Brighter reversing bulbs

Matt275

Matt275

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Hi all,

My headlight ballast packs arrived last week from LED Perf based in France, Rob I will PM you soon about your very kind offer of assistance with fitting them :icon thumright: :salute:

Just been looking on the LED Perf site again as they seem to have several upgrade light packs - Interior light packs, indicators etc etc.

One of the packs they list is brighter reversing lights. I've often cursed with how dim the reverse lights are on the car, not helped with how small the lenses are.

I think I've mentioned before that me and electrics simply don't mix...so if you need your house re-wired....give me a wide berth! hahaha

They sell these LED reverse light kits, but....it mentions that resistors are supplied with the kit, where would the resistors need to be fitted? Do they get soldered in to the wiring for the reversing lights somewhere in or near the light cluster itself?
This is the kit I've seen and am curious about and, at 6000 kelvin, I think they are as bright as a D1S headlight bulb, just smaller obviously? :

www.ledperf.co.uk

Reversing light LED pack for Audi A4 B7

Discover our reversing light LED bulbs pack for Audi A4 B7 (2004 - 2008) with assembly instructions. Quality LEDs and 48-hour delivery.
www.ledperf.co.uk www.ledperf.co.uk
 
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Matt275 said:
Hi all,

My headlight ballast packs arrived last week from LED Perf based in France, Rob I will PM you soon about your very kind offer of assistance with fitting them :icon thumright: :salute:

Just been looking on the LED Perf site again as they seem to have several upgrade light packs - Interior light packs, indicators etc etc.

One of the packs they list is brighter reversing lights. I've often cursed with how dim the reverse lights are on the car, not helped with how small the lenses are.

I think I've mentioned before that me and electrics simply don't mix...so if you need your house re-wired....give me a wide berth! hahaha

They sell these LED reverse light kits, but....it mentions that resistors are supplied with the kit, where would the resistors need to be fitted? Do they get soldered in to the wiring for the reversing lights somewhere in or near the light cluster itself?
This is the kit I've seen and am curious about and, at 6000 kelvin, I think they are as bright as a D1S headlight bulb, just smaller obviously? :

www.ledperf.co.uk

Reversing light LED pack for Audi A4 B7

Discover our reversing light LED bulbs pack for Audi A4 B7 (2004 - 2008) with assembly instructions. Quality LEDs and 48-hour delivery.
www.ledperf.co.uk www.ledperf.co.uk
Click to expand...

6000k is the colour not the light output... meaning it is bright white, 8000k is blue 10000k is purple, 5000k is bright yellow ( more on the white side) 3000k = standard halogen light colour, 4000k is more leaning towards 100w standard halogen light colour so it is brighter than the 3000k but colour wise it's almost identical.

The brightness really comes from the LED itself being way more intense then a halogen bulb.

If it comes with separate resistors, they'll need to be wired into the wiring to the bulb itself. If you ask me, there are bulbs that have the resistors already in them, so all you need to do is replace the halogen bulbs for that LED bulb. It is way easier and is easily reversed because you didn't alter the wiring.
 
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Understood, thank you northpole....there's tons of plug / play ones on ebay etc.
Is potential canbus issues something I need to be wary of?
 
Yes the canbus error is a potential problem with most of the cheaper bulbs the good ones start at around 5 pounds each and have the resistors build in the bottom part of the socket not on the actual board that the LED is sitting on... you can buy them from Argo (shop on ebay) and ask them first if they are canbus error free, I returned a few bulbs to them back in the day as they stated they are error free, but that was with my Vauxhall Vectra C and that car is worse with the bulb check than the Audi's are... actually there is one on ebay that is super bright and worked in my neighbours Ford Fiesta st180 mk7 ( also very picky with led bulbs) I forgot the name of the seller but the pictures of it also have a video of a car with the actual reverse bulb on at night and it's like he has a really big led torch on.

that was the one he bought in the end, the resistors are build in with that one but as i said i forgot the brand name as I didn't save it... stupid as I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday when i reversed my car. A shame my neighbour is doing a nightshift otherwise i'd ask him to send me the link, f -that i'll ask him tomorrow morning when he comes home lol.
 
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Just got a reply from my neighbour. The bulbs he got are from AUTO BEAM and cost 30 pounds each... his words: yes they are bright, yes they are good, not worth the money to be fair. Won't ever buy them again.

this is the website drilled down to the b7 compatible led bulbs they have on offer
 
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And these are the ones i got for the Vauxhall Vectra C

And a set is just shy of £ 14.00 so doesn't really hurt the pocket compared to those from AUTO BEAM and the seller/shop is British based so they get send really quick after you paid for them. Yes they are canbus error free.
 
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northpole said:
And these are the ones i got for the Vauxhall Vectra C

And a set is just shy of £ 14.00 so doesn't really hurt the pocket compared to those from AUTO BEAM and the seller/shop is British based so they get send really quick after you paid for them. Yes they are canbus error free.
Click to expand...
Nice one just grabbed these, up for £13.49 and the checkout gave me a discount so £12.82
I'm happy with those, they will be brighter, error free and cheap...what's the worst that can happen! :welcoming: :welcoming:

Thanks again, appreciate that.
 
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Gutted, bulbs arrived today but they put a light on the DIS straight away for both sides. Showed a bulb with a X through it etc...said left reversing light then right just after.
I've raised a return with ebay, says guarantee to get my money back etc and that the seller will pay postage.

I had the ignition on only, put the car in reverse and they were nice and bright, but they pulsed every second and then the dash warnings popped up. Started the car but that made no difference, same errors.
Old bulbs back in for now lol.

Neh mind, these things happen!
 
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That doesn't surprise me Matt, B7's and led's can just be problematic.
I tried them and ended up binning them all.
 
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Yeah it's a shame as they were so much brighter, just what I wanted. I think it's because the bulb draws such little current that the car thinks the bulb is missing or blown.

At least I know my bulb warning system is good, Last year I had a brake light go out and it told me, I was near Bordon on the new bypass lol.

Will PM you Rob ref ballasts, not forgotten, :icon thumright: but just been a bit MK4 Golf focussed recently, including new rocker cover and gasket, tandem pump gaskets - was leaking a smidge of fuel down the side of the cylinder head, and lastly the injector loom flange was leaking a bit of oil - Didn't replace the loom as it's fine, just sealed up the O ring and flange best I could with Dirko HT grey....seems to be holding, for now.

Old VAG's = back ache! hahahaha
 
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The bulbs got flagged? Nothing worse than that means the B7 is even more aggressive with the bulb check than the Vectra C.

I haven't found another bulb on the cheap side that is canbus error free that works. I'll dig about the net and find something that works out of the box.
 
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Perhaps I'd have to end up going down the wiring in resistors route...but ideally not. Worst case I'll have to live with the dim halogens but they really are pretty bad as you know.

What would've set off the canbus flagging? Low voltage draw to the new bulbs?
 
it's the low voltage that sets it off nothing else... and every check current makes them flash... I'm now looking into the specs of the really expensive ones as I myself hate how dim the reverse lights are ( actually was looking into upgrading to full led rear light clusters but I find them to expensive period) so led reverse bulbs would be more than sufficient to be fair. Give me a day or 2 to come up with an option that equals those 30 pound bulbs from AUTO EXTREME as they are made in China and they look the same like a brand called MAXGTRS from Aliexpress... On Aliexpress that brand goes from 10 pounds up to 20 pounds a set.

I just need to compare the specs and will get back to you on them, takes a bit longer to arrive here but because of the time of year they are fast to send at the moment, got the replacement connectors for the coilpacks from China within 5 days. And the wire harnas (conduit) will arrive today and that took 10 days coming by boat.

anyway I'll compare, select and buy what i think is the same, fit them and let you know if they are fit and forget without the need for adding resistors.

here is a link to what the brand has on aliexpress (just look at the prices!!!)
 
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I think i found a good one that won't need a resistor put in... look at this one... I'll order it today and report back if they work without the need for a resistor ... which according to the specs they should work without any canbus problems check the specs:
MAXGTRS = 26watt, 2400 Lumen, 6500K
AUTO EXTREME =15watt, 2000 Lumen, 6000K
spec wise the linked bulbs should be a fit and forget ( also the MAXGTRS ones are brighter than the Auto extreme offerings). As said i've now ordered them. Just waiting for delivery and we shall find out if they actually are.

I know the auto extreme ones work but i'm not paying over 30 pounds for 2 bulbs... especially not when i can get the other ones for less than half the price.
 
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I can't seem to use the link above "look at this one" it takes me to error 404 page not found...
 
Go to aliexpress.com and type in Maxgtrs p21w you'll get a bunch pop up i forgot the page doesn't allow direct linking to 1 specific product unless you use the link button... I copied the link but it has session details in it so the error makes sense to me.
 
@Matt275
1763204014423

1763204101686
 
so came to 15.66 for a set paid with paypal will be here between 22 and 27 this month but I think they'll be fit and forget. Another thing out off the way if they work. if they don't i'll be very surprised. oww in the pictures above i didn't select the right bulb yet just pulled up the page quick and made 2 screen dumps so you could see the specs and the bulbs for yourself, also you need to go to the page and read the full specs as that part in the screendump wasn't the whole lot.
 
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Wow there's certainly a lot to choose from, let's hope yours work truly error free - as if they do I'll be sure to grab a set :yes:
 
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I'll report back when they arrive and are fitted fyi I went for the ones with the highest lumen output and wattage as that will result in more resistance for the canbus bulb out check.

Should work just fine.. if 15w is enough for the bulb out check to have enough resistance, than 26w should be even better.
 
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If I recall, there were a few issues a while back with B7 owners and LED bulbs in the number plate and reverse lamps getting very hot and melting the lens.
Not sure if thats still the case but it was a while back.
 
Charlie Farley said:
If I recall, there were a few issues a while back with B7 owners and LED bulbs in the number plate and reverse lamps getting very hot and melting the lens.
Not sure if thats still the case but it was a while back.
Click to expand...
I already have the full replacement LED ones in there and they don't get hot at all... you replae the whole houding not just put an LED bulb in them... they come with a resistor in them so are canbus error free... the ony annoying thing is those butter strong little scrws that hold them in place... i replaced mine the last time i took them out to clean the contact points for the housing ( yes they went green again)
 
So the seller on ebay (in Chinese English) offered me a £3 refund, then £5.
I've said no and that they are of no use to me so please issue full refund / postage label. Why offer me a part refund for something that doesn't work for me? Anyway....
It then dawned on me, why not stick them in the 2000 MK4 Golf? same P21W fitting and no bulb check system or canbus etc.

They work really well, I always thought I only had one reverse light on the Golf, but it has two....so both bulbs now in use....plus will settle for the fiver refund for my hassle lol

Lovely and bright but not silly, and a much more clean white light compared to the yellowish halogens plus the LED's light up more instantly. Yes they warm up at the base a bit, but no more than the original bulb anyway, plus I only use reverse for a matter of seconds a few times a day :welcoming: :icon thumright:
 
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Not the best picture (only one I could find on my phone)
LED on the right, standard on the left. These were cheap eBay specials back in January 2017. Fitted with resistors and they haven’t missed a beat, lasted longer than the damn clutch!
My old house had a stupidly tight drive so I need the extra brightness for reversing in at night.
One of the best, cheap upgrades you can do on these cars IMO.
 

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Matt275 said:
Lovely and bright but not silly, and a much more clean white light compared to the yellowish halogens plus the LED's light up more instantly. Yes they warm up at the base a bit, but no more than the original bulb anyway, plus I only use reverse for a matter of seconds a few times a day :welcoming: :icon thumright:
Click to expand...
My rear lights have been literally a pain in the behind recently, Matt. After replacing all the bulbs and holders, I got yet another fail on scan, whilst I was checking an isolated fail on the cheap EGR valve (talking of Chinese - never again - I've got an OEM Pierburg in reserve - but it's behaving itself for now). One of the bulbs (NS tail light) was the wrong kind (two filament) so I replaced it and all OK for the moment - I'm going to reseal them both and bind the harnesses with new electrical tape over the weekend. I always find it embarrassing when I discover a light out; I always think, they think old car=typical lol - must get the trip and cruise retrofitted soon - mainly for the bulb warning. I'm not a fan of any leds really (what's the legal MOT position too?), especially the number plate, I just don't see the point there; but reversing leds/fog make a lot of sense; since they are for visibilty, and I hadn't thought about that before.:thumbs up:
 
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all rear bulbs can be replaced with LED as they aren't blinding yes bright but not blinding if they are changed over with upgraded bulbs. the led numberplate lights aren't a problem either because they make the plate more visible, so that is not a problem. but yes the reverse lights changed with LED make a world of a difference as you can finally see what's behind the car.

I got the LED license plate ones for the simple reason the oem housings on mine needed to be replaced, but for the price of them( without a bulb i might add) i can get 4 sets of LED license plate lights... so i got the LED license plate lights... i don't like how it shines onto the ground behind the car but I won't waste money on an ancient setup that isn't complete and costs more than an upgrade that works out of the box and lasts longer.

i also got welcome led projectors in all 4 doors...again aftermarket because 4 of them was 1/3 of the price for 1 new oem one.
 
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northpole said:
I got the LED license plate ones for the simple reason the oem housing on mine needed to be replaced, but for the price of them( without a bulb i might add, i can get 4 sets of LED license plate lights... so i got the LED license plate lights... i don't like how it shines onto the ground behind the car but I won't waste money on an ancient setup that isn't complete and costs more than an upgrade that works out of the box and lasts longer.
Click to expand...
I replaced my entire number plate housing too - the metal contacts corrode and no replacement bulbs sort it. No trouble since, but as I say I just don't see the point in leds there - I drive legally like an old fella that I am now - so there's no benefit for the ANPRs, lol.:thumbs up:
 
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B7Tourer said:
I replaced my entire number plate housing too - the metal contacts corrode and no replacement bulbs sort it. No trouble since, but as I say I just don't see the point in leds there - I drive legally like an old fella that I am now - so there's no benefit for the ANPRs, lol.:thumbs up:
Click to expand...
so did i lol ( yes housing was corroded on the inside and the plastic was yellow AF) but for me it literally was the price that made me go for the LED versions. and those triggered me to go get the welcome lights as those housings where corroded inside too. so i replaced those on the cheap too. I always compare the prices of those things before buying anything just as how i went and compared the possible LED upgrade reverse bulbs that will be a fit and forget, without getting any bulb out errors or hyperflashing.

And unlike most people my licenseplate led's aren't just the bulbs, they are the complete housing version that are canbus error free. so just a fit and forget.
 
For many years, EM Tuning has been the go to place for bulbs; run by our well-establised member t8ups. His forum name's not currently coming up, hence why I've posted the link to his business instead.
 
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jdp1962 said:
For many years, EM Tuning has been the go to place for bulbs; run by our well-establised member t8ups. His forum name's not currently coming up, hence why I've posted the link to his business instead.
Click to expand...
nothing wrong with a local business, but i like to get stuff at the lowest price, it's better for my wallet ;) times are hard enough.
 
B7Tourer said:
My rear lights have been literally a pain in the behind recently, Matt. After replacing all the bulbs and holders, I got yet another fail on scan, whilst I was checking an isolated fail on the cheap EGR valve (talking of Chinese - never again - I've got an OEM Pierburg in reserve - but it's behaving itself for now). One of the bulbs (NS tail light) was the wrong kind (two filament) so I replaced it and all OK for the moment - I'm going to reseal them both and bind the harnesses with new electrical tape over the weekend. I always find it embarrassing when I discover a light out; I always think, they think old car=typical lol - must get the trip and cruise retrofitted soon - mainly for the bulb warning. I'm not a fan of any leds really (what's the legal MOT position too?), especially the number plate, I just don't see the point there; but reversing leds/fog make a lot of sense; since they are for visibilty, and I hadn't thought about that before.:thumbs up:
Click to expand...
I also resealed the electrical harness with a good amount of tight electrical tape when I tried my LED's....it's a shame the canbus picked them up....just waiting to see how northpoles work out. There wasn't a lot of tape on either harness...plus, of course, gave me a chance to detail behind the light clusters lol...any excuse!

All I'm after is better lights for reversing, and also may well do the rear door puddle lights - the front puddle lights are wicked, so bright and clear projector lenses, awesome for the price. Mine just have the word Audi in white and the 4 rings underneath in red, you'd honestly think they were OEM.

The LED reverse bulbs certainly work well in the Golf which, with no bulb monitoring or canbus, the car is completely none the wiser. Happy days I've put them to good use, plus a £6.41 refund coming...even happier days!

I'm not a fan of LED for number plates...way too bright for my liking, ref MOT - Chat GPT :

✅ Are reverse lights part of the MOT?​


Yes only for vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2009.
Older vehicles do not have their reverse lights tested.


✅ Can you fit LED bulbs in a reverse light?​


In practice: Yes — LED replacement bulbs are normally acceptable for MOT, as long as:


  • The reverse lamp works when selected
  • The light is white
  • The lamp is not excessively bright, dazzling, flickering or insecure
  • It illuminates correctly through the existing lens
  • There’s no warning light on the dash (for CANbus-equipped cars)
 
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The only plus to the led registration plate lights is they put out enough light for reverse cameras to read the license plates from the cars behind you without a problem.

But if you don't have one (or have it but haven't installed it) you'll have that extra light behind the car that is of no help when you reverse as it shines to low for it to be useful and not to far from the rear bumper either... since it's pointed down towards the registration plate.

Just waiting for customs to release the parcel to the courier as it arrived in the UK today, and it already passed all the checks...
 
They just arrived but i don't have the time right now to pull out the complete sides on the avant to swap them over. But judging by the quality of the bulbs and how well they are made I'm convinced they'll be fine. I also need to remove the stuff in the rear ( walking aids etc) so bare with me, will probably do it tomorrow if it's not raining ...i don't have a garage to work in and refuse to run up and down with the walking aids to keep them out of the rain.
 
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A further result, considering I'm using both bulbs and they are great in the Golf, the ebay seller has given me a full refund of 2 x £6.41 which has now hit my bank account.
They offered me firstly a £3 then a £5 refund.
Strange way of refunding my £12.82 but I won't be complaining :yes: :yes:

Now...onto perhaps Ali Express for rear puddle lights.....
 
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Can't get onto Ali Express. Created an account with my email, but wants to send me an SMS code to my phone. Put my number in and no code gets text to me....now locked out lol
 
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Say what? I used my FB credentials to make an account, than i just manually put in my phone number... i did it al on my PC than insstalled the app on my phone and logged in with the FB credentials... no problem whatsoever.

ps it's raining here so led bulbs swap will have to be postponed
 
They work without a problem!!! As i expected, since they have the same resistance as a P21W halogen bulb at 26w ( same as the brake light bulbs)
here is the link again hope it works this time, i made sure i wasn't logged in to the website.
 
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