Ultimate guide for those considering Euro projector headlights - all the basics in one thread!

[SVTBob]

Oh, ordered H7’s for the low beams. Should I have ordered H11’s ? Apologize for the ignorant questions.

 

[ogminlo]

OK, so after getting my OEM projectors functioning, I decided to upgrade the bulbs. So I went to BulbFacts and, based on their reviews, ordered a set of DDM Sabre LED 75W Max series on sale for $167 down from $230. On the order form it asked if I wanted a decoder box. Since I had not seen anything about decoder boxes on the forum threads, I said “no”. When the bulbs arrived I found that the bulbs did not seem to fit the socket (need an adapter ?) and that there was a box in the wire connector wiring. Have no idea what this could be but I will return them. Can anyone recommend a good LED that is compatible with the OEM projector housings that is simply plug and play ?

Does the collar flange come off of those bulbs, the part that gets clasped into the housing? That is a common method of getting them to fit, you remove the collar, clasp it into place, and then reinsert the bulb into the collar flange. As for the extra depth of the fan and wire/ballast, I had to get deeper 80mm rubber covers to fit over mine. The wires will just depend on what's in your housing, it might require some cutting and splicing...

Oh, ordered H7’s for the low beams. Should I have ordered H11’s ? Apologize for the ignorant questions.

H7 is correct, but depending on the housing of your particular Euros, you might need an adapter like the ones OSRAM sold to make theirs fit. The H7s that Diode Dyanics sell look like they would fit a standard housing, but I can't say I've used them.

 

[SVTBob]

Thanks for the advice. I returned the LED’s I had bought, so I can’t comment on whether they would have fit with new collars. But having discovered XanRule’s argument in favor of not using LED’s in housings designed for halogens, I’m going to try the bulbs he recommended from Daniel Stein. If those prove satisfactory, great (they’re pretty cheap in comparison to most of the highly rated LED’s, so not much risk). Otherwise, I’ll try the Osrams that XanRules runs but which he insists do not perform as well as the halogens Stein sells. I’ll report back on my experience.