Led Side Lights

[derek-33]

how come when buying led sidelight replacements for tungsten from halfords it says on the back of the card only for off road use when all new cars are fitted with them as standard

[Zacs-Master]

Without being able to check whether you’ve bought the right thing, it’s difficult to say. Are you sure you can just swap a tungsten lamp for an LED?

[derek-33]

yes sidelight led bulbs are available from web sites but i thought i would look (not bought yet) at halfords there the same fitting as the tungsten ones i have in now
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/bulbs-blades-batteries/car-bulbs/halfords-501-w5w-cool-white-car-bulbs-x-2

[Ryzen]

All vehicle lighting in the uk must be type tested and E marked.If you fit non certified lamps to the units they will become non certified units and may fail the MOT if the tester is having a bad day.

[Zacs-Master]

Mmm. Strange.

[Ryzen]

Some vehicle lighting systems designed for tungsten lamps may flag up a fault code if fitted with an led replacements as the current draw is far less. When changing indicator lamps for led lamps its common to require a led flasher relay instead of the standard relay.

[Buenchico]

LEDs produce directional light (unlike a filament lamp, where the light is radiated all around and then focussed by a reflector). Each lamp will have a cluster of LEDs and, depending upon their arrangement, the light from them can be focussed into a very narrow beam or a very broad one. A too narrow beam might mean that the lights are only visible from almost directly head on (rather than from at an angle) and could possibly even be dazzling to someone whose eyes fall within that beam. A too wide beam could mean that, through light being widely dissipated, the visible output at any particular point in front of the lights isn't bright enough to meet regulatory requirements.

Therefore only LED lamps which have the right type of beam arrangement (and have therefore been 'E-marked) are permissible.

[Old_Geezer]

Do they have a blue tinge ? I don't think they are road valid as replacements as blue = emergency service. I think new cars are excepted.

[derek-33]

But buenchico we are
taking about 5 watt tungsten verses even lower wattage led sidelights not headlights

[douglas9401]

I think 'sidelight' should quell any fears of dazzling or attracting planes coming in to land.

[Ryzen]

derek...just fit what you want and keep the old lamps in the glove box ..just in case :-). O.G. you are thinking of the High Intensity Discharge lamps.However some led lamps with a colour above 4000k can appear to have a blue output.

[Buenchico]

Derek:
If the beam is set too narrow on sidelight bulbs they won't be visible to drivers who are slightly to one side of the car.