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Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:24 pm
by 6666
Does anybody know what colour temperature the front DRLs are on the normal model? I want to replace the ugly yellow headlights with bulbs that are a similar colour

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:29 pm
by Andy Beats
Philips Diamond Vision H7 bulbs are 5000K and match the LED DRL perfectly.
I'll see if I remember to post a photo when I leave work later.

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:59 pm
by Andy Beats
Taken from office window so the quality is crap, but you can hopefully see the match is great.
You'd be forgiven for thinking my headlights are LED as well now.
Polo.jpg
Polo.jpg (316.57 KiB) Viewed 2250 times

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:07 pm
by 6666
Andy Beats wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:59 pm Taken from office window so the quality is crap, but you can hopefully see the match is great.
You'd be forgiven for thinking my headlights are LED as well now.

Polo.jpg
Mate that's perfect thanks so much, were they difficult to install?
also fair play for unlocking your car out the window for a photo lol

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 8:04 pm
by Andy Beats
Easiest way is to pull the lights out.
Two torx bolts on top then a good thump from behind to free the clips at the bottom.
Careful to put a cloth on the bumper as it’s easy to scratch the paint.
Change bulbs, realign the clips at the bottom and thump them back in place and bolts again.
Actually took longer to type this than it does to do it.
620AFCC4-0D27-4253-BD58-0A68F8CEDA60.jpeg
620AFCC4-0D27-4253-BD58-0A68F8CEDA60.jpeg (847.56 KiB) Viewed 2224 times

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 6:34 pm
by nice2seau
Hi both - I’m also bugged by the difference in colour. Seems bizarre - almost makes me wish I had the LED lights, but I didn’t think it was worth the money.

How easy is it in reality to change the bulbs - for someone who has never done anything mechanical?

@6666 were you successful?

Do you reckon it would void my warranty?

Thanks!

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:12 pm
by MilgeS
Andy Beats wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 8:04 pm Easiest way is to pull the lights out.
Two torx bolts on top then a good thump from behind to free the clips at the bottom.
Careful to put a cloth on the bumper as it’s easy to scratch the paint.
Change bulbs, realign the clips at the bottom and thump them back in place and bolts again.
Actually took longer to type this than it does to do it.620AFCC4-0D27-4253-BD58-0A68F8CEDA60.jpeg
That makes a world of difference doesn't it, how do you find the light difference on the road, are they as big a difference on the road as they are in looks?
Also just wondering, are these 5000k legal, I haven't changed bulbs in a car for a few years and I recall legality of some bulbs being an issue back then.

Edit : Quick Google says not legal but the WhiteVision bulbs are, wonder how much of a difference in brightness there is?

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:25 am
by nice2seau
The white vision are 4200k so can’t be far off. Apparently they are the whitest “legal” bulb...

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:53 am
by Andy Beats
MilgeS wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:12 pm That makes a world of difference doesn't it, how do you find the light difference on the road, are they as big a difference on the road as they are in looks?
Also just wondering, are these 5000k legal, I haven't changed bulbs in a car for a few years and I recall legality of some bulbs being an issue back then.

Edit : Quick Google says not legal but the WhiteVision bulbs are, wonder how much of a difference in brightness there is?
You notice the light on the road is white, but they're nowhere near as good as the LED lights were on my Nissan leaf.
I've not experienced a Polo with LED lights so can't make a direct comparison.
I really just wanted the looks and performance wasn't a big deal, I rarely drive on unlit roads these days.

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:55 am
by Andy Beats
nice2seau wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 6:34 pm
Do you reckon it would void my warranty?

I've had two replacement headlight under warranty, as they keep misting up.
The dealer has swapped over the 'illegal' bulbs as part of the process, so i guess they either don't notice or don't care.

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 8:33 pm
by MilgeS
Andy Beats wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:53 am
MilgeS wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:12 pm That makes a world of difference doesn't it, how do you find the light difference on the road, are they as big a difference on the road as they are in looks?
Also just wondering, are these 5000k legal, I haven't changed bulbs in a car for a few years and I recall legality of some bulbs being an issue back then.

Edit : Quick Google says not legal but the WhiteVision bulbs are, wonder how much of a difference in brightness there is?
You notice the light on the road is white, but they're nowhere near as good as the LED lights were on my Nissan leaf.
I've not experienced a Polo with LED lights so can't make a direct comparison.
I really just wanted the looks and performance wasn't a big deal, I rarely drive on unlit roads these days.
Thank you, I have an R-Line with normal lights and GTI+ with LED lights, full beam there is a huge difference with the LED's but I don't notice so much on dipped lights as the light pattern of both are so close to the car I wouldn't notice any difference other than colour. I thin I might grab a set of the WhiteVisions as replacement bulbs though, even if just for looks like you say.

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 8:34 pm
by MilgeS
nice2seau wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:25 am The white vision are 4200k so can’t be far off. Apparently they are the whitest “legal” bulb...
Thank you for the information on brightness

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:47 am
by Andy Beats
MilgeS wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 8:34 pm Thank you for the information on brightness
Kelvin is the colour temperature (low K is yellow, high K is white).
Brightness is determined by the wattage of the bulb.
If you want BRIGHTER bulbs, the K figure won't make any difference and you'll need a higher wattage bulbs.
Remember the wiring is only rated for a certain wattage though and fitting the likes of 100W bulbs could cause issues (unlikely, but still)

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:17 pm
by nice2seau
I had a web chat with VW and they confirmed to me that changing the bulbs in itself doesn’t void the warranty. Obviously the new bulbs are new and won’t be covered.

I’ve ordered the white vision bulbs, so if I can pluck up the courage to change them I’ll let you know. I don’t like the sound of condensation in the headlights which some folks have mentioned...! Is that a problem linked to the changeover?

Re: Front DRL LED light temperature

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:29 pm
by MilgeS
Andy Beats wrote: Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:47 am
MilgeS wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 8:34 pm Thank you for the information on brightness
Kelvin is the colour temperature (low K is yellow, high K is white).
Brightness is determined by the wattage of the bulb.
If you want BRIGHTER bulbs, the K figure won't make any difference and you'll need a higher wattage bulbs.
Remember the wiring is only rated for a certain wattage though and fitting the likes of 100W bulbs could cause issues (unlikely, but still)
Ahh ok, thank you also for the explanation.