240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

I bought a pair of these LED H4 bulbs, on the recommendation of Tom (the chap to whom I sold the B230e motor). They were just £31 (on Amazon) and arrived today:



The instruction booklet is useless of course, but fitting them is easy and obvious - and they come with a natty pair of white gloves in case I ever get a job as a wine waiter:



The right side one took just a couple of minutes to fit (very clever fittings and well executed), there is room to fit the standard rubber boots, which should keep everything clean. The quality of manufacture looks excellent. I just fitted the right hand bulb this afternoon so I would be able to get a side-by-side comparison after dusk. So, how do the LEDs compare with H4 halogen bulbs, the answer is:



... Light Up The Sky With Standard Fireworks (very apt on Guy Fawkes night). As you may see, the comparison is stark. I'll fit the nearside bulb tomorrow (it will take a little longer of course because I'll have to move the battery out of the way) and take it for a run after dark. Driving report to follow.

:-)

Look forward to it Alan , maybe Baby Christmas prezzie!

[360beast]

I think I know what I'm getting for my 940! The current headlights are brilliant on main beam but are like glow worms in jars on dipped beam!

Edit: although looking again I think they may trigger the BFU on my 940 as they haven't got a resistor by the looks of it... Dave will know.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

I bought a pair of these LED H4 bulbs, on the recommendation of Tom (the chap to whom I sold the B230e motor). They were just £31 (on Amazon) and arrived today:



The instruction booklet is useless of course, but fitting them is easy and obvious - and they come with a natty pair of white gloves in case I ever get a job as a wine waiter:



The right side one took just a couple of minutes to fit (very clever fittings and well executed), there is room to fit the standard rubber boots, which should keep everything clean. The quality of manufacture looks excellent.



I just fitted the right hand bulb this afternoon so I would be able to get a side-by-side comparison after dusk. So, how do the LEDs compare with H4 halogen bulbs, the answer is:



... Light Up The Sky With Standard Fireworks (very apt on Guy Fawkes night). As you may see, the comparison is stark. I'll fit the nearside bulb tomorrow (it will take a little longer of course because I'll have to move the battery out of the way) and take it for a run after dark. Driving report to follow.

:-)

Light Up The Sky With Srandard Fireworks. Bloomin’ ‘eck ! That’s a blast from the past!!!

Penny bangers, Cannon and Little Demon. Hard to believe, 240 bangers for a quid!!!

Much better than, Brock Bangers or Benwell rubbish.

Thanks for the trip Alan.😁👍

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

Light Up The Sky With Srandard Fireworks. Bloomin’ ‘eck ! That’s a blast from the past!!!

Penny bangers, Cannon and Little Demon. Hard to believe, 240 bangers for a quid!!!

Much better than, Brock Bangers or Benwell rubbish.

Thanks for the trip Alan.😁👍

I thought someone of a certain age might remember ’Light Up The Sky With Standard Fireworks’.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Othen

I thought someone of a certain age might remember ’Light Up The Sky With Standard Fireworks’.

Oh dear! I’m of a certain age. Aye. I dare say you’re right!🤫👍

[BicycleBoy]

Be careful with LED lights in old halogen fittings: The new bulbs aren't E-marked, which is an MOT fail. Also bacon magnet, as easy spot and pull.

You want a huge pair of Super Oscars, they'll sort out your lighting.
Or buy some decent (PIAA) bulbs for similar money to illegal Chinese leds.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 360beast

I think I know what I'm getting for my 940! The current headlights are brilliant on main beam but are like glow worms in jars on dipped beam!

Edit: although looking again I think they may trigger the BFU on my 940 as they haven't got a resistor by the looks of it... Dave will know.

The BFU doesn't monitor the headlights on the 7/940 Luke

Originally Posted by BicycleBoy

Be careful with LED lights in old halogen fittings: The new bulbs aren't E-marked, which is an MOT fail. Also bacon magnet, as easy spot and pull.

You want a huge pair of Super Oscars, they'll sort out your lighting.
Or buy some decent (PIAA) bulbs for similar money to illegal Chinese leds.

Anything after 1986 with LED bulbs retrofitted ia allegedly an automatic MoT fail, however many LED bulbs now give a perfect beam pattern and as such should NOPT be failed IMHO - it's the el-cheapo Chinese ones with huge LED emitters that scatter light to the 4 corners of the pkanet istead of where it should be that have caused all these problems - there is already legislation in the MoT rules to cover beam pattern so that should have been enough. Typical politicians though going off half cocked without knowing the full facts!

As for Super Oscars, something in the back of my mind says they were outlawed with KC Daylighters in the early 70s as they were spot lights, not driving lights and as such could cause not only dazzling to oncoiming road users but retinal damage too.

As for E-markings, another EU intervention we can do without and besides, i'm fairly sure Alans Barge is too early to need E-marked lighting kit but i'm sure the headlights will be if it isn't.

[BicycleBoy]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Anything after 1986 with LED bulbs retrofitted ia allegedly an automatic MoT fail, however many LED bulbs now give a perfect beam pattern and as such should NOPT be failed IMHO - it's the el-cheapo Chinese ones with huge LED emitters that scatter light to the 4 corners of the pkanet istead of where it should be that have caused all these problems - there is already legislation in the MoT rules to cover beam pattern so that should have been enough. Typical politicians though going off half cocked without knowing the full facts!

Philips H4 Ultinon, in S Korea, Germany or France, perhaps.
Everywhere else and all other makes illegal in halogen reflectors.
In UK in particular there are minimum wattage requirements for dipped (30w) which LEDs might fail to meet.
I don't make the laws, I just quote them like a bitch.

As for Super Oscars, something in the back of my mind says they were outlawed with KC Daylighters in the early 70s as they were spot lights, not driving lights and as such could cause not only dazzling to oncoiming road users but retinal damage too.

Damn EU regulations telling us who we couldn't cause retinal damage to...

It's OK though, modern (post 70's) Super Oscars are E marked, and come in driving pattern as well as AA searchlight pattern. Even (E-marked) LED if you really want to light it up and don't give a hoot for period correctness

PIAA 80s would be better, both high and dipped beam in one, but probably protrude beyond even an early 240 bumper.

As for E-markings, another EU intervention we can do without and besides, i'm fairly sure Alans Barge is too early to need E-marked lighting kit but i'm sure the headlights will be if it isn't.

If lenses have an E mark then bulbs will have to as well.
Only exceptions for pre 86 vehicles with BS kitemark.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by BicycleBoy

Philips H4 Ultinon, in S Korea, Germany or France, perhaps.
Everywhere else and all other makes illegal in halogen reflectors.
In UK in particular there are minimum wattage requirements for dipped (30w) which LEDs might fail to meet.
I don't make the laws, I just quote them like a bitch.

The LEDs use less than 30W but and it's a BIG BUT, the output measured in Lumen (Lm) is at least equal to, if not much higher than a corresponding halogen bulb. Most halogen bulbs are ~1200-1600Lm depending on whether they are basic halogen or another noble gas that gives a brighter output - the LEDs are generally ~2000Lm on dipped beam so is above what a halogen bulb would give. There is a limit of 1800Lm from a headlamp for road use, however this isn't strictly enforced and usually comes with a 10% tolerance so 2000Lm would scrape a pass by any but the mnost fussy article of a tester. Assuming they did in fact test the output, most don't unless the output is excessively dim.

An added benefit of the LEDs is the colour temperature of ~6000K which is about as close to natural daylight as you'll get. Much more restful on the eyes for night driving and also lights up animal eyes in the verge helping you avoid getting intimate with the wildlife after dark!

Most testers i have known apply a common sense attitude to LED headlamp bulbs, while they know they technically shouldn't pass them on certain vehicles, if there's no light emitted in the anti-scatter zone of the beam pattern then they usually pass them, as long as the beam pattern is correct.

[Othen]

I get really irritated when people tell me what I want. Only I can know what I want.

It is fortunate perhaps that the Barge had its last compulsory MoT last week, but even if it had not I don’t think these bulbs would cause MoT testers any issues: I know many bikers (I’d say the majority of sports bike riders and a good number of others) that have LED bulbs fitted all the time. I have never heard of one having an issue with the MoT (the same is not true of HID lamps).

Dave is correct: the 240s’ bulb failure system isn’t affected. As you may see from the box they came in, these bulbs are rated as 30w, I doubt very much they use 30w, but that is what is written on the box (perhaps to keep legislators content).

If I thought these LED bulbs were wrong in the context of my motor car then I wouldn’t have got them. I’ll fit the other side in the morn and test them out tomorrow eve. If I’m happy they are useful and safe I’ll keep them and enjoy the benefits of good headlamps (perhaps even as good as the xenon lamps in my Skoda?). If I really like them I’ll get some more for GAM and my 2 motorcycles. The Barge isn’t a museum piece, so I’m not worried about period correctness (hence the 15” wheels, electronic points, modern radio and so on); if a future owner wants to re-fit H4 bulbs they will be in the spares box in the boot.

I’m not normally up at 03:30 but I have a rotten cold which is keeping me awake (and probably making me a bit tetchy).

Alan