Standard headlight performance.

[Greyvanman]

i have a T6 with standard headlights, they are bright enough - with the money you save you can buy lots of nice camping gear which you will appreciate far more!

 

[briwy]

I think the reason higher powered bulbs are unavailable us because I believe it's illegal to fit them. 100w used to be available as well years ago. It probably cause the canbus to throw a wobbler as well.
I don't think it's a good thing to augment the dipped beams with the fog lights. It tends to illuminate very close to the vehicle and your eyes then get drawn to this rather than looking further ahead.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I think the reason higher powered bulbs are unavailable us because I believe it's illegal to fit them. 100w used to be available as well years ago. It probably cause the canbus to throw a wobbler as well.
I don't think it's a good thing to augment the dipped beams with the fog lights. It tends to illuminate very close to the vehicle and your eyes then get drawn to this rather than looking further ahead.

I understand what you are saying but it's not the case for me when I pull in my front fogs on the Evoque.
It just illuminates the sides of the road well allowing me to spend less attention there and concentrate further ahead.

 

[Bellcrew]

I understand what you are saying but it's not the case for me when I pull in my front fogs on the Evoque.
It just illuminates the sides of the road well allowing me to spend less attention there and concentrate further ahead.

Of course only available legally when fog or mist restricts visability.

 

[Sad]

Of course only available legally when fog or mist restricts visability.

Rule 226

 

[WelshGas]

Of course only available legally when fog or mist restricts visability.

Try telling that to the drivers who know how to turn them on but didn't turn the page to the bit about turning them OFF, or the other group who didn't read about turning them on in fog or reduced visibility.
Anyway, who's going to tell you off ?. Just driven over 200 miles and still haven't seen a police car.

 

[Steve39]

I'd read the standard Beach lights are pants. I paid for the Exterior Pack which gets you the same lights as standard on the Ocean (plus fogs and black mirror caps - later not for everyone but look good on my Candy White).

I've had the van for 10 days or so and have used it for my commute home in the dark on unlit roads no problems whatsoever. LEDs are better but whether there worth the extra is up to each of us. Personally I don't regret not getting them in the slightest.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Of course only available legally when fog or mist restricts visability.

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

Referring to original question on Halogen lights not LED ones.

Basically the Beach model comes with H4 light units and Oceans with H7 units in standard trim.

H4 is a 2 filament bulb where the dip goes out when the mainbeam is on so only ever 2 filaments (L&R) are on at any time. Total 110watts dip & 120watts mainbeam (55/60watt bulbs)

The H7 has 1 filament but 4 bulbs in total. 2 dip & 2 mainbeam. The main advantage over the H4 is that the dip filaments remain on when mainbeam is operated. Total 110 Watt dip & 220 Watt mainbeam. (55watt bulbs)

Dip is the weak area of both headlight types and other than a slight improvement by changing bulbs I haven't seen any as yet.
Fitting extra lights that are on during dipped mode gets into all sorts of legal issues. Mainbeam only ones are no problem but can have a frightening light loss when dip is selected as it takes time for eyes to adjust. If you can find a wartime Spitfire Pilot pull up a sandbag and have a chat about night vision.

High spec bulbs from Osram And Phillips are available for both H4 and H7 versions and have found these do give an improvement for not too much cash outlay.
There are 100watt versions available and are not road legal plus the heat output may damage the light unit.

Decades ago I purchased 75/60Watt H4 bulbs under the Lucas brand but these have gone out of the catalogue now, pity as they were really good plus had vertical dip making no need for any changes when driving on the right.
Never found out why 24 volt HGV's have 70watt H7's but 12 volt cars only 55watt ones.

LED lights have 'bling' DRL's (daylight running lights) which attracts many..

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

Referring to original question on Halogen lights not LED ones.

Basically the Beach model comes with H4 light units and Oceans with H7 units in standard trim.

H4 is a 2 filament bulb where the dip goes out when the mainbeam is on so only ever 2 filaments (L&R) are on at any time. Total 110watts dip & 120watts mainbeam (55/60watt bulbs)

The H7 has 1 filament but 4 bulbs in total. 2 dip & 2 mainbeam. The main advantage over the H4 is that the dip filaments remain on when mainbeam is operated. Total 110 Watt dip & 220 Watt mainbeam. (55watt bulbs)

Dip is the weak area of both headlight types and other than a slight improvement by changing bulbs I haven't seen any as yet.
Fitting extra lights that are on during dipped mode gets into all sorts of legal issues. Mainbeam only ones are no problem but can have a frightening light loss when dip is selected as it takes time for eyes to adjust. If you can find a wartime Spitfire Pilot pull up a sandbag and have a chat about night vision.

High spec bulbs from Osram And Phillips are available for both H4 and H7 versions and have found these do give an improvement for not too much cash outlay.
There are 100watt versions available and are not road legal plus the heat output may damage the light unit.

Decades ago I purchased 75/60Watt H4 bulbs under the Lucas brand but these have gone out of the catalogue now, pity as they were really good plus had vertical dip making no need for any changes when driving on the right.
Never found out why 24 volt HGV's have 70watt H7's but 12 volt cars only 55watt ones.

LED lights have 'bling' DRL's (daylight running lights) which attracts many..

It's interesting you mention HGVs. I've been a lorry driver for 45 years. I believe that's why I find most car headlights not very effective. I guess it's the driving position.

 

[kave]

I have xenons on my 2011 BMW 520, I thought they where great, until I drove our Cali with led. Its a massive difference. I am over 40 now and our country is dark when I travel to and from work 4 months a year with wildlife incl elks etc. if the leds save me from one accident they are worth it. I see it as a security item.

 

[ToulonTom]

Standard headlights on 64 plate SE and no complaints. No doubt xenons and LEDs are brighter, but to answer the original question- perfectly happy with mine.

 

[westfalia]

LED lights have 'bling' DRL's (daylight running lights) which attracts many..

I turn them off if i can on my other cars.
I also get immense pleasure from telling people that they have their lights on and
then walking away half way through the DRL explanation.

 

[Borris]

I take for granted from the off set, LED lights will give more of everything and look great for most people. So you could argue that they improve safety.
That is not what this thread is about exactly, i'm not after a comparison with them.

What I really want to know from mainly T5/T6 owners on the basis I'm assuming there has been some evolution since T4's, how do your do your standard head lights perform?
Are you happy with what you see at night on both unlit and street light roads?

Thanks

I live out in the country which can be very dark. I had a T4 pannel van for many years and the standard headlights were extremely good. I remember thinking how good they were every time I used the van at night. We now have a T6 Beach with the bog standard headlights and the contrast is startling. My thoughts when driving this van at night are about how bad these units are. I have since fitted Phillips racing bulbs which are supposed to be a lot better. All that I can say is that they are better but not by that much.

Is it the design of the headlight internals/reflecta shape or the bulbs that are making the basic T6 lights so bad? I don't know! All I do know is that they don't hold a candle to those on my old T4. So the evolution you refer to is IMO going in the wrong direction.

I seem to remember that the T4 headlights were the old fashioned glass type with prismatic focusing build into the lenses. The T6 lights are clear polycarbonate and the effectiveness/non effectiveness appears to be achieved purely by the shape of the shiny reflecta and type of bulb fitted.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

So bog standard on a T6 Beach = H4?
and bog standard on a T6 Ocean = H7?

 

[Borris]

On the assumption that it is the refecta design as well as the H4 bulbs that are the cause of the poor head lighting on the bog standard T6 Beach, has anyone changed their head light units for the ones fitted on the exterior pack. I haven't studied the internal reflecta shape closely to see if there is any difference but these units certainly look different. The H7 bulbs must make a big difference but I suspect that it is not purely down to these better bulbs. If you have swopped, was it a straight forward job or was there a lot of mods required? How do the new lights compare with the base H4 units?

Basically is it possible? How easy was it to do? And was it worth doing?

 

[Bellcrew]

On the assumption that it is the refecta design as well as the H4 bulbs that are the cause of the poor head lighting on the bog standard T6 Beach, has anyone changed their head light units for the ones fitted on the exterior pack. I haven't studied the internal reflecta shape closely to see if there is any difference but these units certainly look different. The H7 bulbs must make a big difference but I suspect that it is not purely down to these better bulbs. If you have swopped, was it a straight forward job or was there a lot of mods required? How do the new lights compare with the base H4 units?

Basically is it possible? How easy was it to do? And was it worth doing?

I presume your old T4 had excellent sealed beam circular light units, bloody stylists win most of the arguments, the manufacturers know the majority go for the gorgeous and ignore the practical.

 

[Borris]

I presume your old T4 had excellent sealed beam circular light units, bloody stylists win most of the arguments, the manufacturers know the majority go for the gorgeous and ignore the practical.

They were oblong in shape, functional and very effective. Just right!
I think they were designed for function first and there appeared to have been very little styling involved. Perfect.

 

[WillSS]

On the assumption that it is the refecta design as well as the H4 bulbs that are the cause of the poor head lighting on the bog standard T6 Beach, has anyone changed their head light units for the ones fitted on the exterior pack. I haven't studied the internal reflecta shape closely to see if there is any difference but these units certainly look different. The H7 bulbs must make a big difference but I suspect that it is not purely down to these better bulbs. If you have swopped, was it a straight forward job or was there a lot of mods required? How do the new lights compare with the base H4 units?

Basically is it possible? How easy was it to do? And was it worth doing?

Yep, looks straightforward, fit & go, no coding,etc...

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/h4-to-h7.2720/
and the H7 lights + £185 ea...
https://shop.t6forum.com/lighting/exterior.html

 

[Borris]

Yep, looks straightforward, fit & go, no coding,etc...

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/h4-to-h7.2720/
and the H7 lights + £185 ea...
https://shop.t6forum.com/lighting/exterior.html

I am now thinking about giving this a go.

 

[Stuart]

Yep, looks straightforward, fit & go, no coding,etc...

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/h4-to-h7.2720/
and the H7 lights + £185 ea...
https://shop.t6forum.com/lighting/exterior.html

See the final post in that thread... coding is required to get high beam to keep dipped on too.

 

[Stoneybroke]

So bog standard on a T6 Beach = H4?
and bog standard on a T6 Ocean = H7?

Correct

 

[B J G]

Despite having replaced the H7's bulbs I still couldn't see too well in dip mode. I did however notice that the lights were set well to the left with the 'kerb spotter' higher beam area pretty much in the verge.
I have had the dip presets reset moving the lights to the right, but still legal, and now have a much improved dip beam lit area.

 

[calimera]

Despite having replaced the H7's bulbs I still couldn't see too well in dip mode. I did however notice that the lights were set well to the left with the 'kerb spotter' higher beam area pretty much in the verge.
I have had the dip presets reset moving the lights to the right, but still legal, and now have a much improved dip beam lit area.

HI BJG
Who reset the lights for you ?
Thanks

 

[B J G]

HI BJG
Who reset the lights for you ?
Thanks

Just go to a local garage or MOT centre and ask them to set as far to the right as is legally permitted, or just a little less as best not be on the borderline of irritating oncoming drivers.

It can be done by DIY methods.