[vsrivatsa]

My Ignis Delta AMT has recently completed 10,000 kms and I am extremely happy with its performance as a city runabout car (read Beater Car in Team-BHP lingo).


The Ignis


You can read more about my overall Ignis ownership experience right here on Team-BHP: URL (Uptown Red Racer - The Maruti Ignis Delta 1.2L Automatic comes home)

It had been quite some time since I made any accessory upgrade on the Ignis and hence decided to upgrade the headlights to LED headlights. I would say this has become one of the most popular trends today with most automobile enthusiasts swapping the stock headlights with LED headlights with varying results.

The main issue in going in for LEDs has been that LEDs and Reflector Housings are not really made for each other. However, many of the Bulb manufacturers seems to have realized this and there are LEDs bulbs available today in the market that are able to provide the beam cut-offs in the same way as stock Halogens do with the benefit of better throw and intensity. The problem though is that there is no way to easily figure this aspect out based on the claims and specifications that are meted out by the manufacturers but usually an aftermath realization after having fit the bulb in the car’s headlight housing.

I do have some prior experience in doing headlight upgrades and I did the headlight upgrade for my other car, the Honda City on my own. I have documented these experiences as part of my ownership thread here:

1. Low Beam Upgrade -
2. High Beam Upgrade -

The Bulb type for the Ignis is different from the Honda City. The Honda City uses single filament bulbs and hence the Low Beam and High Beam each requires a separate pair of bulbs. In case of the Ignis, this is simpler as it uses the H4 type of bulbs. The H4 Bulbs are dual filament bulbs which means the same bulb supports both the Low Beam as well as the High Beam. The exact specification details from the Manual is shown in the screenshot below:


Ignis Delta Variant - Headlight Specification [Manual]


Choosing the Bulbs
Now that the decision was made to replace the Bulbs, the next step was to choose the bulbs. Having gone thru various threads on team-bhp and based on my own experience with the Honda City, I knew this was going to be a tough task.

The first bulb on my short list was the one from Oedro [URL] as I was very happy with the experience of H11 and 9005 HB3 bulbs from this brand on my Honda City. After having completed the LED Upgrade for my Honda City, I had come across this website called www.bulbfacts.com which has an independent review of most of the bulbs sold on Amazon.com USA. This seemed like a very valuable resource to be but there was no guarantee that the claims made by this site would indeed add up in terms of the ground level reality.

I went thru the ratings on this site and shortlisted two more bulbs based on the ratings provided on the site and my budget was a maximum of Rs.4000/-. The website does list higher rated bulbs which cost upwards of this budget.


Comparison Chart – [Ratings Source: www.bulbfacts.com]


The Shortlisted Bulbs
As I weighed my options, I leaned more towards going for either the Katana Bulbs or the BeamTech after reading more reviews on Amazon.com USA. As per the reviews the Katana Bulb [URL] is better than the BeamTechs but some of the people felt it is way too bright and may not be suitable for day to day city use. Given that the Ignis is primarily a city runabout, I felt it was better to go with something which is more practical for city driving conditions.

Finally the decision was made towards BeamTech. These bulbs come with a fanless design as well as a driverless design. All my earlier LED upgrades have been based on the LEDs having a fan. I felt if I was going outside of the Oedro bulbs which are super silent it maybe a risk going for a fan based design given the chance of fan noise getting into the cabin.

The BeamTech Bulbs have the following specification: URL
• H4 led headlight bulb, Newest Korean CSP LED chips (Double-sided)
• Super bright with output 4000lm per light, 6500K xenon white color
• Super long lifespan: > 30,000hrs
• 25W x 2, Waterproof driver and connectors level IP65, Fan less design


Purchasing the Bulbs
Luckily my colleague was travelling to the US in the first week of October to Hawaii for a short business trip. So I decided to source the bulbs thru him. I ordered the Bulbs via Amazon.com and shipped it to the Hotel where my colleague was staying and he brought the bulbs for me. The dent on the pocket was $38.99 and in addition a two-day shipping charge of $6.99 taking the total to $45.98 which is approximately Rs.3,400/- The bulbs arrived in mid-October and my colleague handed over the package to me.


Unboxing the BeamTech LED Headlight Bulbs


The Amazon USA Package



The BeamTech LED Kit - Box Packing



The BeamTech LED Kit - Unboxed



Side View



Full View of the BeamTech H4 LED Bulb


Installing the BeamTech LED Bulbs
The first step before installing the newer LED bulbs, we went on a drive, found a road with darkness and took some pictures of the stock Halogen bulbs on the Ignis.

The next step is the installation of the Beamtech LEDs in the Ignis. The installation was done as a team work between my cousin, myself and my Dad joined in as well. The access to the bulbs is easier on the driver side as compared to the passenger side due to the presence of the battery on the passenger side.


Rear View of the Headlight Housing - Driver's Side

Shown in the picture above are the dust cap, the power connector and the Headlight Adjustment screw. As can be seen, everything is easily accessible on this side. So, the easier side was done first. The dust cap was removed, then the plug from the existing Halogen was disconnected and the Halogen bulbs were pulled out.


LED Bulb - Closer View


The Locking Screw is attached to the bulb in some bulbs but here Beamtech has provided a detachable one. The Beamtech LED was then placed in the same place and the plug connected. Everything here is simple and plug and play.



Bulb After Fitment


After we had done this we realized that the dust cap would not fit anymore due to the large base of the BeamTech bulbs due to the presence of the heat sink.


Plug and Play Power Connector


Next we connected the Power connector - Switched on the Headlights and found that the lights were working fine emitting the White light so typical of the LEDs.



Rear View of the Headlight Housing - Passenger Side

After we had completed the install of the LED Bulb on the Driver's side successfully, next it was the turn of the Passenger side, this seemed a bit more complex due to lack of space behind the bulb due to the presence of other components. After trying from various angles, the bulb was lodged into the housing for the passenger side as well.


Headlight Evaluation & Adjustment

Here is a view of how the LED Bulb looks within the Reflector Housing of the Ignis:


LED in Reflector Housing


After fitment of both the bulbs, did an initial check of how it looks like and here is a view of the initial setup:


Initial SetUp - Left Side seems odd

As can be seen from the image there appeared to be an issue with the left side beam which seemed to scatter more and also it was not in the same line as the right hand side beam. After some trial and error we found that rotating the bulbs by 90 degrees from the current position helped get a good cut-off! Also we noted that the Bulbs seem to lock into place at every 90 degree angle rotation - so multiple combinations were possible.



Rotation by 90 degrees fixed the Scattering Issue


At this point of time since we were confident that we have got the fitting correctly, we decided to align the Headlights as well. The Headlight alignment screw is easily accessible in the Ignis and can be rotated using the Size 8 Spanner.


Headlight Adjustment Tools: Size 8 Spanner for Headlight Alignment

We took the reference height of the beam from the ground on a flat surface and then adjusted the headlights to get it as near as possible to the stock Halogen setup. After this did a test drive and felt that the beam was falling too close and hence re-adjusted the height again. Here is a picture of the Headlight Alignment:



Headlight Alignment


Now let us get back to the evaluation, let me first share the reference image of the stock Halogens

The Comparison


Reference - Stock Halogen Low Beam & High Beam (Click on image to Zoom)

And now for the upgrade Beamtech LED Bulbs:

Beamtech H4 LED Headlight Bulbs (Click on image to Zoom)

Based on the above, I would say the cut-offs seem well defined and in line with the stock Halogen Bulbs. The usual excessive scatter associated with LED bulbs is definitely not present. Kudos to Beamtech for the good design!

The below picture shows the Low Beam and High Beam with the Bulbs adjusted for a lower aim. I did readjust and slightly change the aiming after this picture.

The Beamtech LED Lights!! (Click on image to Zoom)

Here are some additional images of the LED Headlights:


Reference - Darkness



Beamtech Low Beam



Beamtech High Beam



Zoomed in Comparison View for Low vs High Beam (Click on image to Zoom)


Conclusion

Overall very happy with the setup and the results. I would recommend the Beamtech LED Headlights for anyone wanting to upgrade their headlights. I would also like to share my appreciation for the www.bulbfacts.com website for sharing accurate results from their independent testing


But wait...there is still one interesting bit left...


The Dust Caps

As called out earlier, the heatsink of the Beamtech LED Bulb at the base of the bulb is large as compared to the stock halogen bulb and hence it was not possible to fit the dust cap. I checked on Amazon.in and found that some universal dust caps for LEDs were being sold which would potentially fit/replace the stock dust caps. Meanwhile, before ordering on Amazon I felt I should check the local stores and headed to A1 Car Care near Ashoka Pillar. In the past I had got the reverse camera fitted on the Ignis at A1 Car Care itself and hence I am familiar with the folks there. I enquired if they could get Dust Caps for my Headlights and explained the context. Immediately one of the mechanics there asked me to show the Dust Caps - he then just inverted it and said - now try it this way and it will work. He said he has used this approach before for multiple vehicles before as well. And yes, Lo and Behold, after just inverting/reversing the flexible rubber Dust Cap - it fits like a charm!! Thanks to A1 Car Care folks for this amazing tip!

Here is a picture of the the Dust Caps in both positions:

Dust Caps - Showing Normal Position and Inverted Positions

As can be seen in the picture, inverting the dust cap creates more space at the base and with this additional space, the Heatsink of the Beamtech LED was accomodated within the same stock dustcap as a snug fit!

Here is a picture of the Dustcap in place over the Bulbs:

Inverted DustCap - The Perfect Fit...!

All is Well that ends well. Thanks a lot for reading my post and hope you find it helpful and I will end by saying "Let there be Light...!"

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[halfbytecode]

Nice effort.

I think you should be able to unscrew the black base out of these LED bulbs, and install the uninverted dust cover with the base removed. After having the dust cover installed, you can screw on the base again.

Furthermore, you should try rotating the bulbs further until you get the "wedges" in the beam pattern, like in case of halogen bulbs.

[Vid6639]

Good work. Thanks for not making me spend $40 and trying these out. These were the only LED bulbs I wanted to buy to test out after upgrading to XenonDepot bulbs.

I figured these might work as well as the Xenondepot bulbs and it looks they are indeed pretty good.

A few observations from your review:

1. The stock halogen beam pattern is WOW. IT's perfect! This tells me that the OE reflector is designed very well. That hot spot in the middle is bang on.
2. While the beam cut off is sharp, the right side of the beam cut off rises up again in a U shape. This you should try adjusting as this this is severe glare for oncoming traffic. The horizontal cut off on the right is to prevent blinding to oncoming traffic.

[sathyasuri]

Hi!
That is a nice upgrade to this funky city car.

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Inverted DustCap - The Perfect Fit...!

BTW, while the LED bulbs do not heat up, the LED driver circuit does heat up, so the cooling fins need to be ventilated. This inverted fit will hinder the working of the fins and may cause premature failure of the bulb. So try cutting the base of the dust cap as per the bulb's shape, fit the dust cap first and let the bulb pass through it thus keep the cooling fins exposed to air. These bulbs are usually dust and waterproof and do not need the cap as such. But to prevent the dust from getting in to the head lamp/reflector housing you can seal the gaps between the cut open dust cap and the bulb using a good quality insulation tapes.

[Ravi Parwan]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

Nice effort.

I think you should be able to unscrew the black base out of these LED bulbs, and install the uninverted dust cover with the base removed. After having the dust cover installed, you can screw on the base again.

Fully agreed. The way the dustcaps are currently installed, they are of no use to stop either water or dust from entering the headlight assembly.
Another way to install the dust caps:You can remove the detachable lock plate, put on the dust cap and then put back the lock plate. so the dust cap becomes a part of the bulb. The installation of the retaining spring is a little tricky in this, but you are assured that the lock plate is properly sited on your bulb.

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

Furthermore, you should try rotating the bulbs further until you get the "wedges" in the beam pattern, like in case of halogen bulbs.

On point 2, I am guessing the bulbs are designed for left hand drive jurisdictions, hence the cutoff is inverted. You will have to live with it, as this will not be adjustable.

[zensure]

I am seeking suggestions from BHPians at large, for the below:


1. What's your feedback on the LED light during rainy conditions?


2. Does anyone aware of the myTVS LED product listed in Amazon.in? This product is from TVS and the specs look good. Also offered is 1 year warranty.

https://www.amazon.in/myTVS-6000K-Su...dp/B07JM8VRSY/

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by zensure

I am seeking suggestions from BHPians at large, for the below:


1. What's your feedback on the LED light during rainy conditions?


2. Does anyone aware of the myTVS LED product listed in Amazon.in? This product is from TVS and the specs look good. Also offered is 1 year warranty.

https://www.amazon.in/myTVS-6000K-Su...dp/B07JM8VRSY/

It would be re-branded Chinese LED.

It has a tri-LED source which will cause a lot of scattering. Latest tech is CSP/FLIP LED

I would suggest you look for 4300K for best performance in rain.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Ravi Parwan

On point 2, I am guessing the bulbs are designed for left hand drive jurisdictions, hence the cutoff is inverted. You will have to live with it, as this will not be adjustable.

It's not the bulbs but the reflector that is for RHD and LHD. Bulbs don't matter at all.

It's just the design of this bulb that is causing the incorrect cut off on the right.

[autoholic]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Inverted DustCap - The Perfect Fit...!

I have installed these (exactly same looking but ordered from Aliexpress) bulbs in a friend's car.

The installation procedure we had followed, was like this-
1. Remove the detachable plate from the led bulb.
2. Clip in only the plate in the headlight assembly. You will notice a lip is protruding out the back of this plate.
3. Install the dust cover(the right way). It seats on the protuding lip of the plate.
4. Slide in the led bulb and adjust the beam.

Also your current beam pattern will surely cause discomfort to the oncoming traffic. Some thought has to be put towards replicating it to the original pattern. I didn't help my friend in beam adjustment so cannot say how he did it.

[jinojohnt]

Have you tried driving in the rains at night? How is the visibility especially because this is a white colored LED? Theoretically, (local) white lights are only good at dazzling the on-coming traffic.

[MaheshY1]

Nice setup. However I'm biased in favor of the plain-Jane halogens. I'm planning to upgrade to 100/90 with hella relay.

Did you check if the alpha's led projector setup can be installed with minimal effort? Are the couplers and wiring similar?

[nkg77]

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

Have you tried driving in the rains at night? How is the visibility especially because this is a white colored LED? Theoretically, (local) white lights are only good at dazzling the on-coming traffic.

I also had similar doubt while upgrading my Punto's headlight to Beamtech H4 LED. But didn't find any issues at night during rainy days. Next step is to upgrade the fog lamps. I am also planning to change the head light assemblies as the reflectors have burned out a little bit due to usage (7.5 years old head lights).



Low beam

High beam

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

I think you should be able to unscrew the black base out of these LED bulbs, and install the uninverted dust cover with the base removed.

There was only one tiny screw and the whole unit seemed sealed - I did not want to mess with it. However I managed to put the Dust Caps in the normal manner back.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

1. The stock halogen beam pattern is WOW. IT's perfect! This tells me that the OE reflector is designed very well. That hot spot in the middle is bang on.
2. While the beam cut off is sharp, the right side of the beam cut off rises up again in a U shape. This you should try adjusting as this this is severe glare for oncoming traffic. The horizontal cut off on the right is to prevent blinding to oncoming traffic.

Thanks for the feedback - after reading your comments when I looked at the pictures again I understood what was wrong. I have tried to get the alignment back in - pictures included in this post.

Originally Posted by sathyasuri

Hi!
This inverted fit will hinder the working of the fins and may cause premature failure of the bulb.

Yes, thanks for the valuable advice, I managed to do it without cutting the dust caps and I have put the dust caps back in the normal fashion.

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

Have you tried driving in the rains at night? How is the visibility especially because this is a white colored LED? Theoretically, (local) white lights are only good at dazzling the on-coming traffic.

I did have the same concern when I upgraded the headlights for my City and in that scenario I went for Dual Color LEDs. The same Bulbs can emit either yellow light or the white light. I think that is possible if the Bulb is single filament where there are separate bulbs for High Beam and Low Beam. You can read more about it on my Honda City ownership thread here for details: >

Originally Posted by MaheshY1

Punto's headlight to Beamtech H4 LED.

Good to hear your feedback on the BeamTechs!

So, after reading thru the valuable comments from fellow BHPians I tried changing the beam pattern and fixing the dust cap and I am quite happy with the results. Here are pictures...

First let us look at the Beam cut off, I managed to tilt the bulbs and have tried to get the LED pattern to mimic the stock Halogen one as much as possible:


Beam Cut Off Comparison (Click on image to Zoom)


Now let us also take a look at all three configurations:



Beam Cut Off Comparison (Click on image to Zoom)

As can be seen from the side-by-side pictures, the left hand side is the stock Halogen Beam, the middle one is the current configuration after fine tuning and the right hand side is the earlier configuration prior to fine tuning. It looks like the pattern is now much more similar to the stock Halogens

I think one improvement that can be made is to raise the height for the left hand side (Passenger side) beam as it is lower compared to the right hand side - that would be my next step.

Next was the topic of Dust Caps, given that I was now more familiar with the bulb socket, I managed to fit the bulb with the dust cap in place. Now the LED heat sink at the base is outside the dust cap and I guess the air ventilation should be fine. One concern though, since it leans on the rubber dust cap, I wonder if the heat will melt the dust cap?


Driver Side Dustcap - Heat Sink Outside



Passenger Side Dustcap - Heat Sink Outside



Normal Fit of the Dustcap

Thanks again!

[Ravi Parwan]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Next was the topic of Dust Caps, given that I was now more familiar with the bulb socket, I managed to fit the bulb with the dust cap in place. Now the LED heat sink at the base is outside the dust cap and I guess the air ventilation should be fine. One concern though, since it leans on the rubber dust cap, I wonder if the heat will melt the dust cap?

AFAIK, the rubber is resistant to the heat of the halogen bulb, which can scald your fingers when hot. Should not be an issue with the LED driver.