I was surfing ebay today and came across these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PIAA-...spagenameZWDVW

Has anyone ever replaced their city lights with these. I wonder how much brighter and more uniform they are with the HID headlights? They probably are better than the 19172's. I found these as low as $50 shipped. As to if they are worth it, who knows.....

 

Perfect! No bulb out indicator. I'd try em out. I've had great success with PIAA in the past.

 

did you need a resister for it?

 

Not just a little overpriced, wow. I say try it and let us know what the verdict is.

www.spectrumled.com

 

These do not need the resistor. They clearly have a module driving the LED. The module is how they get more light out of the LED at lower power. Instead of a resistor being used in series with the LED, they are using a real LED driver in the module. Very different that what spectrumled is doing. Although I will say that the the LED current in our tail lights are all controlled by a resistor for each LED. I actually tore apart a S-Class tail light to investigate this at work.

The LED only pulls 250mA for a 1W design. Although I guess they could be using 3 LEDs in series and driving them at about 80mA.

There are plenty of 1Amp LEDs available that are REALLY bright in the 4W/5W class. The problem is the heat dissipation. A regular halogen or xenon can run at 1000C. The LED needs to be kept below 125C to operate reliably. An LED running at 150-175C will not last long. That has been the real challenge in having functional LED headlights. The light efficiency is fine, but trying to keep the temperature down requires extravigant measures. A 2007 Ford GT prototype used LED headlights that were water cooled.

By the way, check out these videos. Hella is probably the manufacturer for Mercedes.
http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hell.../Headlamps.jsp

 

I bougt EVERY 194 wedge bulb SpectrumLed sells, and they all didnt work in the front parking lights... Some didnt light up, others stayed on, but a lil dimmer, and some lit up then strobed...Error message everytime... My LED license plate light r still going strong though!!! Thanks to Yacht Master for the resistor trick!

 

Lemme clear that up.. I had success with OTHER PIAA products in the past. I'll for sure thry these in my 211.

 

whered you find them for $50 shipped...I want one toooo

 

It seems like they would not have very much indirect light i.e. not reflecting as much off the reflector as regular bulb.

 

just curious, what would be another option for that bulb, whats a good all white bulb?




ALi

 

Good all white bulbs are Raybrig or PIAA Xteme white. Used them both.

 

think that would be the best option or has it left you unsatisfied?

and has anyone tried the HOEN bulb for the tails, any good or not at all?




ALi

 

That would be the best option IMO. I use HOEN high-beam bulbs in my S4 and plan on using them in the E55 for signals and/or high beams. They're great.