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

Nice Peter. I am happy with the half moon shaped DLR in my headlights & they and the sidelights are always on.

All,
Thanks for the positive response. I want to get a night time photo, but it isn't dark by my bed time!
The ballast resistors are only needed for cars with a CANBUS Bulb failure warning system. For most Trads they will be "plug and play".

This is the LED unit on the Right side, the other is a n early "halo" LED side light. Photo taken in full daylight, shaded by a tree.




This is the back of the unit.




Day time running lights are much brighter than side lights and are required to dim when dipped beam is turned on. Side lights don't change their intensity.

I'm working with the importer on a set of instructions to go with fitting them into a Morgan, until then I've agreed not to identify the supplier.

As to price: they are mid way between the price MMC ask for the lights used in the Plus 6 and the more expensive of the LED lights available for Land Rovers, etc.
They are E marked and the dip pattern is for RHD, they are also available with a LHD dip pattern and a symmetrical dip pattern for motorcycles.

Thanks. Too many names for the same things.

I think parking lights and side lights might also be the same thing and probably is for most cars but I had a Honda S600 with a switch with HEAD L, PARKING L and SIDE L on the switch, from memory the HEAD L turned on the headlights and the little lights below, SIDE L just the little lights and PARKING L just the right side little lights. I think that originally the idea was side lights meant if a headlight went out other traffic had an idea they were approaching a car and parking lights just the outside light to use when parked in a dark street. On all car sI have owned since it is just parking lights and headlights and the parking lights turn on both sides.

Sidelights / Parking lights - same thing, as you surmise Chris.

BTW for the others: DRL (as in Daylight Running Lights ).
DLR? Docklands Light Railway And no doubt others. Good day at Prescott Hill Climb today

Peter - you can use the light nacelle as a heatsink for the resistors, the ally will scoot it away briskly enough, just need to come up with a way to thermally bond the body of the resistor to the ally.

Richard. I have a feeling that DRLs became obligatory on new cars from 2011. Morgan probably was allowed more time because most of the cars produced in 2011 were existing models, for example my 2012 Plus 4 does not have them. Probably as soon as they changed engines, Roadster and GDI Plus 4 etc they would have been obliged to fit them.

One thing I don't really understand is why DRLs are only used on the front. I would prefer to have the tail lights on all the time too.

On the current Roadster ex factory, all sidelights (and number plate illum) come on with ignition, probably a spill over from the Mustang ECU/BCU heritage since the latter powers these lamps. From a practical point of view the permanent sidelight on feature seems pointless unless DRL's are employed instead to provide increased visibility, since ex factory the puny 5 watt in-headlamp lights are hardly seen in daylight. As you suggest maybe the rear lights on as well is helpful though.

FWIW the full LED lamps I'm using now employ the six outer main beam LED's to provide a DRL option, but on very much reduced power (1 watt v 24 watts). Heinz, who also has them, and I concluded that the DRL's do not dim or extinguish when (dipped) headlamps are turned on, but given this minimal power and the fact they are marked with E8 approval, I see no reason for this to be challenged.

No matter what the appearance of the headlights, I don't want to give up my new option to have and use the DRL. DRL becomes more and more the new standard and without it you run the risk of being overlooked in serious situations. Also for the alternator DRL is much more relieving (without additional resistors) than driving during the day always with the H-4 driving light switched on.

Peter you are correct 2011, there was an exemption for any model produced prior to that date not to have them. Vauxhall where one of the manufacturers to take advantage of this exemption. I remember somebody who was buying a new Vauxhall asking the salesman if it came with DLR he replied yes. When collected they weren't fitted, said gentleman went back to complain and was told if you want DLR just turn the dip lights on.

Here they are fitted...



Note the N/S headlamp is not straight. This is because MMC didn't fit the headlamp bowl perfectly square.
It triggers the OCD in me, so I'll have to correct the headlamp bowl to get the "sidelight" bar perfectly parallel with the ground.

A check last night in the half light of the evening showed the light output is far, far better than the standard H4 bulb.