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hedmanbr Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2019 Posts: 6 Location: CA
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Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 5:53 pm Post subject: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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I bought 6v LED headlights to replace my halogens. My sealed beams were as good as they could have been because I ensured a good ground and contacts, but were still marginal. I worried that LED bulbs would not fit in the buckets since they have the fan on them at the back. Turns out it is not an issue because the depth is only slightly greater than stock because the H4 connector is moved off the back to a cable - see photo. They fit perfect and are super simple to install like 5 min each because the little wire clips are easy to remove and install. The illumination is amazing. It covers the road really well. The old lights did not light the side of the road even though I had them adjusted really well. These cover the road and the sides. I feel much safer driving with these lights. One note is they dim at idle and get brighter with engine speed. That actually works fine because I need more light the faster I go. For the first time I can drive with the headlights on without seeing the little red generator light on the speedo start to glow. With these the dash light is not on at all at idle. When I am going it seems to come on faintly, but not as much as before. I got the lights on Ebay for $99 with free shipping. So far so good.
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EVfun Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012 Posts: 5446 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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Link please! _________________
Wildthings wrote: |
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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red64chevelle Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2016 Posts: 12 Location: East Greenwich, RI
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69734 Location: Phoenix Metro
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hedmanbr Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2019 Posts: 6 Location: CA
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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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The link is:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/7-Stock-Glass-Lens-Metal-...2749.l2649
They said there is a fan. I forgot to try to while the headlight was apart to see if I could hear it. With them mounted I can't hear them. Maybe it is just a heat sink.
I also forget to take a "before" picture. The different is night and day. |
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hedmanbr Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2019 Posts: 6 Location: CA
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vwbeck3 Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2010 Posts: 43 Location: Fallbrook, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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This is great info thank you
I just ordered some |
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vwbeck3 Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2010 Posts: 43 Location: Fallbrook, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:42 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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PM sent |
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vwbeck3 Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2010 Posts: 43 Location: Fallbrook, CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:24 am Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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I bought a pair of the LED headlights for my 66 which is still 6 volts.
I plugged them in to the headlight socket and they didn’t work.
I can see the flickering of a light on the unit but they will not fully turn on.
I left them plugged in for about 5 to 10 minutes and still wouldn’t fully turn on.
Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be.
Or has someone else ran into that problem.
Thank you |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24671 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:30 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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Make sure you have good cleaned and dielectric greased connections. Do not forget the grounds!!! Also check voltage at the battery and how much voltage at the headlights with the old bulbs turn on for both voltage measurements. You might be getting say 6.2 volts at the battery with everything off, but only 5.5 volts with headlights turned on. With the load of the headlights any corroded loose connections will heat up and show as even less voltage getting to the headlights, could be a volt or even two less!
If you have never taken each connection apart for cleaning and dielectric greasing, now is the time to do so. Also there are voltage drops all too often inside the fuse box and headlight switch that can be vastly reduced by a little work.
http://type2.com/library/electris/vw-hauptlicht-schalter.html
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=483901&highlight=fuse+box+soldering _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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EVfun Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012 Posts: 5446 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:19 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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EverettB wrote: |
What is the "fan" for? LEDs are usually pretty cool running.
Is it an electric fan or just a heat sink? |
It can be a fan on a heatsink or just a heatsink, depending on the LED. While the LED is cool running, using around 1/8 the power of an incandescent bulb of the same brightness, they still make some heat. LEDs don't like heat, it shortens their life and reduces their light output. For that reason some way of ditching what heat they do produce is often provided for higher output LEDs. With an old bulb the only heat limit is melting the glass or unsoldering an internal connection. They are more efficient the hotter the filament runs, though lifespan suffers. They run the Tungsten wire at 4500 F or hotter. The LED needs to keep the internal temperature under 200 F.
Interesting fact... LEDs, solar cells, and Peltier junctions are all diodes maximized for different properties they all possess. Take an open LED and let sunlight shine on it. You can measure the voltage it generates with a digital multimeter. _________________
Wildthings wrote: |
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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vwbeck3 Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2010 Posts: 43 Location: Fallbrook, CA
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:39 am Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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Great, thank you for the advice and links.
Gary |
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dw_crash Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2014 Posts: 19 Location: Edmonton, Canada
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 3:48 pm Post subject: Dashlights for 6v Bug |
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Has anyone found a LED replacement for the 6v dash lights in my 60 Beetle? I would sure like to replace the 60 year old bulbs with something newer.
dave |
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red64chevelle Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2016 Posts: 12 Location: East Greenwich, RI
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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vwbeck3 wrote: |
I bought a pair of the LED headlights for my 66 which is still 6 volts.
I plugged them in to the headlight socket and they didn’t work.
I can see the flickering of a light on the unit but they will not fully turn on.
I left them plugged in for about 5 to 10 minutes and still wouldn’t fully turn on.
Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be.
Or has someone else ran into that problem.
Thank you |
I have the same problem. I'm still trying to figure out why they won't turn on. The whole headlight harness is new, and I'm getting 6.2 volts at the headlight plug.
Can someone who received headlights that work take some pictures of the model numbers on the lightbulb and the box that's between the bulb and the plug? I have the suspicion that I have a 12v setup. _________________ 1966 Beetle, European delivery
1975 Type 181
2012 Golf R |
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fly2kads Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2012 Posts: 148 Location: Roanoke, TX
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:36 pm Post subject: Re: Dashlights for 6v Bug |
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dw_crash wrote: |
Has anyone found a LED replacement for the 6v dash lights in my 60 Beetle? I would sure like to replace the 60 year old bulbs with something newer.
dave |
I just installed a set of these:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2415283
I have bench tested them, and have them installed in the car now. It will be some time before the car is back on the road, so I can't speak to how well they work in practice. But on the bench, they seemed to be working as advertised. |
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Rbfara Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: New York state
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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I also have those "Auto-Hub" dash lights and they are excellent. Now I can see the red and green idiot lights on my speedo on the brightest of days even with the top down.
As for Head lights I got at set of these "Vintage Car LED's" VC6v several months ago
https://vintagecarleds.com/shop/7-inch/vc6v-7-inch-led-headlight-kit/
They are excellent. I installed them into my 1960 Ghia almost a year ago. Not only do they fit perfectly just like the OEM units, but they are a breeze to install and focus and have been completely reliable. They are expensive but they have already literally saved my life.
Low beams clearly illuminate the road way out front with a clearly defined horizontal cut off so I am not blinding on-coming traffic. The left to right brightness is better even than any 12v H4 I’ve ever ran on my other car. Plus even on high, these bulbs are super stingy on their amperage draw. Those of us that still run 6v systems know how sensitive they are to that. I can’t recommend these enough. They also run on systems up to 24v I think so if you run a voltage up converter like I did 6v to 12v, you’re golden. They are worth every single penny. _________________ 1960 Karmann Ghia Convertible 1385 40hp |
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Mervo Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2016 Posts: 75 Location: Australia
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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I did the same on my 6V 356. Totally changed the night driving capacity. Not expensive and the lights were better than those on my old Boxster. On small 6v LEDs for dash etc and running lights, most good motor bike spares places have a large range of 6V bulb types, I have found. _________________ 1962 Porsche 356
1968 Porsche 911 (sold)
1988 Porsche 911
2004 Porsche Turbo
1960 VW beetle (Australian) |
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swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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This is great info guys. Exactly what I was looking for. Just bought a pretty original 66, which is still 6v. I really didn’t want to change it to 12v since it survived all these years without being converted. _________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
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vintagecarleds Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2015 Posts: 176 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:10 am Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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Yup, as long as the 6 volt system is in tip-top shape with a GOOD battery, our 6 volt kits work pretty darn good.
Hot tip: Check the manufacture date code on 6 volt batteries. Most of the time they sit on the shelves and are 8-16 months old. _________________ www.vintagecarleds.com
[email protected]
713-853-9644 |
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Busstom Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014 Posts: 3790 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:24 am Post subject: Re: LED headlights for 6v Bug |
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EVfun wrote: |
EverettB wrote: |
What is the "fan" for? LEDs are usually pretty cool running.
Is it an electric fan or just a heat sink? |
It can be a fan on a heatsink or just a heatsink, depending on the LED. While the LED is cool running, using around 1/8 the power of an incandescent bulb of the same brightness, they still make some heat. LEDs don't like heat, it shortens their life and reduces their light output. For that reason some way of ditching what heat they do produce is often provided for higher output LEDs. With an old bulb the only heat limit is melting the glass or unsoldering an internal connection. They are more efficient the hotter the filament runs, though lifespan suffers. They run the Tungsten wire at 4500 F or hotter. The LED needs to keep the internal temperature under 200 F.
Interesting fact... LEDs, solar cells, and Peltier junctions are all diodes maximized for different properties they all possess. Take an open LED and let sunlight shine on it. You can measure the voltage it generates with a digital multimeter. |
To dispel some myths about LED lighting: it's true, the component which actually emits the light, known as the "diode," runs quite cool and produces almost no heat. However, the driver, which reduces and regulates the voltage, produces a shit-ton of heat that must be dealt with, actively or passively. Household LED bulbs reach in excess of 200 degrees F at the base where the circuitry is housed. Get an IR gun and give it a look...the bulb where you would typically handle the lamp will be barely warm, but the neck and screw base will be blazing hot. This is normal. But it does give you some perspective on the heat-generating effects of LEDs. |
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