LEDs or hids Headlights
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Mercedes e350
LEDs or hids Headlights
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
Link
http://www.vleds.com/new-products/h7-cxa.html
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From: Santa Moncia, CA
'06 E55 AMG, '93 RX-7, '05 G35x
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.
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.
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2010 GL450
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
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...d=321118359394
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From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
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.
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.
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.
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
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. 
Last edited by beejAMG; Jan 31, 2014 at 06:40 PM.
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2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
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.
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.
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W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
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!
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2010 GL450
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.
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2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
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.
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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.
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From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
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.
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.
Last edited by AMGAffalterbach; Feb 1, 2014 at 11:13 PM.
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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.
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.
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From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
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.
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From: Miami
2003 E320 W211
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
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
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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.
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.
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
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.
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.
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!
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
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!
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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!
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!
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.
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From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
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!
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?
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2014 BMW M235i
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
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E55 Wagon, E550 Conv
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
Attachment 277872
Attachment 277875
Attachment 277873
Attachment 277874
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
Attachment 277872
Attachment 277875
Attachment 277873
Attachment 277874
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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
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From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
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.
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From: Miami
2003 E320 W211
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From: Miami
2003 E320 W211
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.
