Tips for fitting our LED headlamp bulbs

If you've bought or are considering buying our LED headlamp bulbs you'll want to get the best out of them because the increased clarity of the light they produce and the definition of that light will take some of the strain out of your night driving.

First of all, a bit of information about them. These bulbs use the latest LED technology from manufacturers such as Cree, Philips and Samsung to bring you a truly remarkable and reliable product that will give you many years of trouble free service. The body of the bulb is made from aluminium to give excellent heat sinking. If you hold your hand in front of the lens you will feel no heat unlike a filament bulb.

Unlike a filament bulb they don't get too hot to touch. They can be handled with bare fingers and have no filaments to "blow". 

Now the important bits!

Your headlamp reflectors need only be in very good condition with our ULTIMATE H4 bulbs. Reflectors are often neglected as they can't always be seen. 

People complain about bad headlamps but don't realise that their reflectors are badly worn or tarnished. After many years of use the silvering goes dull. 

As with your standard filament bulbs, our ULTIMATE H4 LED bulbs are only as good as the reflector that reflects out the light they produce so it is important to make sure that your cars reflectors are in good condition. A dull reflector won't reflect at all well. There is no point in fitting nice new efficient LED bulbs to bad reflectors because you won't get the full benefit. So, if yours are in any way dull, replace them.

• Fit the bulb(s) anyway up. Focus to give the best, clear pool of light. This should be done by parking the vehicle on a level surface and shining the lamps against a flat surface such as a garage door around 20 feet away. You won't see a beam as with filament bulbs but try to get the best concentration of light possible. Later lamps with patterned lenses will give more of a beam but don't expect a beam from vintage clear or frosted flat lenses. You can touch the bulb directly unlike quartz halogen types.

• As part of our quality control, each bulb is tested before packing to ensure correct operation. 

• Before even attempting to fit your new Double Dippers, make sure that the connections to your lamp holders including the earths, are good and sound.

• When replacing two headlamp bulbs with Double Dippers  always replace  as a pair even though the temptation is there to compare one old bulb with one new. Take the two old bulbs out and fit both new bulbs BEFORE switching on or you may damage the LED driver. If you want to compare, take a picture of your old beams shining on a wall in the dark, then change both bulbs and take the same picture.

• You will need to re align both lamps or you will dazzle other road users. This is most important if you are not to annoy/dazzle other road users or attract the attention of the police. The best way to get a basic setting is to set the lamps so that the angle between them and the road is slightly LESS than 90 degrees so the lamps are aimed down rather than straight or upwards.

• If using two dipping reflectors (single filament equivalent bulbs), make sure they are in the dipped position before making any adjustments.  Align the lamps so they show a flood of light on the road immediately in front of the car and to about 40 or 50 feet away slightly to the left (right hand drive cars).

• If using only a nearside dipping reflector, where both lamps stay on when nearside is dipped, make sure it is in the dipped position and then align both lamps as above.

• If using our Double Dipper Pro headlamp bulbs, align the lamps to give a good beam (or beams) of light 40 to 50 feet away. For 2 lamps, merge the beams to give a pool of light slightly to the left of the centre line of the car. Our testing showed that time spent doing this and getting it right will greatly improve your after dark driving experience. 
• Don't use a "that'll do" approach here. 

• The most satisfactory way to check alignment and to see if it is correct is to now take the car out onto a road. Drive into oncoming traffic and note exactly where the flood of light is. If you get "flashed" by oncoming motorists you need to lower your lamps. 

• Follow another vehicle at the normal safe distance. Check to make sure you cannot see your lights reflecting in his rear view mirror. If they do, pull over and lower them. 

• You should do the above testing until you are satisfied that you have the best light WITHOUT dazzling any other road users. This may take a while but is worth it. The last thing we want to do is cause inconvenience to other road users.

• If using an adjustable 3rd brush system you will need to turn the 3rd brush down to lower the charge rate to suit. You ideally want to see a 1 amp charge with all lights/wipers on at 30 mph. This ensures that the battery will never be over charged again whether lights are on or off.

• If using a switchable 3rd brush system with magneto ignition, again adjust the charge rate down and only switch the dynamo on for periods of sustained night driving, say an hour or more and then, you only need to turn it on for 10 minutes every hour or so. You ideally want to see a 1 amp charge with all lights/wipers on at 30 mph. This ensures that the battery will never be over charged again   whether lights are on or off.

• If using a compensated 2 brush system either mechanical or our electronic regulator, you need do no more apart from read on.

• Go out and  enjoy your new found pure white headlamps and know that they are using no more than 2 amps between them and that you'll never need to change your headlamp bulbs again. 

• Drive down the darkest, unlit roads with confidence.

• Know that you can now safely motor after dark without worry and that other motorists can see you

• Try fitting our other LED bulbs and light boards to your stop, tail, sidelights and dash and see just how little power your car uses.