LED bulbs for MG ZS EV headlights

[Matt M]

Evening guys. Went for a set of novosights after reading the thread here. Always been a xenon guy and must say I’m impressed. I noticed with the ZS high beam on both incandescent and led, when high beam is active the trees light up swimmingly. Quite a nice effect. However don't do much in terms of the road ahead. Has anyone encountered similar before I go out and start fiddling? I’m happy with levelling myself so that will be my go to now the darker eve’s are setting in. Is there a quick fix or is it a trait of our little wagons? Ta

 

[AK OK]

Evening guys. Went for a set of novosights after reading the thread here. Always been a xenon guy and must say I’m impressed. I noticed with the ZS high beam on both incandescent and led, when high beam is active the trees light up swimmingly. Quite a nice effect. However don't do much in terms of the road ahead. Has anyone encountered similar before I go out and start fiddling? I’m happy with levelling myself so that will be my go to now the darker eve’s are setting in. Is there a quick fix or is it a trait of our little wagons? Ta

You sure you've got them in & seated correctly?
They are not "trivially" easy to install.
Search on here for "led headlights" & read up

Edit kithmo has alerted me to you saying the trees were lit w halogens and LEDs, so presumably your car has done it since new? (If not brand new to you , perhaps a previous owner has swapped bulbs "badly"?)

 

[BarryH]

Evening guys. Went for a set of novosights after reading the thread here. Always been a xenon guy and must say I’m impressed. I noticed with the ZS high beam on both incandescent and led, when high beam is active the trees light up swimmingly. Quite a nice effect. However don't do much in terms of the road ahead. Has anyone encountered similar before I go out and start fiddling? I’m happy with levelling myself so that will be my go to now the darker eve’s are setting in. Is there a quick fix or is it a trait of our little wagons? Ta

Hi Matt, I've not looked at "novosight" LED bulbs myself before but from a quick Google I see that they have a 'COB' LED construction which has in effect a patch of LED roughly the size and shape of the hot wire filament of a regular H7 bulb. What you are describing as "trees light up swimmingly" may be with the higher brightness of LEDs and the subtlety imprecise location of the LEDs v that of incandescent filament can range from unpleasant to dangerous glare to oncoming vehicles. This is why a couple of years back such Modifications to OME lighting were made an automatic failure. Now I know that some have fitted LED H7 to 1st Gen ZS and have got them past MOT testers who may not have noticed if there wasn't excess scatter with that particular LED, but that doesn't mean that you will be okay nor that a police stop might not be as favourable or even if you had an RTA that things might go against you. personally, I'm sticking with the Osram extra bright bulbs

 

[AK OK]

Hi Matt, I've not looked at "novosight" LED bulbs myself before but from a quick Google I see that they have a 'COB' LED construction which has in effect a patch of LED roughly the size and shape of the hot wire filament of a regular H7 bulb. What you are describing as "trees light up swimmingly" may be with the higher brightness of LEDs and the subtlety imprecise location of the LEDs v that of incandescent filament can range from unpleasant to dangerous glare to oncoming vehicles. This is why a couple of years back such Modifications to OME lighting were made an automatic failure. Now I know that some have fitted LED H7 to 1st Gen ZS and have got them past MOT testers who may not have noticed if there wasn't excess scatter with that particular LED, but that doesn't mean that you will be okay nor that a police stop might not be as favourable or even if you had an RTA that things might go against you. personally, I'm sticking with the Osram extra bright bulbs

I detect a worrier

 

[Kithmo]

Hi Matt, I've not looked at "novosight" LED bulbs myself before but from a quick Google I see that they have a 'COB' LED construction which has in effect a patch of LED roughly the size and shape of the hot wire filament of a regular H7 bulb. What you are describing as "trees light up swimmingly" may be with the higher brightness of LEDs and the subtlety imprecise location of the LEDs v that of incandescent filament can range from unpleasant to dangerous glare to oncoming vehicles. This is why a couple of years back such Modifications to OME lighting were made an automatic failure. Now I know that some have fitted LED H7 to 1st Gen ZS and have got them past MOT testers who may not have noticed if there wasn't excess scatter with that particular LED, but that doesn't mean that you will be okay nor that a police stop might not be as favourable or even if you had an RTA that things might go against you. personally, I'm sticking with the Osram extra bright bulbs

The OP said the trees light up with both the halogens and the LEDs not just the LEDs, which suggests an alignment problem rather than having LEDs being the problem.
FYI the Gen 1 has HB3 bulbs not H7.

 

[BarryH]

The OP said the trees light up with both the halogens and the LEDs not just the LEDs, which suggests an alignment problem rather than having LEDs being the problem.
FYI the Gen 1 has HB3 bulbs not H7.

Yes I did note that both light up the trees which rather than an alignment problem (assuming that the car hasn't accident damage and is not so weighed in the back to make the ride height adjustment beyond its normal adjustment range) is the normal beam pattern of the ZS high-beam. The ZS high beam is certainly not as focused as my previous two cars and therefore doesn't throw the light down the road as well. So my point is that the scatted light if coming from an inherently brighter source would make a LED equipt ZS more annoying to oncoming drivers than a ZS fitted with Incandescent light bulbs. Unfortunately, mg chose to fit long life no output incandescent bulbs as standard which give a rather yellow light compared with that of Philips or Osram High-output bulbs. High-output bulbs do however have a shorter life. I tried the Phillips 1st of all but replace them with the Osram which provided a more penetrating light and made the ZS headlamps IHO acceptable.

Regarding the headlight bulb type, you're quite correct, it was a typo on my part. ZS is fitted with HB3 and not H7

 

[BarryH]

I detect a worrier

Not when you live next to a policeman!

 

[AK OK]

Not when you live next to a policeman!

& have you had a "warning"? Or did you ask for the letter of the law?
In either case I would be rather depressed if this nugget was a priority for HM constabulary...

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

Could you share the exact model to buy and a rough price please.

A mate of mine paid £25 each for some 72 W Nighteyes.

I said, "he must have seen you coming"......

 

[BarryH]

& have you had a "warning"? Or did you ask for the letter of the law?
In either case I would be rather depressed if this nugget was a priority for HM constabulary...

This argument will rattle on and unfortunately the people that said the legislation was outdated and written before LED headlamps were a thing have now the answer as a result of Brexit and new legislation in January 2021

Brexit 2021 Update​

Please note that since January 2021, the MOT Inspection manual has been updated to include LED bulbs.

Section 4.1.4 now states the following:

“Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high-intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.”
To read some background to this and why after market LEDs aren't legal go to:

Aftermarket LED Bulbs: MOT Rules And Legalities

Can upgrade LED bulbs pass an MOT? We go through exactly what MOT testing stations look for and whether your aftermarket bulbs will pass an MOT.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

 

[AK OK]

This argument will rattle on and unfortunately the people that said the legislation was outdated and written before LED headlamps were a thing have now the answer as a result of Brexit and new legislation in January 2021

Brexit 2021 Update​

Please note that since January 2021, the MOT Inspection manual has been updated to include LED bulbs.

Section 4.1.4 now states the following:

“Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high-intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.”
To read some background to this and why after market LEDs aren't legal go to:

Aftermarket LED Bulbs: MOT Rules And Legalities

Can upgrade LED bulbs pass an MOT? We go through exactly what MOT testing stations look for and whether your aftermarket bulbs will pass an MOT.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

Yes yes we've all read it.

So did you get a warning?
Or did you ask for the letter of the law?

 

[Kithmo]

This argument will rattle on and unfortunately the people that said the legislation was outdated and written before LED headlamps were a thing have now the answer as a result of Brexit and new legislation in January 2021

Brexit 2021 Update​

Please note that since January 2021, the MOT Inspection manual has been updated to include LED bulbs.

Section 4.1.4 now states the following:

“Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high-intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.”
To read some background to this and why after market LEDs aren't legal go to:

Aftermarket LED Bulbs: MOT Rules And Legalities

Can upgrade LED bulbs pass an MOT? We go through exactly what MOT testing stations look for and whether your aftermarket bulbs will pass an MOT.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

Does just changing a bulb type quantify as a "conversion" though ?

 

[AK OK]

Does just changing a bulb type quantify as a "conversion" though ?

Indeed! I recall the HID conversions being outlawed & to do the "conversion" was a rather involved process

 

[BugEyed]

Does just changing a bulb type quantify as a "conversion" though ?

Yes. But even if you live nextdoor to the Police they seem to be rather too busy with historical sexual abuse cases, extremists (more right wing than Muslim) and hate speech to be able to spend time on infringements of the RTA. As a simple example just look at the number of illegal number plates in plain sight both day and night. Of course if they just plain don't like you.....

 

[AK OK]

Does just changing a bulb type quantify as a "conversion" though ?

In any case the MOT tester is not allowed to remove anything to get a look at the bulbs to see what they are

 

[Kithmo]

In any case the MOT tester is not allowed to remove anything to get a look at the bulbs to see what they are

And on the ZS you can't see the bulbs through the glass due to the projector lens.

 

[AK OK]

And on the ZS you can't see the bulbs through the glass due to the projector lens.

Shhhh

 

[Lovemyev]

To be honest, I very much doubt they would even check anyway.
If the head light alignment is okay or achievable, then that is their primarily concern.

 

[Matt M]

Thanks for all the replies. The bulb pattern on dipped beam is exactly the same as the standard halogen bulbs with no excess throw etc but a much better light. I have converted many light units to xenon without issue or stops this is my first rodeo with led and I am impressed. You can actually see the road with the led’s. They are seated correctly.

My only issue is high beam. The light appears to go upward more so than forward (hence the well lit trees above me comment ) just wondering if anyone had the same issue and how they had resolved if at all

 

[AK OK]

Thanks for all the replies. The bulb pattern on dipped beam is exactly the same as the standard halogen bulbs with no excess throw etc but a much better light. I have converted many light units to xenon without issue or stops this is my first rodeo with led and I am impressed. You can actually see the road with the led’s. They are seated correctly.

My only issue is high beam. The light appears to go upward more so than forward (hence the well lit trees above me comment ) just wondering if anyone had the same issue and how they had resolved if at all

I suppose the only other consideration is are the complete lamp units aimed correctly? I don't even know if there are adjusters but I guess there must be? Someone may have played before you/us is my thought.