The best bulbs that are around use the Luxeon LEDs, in an array of 3 LEDs these are virtually the same size as a 55w filament so the only issue is placement.

There are some Philips bulbs which use the 3 led array, their latest, the Extreme Ultinons use 2x4 arrays, and couple this with the placement on opposite sides of the lamp mean that for reflector units the focus isn't great, stray light a bit dodgy, though they do throw out a lot of lumens.

Philips claim that they are specifically designed for projector units.
The HB3 units here https://www.philips.com.my/c-p/11005XUX2/x...light-bulb

I know someone with H4 units in, and they are very good, so they can work in reflector units.

Bit of a price jump though ……. £170 a pair !!  Cheers,
Raz
FL1 TD4 GS Auto 2001 Silver
FL2 TD4 Auto 2007 Black
FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2012 Fuji White

I know, as I have reflectors and 4*H7 am sticking with capsule lamps, had a pair of the Ring +150 in over the winter, they were pretty good, but the Osrams in the main beam units are better I feel. Both the Rings have blown now so got GE +130 lamps in dipped at the moment from my spares stock.

You can sometimes get the Philips LEDs a bit cheaper than the full price, but still £140+ is a bit much for an experiment that might be a waste of time.

ive just had a look at the Philips website from the link https://www.philips.com.my/c-p/11005XUX2/x...light-bulb

clicked on where to buy, entered Nottingham.......... and its given me the nearest retailer as Nottingham University Malaysia Campus. There is NO WAY im driving to Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia just for some light bulbs (especially if it gets dark on the way there!!)

Hahaha just tried it Bob and it put me in a Mosque just inland from Pantac Beach, Malaysia

No good for me..............Welsh Baptist  If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Yep, indeed, you can get some of the Philips range in UK from https://www.powerbulbs.com/store/category/...on-led/all but for some reason their website doesn't list the HB3. Only lists PIAA, even more expensive, £199!

Another good bulb is from GTR lighting, with their series 3 https://gtrlighting.com/headlights/ultra-series-led-bulbs/ but again no UK suppliers, Headlight Revolution in USA for $199 Plus shipping etc etc.

I reckon part of the supply issue is the lamps are non legal for EU road use, and aren't exact equivalents, so if you look at the Philips packaging it says ~H11, or ~HB3, ~H7, ie meaning sort of equivalent to H7 but not quite. Yet one can easily buy non road use capsule lamps quite easily e.g. 100w.

By the way haven't checked Fleabay for suppliers, but allegedly there are enough counterfeits flying about for Philips to have introduced security check measures on the packaging.

I tried a similar pair of LED upgrade kits and couldn't close the Headlamp housing / backplate. Waste of time.
The heatsinks are typically too deep.

Ended up buying OE Xenon Headlamps and converting mine.

nicke20 wrote:

I too found the halogen bulbs appalling so i fitted these

https://www.hids-direct.co.uk/new-premium-...rrencyId=1

Brilliant results, so much better than the candle flicker that was standard halogens
mot passed, never flashed, and as same bulb is dipped and main great bright lighting all the time

Ive just been reading through the May 2018 MOT rules.

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/doc...class3457/

4.1.5 Levelling devices
Make sure any manual headlamp levelling devices (driver controls) work by:

.switching on the dipped beam headlamps
.operating the manual levelling device
.checking that the headlamp beams move up and down
.returning the levelling device control to its original position
Vehicles with high intensity discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with a suspension or headlamp self-levelling system. If these systems have been fitted, they must work.

Sometimes it isn't easy to determine if the self-levelling systems work. In such cases you should give the benefit of the doubt.

So with regard to HID lights it appears both auto-levelling or manual levelling are acceptable as long as they are working.

Also, and new to me, you'll fail your MOT if your 13 pin trailer socket doesnt work correctly .

4.10 Trailer electrical socket
On vehicles fitted with a trailer 13 pin Euro-socket, use an approved device to check that the socket is wired to correctly operate the trailer: Jules

Mot'd my disco several times with 13 pin socket fitted, tester never looked near it. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Perhaps its a new rule for 2018.

My FL2 has a 13 pin trailer socket and was MOT'd in September - no mention was made of it by the garage - but it does work so it would have passed anyway. Jules

jules wrote:

Ive just been reading through the May 2018 MOT rules.

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/doc...class3457/

4.1.5 Levelling devices
Make sure any manual headlamp levelling devices (driver controls) work by:

.switching on the dipped beam headlamps
.operating the manual levelling device
.checking that the headlamp beams move up and down
.returning the levelling device control to its original position
Vehicles with high intensity discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with a suspension or headlamp self-levelling system. If these systems have been fitted, they must work.

Sometimes it isn't easy to determine if the self-levelling systems work. In such cases you should give the benefit of the doubt.

So with regard to HID lights it appears both auto-levelling or manual levelling are acceptable as long as they are working.

Also, and new to me, you'll fail your MOT if your 13 pin trailer socket doesnt work correctly .

4.10 Trailer electrical socket
On vehicles fitted with a trailer 13 pin Euro-socket, use an approved device to check that the socket is wired to correctly operate the trailer:

On recommendations here replaced both full beam lamps with Osram Night Breaker Laser and honestly cannot see any difference at all. They replaced a pair of GE lamps which I assume we're quite ordinary.

Sounds about right. I uprated my first FL2 bulbs and was not that impressed. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Recently got a 2013 freelander and guess what, a headlight bulb has gone. after reading through this thread I know now why no website seems to list the HB3 bulbs if you tell them your vehicle make.

Has anyone tried these bulbs like these, or is the heat sink too big for them to fit.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173120052669