[freemansteve]

Yes, funny how they get away with it, right?

 

[GTi_Pete]

I've taken one of mine apart to check how it went together originally and my boots have a circular hole in the end of them

Thanks Aitch - that's really helpful, and the pictures explain a lot. A couple of the sets I looked at on eBay required opening up that hole in the boot to allow the heatsink to pass through as the bezel bit which locates in the headlight was fixed and I can see on yours is in two pieces which is a much tidier solution.

Then following up on this post above:

Thanks for all the comments I’ve ordered a set of the night breaker LEDs will post once I have tested.

I'd seen that Osram did a couple of H4 replacements and also a short H4/H19 for newer compact headlights on motorcycles and cars where the distance (and therefore, the focal point) from front to back is much smaller, but I didn't realise they now did a 'Nightbreaker' branded LED.
Reading the datasheet (and the marketing blurb) for the Nightbreaker, I can see it's ECE approved and therefore, road legal so is probably going to prove popular with those concerned about the legalities of retrofit LEDs. Price is a bit steep though compared with some of the others.
NIGHT BREAKER H4-LED | OSRAM Automotive

 

[BFGti]

Good drama free LED comparison and some interesting insights.

Osram site is also informative with fitment guide and the compliance certificates if you need them.. Not certified for the UK: NIGHT BREAKER LED | OSRAM Automotive

 

[Vaultboy]

Had a couple of trips out after dark (the sun burns🦇....) and have to say I hate it, there are so many cars with ultrabright LED that its a very unpleasant experience, I've got H4 nightbreakers which are perfectly good but its a bit like a weeing competition now, who can blind oncoming the quickest, my only defense could be to just flip onto mainbeam just before they pass....of course i don't do that

 

[LeonH]

I'm gonna pop in with a left field headlight bulb recommendation.

I'm running Halfords advanced +200% bulbs, used to run them on my volvo before the Up, significantly cheaper than nightbreakers, but with similar output and much longer life.

 

[freemansteve]

Halfords bulbs are, I think, made by Ring, who are owned by Osram, so it'll be interesting to see if the bulbs last longer than Ring (not sure why they'd be different!) or more usefully, another brand (and also if the beam pattern is good).

 

[LeonH]

Halfords bulbs are, I think, made by Ring, who are owned by Osram, so it'll be interesting to see if the bulbs last longer than Ring (not sure why they'd be different!) or more usefully, another brand (and also if the beam pattern is good).

I tend to do a decent amount of miles, and the volvo would run dipped beam on 24/7 by default. I got a month or so out of Nightbreaker Lasers, but well over a year out of the halfords bulbs.

I think there are subtle differences (I remember reading a group test where they scored different results for comparable bulbs), FWIW Ring Xenon200 scored very similar to nightbreakers in Auto Express' group test 2023

 

[GTi_Pete]

I went back and took a closer look at the Philips LEDs, and I think I'm even more confused than before, mainly because Philips seem to be confusing things themselves.

In H4, they have:
Philips Ultinon Pro5000 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro3021 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro5100 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro9100 LED H4

These range from £40 odd to £110, but other than a few cosmetic differences, there really doesn't seem to be much to justify the range of prices or what the real-world benefits of one over the other.

 

[freemansteve]

I went back and took a closer look at the Philips LEDs, and I think I'm even more confused than before, mainly because Philips seem to be confusing things themselves.

In H4, they have:
Philips Ultinon Pro5000 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro3021 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro5100 LED H4
Philips Ultinon Pro9100 LED H4

These range from £40 odd to £110, but other than a few cosmetic differences, there really doesn't seem to be much to justify the range of prices or what the real-world benefits of one over the other.

Some info here:

Led bulbs | Philips

Discover our new LED retrofit ranges! On this page you will find all product details, installation guides, FAQ s as well as the contact information.

www.philips.co.uk

 

[Cobra88]

I'm running the ultinon Pro9100 bulbs with no issues in last year

 

[GTi_Pete]

Just to round this out, I finally got around to doing something about my conversion too.
Spent some time over Christmas mulling over the options, and as I mentioned upthread, I couldn't pick the bones out of the choices offered by Philips as there was nothing obvious which differentiated all the different options they offer.

So, I elected to go with the Osram HL Gen 2 (67210CW) and I must say, I'm really pleased with the results.
Coming from incandescent Osram Nightbreakers (the +150% version) and not directly from factory, these are really very good.
Cut off is really distinct with no dazzling or fringing above 'the line', and the fill below the line is perfect with no dull or dead spots. The 'kick up' on the left-hand (pavement) side is where it should be, and the colour and intensity of the beam is much better than the Nightbreakers with no more straining to see where you're going when the field of view is a bit indistinct. I really can't see these getting called out on the next MOT either.

The lamp assemblies themselves look really well made being decent-looking cast alloy with a pretty robust location and locking arrangement to fit them.
The physical space available behind the headlight made fitting them a bit fiddly, particularly trying to get the rubber boot back on at the same time as inserting the assembly, but I guess the same is going to be true of any of these lamps which go together in pieces.

Overall, would thoroughly recommend.