HID to LED bulb upgrade

jdarmstrong · 08-11-2018, 05:57 PM

Has anyone ever researched if it's possible to swap out the factory HID Xenon bulbs for LED bulbs? My X5 is not equipped with the Adaptive LED Headlights but I do have the LED fog lights. There's got to be a way to upgrade only the bulb to LED without having to install the Adaptive system.

Maverik259 · 08-11-2018, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdarmstrong

Has anyone ever researched if it's possible to swap out the factory HID Xenon bulbs for LED bulbs? My X5 is not equipped with the Adaptive LED Headlights but I do have the LED fog lights. There's got to be a way to upgrade only the bulb to LED without having to install the Adaptive system.

Why would you want to?

smyles · 08-11-2018, 10:54 PM

HID (=xenon) to LED bulbs is downgrade. A rather big one.

6spdcoupe · 08-12-2018, 12:02 AM

It can be done but it's pointless, your nighttime viewing would be a good bit worse.

jdarmstrong · 08-12-2018, 01:20 AM

I like the look of color temperature on the LED bulbs better than the xenon

CatalinP · 08-12-2018, 03:12 AM

The LED OEM Headlights does not consist of 1 LED bulb, it has at least 9 in each of the 4 light enclosures.

Maverik259 · 08-13-2018, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdarmstrong

I like the look of color temperature on the LED bulbs better than the xenon

why not just change to a 5500k or 6000k HID bulb. That's gonna put you pretty darn close to what OEM LED's sit at. But as everyone has stated you will lose significant amount of lumens.

Kzang · 08-13-2018, 09:51 AM

Any explanations to losing lumens from xenon to LED? My experience has been the LED's are significantly brighter than the xenons.

Wavy · 08-13-2018, 10:07 AM

You could try but the projectors were designed for Xenon, not LED.

Maverik259 · 08-13-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kzang

Any explanations to losing lumens from xenon to LED? My experience has been the LED's are significantly brighter than the xenons.

Strictly talking OEM vs Aftermarket applications. Aftermarket LED still isn't quite to OEM levels.

alphaod · 08-13-2018, 04:27 PM

If you go from HID to just LED bulb I don’t think it’ll be any good. If you change from HID to LED headlamp assembly it will be an upgrade but I don’t think the retrofit is worth it.

smyles · 08-14-2018, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kzang

Any explanations to losing lumens from xenon to LED? My experience has been the LED's are significantly brighter than the xenons.

Several factors
- LEDs are more heat sensitive (ironically), so you can't squeeze enough wattage within size constraints of a typical bulb, w/o a risk of overheating/premature failure - hence all those heatsinks, fans, etc.
- LEDs emit light directionally, so you loose some output in 'dead zones' if used in conventional reflectors/projectors
- good LEDs are expensive.

M302_imola · 09-21-2018, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverik259

why not just change to a 5500k or 6000k HID bulb. That's gonna put you pretty darn close to what OEM LED's sit at. But as everyone has stated you will lose significant amount of lumens.

I was wondering what temp headlight bulb would best match the OEM halo/angel eyes? It appears to be close to 6000K but I was hoping 5000K would be close as I don't want to loose anymore lumens.

jch1511 · 09-21-2018, 11:26 AM

Philips extreme vision Gen 2 at 4800K would match. More importantly, will give you more night vision, brighter than oem bulbs.

Maverik259 · 09-21-2018, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M302_imola

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverik259

why not just change to a 5500k or 6000k HID bulb. That's gonna put you pretty darn close to what OEM LED's sit at. But as everyone has stated you will lose significant amount of lumens.

I was wondering what temp headlight bulb would best match the OEM halo/angel eyes? It appears to be close to 6000K but I was hoping 5000K would be close as I don't want to loose anymore lumens.

I would guess 5-5500k. 6 would be too blue.

parkstr8 · 04-26-2019, 05:37 PM

I'm resurrecting...my new X5 is the first car in years that does not have LED headlights. I'm a weirdo when it comes to all my lighting matching. So to have the halos one color and the HIDs another drives me bonkers.

I'm getting from various posts that all I have to do is swap the HID bulb (which according to some is simple) to a 4800-5000k bulb.

Anyone done this, and if so what brand bulb did you buy? Any issues after the swap?

thx,

-s-

jch1511 · 04-26-2019, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parkstr8

I'm resurrecting...my new X5 is the first car in years that does not have LED headlights. I'm a weirdo when it comes to all my lighting matching. So to have the halos one color and the HIDs another drives me bonkers.

I'm getting from various posts that all I have to do is swap the HID bulb (which according to some is simple) to a 4800-5000k bulb.

Anyone done this, and if so what brand bulb did you buy? Any issues after the swap?

thx,

-s-

Philips extreme vision Gen 2 at 4800K would match. More importantly, will give you more night vision, brighter than oem bulbs. Plug and play swap.

Florida-X3 · 04-26-2019, 07:02 PM

The higher you go in Kelvin, the more lumens you loose. It may look like you are getting more light when you go from say 4300k (most stock HID's) to 6000k because they are whiter but they are not brighter (considering all other things are equal). I would try to get to 5000k as they will look nice and white with no hint of blue (cheap looking IMHO).

parkstr8 · 04-26-2019, 07:22 PM

Thanks guys!

mikeson · 04-27-2019, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smyles

HID (=xenon) to LED bulbs is downgrade. A rather big one.

I had X5 with HID but now I have X6 with LED.
Light is a lot different and LED is much brighter than HID.
Before you listen other people talk, just test drive one and you will see how bright LED is.

smyles · 04-27-2019, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeson

I had X5 with HID but now I have X6 with LED.
Light is a lot different and LED is much brighter than HID.
Before you listen other people talk, just test drive one and you will see how bright LED is.

Key word "bulb". Pay attention.

Winboy · 04-27-2019, 11:41 AM

We had HID on our last BMW and now have LED on our X5. It not even close to how much brighter things are. Much nicer to drive at night then our F150 4 candle power per bulbs.

08-11-2018, 05:57 PM	#1
jdarmstrong Enlisted Member 17 Rep 37 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW X5 sDrive 35i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	HID to LED bulb upgrade Has anyone ever researched if it's possible to swap out the factory HID Xenon bulbs for LED bulbs? My X5 is not equipped with the Adaptive LED Headlights but I do have the LED fog lights. There's got to be a way to upgrade only the bulb to LED without having to install the Adaptive system.
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08-11-2018, 10:54 PM	#3
smyles Major 1023 Rep 1,168 Posts Drives: '21 X5 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: DC iTrader: (0)	HID (=xenon) to LED bulbs is downgrade. A rather big one.
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08-12-2018, 12:02 AM	#4
6spdcoupe tends to get irritable 202 Rep 797 Posts Drives: 14 F15,18 M550,20 Highlander Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Central Jersey iTrader: (2)	It can be done but it's pointless, your nighttime viewing would be a good bit worse. __________________ AC Schnitzer/Eibach/M Performance/RaceChip/Compustar/Drone/BimmerTech/FireTV/Helix/Dynaudio/Micro-Precision/Jehnert/Audiomobile
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08-12-2018, 01:20 AM	#5
jdarmstrong Enlisted Member 17 Rep 37 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW X5 sDrive 35i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	I like the look of color temperature on the LED bulbs better than the xenon
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08-12-2018, 03:12 AM	#6
CatalinP Major 590 Rep 1,261 Posts Drives: BMW X5 F15 2014 3.0xd Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: RO iTrader: (0)	The LED OEM Headlights does not consist of 1 LED bulb, it has at least 9 in each of the 4 light enclosures.
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HID to LED bulb upgrade

08-13-2018, 09:51 AM	#8
Kzang Major General 3239 Rep 5,066 Posts Drives: 2015 X5 35i Msport SG Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: East Coast iTrader: (0)	Any explanations to losing lumens from xenon to LED? My experience has been the LED's are significantly brighter than the xenons. __________________ 2015 F15 X5 35i Msport Space Grey M Performance parts MPPK, MPE
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08-13-2018, 10:07 AM	#9
Wavy Captain 1174 Rep 842 Posts Drives: B8 Join Date: May 2015 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	You could try but the projectors were designed for Xenon, not LED. __________________ '23 B8, '84 Monte Carlo SS, '23 Escalade, '21 S 580, '20 AMG GT 53 , '18 LS 500, '18 X6, '16 Corvette, '12 750Li, '14 GS 350, '13 ES 350, '10 Maxima, '09 Challenger
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08-13-2018, 04:27 PM	#11
alphaod Mmmmm… 1148 Rep 2,426 Posts Drives: F15 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: New York iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW X5 xDrive50i [10.00]	If you go from HID to just LED bulb I don’t think it’ll be any good. If you change from HID to LED headlamp assembly it will be an upgrade but I don’t think the retrofit is worth it.
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09-21-2018, 11:26 AM	#14
jch1511 Second Lieutenant 190 Rep 271 Posts Drives: 50i,750i,650i,GL63 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Lake Washington,Taipei, iTrader: (0)	Philips extreme vision Gen 2 at 4800K would match. More importantly, will give you more night vision, brighter than oem bulbs.
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04-26-2019, 05:37 PM	#16
parkstr8 Lieutenant 562 Rep 530 Posts Drives: 2020 BMW X5 MSport Arctic Grey Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Seattle & Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	I'm resurrecting...my new X5 is the first car in years that does not have LED headlights. I'm a weirdo when it comes to all my lighting matching. So to have the halos one color and the HIDs another drives me bonkers. I'm getting from various posts that all I have to do is swap the HID bulb (which according to some is simple) to a 4800-5000k bulb. Anyone done this, and if so what brand bulb did you buy? Any issues after the swap? thx, -s-
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04-26-2019, 07:02 PM	#18
Florida-X3 Lieutenant 260 Rep 471 Posts Drives: '23 X3 x30i / '12 Infiniti M37 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	The higher you go in Kelvin, the more lumens you loose. It may look like you are getting more light when you go from say 4300k (most stock HID's) to 6000k because they are whiter but they are not brighter (considering all other things are equal). I would try to get to 5000k as they will look nice and white with no hint of blue (cheap looking IMHO).
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04-26-2019, 07:22 PM	#19
parkstr8 Lieutenant 562 Rep 530 Posts Drives: 2020 BMW X5 MSport Arctic Grey Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Seattle & Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	Thanks guys!
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04-27-2019, 11:41 AM	#22
Winboy New Member 12 Rep 19 Posts Drives: 2015 X5 35d M Sport Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Winnipeg Canada iTrader: (0)	LED us much better We had HID on our last BMW and now have LED on our X5. It not even close to how much brighter things are. Much nicer to drive at night then our F150 4 candle power per bulbs.
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