LED Lighting

e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
Wanted to say that I put the new led head lights in today. The only difficulty was the spring wire and its arrangement with the centre part of the led body. I also had to be careful not to push or skew the reflector-umbrella inside the light housing. Once all in I check the polarity of the wires and connected them.

Tonight I went for a drive to the shops and WOW, the vision is a hundred fold, especially on street signs. Street signs lighten up so much that it's hard to not be able to not read them in the far reaches. The distance of the beam is also dramatically better. The claims on the sales image are true.

I haven't taken any footage yet but will soon.
 

glasseye

Well-known member
Good news on the headlights. Thanks for all your researcn.

Those are an H7 replacement, right? So they should fit our T1Ns as well as your NCV3.
 

e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
Good news on the headlights. Thanks for all your researcn.

Those are an H7 replacement, right? So they should fit our T1Ns as well as your NCV3.
Yes they are H7 mounts. If you decide to buy any look around for cheapest price. I think Aliexpress.com will save you a few dollars over DHGate.com. You may be able to get these LEDs off Amazon or eBay now.

I did take some new film but the camera doesn't do the lights justice so I wont share it.
 
Did these go in in place of the low, high or both? It sounds like they went at least into the low beam spots.
 
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e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
Did these go in in place of the low, high or both? It sounds like they went at least into the low beam spots.
I only purchased a pair, and they were put in the low-beam sockets. In the future I may get another two for high-beam. I hardly use high beam.
 
I have followed the reviews of several H7 LED headlight bulb "kits" on Amazon. Other than quality and fit issues, it seems the biggest problem is how well the original headlight reflector handles directing the 2-LED source of these type lamps and the resultant pattern of the light. A normal H7 incandescent filament is going to create the same light pattern no matter how the bulb is rotated in the headlight housing, but a 2-LED lamp based on a chip like used in these is going to produce something of a figure 8 pattern of intensity when from the end of the "bulb". See page 7 here: http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML2.pdf for spacial distribution of a single Cree XM-L2 LED.

From the reviews it seems to me that some buyers installed their lamps rotated well off from what is optimal...based on complaints that nothing ahead and down was illuminated but the trees above or roadsides were brightly lit. And others either deliberately or accidentally got it right and are quite happy.

Another area that is interesting is that many of these bulbs come with a small boxer fan to extract heat and others count on significant heatsinking fins and moving air to dissipate the heat. The reason this is interesting is that the area into which they must exchange the produced heat is the engine compartment. Unless there is outside air ducting to behind the headlights, the ambient air it is going to be quite warm at times. Ambient air temp has very little effect on an incandescent bulb but high temps are a killer to LEDs, other semiconductors and boxer fans. I would be inclined to try to create ducting or directors of outside air from the front of the van to these areas so at least when the vehicle is moving, the lamp cooling mechanisms are seeing something other than hot air off the back side of the engine radiator.
 
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e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
From the reviews it seems to me that some buyers installed their lamps rotated well off from what is optimal...based on complaints that nothing ahead and down was illuminated but the trees above or roadsides were brightly lit. And others either deliberately or accidentally got it right and are quite happy.

Another area that is interesting is that many of these bulbs come with a small boxer fan to extract heat and others count on significant heatsinking fins and moving air to dissipate the heat. The reason this is interesting is that the area into which they must exchange the produced heat is the engine compartment. Unless there is outside air ducting to behind the headlights, the ambient air it is going to be quite warm at times. Ambient air temp has very little effect on an incandescent bulb but high temps are a killer to LEDs, other semiconductors and boxer fans. I would be inclined to try to create ducting or directors of outside air from the front of the van to these areas so at least when the vehicle is moving, the lamp cooling mechanisms are seeing something other than hot air off the back side of the engine radiator.
No fans nor driver-boxes on the ones I purchased. They are passive cooled with the heat-sink, copper rod buffering the Cree components, and fins at the bottom.

That pdf reference to Cree, does that match the same LEDS? My product does claim 2400 lumen on each bulb. The pdf items are only in the 164-300 lumen range. I understand driving LEDS higher will produce more light, but you risk burnout

I'm extremely happy with these headlights. I'm not sure if I will replace the high beam though as they are in the special motored direction housing. Note I had previously replaced my dusk/twilights so maybe I'm getting better road coverage, but I didn't notice any obscure or missed patterns of light from the headlights. Also consider that in my Sprinter's light housings it has these umbrella reflectors or what ever they are. Maybe I could be getting more illumination if they are merely heat or direct light protectors and I removed them. I will try to get some photo's soon.

I used to struggle reading street signs at night or looking for street names for a turn off, now that's not a problem.
 
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e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
LED head light mounted in socket. Notice the spring-wire in between. Consider the trouble of getting that in place. I had to feed it through when mounting.


Umbrella covers front of LED but doesn't seem to cause light reduction. Not sure if these are reflectors or inhibitors of heat or direct light. Maybe the umbrellas come out?


 
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GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
The umbrella is to prevent blinding of the upcoming traffic. How is the light pattern, is the mid mount/blade causing a blind spot. I assume that Australia have the more precise European light pattern so splitting the tungsten filament into 2 LED ones could have interesting results. Are you planning to take a shot of the light pattern?

Have you experienced MB fault due to lower current draw?

Thank you for summarizing you work,

George.
 

e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
The umbrella is to prevent blinding of the upcoming traffic. How is the light pattern, is the mid mount/blade causing a blind spot. I assume that Australia have the more precise European light pattern so splitting the tungsten filament into 2 LED ones could have interesting results. Are you planning to take a shot of the light pattern?
I haven't notice any blind spots. I will make it a task to thoroughly check next drive at night.

My camera is on a tablet. It doesn't produce good night vision, so I'm kind of limited at the moment for night shots.

Have you experienced MB fault due to lower current draw?

Thank you for summarizing you work,

George.
Yes the canbus error comes up on dash, but no restrictions caused with that warning to my knowledge. It doesn't flash or sound.

It would be kind of ridiculous in my opinion to get the resistor based canbus eliminators as one of the objectives to to reduce the wattage.

I am getting a cheap OBD2 reader/writer ($7) soon to read the situation deeper.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2014...ner-With-Power-Switch-Works-on/472880225.html



Note. I did see on one sales profile that stated the cheaper OBD2 readers don't work on diesel cars. I think that's belloni but the proof will be in the pudding as they say.
 
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That pdf reference to Cree, does that match the same LEDS? My product does claim 2400 lumen on each bulb. The pdf items are only in the 164-300 lumen range. I understand driving LEDS higher will produce more light, but you risk burnout
Its either that or this: http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/ds%20XML2%20EZW.pdf based on the "Cree L2" in the product description. I assumed the first one because this one has a narrower beam and 4 LEDs in each package (the picture in the ad appears to show one LED per package like used in the first datasheet)...Although now that I look at both again a pair of these would more closely match the claimed per-lamp output and be easier to use singly or in pairs with a 12V power source.
 
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e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
Since installing LED's I'd like to WARN people about replacing particular lights. The above particular LEDS in my van failed over the months most likely due to water ingress as I found some cluster of the SMD had failed. This is not acceptable so I don't recommend anyone attempting what I did unless you know you don't have any moisture problems in your tail light casing.

I also had problems replacing the indicators with the same product, with my hack for the skewed tabs on the bayonet. The electronics of the vehicle caused the indicators to flash faster than normal, probably due to capacitor discharging faster in the indicator box, if that's how they work. I did not want to risk damaging or ageing the flasher circuitry so put back incandescent globes.


All my other LED upgrades are still working fine.

If you are tempted to get LEDs for you back lights then get canbus error compatible, or those with proper voltage/current regulating circuits, similar to truck/lorry lighting, so that you minimise failure. Seal the LED SMD's if possible with resin or silicon to hinder moister.

It's kind of disappointing that the Mercedes Sprinter community get near no support form the company, like firmware upgrades, or recommendations for LED upgrades, etc. I so much prefer the older van without these computers. If I want computing I will put it in and in my control.
 

220629

Well-known member
I added this cheap LED option to my Amazon orders. Doing that saves shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Interio...s=48+led&pebp=1421501701286&peasin=B009E1BW08

They come with 3 different style socket adapters. I've used them for pretty much all of my vehicle and travel trailer interior lights. I just let them rest inside on the fixture lens. No sticking or gluing. Working great so far.

I've wired different LED lamps to the unused 48 array included adapters. I used two of the spring loaded adapters on my T1N license plate illumination. The 48 LED pack might even fit in there. I used a smaller sized LED array.

vic
 

e8hffff

2007 Sprinter 315CDI
I added this cheap LED option to my Amazon orders. Doing that saves shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Interio...s=48+led&pebp=1421501701286&peasin=B009E1BW08

They come with 3 different style socket adapters. I've used them for pretty much all of my vehicle and travel trailer interior lights. I just let them rest inside on the fixture lens. No sticking or gluing. Working great so far.

I've wired different LED lamps to the unused 48 array included adapters. I used two of the spring loaded adapters on my T1N license plate illumination. The 48 LED pack might even fit in there. I used a smaller sized LED array.

vic
Like I said I think mine died due to water/moisture. Both of my tail light casings have age/heat cracks and from time to time I have seen moisture in the inside. I tried to put some super-glue in the cracks but didn't really fix. I'm not going to replace the casings till the last opportunity or if I think there is a rusting risk. Of the LED's only some were gone, indicating they weren't burnt out, but affected. Some products have a protective coating or vanish. The $0.80c LED's I got I wouldn't recommend.

Aqua, do you leave the led-array hanging or do you security them straight?
 

220629

Well-known member
...

Aqua, do you leave the led-array hanging or do you security them straight?
I think that the array I adapted for my license plate lights had 16 LED's so it was smaller. I just let them lay on top of the lens.

Thanks for the heads up about moisture. I'll need to watch for that. That hasn't been a factor for my interior light replacements.

If I do have problems with failure I may try clear coating an array. They are cheap enough that if it doesn't work I won't have thrown much money at it.

I recently noticed an even cheaper source on Amazon. $1.79 free shipping as an add-on.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-1210LED...cp_3_M8D6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Q0TY366E3T9TFN1HHN4

vic
 

Bill B.

Active member
I added this cheap LED option to my Amazon orders. Doing that saves shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Interio...s=48+led&pebp=1421501701286&peasin=B009E1BW08

They come with 3 different style socket adapters. I've used them for pretty much all of my vehicle and travel trailer interior lights. I just let them rest inside on the fixture lens. No sticking or gluing. Working great so far.

I've wired different LED lamps to the unused 48 array included adapters. I used two of the spring loaded adapters on my T1N license plate illumination. The 48 LED pack might even fit in there. I used a smaller sized LED array.

vic
How are those LEDs still working for you? It certainly is an economic way to swap incans.
 
The CANBUS system is likely to react badly to the use of LEDs as replacements for incandescent (or halogen, which is just a type of incandescent) bulbs. In my 2014 Crew, I successfully replaced the passenger area dome bulbs with LEDs, and in front the dome and reading lights were fine with LEDs. However, when I tried to replace the courtesy lamps in the bottom of the front doors (the ones which light up the pavement when you open the doors), they blinked on and off. When I replaced the license plate lamps with LEDs, I got a "bulb out" icon on the dash. If you can find bulbs with loading resistors (which simulate the load of an incandescent bulb), this might work-I haven't gotten around to looking for them yet, but they're probably available. Add-on resistors are available; they are often seen on displays of Sylvania LEDs at auto parts stores. However, as my Sprinter is still under warranty (I got the extended warranty), I'm not about to monkey with the wiring. Bear in mind that the wavelength of light from an LED is very different than that from a standard bulb; therefore, if using one in a tail or brake light, you must use a red LED, not a white one; otherwise, you will find it isn't very bright. Same with amber turn signals. On my boat, I found I had to use a green LED for the starboard running light, and a red one for the port; when I tried white, neither one was bright enough to pass muster.

I should add that the need for a resistor defeats the purpose of using a LED to decrease current consumption. However, I like LEDs from the standpoint of their extremely long life, decreasing markedly the likelihood of being pulled over for a defective light!
 
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