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Beach Headlight Upgrade

Gazellio

Gazellio

Messages
1,039
Location
Hertfordshire
Vehicle
T6 Beach 150
My new Van (Arsène) has the standard lights and I have to say they are a little disappointing. Having just driven to Austrian alps and back I would have preferred a brighter whiter light with a greater throw while on dipped.

It seems that simply buying the upgraded VW Factory units is a no go without substantial work to make them compatible. This company do a factory upgrade for about £2400

https://www.hazzydayz.com/genuine-t6-full-led-headlight-upgrade-supply--fit-7862-p.asp

Therefore my choice is existing poor lights or aftermarket bright LED based units. I have seen the following that look to be a good compromise:

https://transporterhq.co.uk/vw-tran...ts/vw-t6-led-drl-headlights-chrome-pre-order/

Any opinion would be appreciated. I did search for existing threads but could not match my requirement.

Arsene out shopping in his Arsenal Kit:

20171201_103933.jpg
 
Hi Gazellio
Nice van - liking the two tone, and the retro wheels!
Re headlights. I have the same thing on my Beach. Regretting not speccing the LEDs.

Hazzy Days for a full upgrade is over £4k when washers and self-levelling is included - I'm sure they'd do a really good job, but this is really costly. This involves them putting on a new (different) bumper so you'd probably want to spec the LED cornering lights too. A costly option.

As it happens, only today I have changed the H4 main bulbs that came in my van with these: https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h4-ring-xenon-130-12v-60-55w-472-halogen-bulbs-pair.html

I can confirm it makes a considerable difference - brighter and whiter. For £25 quid, you get a decent improvement. If you are fairly handy you can change them yourself pretty easily - I didn't want to trust Halfords to do it for me. I can give you the details of how to do it if you want.

I'm planning to live with these upgraded bulbs for a bit and keep the £4k in my pocket for something else!

There are other even brighter bulbs (150% etc) available, but you get into questionable areas of legality, and also lifespan. I've read of bulbs blowing after a few months. The Ring ones above get good reviews, and hopefully will last a while.

There are also non-VW options, and LED bulb upgrades in the same headlight unit, but I'm really not convinced by that. Unlikely to be legal, and quite likely to invalidate your warranty.
 
Sorry I meant I would like the fitting guide! And do these bulbs improve both the dipped and main beams?
 
Gazellio said:
My new Van (Arsène) has the standard lights and I have to say they are a little disappointing. Having just driven to Austrian alps and back I would have preferred a brighter whiter light with a greater throw while on dipped.

It seems that simply buying the upgraded VW Factory units is a no go without substantial work to make them compatible. This company do a factory upgrade for about £2400

https://www.hazzydayz.com/genuine-t6-full-led-headlight-upgrade-supply--fit-7862-p.asp

Therefore my choice is existing poor lights or aftermarket bright LED based units. I have seen the following that look to be a good compromise:

https://transporterhq.co.uk/vw-tran...ts/vw-t6-led-drl-headlights-chrome-pre-order/

Any opinion would be appreciated. I did search for existing threads but could not match my requirement.

Arsene out shopping in his Arsenal Kit:

View attachment 28746
Click to expand...
The second option is obviously for LED daylight running lights and H7 headlight bulbs, better than the H4 bulbs you currently have but still not amazing.
 
I added the "exterior pack" to my T6 Beach, which includes an upgrade from H4 to H7..... Have to say, I find the H7 lights adequate (not excellent, but adequate) and much better than the H4 equipped Transporter I took for a test drive.

Whilst LED, is definitely a "nice to have" it does cost a fortune.... The H4's appear to be very poor, for a £40K+ vehicle..... So, the H7's should be standard fit, disappointing they're not.
 
Gazellio said:
Sorry I meant I would like the fitting guide! And do these bulbs improve both the dipped and main beams?
Click to expand...
Yes, they improve both dipped and main beams.

Regarding fitting, here's what I did:

  • Read the manual (p356 I think it was). Follow the instructions in the manual as a basic approach i.e. it tells you to turn off the headlights etc.
  • I recommend you do it in daylight, less easy to see how much difference they make, but much easier to do the swap if it's your first time.
  • You'll need a torch, a makeup/small mirror, a large flat head screwdriver.
  • Start with the passenger side one as there's more room.
  • There's a metal clip holding on a plastic cover. Take the clip off and remove the plastic cover. Don't drop it into the engine bay.
  • Now get the torch and mirror and use it to look at what is behind the plastic cover you've just removed. Essentially there is a squarish plug with 3 wires coming out of it that is connected to your existing bulb. This needs to unplugged from the 3 metal plates on the bulb. i.e. pull it away. If it is like mine it will not be easy to do and needed some wiggling and coaxing which is difficult in a confined space. Be gentle, but firm wiggling should free it. You have now unplugged the wires from the existing bulb.
  • Now use the torch and mirror again, and use it to look at how the metal clip that holds the bulb into the headlight unit works. See also this video (half way down page): https://www.t6forum.com/threads/headlight-removal.1281/#post-20688
  • Use your finger to disengage the metal clip holding the bulb in, fold it down and the bulb should now be free to come out. Do not touch the glass bit of it.
  • Get your new bulb, again without touching the glass bit of it, and locate it in the hole you've just taken the old one out of. It should only go in one way. There are three contact plates which should be on the sides and top. Have a look through the headlight lens to check it looks like it is seated in place properly.
  • Put the metal clip back on to hold the new bulb in place.
  • Push the wiring connector onto the 3 metal plates of the secured bulb.
  • Test that the new bulb is working. Compare the brightness/whiteness to the other headlight.
  • Turn off the headlights again so the bulbs don't get too hot.
  • Put the plastic cover back on the headlight unit. This is tricky, and you need to be careful not to drop it into the engine bay. There are two lugs on the bottom of this plate that go into slots. Locate these lugs first, then the top part should close onto the headlight unit with a good seal and the metal clip should hold it in place.
You've done one headlight. The hardest bit of this for me was removing the electrical connector from the bulb. It really didn't want to budge and there wasn't much room to get my fingers to it easily. Took a lot of fiddling. Using a mirror and a torch helped me work out what I was trying to do. The diagram in the manual is not very useful.
  • Now onto the trickier headlight (drivers side). The good news is that you've done one, so you know what you are doing now. See also the attached pic. The instructions below involve removing the top of the air box which some people (who must have tiny hands) claim is not always necessary. I obviously have bigger hands.
  • Get the flat head screwdriver and loosen the jubilee clip on the large hose coming out of the air box. Use the screw driver to gently prise the hose off the box.
  • Disconnect the electrical connector from the top of the air box. There's a thing on the back of this connector that I think you have to press in, to allow it to unplug.
  • The air box has two clips holding it on. One at the front and one at the back. They both work the same way (lift plastic bit up from the bottom, and the metal loop unhooks). The airbox should now be removable. On the left hand side of it (as you look from the front of the van) it has some plastic hooks that hold it in place (see attached picture). So to take the box out you have to lift it and move it to the right slightly.
  • Bulb replacement is then easy, and follow steps above. Be careful not to drop the cover plate, and not to damage the air filter thingy that you expose when removing the air box cover. Check the bulb works before moving onto next step.
  • Put it all back together. Air box needs to have hooks on left located (push box to left to engage them before allowing right hand side of it to lower down into place). Then put the two clips back on (front and back of the air box), and put the hose back on the airbox, tighten jubliee clip, and re-attach wiring connector to top of air box.
bulb replacement.jpg 2018-01-01 11.36.54.jpg
So that's it. It sounds like a lot of faff, but is actually very simple if you are reasonably technically competent!
 
Gazellio said:
James not being mechanical how do I go about changing to LED daylight running lights and H7 headlight bulbs

And you would recommend H7 over these: https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h4-ring-xenon-130-12v-60-55w-472-halogen-bulbs-pair.html
Click to expand...

Hi Gazellio
I'm not sure you can (or should) put H7 bulbs in a headlight unit designed to have H4 bulbs in it. I think I've read elsewhere that if you want to use H7 bulbs then you need a different headlight unit (that comes in the upgrade pack that @Jonathan Duke sensibly added to his van). @Jonathan Duke - are you able to post a picture of one of your headlights? Did I also read somewhere that the H7s run hotter than the H4, so you risk melting your lamp reflector etc....?

I'd recommend spending £25 and an hour or so of your time on better H4 bulbs and see how you feel about things having done that relatively cheap option first.

From my research, it seems there are a lot of products out there that people will sell you that aren't necessarily legal, or will invalidate your warranty, or will cause warnings/errors on your dash. The MoT guidance is grey for LED lights as Hazzy Dayz show on their website: https://www.hazzydayz.com/mot-guide-issued-april-2013-section-17-headlamps-2847-p.asp

I've also had other advice that the non VW LED replacements are really new, and I the advice was to leave it a while (6 months/1 year?) for any problems/issues to be sorted. These vans are expensive and I wouldn't want to break mine just to be an early adopter of a cheaply made imported part that wasn't really road legal.
 
H4 is a twin filament bulb one each for both dipped and main. The H7 is single filament so one bulb each for dipped and main. The H7 lamp unit is different. There’s a T6 thread about converting, costs about £350 if you do it yourself and can get someone to do the coding.
https://www.t6forum.com/threads/h4-h7-journey.3888/
 
What ever you do, Don't get the LED kits as sold on ebay and the like. The spread of light is useless and some will give you issues with the canbus. To fit H7 you will need to replace the complete headlight and even the H7 is rubbish for these days.there is know easy fix I am sorry to say. Maybe as already said improvements are on their way, but its just a pity that VW are so penny pinching. F
 
Most people with a normal T5 recommend either upgrading the bulbs with OSRAM or Philips bulbs or changing the headlights over to Caravelle units which i believe are H7 compatible, however you also need to change the plug/wiring as the connectors are different between H4 and H7 types
 
How much long distance night driving do you do? Could you not just add extra spots on a bracket system that makes them easy to add/remove.

I’ve always found lighting is like engine size.
“There ain’t no replacement for displacement “ ie more not better.

Go old school and add a brace of Super Oscars.
 
Jonathan Duke said:
View attachment 28814
Click to expand...
Jonathan - thanks for this. They are clearly a different unit to the ones with H4 bulbs. Credit also to @Zebra who suggested this would be the case in post #11 above.

@sidepod - yes, some rally-style fog lamps could be an interesting look! TBH, I'm happy with my upgraded (+130%) H4 bulbs for now. I'd be tempted to push the boat out and go for some +150% ones. They might not last quite as long, but now I know how easy changing them is that's less of an issue.
 
Anybody tried these bulbs: https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/...MI4czls83D2AIVzpztCh1brQptEAQYASABEgJknfD_BwE

Philips White Vision Xenon Effect - H4 Twin Pack (free set of 501 Bulbs Included)
Philips WhiteVision lamps add an intense white Xenon look to your car headlights for a premium driving experience at night. The increased brightness with 40% whiter light makes WhiteVision the perfect combination of style and safety.

  • Maximum visibility, premium look
  • • A premium driving experience with intense white Xenon effect
  • • Crisp beam with 40% whiter light (3,700 Kelvin)
  • • White Xenon effect for high end look in your car headlights Maximum white light for greater contrast
  • Maximum white light for greater contrast
  • • 60% more light on the road ahead to maximize clarity
  • • Greater contrast for improved visibility and safer driving
  • • Best-in-class lifetime for extended driving pleasure Original equipment, 100% road legal
  • Original equipment, 100% road legal
  • • 100% road legal, 100% intense white light

Or these: https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/...MI4czls83D2AIVzpztCh1brQptEAQYASABEgJknfD_BwE

Philips Racing Vision 150% Extra Light H4 Twin Pack
As the 2016 AutoExpress Best Buy winners, Philips RacingVision car bulbs are the perfect choice for passionate drivers. With an incredible performance of up to 150% more brightness, you’ll be able to react faster for a safer, more exciting driving experience.
The Philips racing vision bulbs are designed for optimum performance, as mentioned in AutoExpress they noticed a "Bright hot spot, close to the tricky-to-reach 75-metre mark" Although the price for this performance is a shorter lifetime, close to half of the Philips X-tremeVision +130, AutoExpress put this on par with similar rivals quoting "If only the best will do, this is the bulb to buy"
  • up to 150% more brightness
  • Excellent light performance
  • Rally performance for the road
  • ECE homologation
  • Great contrast drives fun
  • Bright light for darker months
  • Strong light, early reaction

Or these that will last longer: https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/...MI4czls83D2AIVzpztCh1brQptEAQYAiABEgJEh_D_BwE

Philips Xtreme Vision PLUS 130% Extra Light - H4 Twin Pack
Philips X-tremeVision car bulbs are the brightest you can buy. They outshine all other car lamps with up to 130% more brightness and a superior beam of up to 130 meters. So you see further, react faster and drive safer.

  • Maximum light, maximum performance
  • • See further and react faster with 130% more brightness
  • • The brightest bulb: ultimate visibility and performance
  • • The safest, road-legal headlights Increased brightness
  • Increased Brightness
  • • 20% whiter light to improve comfort and safety
  • • Exceptional beam quality and performance
  • • Great contrast for a comfortable drive Best-in-class lifetime
  • Best in Class Lifetime
  • • A lifetime of safety so you can see and be seen
 
Are H7 bulbs a direct Replacement for H4 or do they require new wiring connectors?
 
Gazellio said:
Are H7 bulbs a direct Replacement for H4 or do they require new wiring connectors?
Click to expand...
images



Left one is H7 right is H4 obviously extra connector for the additional filament, different alignment lugs.

I thought the H4 equipped vans had better lights than the H7 as they have twin headlights with a dedicated outer one for dipped beam & the inner one for main beam. Wheres the H7 have just the outer lamp doing both functions.

upload_2018-1-6_21-18-29.jpeg

upload_2018-1-6_21-17-58.jpeg
 
andyinluton said:
images



Left one is H7 right is H4 obviously extra connector for the additional filament, different alignment lugs.

I thought the H4 equipped vans had better lights than the H7 as they have twin headlights with a dedicated outer one for dipped beam & the inner one for main beam. Wheres the H7 have just the outer lamp doing both functions.

View attachment 28883

View attachment 28882
Click to expand...
Not quit correct. On the T5 Halogen lights.
The SE has the following.
The H7 is a single filament bulb, 55w, used for Dipped Beam and the H15, dual filament 15/55 w used for the DRL function and Main Beam. On Main Beam both the H7 and H15, 55 w filament, are powered up.
Thus the wiring difference.
On the Beach there is 1 x H4 dual filament bulb that provided Dipped OR Main Beam and a separate 15w bulb for the DRL function, I think.
Thus on Main Beam the SE has 2 x 55w filaments and the Beach 1 x 55 w filament powered.
 
You are of course 100% correct I've got the bulbs round the wrong way, but if we ignore the bulb numbers I don't see how, as Gazellio has suggested, putting a single filament bulb in place of a dual filament bulb is going to make anything any better, surely you end up with no main beam or have I missed something fundamental.
 
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