LED headlight "conversion" on T1N

I've searched to see if anyone's used these new fangled things, and haven't found much.

The fact that they seem a bit new fangled gives me pause, but the general public review of them seems positive, though I can't find an instance of anyone using them on a T1N. Specifically, the Cougar Motor LED conversion kit:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H6NZ6MK/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I'll find out soon enough in real life anyway as they'll be here tomorrow, the price is sure nice, and my only real concerns are:

-will the plastic headlight cover fit back on?
-will it trip any codes?

I'll report my findings back here. I'll take any extra light I can get, I live in a place with dark windy roads full of deer. I have a 30something inch LED light bar slaved to my highs which is incredibly successful when the highs are on, but the lows are still kinds pitiful, and yes I keep my lenses cleaned and do the occasional repair service on them.

Until tomorrow, anyone have experience with these bulls or similar?

I put those in my friends 98 dodge 3500. They were ok. I think hids may give more light still.

He liked the led since he still had drl, low, hi. In one bulb

See https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64608

And various other threads

Thanks for the replies, I installed them yesterday and have my first impressions.

-The light is most certainly whiter than a standard halogen bulb, to be expected. They're 6000K, and I've always been skeptical about the light from this Kelvin range for anything. For Indoor lighting I don't like anything whiter than about 3000K, and while these are headlights and not interior lights, I'm not completely sold on the color. I think I can get used to it, and I do think the light is definitely more even.

-The price is nice, like $45 with tax or so which is about what new high quality halogens cost, and I go through about a pair of those per year. They claim a 50,000 hr life which is pretty impressive.

-I didn't think the headlight covers would fit back on because of the extra bulk but they do!

-with my brights on which are still halogen bulbs, and my 32" LED light bar this thing can really see ahead on the road now! I'm extra careful with my brights because of the light bar, but I also have much better visibility for those rogue deer that are always right there on the side of the road.

-the light cast to the sides is more even and more illuminating.

-no error codes thrown

I'll get some pics of the difference in light with my good camera soon...

I have a set of those same lights that I'm about to test out. I felt that they needed to breathe and be allowed to cool down, so putting the plastic cover on the back without drilling some venting holes was a concern to me. Id like to hear how yours are doing
Also, if they were causing any problems, they would blow a fuse or something, not throw a check engine light.

MillionMileSprinter said:

I have a set of those same lights that I'm about to test out. I felt that they needed to breathe and be allowed to cool down, so putting the plastic cover on the back without drilling some venting holes was a concern to me. Id like to hear how yours are doing
Also, if they were causing any problems, they would blow a fuse or something, not throw a check engine light.

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I mentioned no codes because it seems to be a (solvable) issue with some vehicles, though probably more with newer ones.

I had the same thought about heat build up and some ventilation. I was thinking of either just drilling some holes towards the bottom where water would be less likely to intrude, or maybe gluing a little eyebrow kinda thing above where the bulb is and adding the ventilation there. Wouldn't be hard, just a little piece of plastic and some q-bond or some such.

The lights are growing on me I think.

I am not a fan of the 6k light output, color rendition is pretty "wrong" with 6k lighting. I really wish they made 4k versions of these, much better color rendition, thus a better chance of seeing deer/moose/etc.... I have stock headlights, but with all the wild life around here (Deer Elk Moose) I do long for something better...

100-300w LED lightbar slaved by relay to the brights. Technically illegal in some states, but absolutely game changing.

Midwestdrifter said:

100-300w LED lightbar slaved by relay to the brights. Technically illegal in some states, but absolutely game changing.

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What he said. Right up there with a GDE tune imo...

Although the factory is a H7 type bulb, the factory back socket accepts NO other item such as the cooling fan be present as the fitting screws in from the back. Is there any LED bulb fitting that will screw into the socket for LED bulb with fan at the back?

Also please see the attached pdf --> https://sprinter-source.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=113935&stc=1&d=1560875040

Midwestdrifter said:

100-300w LED lightbar slaved by relay to the brights. Technically illegal in some states, but absolutely game changing.

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The LED conversion bulbs are also “technically illegal” as they mess with the light distribution from the reflector. It’s pretty easy to spot the folks with LEDs plugged into their low-beams: they’re the ones with the blinding glare.

So please confine the experiments to your high beams, and keep your low beams stock.
Oncoming traffic will thank you.

-dave (thank you! )

njsarn said:

Although the factory is a H7 type bulb, the factory back socket accepts NO other item such as the cooling fan be present as the fitting screws in from the back. Is there any LED bulb fitting that will screw into the socket for LED bulb with fan at the back?

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I noticed that your attachments mention 2017 sprinter. Are you asking for an NCV3 here? If so, this is the T1N section. The Cougar Motor LED's that I have fit the stock housing with no modification.

Nautamaran said:

The LED conversion bulbs are also “technically illegal” as they mess with the light distribution from the reflector. It’s pretty easy to spot the folks with LEDs plugged into their low-beams: they’re the ones with the blinding glare.

So please confine the experiments to your high beams, and keep your low beams stock.
Oncoming traffic will thank you.

-dave (thank you! )

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm feeling conflicted about this a little. I do get flashed once in a while, but I also live in a place with pretty much all dark backroads, and I need to be able to see deer and other critters. Stock lows SUCK on a T1N. Damned if I do and damned if I don't, but right now I'm choosing visibility.

Zundfolge said:

Yeah, I'm feeling conflicted about this a little. I do get flashed once in a while, but I also live in a place with pretty much all dark backroads, and I need to be able to see deer and other critters. Stock lows SUCK on a T1N. Damned if I do and damned if I don't, but right now I'm choosing visibility.

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I hear ya. I’ve felt pretty exposed riding my motorcycle through the back country at dusk. Deer, moose, caribou, big-horn sheep, bears... heck, you’d think they owned the place! ;-)

Carry on.

-dave

polishing the headlight lenses helped me a bunch.

Midwestdrifter said:

polishing the headlight lenses helped me a bunch.

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Ditto. I've used like 4 of the available kits at this point at different times in my life, and the most recent one has been noticeably better and long lasting. At this point this is the one that I'd highly recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/3M-39008-Headlight-Restoration-System/dp/B001AIZ5HY

1.5 years later and almost no change in lens haze...

Ive been running these without issue. I remember some installing them 90 degrees off and had glare issues... I mostly switched because with the DRL's I had one burn out, won't need to replace these!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XH38CDR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anyone else with comments to add on LED longevity in the T1N? I wonder would it be worth taking a poll of those who have lost them vs. those who have not?

Can anyone speculate on whether there could be any electrical issues with the T1N that could swiftly kill LED bulbs?

I bought a batch of these, which were recommended by Millionmilesprinter.

They all fried. I lost my final spare after no more than 12 hours of operation. They have a 2-year warranty, and I got no more than 12 hours.

Joel has reported no trouble with them. Of course, he works on vans in the cooler northeast, whereas I'm in the heat inferno of the deep southern U.S. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Thanks.

InterBlog said:

Anyone else with comments to add on LED longevity in the T1N? I wonder would it be worth taking a poll of those who have lost them vs. those who have not?

Can anyone speculate on whether there could be any electrical issues with the T1N that could swiftly kill LED bulbs?

I bought a batch of these, which were recommended by Millionmilesprinter.

They all fried. I lost my final spare after no more than 12 hours of operation. They have a 2-year warranty, and I got no more than 12 hours.

Joel has reported no trouble with them. Of course, he works on vans in the cooler northeast, whereas I'm in the heat inferno of the deep southern U.S. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Thanks.

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My experience with LEDs was that the power supply failed to 12v (instead of 5V I think) and then the 12V killed the LED, pretty fast (5 to 10 seconds I believe, when I fail tested the last survivor). In my case I got a pair, one failed within 3-4 months, I requested replacements , and one of those failed within 3-4 months, I investigated and went back to halogen, I do run LED hi beams, they seem to last longer (we’ll see how long, same brand a seat my lows).
The kind I had had a separate not integrated power supply, so I’m considering getting better power supplies and taking another shot at it, just for fun and because I like messing around when I have time.

Patrick of M said:

...
The kind I had had a separate not integrated power supply, so I’m considering getting better power supplies and taking another shot at it, just for fun and because I like messing around when I have time.

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I carry H7 lamps as spares. Amazon has Hella brand lamps. Good price as an Add-on item.

If you do convert to LED's...
PLEASE buy the proper lamps. I'm getting tired of being blinded by jokers who replace their headlights with non-spec parts.

vic