Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) the Ultimate LED Headlight?

I've been looking for the "right" LED headlight for Tarka for more than some time.
Most of the existing offerings are a bit "modern" in my view.
Then MMC released the "last 50 +8" and then the new Plus Six with LED Headlights that looked, to me, amazing.
BUT they have Daytime Running Lights DLR in the cross bar, no use to those of us that have just "sidelights".

Eventually I found a rout to the makers (in China) and discovered they offer the same basic unit with a "position marker" light, rather than the DLR.
By devious means I obtained a pair. Cheap they are not... but with solid cast alloy bodies and polycarbonate lenses they are solid and robust.

Fitting has been a challenge: the units only just fit into the stainless steel ring that holds the headlamp unit.

The Plus 8 has a CAN BUS lighting system. I discovered I need 3 ballast resisters, to fool the CANBUS into believing that traditional lights are fitted.
One for the side light, one for the dipped beam and one for the main beam.
These resistors get hot, so the lowest wattage possible is needed: for the side lights 5w works perfectly.
For the dip and main I started with 50w, but they get too hot. So I will try lower and lower wattage resistors until I find the right ones that fool the CANBUS but don't get too hot.

For older non CABUS Mogs they will be an easy swap, no resistors needed.

When this is all sorted I'll write it up in full. In the meantime, here is a first look.



I'll try and take a "night time" photo, but it doesn't get dark until late..!
Dipped beam is the upper part of the light unit, main beam the lower: they do not come on together.

More as the saga can be told.

they look really good Peter - very stylish

It is a bit annoying to have all the benefits of LED's and then having to add ballasts on (which, as you say get surprisingly hot).

I'm not sure if there are other options available out there;I know you can get digital flasher relays for use with LED indicators......

James

Gosh sounds very complicated and a headache Peter

Have you get it sorted

They look good.

Am I right in thinking that the beam definition of LEDs is such that we don’t need a mask when travelling to mainland Europe?

A link would be appreciated....

They look like having fixed beam definitions.
With Xenon light you can turn the reflector mirror a bit and with Matrix LED you can electronically swich the right leds.
But this seems to be a fixed set of leds.

Miklos

Peter, could you please tell the name or the website of the maker or the distributor of your new lights? I am very happy with the performance of my LED headlights, no comparison with the H-Something before, therefore no way back, but I am not happy with the look. My son would like to take them for his MX5 NA which has the lamps shut when not needed anyway.

Not sure what the objection is to using DRL as position lights. On my Roadster they come on with ignition as did the puny original 5 watt tungsten ones. If your car doesn't have the daytime on option then it's just a matter of turning them on via sidelight switch if you want to be better seen, much as I did with my M3W day or night.

I suppose some countries authorities may object to not having dedicated lights for both position and DRL but as suggested only the one is provided ex factory on the Roadster.

I agree with you Peter, the new factory fit LED headlamps do look the business but what is their price?

I am curious what is a position light? Is it the turn indicator?

No its what used to be known as sidelights, and still is to many including myself

Looking very smart Peter