Headlight bulbs

[Les burrows]

Great !.
I was just having trouble understanding why you thought by the installing the LED lamps in the interior light, how this would produce a condition where it produced a range reduction on your HV pack, that’s all ????.
The low powered LED lights ? consume their power from your 12 volt battery, that is located under the bonnet.
This 12 volt battery then in turn, receives it’s charge from the HV / traction battery located under the car WHEN the car is in the fully booted condition or when the car is placed on charge.
IF ! - anything was left switched on that could pull power from the 12 volt system, it would be this 12 volts battery that would be drained first and not your HV pack.
Let’s say for some weird reason, you had the car fully booted in the ready condition and the door was left open, then the interior lights would be consuming power from the 12 volt battery, correct.
But then this drain would then be having that loss of 12 volt power replaced, by the power in the traction battery.
This would see power / range then reduced from the HV / traction battery of course.
BUT - It would take years before that could resulted in the 12 volt battery becoming flat !.
So, unlikely it’s never going to happen ?.
However, leaving the interior lights switched on over night, will drain the 12 volt battery because the car is powered down and is not receiving any replacement charge from the traction battery.
Sorry, very long winded I know.
But does ANY of this make any sense at all .
This is why ZS EV owners recommend that if you are sitting in the car with 12 volt electrics running, radio etc.
Then keep the car in the full booted “Ready” condition !.
Otherwise you run the risk of flattening the 12 volt battery and then it will NOT have enough power to boot up the car !.
Now, I hope what I have said above ? makes more sense.
A lot of ZS EV owners ( like myself ) carry a small booster pack for insurance purposes.
All this “Information” overload for the sake of two LED interior light lamps.
Bet your wishing you had never asked now !.

Hi again lovemyev I agree with what you written above and it makes perfect sense to me the only thing that bothers me is the part about switching the car on while charging when the MG handbook says you must not do this, your right it as been said in many posts that you must and have to do this to avoid running down the 12 volt battery and even our administrator Stuart Wright posted a video some while back about being stuck in a car park unable to start his Ionic after sitting for a while with his radio and I think heater on so why do they say you must not switch the car on while plugged into a charger.
Can it do any damage it’s a question that needs to be answered Properly I think
I know when Im charging on a public point I will switch on briefly from time to time to see the SOC but then off again once the screen gives a read out of the SOC there has to be a reason to print this in the handbook that’s for sure
Les

 

[m4rmite]

Great !.
I was just having trouble understanding why you thought by the installing the LED lamps in the interior light, how this would produce a condition where it produced a range reduction on your HV pack, that’s all ????.
The low powered LED lights ? consume their power from your 12 volt battery, that is located under the bonnet.
This 12 volt battery then in turn, receives it’s charge from the HV / traction battery located under the car WHEN the car is in the fully booted condition or when the car is placed on charge.
IF ! - anything was left switched on that could pull power from the 12 volt system, it would be this 12 volts battery that would be drained first and not your HV pack.
Let’s say for some weird reason, you had the car fully booted in the ready condition and the door was left open, then the interior lights would be consuming power from the 12 volt battery, correct.
But then this drain would then be having that loss of 12 volt power replaced, by the power in the traction battery.
This would see power / range then reduced from the HV / traction battery of course.
BUT - It would take years before that could resulted in the 12 volt battery becoming flat !.
So, unlikely it’s never going to happen ?.
However, leaving the interior lights switched on over night, will drain the 12 volt battery because the car is powered down and is not receiving any replacement charge from the traction battery.
Sorry, very long winded I know.
But does ANY of this make any sense at all .
This is why ZS EV owners recommend that if you are sitting in the car with 12 volt electrics running, radio etc.
Then keep the car in the full booted “Ready” condition !.
Otherwise you run the risk of flattening the 12 volt battery and then it will NOT have enough power to boot up the car !.
Now, I hope what I have said above ? makes more sense.
A lot of ZS EV owners ( like myself ) carry a small booster pack for insurance purposes.
All this “Information” overload for the sake of two LED interior light lamps.
Bet your wishing you had never asked now !.

It was just strange that the hv battery was showing 2% less on startup.
I wondered how they could of took energy from the hv battery, but it is Chinese so you never know

 

[biffo]

Anyone upgraded the interior lights?
Photo not the most flattering to the original lightning.
I did change both bulbs and will see if any errors or drainage occurs.
I'll have a look when it's dark as well as i like the blueish better than candle light orange.
View attachment 4205

View attachment 4206

Does this just prise out from the front?

 

[m4rmite]

Does this just prise out from the front?

I prised the whole unit out but you can just take out the lens cover.
There's a video on YouTube showing just the lens removal.

I used plastic trim levers to take it out.

 

[SteveMP]

Good to see they can be swapped for LED as I have some of the led's that you have shown left over from doing the ICE I have now. Much prefer the Ice white to see things clearer than the candle yellow.

 

[biffo]

I prised the whole unit out but you can just take out the lens cover.
There's a video on YouTube showing just the lens removal.

I used plastic trim levers to take it out.

Aye - didn’t find anything on YouTube and reluctant to force anything when just a day old!

 

[m4rmite]

Aye - didn’t find anything on YouTube and reluctant to force anything when just a day old!

Zs video above. The Mg5 is the same fitment style.

 

[biffo]

Okay - figured it out. Front metal clips on the Interior Light module are pretty strong and need a little force

then getting plastic lens off is tricky as 6 tabs on it - much easier when out and can ‘bend’ the fixture a little along the long side

The bulbs are also tight to remove - these are a pair of Philips 4000K bulbs that were previously in my old car’s wing mirror puddle lights.

 

[m4rmite]

I pulled the bulb fitting out from the back rather than from the front normal way.
Saved removing the lens as i was unsure how to when i did mine.

 

[biffo]

Just installed a set of Philips Ultinon Pro9000 HL HB3/HB4, a little expensive but I could justify as one off purchase.

15 to 20 minutes and simple job. Power connector had a little retention bump so could attach one way. Popped them in and made sure they were fully rotated - no disassembly of light needed. Just need to check the beam pattern once dark to make sure I've not done anything stupid with the orientation.

Disclaimer: these are not for use on public roads.

 

[Les burrows]

Just installed a set of Philips Ultinon Pro9000 HL HB3/HB4, a little expensive but I could justify as one off purchase.

15 to 20 minutes and simple job. Power connector had a little retention bump so could attach one way. Popped them in and made sure they were fully rotated - no disassembly of light needed. Just need to check the beam pattern once dark to make sure I've not done anything stupid with the orientation.

Disclaimer: these are not for use on public road

Sorry biffo but you are confusing me with your disclaimer, if these are not for use on public roads, why the hell have you fitted them, and what are they used for.?
Les

 

[Caldosan]

Step by step bulb change.

You can choose your own bulb style of course. You are all grown ups. LEDs look different but connectors are the same. If you get to MOT time and the bulbs you have insisted upon are inappropriate (allegedly m’lud) then swap to the originals which you kept safe all that time in the boot. I make no judgement ?




These are significantly better than the standard bulbs

 

[biffo]

Sorry biffo but you are confusing me with your disclaimer, if these are not for use on public roads, why the hell have you fitted them, and what are they used for.
Les

Legally, no LED bulb can be used in a headlight designed for halogens in the UK. (Same goes for HIDs or halogen bulbs of a higher wattage or with a colour of 4300K and above). It’s an MOT failure - can’t remember if potential fine or points. So, they should be used off road only - or at the user’s own risk.

But the beam pattern of good quality LED bulbs are identical to halogen bulbs (particularly in projector headlights) - so technically they are essentially the same but whiter light. Poor quality LED bulbs can be downright dangerous.

In essence, make whatever decision you’re comfortable with based on risk assessment and research and accept the consequences of your actions - the disclaimer is nothing more than a way of expressing this ?‍

Personally, I don’t view good quality LED bulbs with a proper beam pattern cutoff to be as dangerous as many other activities, such as people who exceed the speed limit (or don’t adjust for the road conditions), etc. But my opinions don’t make any of these any less criminal. You pay your money & take your chances. So to speak.

 

[biffo]

Legally, no LED bulb can be used in a headlight designed for halogens in the UK. (Same goes for HIDs or halogen bulbs of a higher wattage or with a colour of 4300K and above). It’s an MOT failure - can’t remember if potential fine or points. So, they should be used off road only - or at the user’s own risk.

But the beam pattern of good quality LED bulbs are identical to halogen bulbs (particularly in projector headlights) - so technically they are essentially the same but whiter light. Poor quality LED bulbs can be downright dangerous.

In essence, make whatever decision you’re comfortable with based on risk assessment and research and accept the consequences of your actions - the disclaimer is nothing more than a way of expressing this ?‍

Personally, I don’t view good quality LED bulbs with a proper beam pattern cutoff to be as dangerous as many other activities, such as people who exceed the speed limit (or don’t adjust for the road conditions), etc. But my opinions don’t make any of these any less criminal. You pay your money & take your chances. So to speak.

Interesting video showing Philips Ultinon Pro9000 HB3 in a projector headlight and the cutoff relative to halogen and other brands of LED. It’s in Chinese but can switch on subtitles.

 

[Caldosan]

That’s very interesting, the beam pattern was very similar. Ordered a pair. WTS Osrams.

 

[Paulj]

I've also fitted a pair of LEDs too and find them so much better. No dazzling issues either. It was very easy to do and the ballast lead and resistor fit inside the plastic light cover. Got mine from Classic Car LEDs and found them extremely helpful and answered the phone too, a bit of a plus these days. They arrived the following day.

Yep not legal, so I use mine off road, (I have a very long drive). With all the ultra bright lights now on the road, brighter lights are a must have and easy enough to remove every 12 months.

 

[terrybailey]

I've also fitted a pair of LEDs too and find them so much better. No dazzling issues either. It was very easy to do and the ballast lead and resistor fit inside the plastic light cover. Got mine from Classic Car LEDs and found them extremely helpful and answered the phone too, a bit of a plus these days. They arrived the following day.

Yep not legal, so I use mine off road, (I have a very long drive). With all the ultra bright lights now on the road, brighter lights are a must have and easy enough to remove every 12 months.

Hi paulj
what number are the led lights you fitted and were they on an MG ZS or MG5
Kind Regards
Terry Bailey

 

[terrybailey]

Just fitted These to my MG5, I fitted them to the ZS when we got the car back in June last year, transformed night time driving with them
I’ve not even driven the 5 in the dark yet but after the experience of driving the ZS in the dark with the original bulbs in, shall we just say ? would be better, so ordered the led replacements when I ordered the MG5...

Hi Severnless
What LED Bulbs did you fit to your MG5? Any problem with fitting?
Kind Regards
Terry Bailey

 

[Paulj]

Hi Terry, the LED's I fitted to my MG5, from Classic Car LEDs appear to be model no. 9005 although it also says HB3HB4 on the front of the box. Give them a ring and tell them what car it is for and they will know exactly what is needed. They also insist that they only supply high quality LEDs, not the cheap stuff that can be found on the internet. I'm happy anyway.

I also installed a couple of LED reverse light bulbs, but whilst better, I didn't think there was such a marked improvement and probably wouldn't bother again.

 

[biffo]

I fitted Philips Ultinon Pro9000 LED Car Headlight Bulb (HB3/HB4) - expensive but very long lifespan. A 9005 is another identifier for the HB3/HB4 fitting.

Amazon product ASIN B08N56NL1M