H1/H7 LED Headlight Conversion Questions

[Scott9999]

1. Is there any standard for H1 or H7 bulbs, vis-à-vis BMW's plastic socket cover?   Many available LED bulbs appear to have huge heat sinks and/or fans attached.  I'm concerned that they will fail to clear the covers, after installation.  
2. The OEM bulbs are 55W.  Are bulbs "certified" 🙄 to be CANBUS compatible, that are 40W, 60W, 70W, 80W, or 110W, compatible with BMW Wetheads.  I'm assuming an LED bulb is drawing much less power than the OEM 55W halogen bulb, i.e. that the main issue is an uneven current draw that triggers a CANBUS exception, so that if these are actually CANBUS tested, any of those wattages should work.
3. I've noticed that some advertised H1 bulbs with "standard H1 connectors" appear to have spade connectors.   Is the harness female connectors compatible with spade connectors (i.e. plug them in where the standard halogen H1 bulb dual spade connectors normally fit)? 

 

There's almost too much information available on these LED bulbs, since the topic has been discussed to death.  There seem to be 100 threads with dozens of replies, most of which say "Well, I just bought xxxxx and it worked fine", or worse, "I bought that xxxxx brand, and it didn't work/fit/produce adequate light, and lasted a month when I got it to fit".    I've researched this subject at least a half dozen times, an hour or two each time, and I never like the answers I've been able to get.  I don't want to (a) order bulbs, (b) tear down my poorly designed RT front end so that I can change a simple, freakin' lightbulb, (c) find out it (c1) doesn't fit, (c2) doesn't connect, (c3), doesn't work, (c4) works for 15 days and quits, (c5) get 'em installed and working, only to find out the light quality is somehow compromised, and/or (d) some other issue that causes me to tear down the RT front end, again and again.   /end rant

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

PS:  Nope, I'm not interested in the super-special Cyclops $225  2800LM bulb set, or any other overpriced (almost always Chinese) bulbs.

 

 

[dirtrider]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:02 AM, Scott9999 said:

1. Is there any standard for H1 or H7 bulbs, vis-à-vis BMW's plastic socket cover?   Many available LED bulbs appear to have huge heat sinks and/or fans attached.  I'm concerned that they will fail to clear the covers, after installation.  
2. The OEM bulbs are 55W.  Are bulbs "certified" 🙄 to be CANBUS compatible, that are 40W, 60W, 70W, 80W, or 110W, compatible with BMW Wetheads.  I'm assuming an LED bulb is drawing much less power than the OEM 55W halogen bulb, i.e. that the main issue is an uneven current draw that triggers a CANBUS exception, so that if these are actually CANBUS tested, any of those wattages should work.
3. I've noticed that some advertised H1 bulbs with "standard H1 connectors" appear to have spade connectors.   Is the harness female connectors compatible with spade connectors (i.e. plug them in where the standard halogen H1 bulb dual spade connectors normally fit)? 

 

There's almost too much information available on these LED bulbs, since the topic has been discussed to death.  There seem to be 100 threads with dozens of replies, most of which say "Well, I just bought xxxxx and it worked fine", or worse, "I bought that xxxxx brand, and it didn't work/fit/produce adequate light, and lasted a month when I got it to fit".    I've researched this subject at least a half dozen times, an hour or two each time, and I never like the answers I've been able to get.  I don't want to (a) order bulbs, (b) tear down my poorly designed RT front end so that I can change a simple, freakin' lightbulb, (c) find out it (c1) doesn't fit, (c2) doesn't connect, (c3), doesn't work, (c4) works for 15 days and quits, (c5) get 'em installed and working, only to find out the light quality is somehow compromised, and/or (d) some other issue that causes me to tear down the RT front end, again and again.   /end rant

 

Thanks

Morning Scott

 

Lets start with the CanBus deal, nothing is CanBus tested or CanBus compatible as the CanBus has nothing to do with the headlight bulbs. Anything sold as  CanBus compatible is using that to say their bulbs will work with the electronic fuses & electronic controls in a CanBus era motorcycle. But most are just using it as a sales ploy as it sounds impressive.

 

As far as the bulbs being certified? Probably not unless they have a DOT rating & very few, if any, would be DOT certified as most LED bulbs emit light in a different way than a conventional filament equipped bulb.  Without a DOT rating the bulb is technically illegal to use on public roads. You probably won't get a ticket for using them unless they are so bright or so obnoxious that they look blatantly illegal. But it could factor in an accident investigation if the other vehicle driver has a sharp lawyer. 

 

When it comes to IF they will work in your motorcycle without triggering the light-out warning is a crap shoot unless you find someone already using the LED's in question in a similar motorcycle to yours & they are functioning OK, or they are designed to work in circuit monitoring vehicles, or come with add-on load resistors to make the vehicle think it has a proper headlight current load. 

 

Same with a fitting the bulb/with fan or a large heat sink  into your headlight housing assembly, some will fit, most won't fit without modifying something. The ones without a fan but with the braided heat dissipation seem to fit best but that is just a generalization not a fact.

 

Your best bet is to find a write-up where someone has already done the leg work, research,  installed a certain LED (what it took to make it fit, etc) then did a follow up after riding for while. But being on the internet doesn't always make it correct info so keep that in mind. 

 

Bottom line: find someone that  you trust that has already  been there & done that, or do your own research, then be prepared to try a few different LED products, or be prepared to make modifications to make them fit & work correctly.    

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Lowndes]

Scott9999,

 

Everything Dirtrider says above.  

 

Plus:

I've replaced virtually all the bulbs on three 2000 era BMW bikes (not your bike), plus a ST1300 and an SV650 with LED bulbs (all pre-CANBUS, I think).  I've used the cheapo chinese and all the way up to the Cyclops, fan cooled and braided heatsink types and most have modulators on lo or both lo and hi beams.  

 

I've learned:

 

1.  the braided heatsink bulbs fail very quickly (hours), possibly due to a lack of air circulation under the dust cover.  They are also lower lumens output to begin with.

 

2.  all the fan cooled bulbs fit under the covers (hard covers and soft covers) even when I was certain they would not, just from looking at them.  I did modify the soft cover on the RT so that the fan is exposed on the backside but that probably wasn't necessary.

 

 

3.  the Cyclops bulbs are much brighter and last far longer than any of the others.

 

4. it's a royal PITA changing motorcycle headlight bulbs.

 

5. with the dual LED bulb "automobile kits" you find on-line the listed lumens is almost always a "combined" as in the total of both bulbs output, not each bulb.  Read carefully.

 

6.  all the LED bulbs fit the mounts in the reflectors, no problem (except for the Honda where I only had to trim a tab) with one caution: remove the base flange from the LED bulb, mount the base flange in the reflector and get the wire retainer clips installed properly (see pic below), then insert the bulb into the base flange and "twist to lock".  If you try the usual method the spring wire clips that BMW favors will interfere with the fan and cooling fins and make your hair turn white and the air turn blue while trying to get them installed.

 

 

Good luck!!

[strataj]

I had very good luck with https://stores.advmonster.com/h7-plus-led-headlight/ they are braided heatsink.  I don't recall for sure but I think it has been in the bike for about 5 years and 40k sMiles, I recently traded the bike.  It was a trouble free installation, everything fit inside the cap and no problem with the Cam Bus.  It is much brighter then stock and the pattern was very good too.  I will add this, I hated replacing the H7, when I installed the LED I removed the headlight, it wasn't hard just took a little time but no curse words...  It did help to have the BMW repair manual, I know instructions are on this site. 

[Scott9999]

Several great posts, the best I've read on LED lighting for the Beemers, really. 

Which is why this place has been my "go to" forum for anything Beemers, for over 15 years.   👍

 

1. ADVmonster:  I've read some awful feedback on them over the past year, defective products, zero customer service response, etc..  Plus, the site doesn't seem to allow an online order anymore.  2+2=4, i.e. maybe they didn't survive the COVID business battering over the past two years.  At this point, dealing with them is too much a risk.  But thanks.
2. DOT Rating:  I had read that most LED's weren't DOT rated, and dismissed that, but you raise a good point.  I almost hit a motorcyclist this morning because of his LED lights blasting so bright, I couldn't distinguish that he was on a motorcycle, his range or even which road he was on (the frontage road I was on, or the adjacent freeway).  Too bright is dangerous, and non DOT is risky, maybe an acceptable risk, but it's a valid consideration, for certain.
3. CANBUS:  Good point on those advertisements, which means any ad that promotes "CANBUS" compatible without including a CANBUS resister to compensate for the voltage drop, is suspect.
4. Heat dissipation:  Both of you make a good point, i.e. that the very dust cover of which I spoke, is going to retard heat dissipation for a heat sink, or fan.  I think that without Lowndes' modification to allow the fan to "breath", or a heat sink alone of any kind (braided or conventional), there's a good chance at some point that the LED's may overheat.  On the other hand, I believe that LED's generally put out less heat than a halogen bulb.  (Then again, "beliefs" and other generalities are a lousy way to do engineering.🙄).
5. Lumens:  Yeah, I noticed that also.  The HONEST ads tell you that their rating "15,000LM!!" is per set of bulbs.
6. Base flange installation first:  EXCELLENT POINT!  Somewhere in the back of my mind, having read some installation instructions, I've read that LED flange should be installed separately and first, but the "why" and consequences of NOT doing it that way, never really registered, until your comment Lowndes.
7. Cyclops:  I don't intend to disparage their product. Reputation is everything, and they have a good one for a reason.  I have this mental block towards buying their product for $225, when they are almost certainly buying these from China (Aliababa, AliExpress, etc.), boxing them up with a resister, and then selling them at five to ten times mark-up.  In fact, all those jobbers advertising on Amazon don't MAKE their product, either.  Most of these LED's are likely produced at the same, or one of three or four same Chinese factories, controlled by the same engineers and managers, repackaged and colored differently, or with slightly, cosmetically different heat sink designs.  (If you know anything about how business operates in China, you know what I'm saying is likely correct.)  There are some auto LED's made in Japan, and certainly, some better ones come from Taiwan.  The technology, however, is very similar. 
   
   On one hand, my conservative mind says "Just buy 'em for $15 a piece from AliExpress, and replace a dozen of these things before you spend 10x more for a Cyclops".
   The common sense side of me SCREAMS "You idiot. You've wasted so much time researching these LED's, you could have just bought from a reputable company like Cyclops, a product that has a proven reputation, a company which stands behind their products, and have been done with this six months ago!!"

For the record, my conservative mind started this thread, and my common sense mind is really pissed off right now.  😁😡🙃😖

 

Thanks again, for the feedback, guys.  Definitely appreciated!

[Lowndes]

Scott9999,

 

I just dug into the scrap parts box and came up with the "heatsink" braided wire LED that failed on me several years back.  I do not see any viable efficient heat path between the LEDs themselves and the braided wire.  The braided wire tails are pressed into an aluminum box that is captured by the ss body of the bulb.  NOT verry effective for heat conduction,  The LED chips are mounted in a thin ss tube that is pressed into the body.  The main purpose of all this is obviously to look like a viable bulb.  It's what marketing calls a "separator".  It worked, and  separated me from a $20 bill.  I gave up on "heat sink" bulbs.  They all seem to be lower rated (lumens) anyway.

 

 

 

Sorry to hear about your anguish.  I had the same thioughts and feelings learning about LED's.  I did find another source with VERY good information on LED's, bulb types, differences, and much more: https://www.superbrightleds.com/  They have a very good bulb finder for a huge number of bikes.  I have not found an incorrect bulb type listed for any of my vehicles.  I've purchased everything from headlight to dash indicator bulbs from them, plus the modulators for several of the brake lights ($7 ea, https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/single-color-dimmer-switches/single-color-led-controller-with-dynamic-modes/1082/2573/  )

 

 

One other thing I learned about LED bulbs, get the color of LED to match the color of the lens, ie a red LED behind a red tail light lens, amber for amber, etc.  The reason is that the lens filters out all the other wavelengths, so if you buy a white bulb rated at 200 lumens and put it behind a red lens all of the other spectrum is filtered out leaving you with maybe 30 lumens of red visible, but if you put in a 200 lumens red LED bulb, all 200 would come thru, if that makes sense.

 

I just dread the thought of a headlight bulb going out at night on the road.  I want a bulb that will last a while.

 

Jump in, the water's fine.  You may discover a much better and cheaper brand of LEDs out there somewhere.

 

 

[92Merc]

The ADV braided units look much better than those.  I've had no heat issues on either bike.

[Scott9999]

3 hours ago, Lowndes said:

I did find another source with VERY good information on LED's, bulb types, differences, and much more: https://www.superbrightleds.com/  They have a very good bulb finder for a huge number of bikes.  I have not found an incorrect bulb type listed for any of my vehicles.  I've purchased everything from headlight to dash indicator bulbs from them, plus the modulators for several of the brake lights ($7 ea, https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/single-color-dimmer-switches/single-color-led-controller-with-dynamic-modes/1082/2573/  )

 

Yeah, I bought the parts for my rear brake strobe light from superbright.  Great company to deal with, but as for their products, well, the parts are still sitting in the workbench "to do" box.  (Getting close to that install, maybe even this weekend!)

 

I looked at their H1/H7 offerings, and they sell bulbs with only a heat sink.   Plus, I didn't like the fact that their lights just come with spade connectors, versus a proper H1 or H7 plug.  From my research, I'm not comfortable mounting an LED inside those headlights without both a heatsink and a ball bearing fan.  My bias came from this video:

 

 

As I said, my trepidation is not from a lack of information, but too much of it, and from ... well ... ahem.... "questionable" sources (as in, "internet sources", which all seem to be variable in truth and fact 🤣🤣🤣).

 

So, anyway, plan of action:

1. Bought H1 & H7 LED bulbs from a "reputable online vendor" 
2. Will pick up a CANBUS decoder/resister to install on each bulb line (like Superbright sells, or equivalent).
3. Will attempt quick and flawless install without breaking stuff (which means, yeah, I'm gonna wimp out and just remove the bulb assembly and fairing from the bike to complete the install).
4. Will test.  If CANBUS system triggers warning lights, I'll just bite the bullet and buy a Hexcan or something similar.  (It's what I should be doing anyhow, since I intend to eventually add driving and fog lights.  But remember my "conservative mind" owns my "common sense" mind, i.e. as in, "the only thing cheap about a BMW motorcycle is the rider".)
5. Will report back, if it's not too embarrassing.   At my project close rate, this will probably come about September, if not December.🙄😒😫

 

Edit:  I noted that the LED's I bought advertise:  "Built-in Canbus Driver, 0 second turns up, takes up less space in your housing."

If that's actually true, and not just advertising B.S., then ~~ maybe  ~~, just maybe, I don't need load resisters to fool the CANBUS system into thinking that they've got a halogen bulb operating in that socket.   But, then again, to install the bulbs, put the bike back together, road test it, get CANBUS error codes, have to hook-up an OBD to clear said code, take the bike apart again, THEN install the load resisters, reassemble, wash, rinse, repeat  ... I think I'm gonna install the resisters anyway.  Cheap insurance (if they work, and don't hose up the LED operation).  But, hey, no worries here.  Should be a simple install.  Walk in the park.  Sure ....  

[bendbill]

I also have a 2018 RT.  Two years in, I really like my Cyclops low beam.  Their H7 bulb for our model is $65.  Also, their shop in Kent, WA, will install in one hour for another $65.    TOP pic is stock bulb.  BOTTOM pic is Cyclops at 50'

[dirtrider]

Quote

 

Edit:  I noted that the LED's I bought advertise:  "Built-in Canbus Driver, 0 second turns up, takes up less space in your housing."

If that's actually true, and not just advertising B.S., then ~~ maybe  ~~, just maybe, I don't need load resisters to fool the CANBUS system into thinking that they've got a halogen bulb operating in that socket.   But, then again, to install the bulbs, put the bike back together, road test it, get CANBUS error codes, have to hook-up an OBD to clear said code, take the bike apart again, THEN install the load resisters, reassemble, wash, rinse, repeat  ... I think I'm gonna install the resisters anyway.  Cheap insurance (if they work, and don't hose up the LED operation).  But, hey, no worries here.  Should be a simple install.  Walk in the park.  Sure ....  

 

Morning Scott

 

____CUT___

 

Just a couple of points to clarify, 

 

What the heck is a "Built-in Canbus Driver"? ---  Remember what I wrote above, the CanBus (Controller Area Network) is JUST that, a network for communication between on-board computers & onboard controllers  (think home WiFi network,  or closer yet is home Ethernet as it uses wires).  The only time the CanBus needs a resistor is if you remove a controller, or other connected item, as that would leave an open CanBus termination, the resistor properly terminates that open connector.  

 

Your headlight bulb has no direct connection to the CanBus, remember the headlight ONLY has 2 wires going to it, 12v power & ground, the power side is controlled by a computer type module, this module is able to switch the headlight on & off but it also acts as an electronic fuse if the circuit is overloaded so it has the ability to shut that circuit down, it also monitors the headlight current draw. If the current draw drops too low the control module assumes that bulb is burnt out so then triggers the bulb-out warning on the dash.   (THIS)  is the part that is important when different headlight bulbs are installed. If the bulb current usage drops too low the module thinks that bulb is burnt out.  

 

Where the CanBus comes into play is when you install a bulb (or LED) that doesn't draw enough current to keep the control module happy,  when the control module thinks the bulb is burnt out (due to a low current usage) it puts that information on the CAN  (Controller Area Network), being a network that information goes out to ALL the computers & controllers connected to that BUS.

 

But only the module that knows how to use that info does anything with it (the other modules & computers just ignore it). In the case of the headlight bulb that would be the dash module. Once that light-out info goes out over the CAN the dash module uses that info to put the proper light-out dash warning on. 

 

So in a nut shell,  if you install a headlight bulb (like an LED), some LED's don't draw enough current to keep the controller module happy  therefore it triggers the light out warning on the dash (info sent over the CAN)  so you need to add a load resistor across the 12v power & ground at the LED to make the control module  think that it has the proper current draw.  (adding the load resistor doesn't make the CanBus happy as it is JUST the messenger, it makes the module controlling the headlight happy)  

 

On the  braided wire heatsink --- I know a few running those without issue but all that I know of have modified the closeout cover so the braided wire sticks out the back where it can dissipate the heat to fresh ambient air outside of the enclosed bulb area. I presume that if the braided wire is just stuffed inside the bulb cavity under the cover that it won't remove any heat from that area.  

 

[92Merc]

3 hours ago, dirtrider said:

On the  braided wire heatsink --- I know a few running those without issue but all that I know of have modified the closeout cover so the braided wire sticks out the back where it can dissipate the heat to fresh ambient air outside of the enclosed bulb area. I presume that if the braided wire is just stuffed inside the bulb cavity under the cover that it won't remove any heat from that area. 

 

I have the cap over the braids on both of my installs. I've put my hand on the cap after riding the bike for a few hours.  The cap is only slightly warmer than ambient air temps.  So the ADV LED's don't heat up really all that much.  And the whole housing becomes a heat sink as it warms up.  So I've seen no drop in performance of brightness due to overheating.  I have a 2015 RT.  Wife has a 2017 RT.

[Scott9999]

7 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Morning Scott

 

____CUT___

 

Just a couple of points to clarify, 

 

What the heck is a "Built-in Canbus Driver"? ---  Remember what I wrote above, the CanBus (Controller Area Network) is JUST that, a network for communication between on-board computers & onboard controllers  (think home WiFi network,  or closer yet is home Ethernet as it uses wires).  The only time the CanBus needs a resistor is if you remove a controller, or other connected item, as that would leave an open CanBus termination, the resistor properly terminates that open connector.  

 

Your headlight bulb has no direct connection to the CanBus, remember the headlight ONLY has 2 wires going to it, 12v power & ground, the power side is controlled by a computer type module, this module is able to switch the headlight on & off but it also acts as an electronic fuse if the circuit is overloaded so it has the ability to shut that circuit down, it also monitors the headlight current draw. If the current draw drops too low the control module assumes that bulb is burnt out so then triggers the bulb-out warning on the dash.   (THIS)  is the part that is important when different headlight bulbs are installed. If the bulb current usage drops too low the module thinks that bulb is burnt out.  

 

Where the CanBus comes into play is when you install a bulb (or LED) that doesn't draw enough current to keep the control module happy,  when the control module thinks the bulb is burnt out (due to a low current usage) it puts that information on the CAN  (Controller Area Network), being a network that information goes out to ALL the computers & controllers connected to that BUS.

 

But only the module that knows how to use that info does anything with it (the other modules & computers just ignore it). In the case of the headlight bulb that would be the dash module. Once that light-out info goes out over the CAN the dash module uses that info to put the proper light-out dash warning on. 

 

So in a nut shell,  if you install a headlight bulb (like an LED), some LED's don't draw enough current to keep the controller module happy  therefore it triggers the light out warning on the dash (info sent over the CAN)  so you need to add a load resistor across the 12v power & ground at the LED to make the control module  think that it has the proper current draw.  (adding the load resistor doesn't make the CanBus happy as it is JUST the messenger, it makes the module controlling the headlight happy)  

 

On the  braided wire heatsink --- I know a few running those without issue but all that I know of have modified the closeout cover so the braided wire sticks out the back where it can dissipate the heat to fresh ambient air outside of the enclosed bulb area. I presume that if the braided wire is just stuffed inside the bulb cavity under the cover that it won't remove any heat from that area.  

 

In follow up discussions with the vendor, I believe that "driver" stuff was written by one of their non-tech's (perhaps one more familiar with selling HID systems).  What they are talking about is that they include a built in resistor to compensate for the power drop.  They also said, if there are still problems, they'll send an additional part to do the same thing.  It'll either work as is, it'll work with an additional load resistor, it won't work at all, or it'll work JUST long enough to void the warranty.  We shall see.   The first time I run into a CANBUS warning vis-a-vis these lighting installs, I'm probably going to just say "to hell with it" and get a Hexezcan or similar product to manage power to the accessories.  It "should" make all of these add-on's less hassle, and if I'm going to spend $225, it'll be spent on that.  I paid too much for the LED's I bought anyhow, so I'll just return them, buy something cheap from the Chinese site, and install with the power manager.

 

Dust cover:  They also offered me a free after market dust cover if I need it.  I reached under and pulled the OEM (H7) cover, which is 70MM wide, PVC, and notched for retention.  I don't think the after markets will work, but if they do, I'd rather cut them up than mess up the OEM's. The covers for the H1's/brights seem a bit larger, but I couldn't reach back there far enough to pull them.  Bottom line: I agree.  I'm definitely going to enable airflow through the back of those covers one way or another.  All the heat sinks and fans in the world won't cool anything if air can't circulate away from the headlight.

 

Thanks again!

[dirtrider]

24 minutes ago, Scott9999 said:

  The first time I run into a CANBUS warning vis-a-vis these lighting installs, I'm probably going to just say "to hell with it" and get a Hexezcan or similar product to manage power to the accessories. k of those covers one way or another.  

 

Evening Scott

 

You won't get a CanBus warning as there isn't one. The LED's  will either work OK, or you will get a bulb-out warning on the dash, or the light control module will shut the light(s) off with a dash warning to follow. 

[ESokoloff]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:45 PM, Scott9999 said:

ADVmonster:  I've read some awful feedback on them over the past year, defective products, zero customer service response, etc..

Yep!!!!

[realshelby]

Well, I have thousands of miles and many years on the LED conversion light for the Wethead RT. Was an early experimenter with them.

 

CanBus compatible is just that. Not all of the available bulbs are.  If you don't want to become an electrical engineer to "fix" your yellow light on the dash ( yes, that does indicate bulb out) then know that there ARE bulbs that won't illuminate that warning light. That is what is meant by Canbus compatible. I have tried several different brands and styles of these led lights. Some bring on the warning light right away, some have it come on and off randomly, some keep everything happy. 

 

One thing I have seen is that these bulbs can overheat. I tried a couple fan cooled types and one with a large heat sink ( guaranteed to not overheat, sold for big dollars as a direct fit for my RT). The fan types are too large and the ones I tried were not compatible as delivered with the Canbus controller. Even one of those overheated as did the one with the large heat sink. Owners may assume it is ok as the LED lights don't turn more yellow as voltage drops. These light have protection circuits built in to protect from overheat, and they still put out the same white light.....just less of it. In fact the expensive one would not put out enough light to ride with safely at night. In the day it looked ok.....

 

Ended up with a braided tinned copper heatsink style. Still have the spare, they came two to a box. Many years and thousands of miles on this bulb. No lights on from it. I did cut a hole in the housing ( and seal it up ) for the braid and it is in a high airflow area. BUT..I know of several that have stuffed this inside the housing completely and they seem to work fine. In fact you could completely enclose everything and then convert back to incandescent with no modifications if wanted. This can be done without removing the housing. 

[Scott9999]

2 hours ago, realshelby said:

Ended up with a braided tinned copper heatsink style. Still have the spare, they came two to a box. Many years and thousands of miles on this bulb. No lights on from it. I did cut a hole in the housing ( and seal it up ) for the braid and it is in a high airflow area. BUT..I know of several that have stuffed this inside the housing completely and they seem to work fine. In fact you could completely enclose everything and then convert back to incandescent with no modifications if wanted. This can be done without removing the housing. 

That sounds like a pretty good solution.  I'm committed at this point to a pair of pairs (2xH7, 2xH1) that I bought on Amazon, which were not-at-all cheap, maybe $125.  I'll provide feedback on them here, come what may.  I intend to tear down the front fairing assembly, install the lamps, fire up the circuit, and see if I get an immediate bulb out error.  Beyond that, I'll look at my options for improving cooling.   Ideally, that would involve modifying the cover in a like manner to yours, i.e. with the heat sink and/or fan outside the cover, but with the cover (and headlight assembly) still sealed from the elements.   Maybe I can jury-rig something using an aftermarket cover.  (Of course, that means that my bike will be in pieces for days or weeks while I order parts and play around with this.  Cyclops is already looking pretty good, lol.  I'm stubborn, I guess.)

[realshelby]

I never changed the OEM high beam bulbs. Don't run high beams all that often, and now that I have the Clearwater lights they provide a lot of light when I switch to high beam. 

 

I sealed my cap where the braided flat heat sinks came out with 3M electrical putty. Stays soft, easy to conform to squeeze around/in the heat sink. No noted issue with water intrusion.

 

For what it is worth I would never gone through the effort I did to find bulbs that worked......IF BMW had not designed a modern high speed touring bike with single F'ing low beam incandescent bulb/reflector!!!!  Just no excuse for that. I have ridden with single 6 volt light on the front of a bike before and that was unsafe on a dirtbike ( I rode it everywhere anyway...). But even the 12 volt incandescent bulb just does not put out much light. While the LED single bulb is a significant upgrade ( whiter light is better in the rain ) it is still lacking compared to other bikes with dual low beam elements. I finally added auxiliary lighting at a substantial cost.......

[Scott9999]

1 hour ago, realshelby said:

I never changed the OEM high beam bulbs. Don't run high beams all that often, and now that I have the Clearwater lights they provide a lot of light when I switch to high beam. 

 

I sealed my cap where the braided flat heat sinks came out with 3M electrical putty. Stays soft, easy to conform to squeeze around/in the heat sink. No noted issue with water intrusion.

 

For what it is worth I would never gone through the effort I did to find bulbs that worked......IF BMW had not designed a modern high speed touring bike with single F'ing low beam incandescent bulb/reflector!!!!  Just no excuse for that. I have ridden with single 6 volt light on the front of a bike before and that was unsafe on a dirtbike ( I rode it everywhere anyway...). But even the 12 volt incandescent bulb just does not put out much light. While the LED single bulb is a significant upgrade ( whiter light is better in the rain ) it is still lacking compared to other bikes with dual low beam elements. I finally added auxiliary lighting at a substantial cost.......

Thanks for that tip on that putty.  I'll keep it in my back pocket.

 

Agree, on the extra lighting, i.e. a decent driving light beats the brights.  I've just put so much into this thing since I bought it last fall, I was hoping that upgrading the headlights might be "enough" for now.  I also saw the Skene "Proton Blaster" front visibility lights (pictured below), and almost like that more than, for example, Clearwater (e.g. Erica) driving lights, for road visibility purposes.  So, as I said over on the bmwlt site, I'm pulling back until I have a complete lighting plan (oh, yeah, and the money to execute it, too 😁), before I go further with a piecemeal approach.  I have a brake strobe on the back (yet to be installed, but still, I do "have" it 🙄😏), the LED's up front (coming today, I think), EffBee's MotoReflective tape (also sitting on the work bench; I have to fix a problem with the locks on those cases first), and hopefully, that'll keep me alive for a while.    I'd like to integrate those Skene strobes into amber turn signals and running lights.  There are also LEDs' (i.e. superbright has 'em) which can be color coded, e.g. so they can be yellow or white facing forward as visibility strobes, but the same lights can turn amber when used for turn signals.  That's what I mean by a complete plan.  (I don't wanna necessarily look like Santa's Sleight or a 767 going down the road, but then again, Santa and most 767's rarely get run over by cagers. 🤣🤣😎)

 

The enhanced forward lighting in particular, are a MUST HAVE with all the deer in our area (and my receding eyesight).  The deer seem to see the auto's and trucks and say "Hmm, interesting, lets sit by the side of the road grazing and just watch".  When a motorcycle comes by, it's more like "Hey, what's that over there. It almost looks like Uncle Fred.  Let's all run down the road and over, and surprise him!!  Uncle Fred!! Uncle Fred!! Hey, Uncle Fred!! "😒😖  What they never seem to do, however, is RUN AWAY from the danger.  Seeing those cute little buggers before they move is a high priority, even if I'm inching along at 25 mph.

 

[realshelby]

I run the white Skene lights in front and red on rear. They don't give additional forward lighting. But Man do they attract attention from oncoming traffic!

[wbw6cos]

I use Skenes on the front and rear on my R 1200 C.  On the front, I have amber and white.   I loved the amber of my Clearwater Darlas on my RTso much that I added those colors to the white ones, which were prior generation models; the ambers installed are the latest version.  I think that conspicuity flicker is great on the Skenes!

 

The pic is older as I have upgraded the halogen headlight to an Eagle Lights 7" LED headlight kit with halo.  The Euro lights below the headlight come on with the highbeam and are LED.   My only non-LED light on the RT is the headlamp.   I just installed my $30 Sylvania bulb, so I would like to burn it out, if you will.  I do have an OEM bulb as a spare, but eventually, I want to go the LED route, as I read more and more about specifics here and on the world wide web.

 

[Scott9999]

On 4/25/2022 at 5:31 AM, realshelby said:

CanBus compatible is just that. Not all of the available bulbs are.  If you don't want to become an electrical engineer to "fix" your yellow light on the dash ( yes, that does indicate bulb out) then know that there ARE bulbs that won't illuminate that warning light. That is what is meant by Canbus compatible. I have tried several different brands and styles of these led lights. Some bring on the warning light right away, some have it come on and off randomly, some keep everything happy. 

 

 

Question:   What's the likelihood of these LED bulbs triggering CANBUS light out warnings weeks or months down the road?

 

Terry addressed the question in an earlier post (see his comments quoted above).   I finished my install of my LED upgrade bulbs a some weeks ago, and just finally took a spin around the lake to test them (along with some other things I've added on the bike). 

No warnings.   👍 

But, maybe there could be future warnings?! 😨  I don't know if I'll even bother to fix the problem, at least right away.  However, I'm preparing to wire up my strobing LED brake lamps, and they throw a warning after that, I might not know if the brake strobes or headlight bulbs are root cause.

 

I don't believe I've posted anything about the completion of the project (at least, not that I could find searching my own posts).   Hope the following helps out someone else.

 

1. Ordered "Firehawk" H7 and H1's LEDs on Amazon, which advertise themselves to be CANBUS warning free, and promise to send an addition resistor if they do cause the spurious warning. They also claim to be designed in Japan, while being made in China with Japanese components.
2. I removed the left speaker cover and speaker, to access the left high beam, managed to fiddle with it to the point of releasing the spring clip and bulb, but realized that I'd almost certainly drop the installation bracket inside the light assembly while trying to install it through BMW's portal (i.e. bulb comes with an H# conversion bracket attached, remove bracket, clip it in, then just push the bulb inside the bracket to install.  Two O-rings on the bulb ensure retention).  I didn't give up easy, though.  I tried a half dozen different ways to retain that bracket outside the assembly if I slipped and lost it before I managed to replace BMW's retention spring clip.  
3. After dickering around for a week, I decided to just bite the bullet, pull the front end apart, and install the bulbs into the assembly off the bike.  I have a whole folder with instructions from BMW's manual plus some pictures, to document the process.  If someone wants it, send me a private message with email address, and I'll zip it all up and send it to you.  (I won't post it online here, because it includes copyrighted material.)
4. One of the problems I had was figuring out how to release the plastic "rivets" on the tupperware.  There are two types.  The one on the side fairings is a push in type, i.e. just (carefully!) pry the top lose, and pull it up, then the entire rivet will release.  The second, on the nose of the bike, looks like a black Phillips screw.   Indeed, it does screw out counter clockwise, to achieve the same thing, i.e. releasing the rivets plastic fingers on the other side, so that the rivet pops out.
5. The second most difficult part of this install was that whereas the OEM bulbs have two connecting pins (i.e. think of a 120V plug) protruding straight back, and there's ample room to snap on the OEM connector, the LED bulbs have a heat sink and fan that protrudes further back, and the plug connectors point "up", coming to rest after installation, up against the edge of the plastic portal/hole.  The only way to connect that to the OEM connector, is with supplied jumper spade cables, one for each connector.  (I thought I might be able to just connect the OEM connector directly to the plug, but for several reasons, length, space, it didn't work.)  Finally, when tucking that stuff all back in, it needs to be routed away from the bulb and heat sink to avoid melting the wire (which is also covered with a heat resistant sleeve to protect it).
6. I was considering cutting open the protective covers to better allow air to circulate inside the light assembly, and these bulbs may in fact, overheat and fail.  However, the vendor said that they were tested and rated for up to 300F.  I figure that the OEM halogen bulbs get hotter than these LED's, so we'll chance it and see how long these last.
7. Before the change out, I pointed the bike at the garage door and put tape over the door to indicate the outer limits of the low beam light.  Then afterwards, I ran the same test again, and found that the LED's were at least six inches high.  I adjusted just about as low as I could get the adjuster to go, and they were still just a bit high, maybe an inch.  There were no other post-install adjustment issues.
8. Good results thus far with limited use.

Bulbs:

 

This is a picture of that bulb, with it's connectors pressed up against the plastic port.  The bulb must be mounted with the connectors in the "six o'clock" position for property lighting display, so it was not possible to spin the bulb around to that the connectors faced the side of the port with more room.  Bulb connector and where the clips go are highlighted in yellow.

 

 

This is how the sausage is made, i.e. wires attached to pins, all tucked in.  (On the right side, you'll see the wire is covered by a corrugated plastic insulation conduit I happened to have in my electrical supply box, which I wrapped with rubber emulsifying tape.

 

 

FYI, this is the light assembly as it sits on the bike (it's resting on my freezer, with original OEM bulbs. I flipped the picture upside down for context).   Note the three adjusters, the white bar on the left hand side for horizontal adjustments, the lever at bottom of the picture for riding heavily loaded, or two up (i.e. to reorient the low beam downward). and (I think!!) the knob to the right, which adjusts light throw right to left.  Notice how all three of those lights brackets inside the assembly are OFF CENTER (thanks a bunch, BMW!). 

 

 

High beam portal, behind the left speaker (rider's "left"):  Seems like there's a lot of space in there, but only for a 5 year old child's hands.

 

 

Here's the LED "bulb bracket" I mentioned earlier, again, for context:

 

 

This is the LED bulb with the bracket attached.  The H1 & H7 bulbs are designed to only fit one way inside the OEM bracket, and so also, this bracket will only fit one way.  However, the LED bulb can spin 180 degrees inside that bracket, so proper orientation during installation is important.

 

 

Here's the nightmare picture that stops every Beemer owner in his tracks, before he begins this little project, thinking "This is NUTS.  There MUST BE a way to do this without taking all that apart".  I'm sure there is, and you also, can feel free spending a week in the garage playing around, trying to figure out how to do so.   Between the LED install clips (pretty much universal with all the LED lights), and wiring, getting all of that installed into the bike for THREE lights, going through both speakers, and reaching underneath the bike to reach the low beams, is probably physically possible, but pretty, dang tough to do.  Just follow BMW's service instructions, and remove the assembly.  Even then, you won't be on "easy street".  Working inside the assembly through those little portals is ~~~ constraining. 

 

 

Similar picture with the light assembly mounted.

 

 

 

I have many other photos, which out of brevity (HaHaHaHaHaHa, what's brevity?!), I won't post.  I essentially photographed every area as I disassembled, where there might have been a question during reassembly.

For example, there were two or three different types of screws for this fairing piece, and the BMW service instructions doesn't differentiate between them.   So, I took this picture, numbered the screws, which went into a pocket of an egg carton (for each step), numbered the screws, and indicated on my spreadsheet which ones go where.

 

 

 

[realshelby]

Scott, In my experience you know right away if the bulb is going to throw the fault light. The first time I went to high beam from low on the lights I have now the fault light flickered ( still run stock high beam incandescent). But never done it again. While things could change over time, I think it is reasonably to hope that if he bulb works ok at first it will stay that way. 

[Scott9999]

7 hours ago, realshelby said:

Scott, In my experience you know right away if the bulb is going to throw the fault light. The first time I went to high beam from low on the lights I have now the fault light flickered ( still run stock high beam incandescent). But never done it again. While things could change over time, I think it is reasonably to hope that if he bulb works ok at first it will stay that way. 

... if they don't cook off.  😕

[realshelby]

17 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

... if they don't cook off.  😕

Speaking of that...my biggest surprise was the loss of light output when a couple of the bulbs I tried go too hot and cut back light output. On the LED this is hard to notice in daytime as the light is still pure white ( unlike an incandescent that turns more yellow if you drop voltage). But at night it was more than obvious! 

[RandyShields]

I just re-reviewed this outstanding thread with my semi-annual interest in LEDs headlight bulbs for my 2016 RT.  I love LED headlights, but with so much hassle and CANBUS incompatibility risk out there, I just can't get comfortable going down this road.  If and when a true plug and play option comes out, I will reconsider.  My strategy so far has been just to live with the OEM lights and rely on the Clearwater Darlas; I only have to run them at 2-3 to get the conspicuity I need, but when they go to 10 with the high beam switched on, there is more than enough light for almost any situation.

[tapadav]

There are no specific standards for H1 or H7 bulbs in regard to BMW's plastic socket cover. However, it's important to ensure that the LED bulbs you choose are compatible with your vehicle's electrical system and are designed to fit within the space provided by the OEM halogen bulbs.

Regarding CANBUS compatibility, some LED bulbs are advertised as being "CANBUS compatible", which means they are designed to work with the computer system that monitors the electrical system of modern vehicles. It's important to check the specifications of the LED bulb you are considering to ensure that it is compatible with your vehicle.

In terms of wattage, LED bulbs typically draw less power than halogen bulbs, but it's important to choose a bulb with a wattage rating that is similar to the OEM halogen bulb to ensure that the bulb is compatible with your vehicle's electrical system.

Regarding the H1 bulb connector, some LED bulbs may have spade connectors instead of the dual spade connectors typically used for H1 halogen bulbs. However, most harnesses for H1 bulbs should be compatible with either type of connector, so you should be able to plug in the LED bulb where the standard halogen H1 bulb dual spade connectors normally fit.

It's understandable that you are frustrated with the vast amount of information available on LED bulbs and the lack of clear answers. It's always important to research and choose reputable brands and products with positive reviews from other BMW owners to minimize the risk of compatibility issues or premature failure. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with the installation process, it may be best to consult with a professional mechanic or electrician for assistance.