Are the Mk7.5 Headlights Different If you Spec Dynamic Light Assist ?

[SRGTD]

LED lights don't require washers.

https://www.carlightblog.com/2013/10/22/a-clean-beam-the-purpose-of-the-headlamp-washer-system/

"It is a widespread fallacy that headlamp washers are only compulsory for xenon lights. This is wrong on several counts. The latest generation of xenon, the 25-Watt version, doesn’t actually need one at all. Meanwhile, halogen and LED headlamps do need one if their light sources emit more than 2000 lumens. Indeed, this is required for ECE approval."

Golf models in the mk7.5 model range that don’t have LED headlamps as standard don’t include headlamp washers as part of the LED headlamp option. You only get headlamp washers with the winter pack. This is also the same with the new Polo. So presumably, the light source emitted is less than 2,000 lumens?

[Daz Auto]

So presumably, the light source emitted is less than 2,000 lumens?

Looks like they must be or they would have to have headlight washers.

Everyday is a school day

I wonder do the headlights have different part numbers?

My LED headlights certainly look brighter than my old Xenons. So I doubt if the light output is less than 2000 lumens on the performance Golf's.

[fredgroves]

I can't find a replacement bulb set for the LED headlights to see what the spec is...

I guess you don't replace the bulbs...

[Daz Auto]

I found this post on another forum (so no source). It does seem to explain why LED headlights don't need to be as bright as Xenon. So my new LED headlights are probably less bright than my old Xenons. However, the light produced allows my eyes to see clearer at night. It also explains why cars with LED headlights don't need fog lights.

"Xenons are brighter. But please do not necessarily correlate brighter with better performance for night time driving.

 It's all about lumens (brightness) and colour temperature (white, blue, purple, orange etc - measured in kelvins).

 Xenon run at around 4,000 kelvins which is a yellow / off white colour. LED runs usually at around 6,000 kelvins which is very white and provide a colour which is more representing of daylight (which the human eye is naturally the most comfortable with).

 Xenons run brighter at circa 3,300 lumens vs circa 2,500 lumens for LED's. So again, Xenon is brighter.

 However, LED provides a better light return (less dazzaling) from objects and therefore are better suited to the human eye (this is very true of road signs). This means clarity of objects in your field of view is better than xenons as the return light is whiter. More lumens do indeed light further down the road but due to the more yellow nature of the Xenon colour temperature, they don't necessarily pick out objects as clearly as LED's. LED's therefore are much better in foggy conditions too (hence why LED equipped cars have no fog lights)."

[Jim_mk7.5]

I found this post on another forum (so no source). It does seem to explain why LED headlights don't need to be as bright as Xenon. So my new LED headlights are probably less bright than my old Xenons. However, the light produced allows my eyes to see clearer at night. It also explains why cars with LED headlights don't need fog lights.

"Xenons are brighter. But please do not necessarily correlate brighter with better performance for night time driving.

 It's all about lumens (brightness) and colour temperature (white, blue, purple, orange etc - measured in kelvins).

 Xenon run at around 4,000 kelvins which is a yellow / off white colour. LED runs usually at around 6,000 kelvins which is very white and provide a colour which is more representing of daylight (which the human eye is naturally the most comfortable with).

 Xenons run brighter at circa 3,300 lumens vs circa 2,500 lumens for LED's. So again, Xenon is brighter.

 However, LED provides a better light return (less dazzaling) from objects and therefore are better suited to the human eye (this is very true of road signs). This means clarity of objects in your field of view is better than xenons as the return light is whiter. More lumens do indeed light further down the road but due to the more yellow nature of the Xenon colour temperature, they don't necessarily pick out objects as clearly as LED's. LED's therefore are much better in foggy conditions too (hence why LED equipped cars have no fog lights)."

But the Golf has LED headlights and is fitted with LED fog-lights....

[fredgroves]

Mk7.5's only don't have fogs if VW UK forget to spec them

[Daz Auto]

But the Golf has LED headlights and is fitted with LED fog-lights....

Did you miss FOG-gate? Some early Mk7.5 cars came without fog lights.

But yes, if your car is fitted with LED headlights you don't actually need fog lights.

This was discussed on another thread about fog lights. It was discovered that the issue with fog is not light penetration it is glare. Glare is caused by the blue portion of the light spectrum. If you look at a blue neon light at night it will always look blurry. This is because the shorter wavelength of the blue light as it passes through your eye causes it to focus in front of your retina. When the other colours of the spectrum are present to produce white light - the blue light manifested itself as glare.

It has been found that LED lights produce less glare.

If you read that last article I linked to about headlight washers: it says the reason for headlight washers is primarily to reduce glare for other road users. Of course they do this by cleaning your headlights.

[Daz Auto]

More thoughts on headlights -

My Mk6 GTD had Xenon headlights with dynamic curve lighting and they were very good. Though I did think when I saw other cars with the same lights that the dip was a little dazzling.

My wife's A3 has newer Xenon headlights and I thought they were even better than the GTD. However, on the few occasions at night when she was following my car or I met her on the road they were quite dazzling. I can see why she complains about getting flashed. It's not just our A3. I find that many of the Audi Xenon headlights when dipped are quite dazzling.

I was worried that my new headlights would be just as dazzling. Though I must say I can't remember being bothered by Mk7 Xenon headlights. I haven't driven enough at night yet to see the new headlights lights on other cars. Though if the claims are true about the LED's they should be less dazzling.

[I wanted a GTi]

LED lights don't require washers.

https://www.carlightblog.com/2013/10/22/a-clean-beam-the-purpose-of-the-headlamp-washer-system/

"It is a widespread fallacy that headlamp washers are only compulsory for xenon lights. This is wrong on several counts. The latest generation of xenon, the 25-Watt version, doesn’t actually need one at all. Meanwhile, halogen and LED headlamps do need one if their light sources emit more than 2000 lumens. Indeed, this is required for ECE approval."

As you said in a later post every day is a learning day and today you learned that you are not always right

I've been in a neighbour's 2017 Mercedes CLA with led lights and they are much brighter than the lights on the Mk7.5 and guess what, no headlight washers.

Btw when you said that led lights don't need fog light, either does xenon or halogen lights.

[Daz Auto]

LED lights don't require washers.

https://www.carlightblog.com/2013/10/22/a-clean-beam-the-purpose-of-the-headlamp-washer-system/

"It is a widespread fallacy that headlamp washers are only compulsory for xenon lights. This is wrong on several counts. The latest generation of xenon, the 25-Watt version, doesn’t actually need one at all. Meanwhile, halogen and LED headlamps do need one if their light sources emit more than 2000 lumens. Indeed, this is required for ECE approval."

As you said in a later post every day is a learning day and today you learned that you are not always right

I think if your read that article again it says that you are wrong.

The jury is still out on whether the LED lights on the Golf are above 2000 lumens. Maybe washers are just fitted as part of the winter pack. Though I'm surprised that VW didn't delete them to save costs if they were not required.