MK5 Golf GTI
General => Product Reviews => Topic started by: jason_rmh on November 16, 2014, 05:00:07 pm
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LED Side light Bulbs from DamoP
WHY
The standard incandescant 501 sidle light bulb give off a dull yellow light which is quite noticeable against the crisp white light of the xenons.
I have tried several different LED bulbs over the past two years, from cheap ebay ones to more expensive ones from places usch as HIDS Direct.
Eventually they always seem to fail giving a bulb warning on the dash. They sometimes work for 6 months but eventually fail.
Most LED 'CANUS compatible' bulbs have built in resistors designed to stop the bulb error.
As the built in resistors are small, I think they eventually burn out.
When this happens, the lights may come on for 5 seconds, the bulb error will show and the car will think there's a fault and shut off the sidelights.
To get around this, you could fit inline, larger resistors, but I was trying to get away without them.
@DamoP (http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2936) sells LED bulbs which are reasonably priced, so I thought I would give them a go.
Although i'm fitting them to xenon headlights, they can also be used in halogen lights.
SOURCING
@DamoP (http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2936)
The bulbs you need are W5W / T10 fitment to replace the 501 incandescent bulb.
FITTING
There are various posts on fitting side light bulbs to xenon headlights, its tricky but can be done without removing the headlights, and when you've done it once, its quite easy there after.
Remember, LEDs are diodes and will only work one way, if the bulb does not light up once fitted, remove and rotate it 180 degrees and re install.
OTHER VERSIONS
- There's loads of options. A search on Google / eBay will reveal lots of different suppliers / types.
- Some have different amounts of SMDs (surface Mounted Diodes).
PLUS POINTS
- Direct replacement (some LED bulbs are different dimensions and may not fit into the light housing)
- Pure white light
- No bulb error (so far...)
- 8SMDs
- Good price.
MINUS POINTS
- Although perfectly fine, they're not as bright as I expected them to be, I've tried others in the past which have been brighter (but failed).
- The appearance of the light does depend on the surrounding lighting too. They seem less visible in bright day light, but I guess they're not meant to be DRLs.
- SMDs mounted on PCB. Some don't like this type of setup, opting for those using a plastic housing instead, although I have no issues with them.
SUMMARY
Damo was great to deal with and the LEDs arrived quickly in the post.
Fitting may take some practice, but no need to remove bumper and headlights etc.
Nice white light giving an improvement over the old yellow bulbs and they compliment the xenon bulb nicely.
Not as bright as I thought they would be in the daytime, but nice and bright at night.
If you're after a cheap set that so far is known to work well, you can't go far wrong with these.
I'll update the review in the future once they've been fitted for a while.
PHOTOS
Bulbs (Old Vs New)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fax_jas%2FGolf_TDI_R32_Replica%2FIMAG0832_zps09f50bb3.jpg&hash=11ce3bc41b7c3d868d3bd4bb9354d0ffc20d2937)
BEFORE
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fax_jas%2FGolf_TDI_R32_Replica%2FIMAG0758_zps2cd730ae.jpg&hash=e55074be0b868d062eec0a02948d1c1579bec650)
AFTER
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fax_jas%2FGolf_TDI_R32_Replica%2FIMAG0806_zps53aaa507.jpg&hash=fd151f78a79578abc0623b42dc23136c6583cb8d)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fax_jas%2FGolf_TDI_R32_Replica%2FIMAG0810_zpsae70d584.jpg&hash=c2980c4798f94370d7f942819ba9a1950e8f88c5)
Night shot
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fax_jas%2FGolf_TDI_R32_Replica%2FIMAG0800_zps52e9e79d.jpg&hash=81de0e69357d4e9d2f9d1a9669a4cee3f9609381)
Thanks
Jas
:happy2:
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really good write up mate
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will post some pics tomorrow when i get time :happy2: happy with the leds from @DamoP (http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2936)
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will post some pics tomorrow when i get time :happy2: happy with the leds from @DamoP (http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2936)
cheers dude
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Are these in the genuine xenons?
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The ones in my pictures? Yes they are.
Jas
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Playing devils advocate
what is different about these bulbs over the cheap buggers from ebay?
i guess they are more expensive (price isn't mentioned).
i get bulb errors with mine but only if the weather is really cold and battery voltage drops on initial crank.
if the warning comes on i just turn on the side lights on and off again and it goes out. Not that annoying haha :star:
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The ones from Damo weren't bad, £6 a pair.
They're very similar to cheap eBay ones, but when I compared them, the resistors on the PCB are slightly different. This is the key to stopping the can bus error.
Several members are using these bulbs now, without issue.
I got the same issue with cold weather with my eBay bulbs, eventually the error would not clear, I guess because the small resistors eventually burn out, hence the error.
Jas
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might try them then sometime if i get bored with mine!
although think the scirocco ones are different.
the side lights can't be longer than like 87mm or it fouls on the inner lense, the running light one is a stupid bulb i'd never heard of!
mk5s are just easier :signLOL: :signLOL:
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mk5s are just easier :signLOL: :signLOL:
Starting to regret selling your GTI? :P
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Would they work with halogen headlights ?
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Would they work with halogen headlights ?
yes they will work without any problems!
When i installed my leds the 4 top leds 2 of them did not work :(
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Brilliant, thanks
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Just my tuppence worth.....
I bought some off of Ebay that looked identical to these however they were a hair too big to fit in the sidelight hole (Halogen GTI lights)
Maybe thats another difference with this dude's?
Scott.