say its an upgrade if i go for DC 50W 6000K LED or a downgrade or dont bother as i wont notice the difference and im better off with my current set up? Thanks again for the info mate!

jandmtv

DC is always a downgrade! Ac ballasts always last longer. Stick with ac. But be warned. 55w or even the 50w hid's put out a lot of heat and blue light with can damage chrome and projectors over time. Stick with 35w AC hid's.

N_Jay

I really don't know. You would have to compare the total efficiency of the HID vs. LED set up.


My guess is the LED would be brighter, and 35W of HID is a better than 55W of Halogen and 15W of LED is about 55W of halogen (If I remember correctly)


Of course each set up may or may not reach typical efficiency for its technology.

N_Jay

How so?


LEDs don't need ballasts at all. They use constant current sourest since the element uses less than 12V whereas HIDs need high voltage and hence the ballasts (always AC, because DC does not go through transformers) to take the 12V up to the several thousand needed to fire the bulb.

AMGAffalterbach

But do the LEDs work properly with this type of projector, or will it scatter light like when you use HIDs in a non-projector housing? Also, how do these bulbs that you link fit with the stock twist-in clip setup?

For the record I would definitely go for LEDs over HIDs if it was possible, especially with parts from DDM Tuning it's been a pain in the *** to get it working correctly and I sort of regret spending so much money on a pretty unreliable setup. Finally got it corrected by soldering in a capacitor between each power input and ballast, but it's been hell and still flickers a little bit.

N_Jay

Did you use a capacitor or a resistor?


The car expects to see the relatively constant draw of a incandescent bulb, but instead sees the draw of the electronic ballast with its high starting current and then lower operating current. It assumes something is wrong.


The usual fix is a resistor across the line to "use" (waste) enough extra power that the total looks constant enough to keep the car happy.

AMGAffalterbach

Huh, I'm aware of what capacitors and resistors do, but I was just following the exact part number in the sticky'd tutorial on this forum, the 2000uf 272-1020 Radio Shack capacitor. I've found it works as a good store of energy to allow the HID ballast to fire up immediately then draw a consistent current once the ignitor sparks.

Eayacht

It's funny you ask about hid's Today I just installed Hid head lights and fog lights. And I used led's for my two front parking lights. It looks great. Let me tell you it's amazing how clear and bright those things shine up the road. And I had no oncoming cars flashing there high beams at me so it looks like they don't bother other drivers.
No more yellow old school lights. The whole expressway it bright white now. Really happy with then. Def recommend them to anyone. Here are some pics

N_Jay

Sorry.


Most of the CAN BUS fixes I have seen just use a resistor. As long as the HID system draws enough power on the average to keep the system happy, the capacitor is a good solution.

beejAMG

Thanks for this. for less than a hundred bucks i MIGHT go and try the LED. if i dont like it, i can always put the HID set up back.

also, you mentioned that LED's dont need ballasst but when Im looking at the link the OP pasted, it looks like they have ballasts as well. Im not really familiar with the LEd so most likely im wrong but can you pls confirm? cheers mate!

beejAMG

thanks! are we talking about wattage for the ballast or the bulb or both? im currently using 55W AC ballast and 55W 6000K bulb. it may just be me but for some reason, with this set up, i dont need to use a canceller and it doesnt throw a warning. Ive tried 35W AC ballast with a 55W bulb before and I used cancellers with it. so do I have to change my ballast to 35W or my bulbs to 35W or both? like I mentioned earlier, I MIGHT try the LED too but I may also have to change my HID set up if I have to. Thanks!

N_Jay

LEDs require a constant current. most cheep display LEDs running off 12V just have a resistor, but since with high currents the current changes quite a lot with small voltage changes and brightness follows current, an electronic circuit is used to set an specific current across a relatively wide voltage range.


To most these will look like "ballasts" used in gas discharge (HID) lights even though they are doing a very different job.

N_Jay

My understanding is that with HIDs the ballast sets the actual power and the rating on the bulb is what it will handle and provide the designed lifespan.


So a 55W ballast with 35W bulbs will still run at 55W but your bulb life will probably be shortened.


Some ballasts may be able to sense the bulb and adjust actual power to match, with eth rating being the maximum.


Anyone know more about the actual operation of automotive HIDs?

AMGAffalterbach

The bulbs are the same at least from DDM Tuning, they don't look different for 55w or 35w and I believe the same is true with the Morimoto kit but don't quote me on that. My question is just about the physical fitment of the LEDs if they will work with this setup because both the power cable and the base of the bulb looks as if they won't work with the clips on the W211 headlights

Smalone01

What bulbs did you end up using for your fog lights and drl? Looks good!

beejAMG

i think i know what youre saying. if you look closer on the photos from the link the OP provided, I think the bulb itself has built-in ears on em so I reckon you wont need the clip. if thats the case, you'll be alright with just plug and play without using the stock clips (I just hope its thin enough). but ive seen a few on ebay that looks otherwise where you have to use the stock clip which I reckon wont work since the clip has a rectangular back end and the LED bulb has a circular back end.

AMGAffalterbach

Ah okay thanks beejay, that's what I thought. The clips on this thing are a ***** at least for the DDMTuning HIDs so that's why I was concerned. Since I'm selling my car though it doesn't matter to me as much, but since I'm getting into another W211 it may be worth looking at at least for fogs.

Eayacht

Smalone01

Thanks. I don't remember what lights I used and the watts. I have the invoice in my office. I'll post it tomorrow.

Eayacht

My bulbs for driving and fog lights are 35w and the transformers are 8000k
I could have installed a 55w but I did alittle research and the get pretty hot and some times melt or damage the clear plastic head lamps.
I'm very happy with the 35w. Lights up my whole block.