Xenon in a Mercedes E-Class W212

Frank, an old friend of ours, has treated himself to another new set of wheels. Once again, one without xenon lighting. Just as with his previous Mercedes C-Class, he is having a Pilot xenon kit fitted.

This time not the Pro Line, which worked well in his 2009 C-Class, but the new H7 Pilot Digital Line.

Lighting matters a great deal to Frank, because he spends a lot of time on the road at night and is regularly found on the German autobahn. When you are tearing along there at high speed, good visibility is vital. With the Digital Line xenon kit he has 70% more visibility than with his standard halogen bulbs.

Frank, why a Pilot xenon kit?

1. First of all, my view is this: a luxury car without xenon lighting is not a luxury car. With xenon lighting in my E-Class, my car looks 10 times cooler!
2. I'm on the road a lot for work all over Europe, at night too. Xenon lighting is no unnecessary luxury then. My eyes get tired less quickly and I see far better than with the halogen bulbs.
3. I don't want any hassle. Since this is a new car, I want a xenon kit that does what it's supposed to do. And I don't want annoying faults on my on-board computer, or a xenon kit that breaks quickly. I've had very good experiences with Pilot, so for this car too I wanted a decent xenon kit.

New: the Hilox Evolution xenon kit

Want a better xenon kit that is easier to install and 100 cheaper too? Then go for the H7 Hilox Evolution xenon kit. Not only is it easier to install, it also gives 1,000 lumens more light than the Pilot xenon kits. In the world of aftermarket xenon, this is the breakthrough of 2016.

Which xenon kit did we use in the Mercedes E-Class W212?

For the Mercedes E-Class we fitted the H7 Digital Line in 6000K. This colour is the ultimate combination of perfect visibility and high light output. The light blue glow of the xenon bulbs means your eyes tire less quickly, and road signs and markings light up extra bright, as if you were shining a blacklight on them. Oh, and does your car have a start-stop system? Then take the H7 Digital Line plus for guaranteed fault-free operation.

Efficient energy use

This kit also gives you the real xenon advantage: the bulbs are 35W, an energy saving of almost 50%. The Digital cable even sends any surplus current back to the battery, so no energy is ever wasted.

Frank's verdict

"This is the third time I've been to you, and every time I've been helped properly with a product that works well. Because I was already used to xenon lighting in my previous cars, I couldn't let my new E-Class fall behind. Thanks for the service!"

Read more about xenon kits.

What you need to know about the H7 Hilox Evolution II xenon kit

Hilox no longer sells the Pilot Digital Line from this story. The H7 xenon kit currently in the range is the H7 Xenon Kit Hilox Evolution II Black. According to the product details:

• Light output: instantly 4 times more light than halogen.
• Colours: 4300K, 5500K and 6500K.
• IC chip: a small, clever chip keeps the current stable and prevents overheating and flickering bulbs.
• CAN-bus II: can be installed in cars with CAN-bus or lighting monitoring without faults.
• Lifespan: according to Hilox, the xenon bulbs last 20% longer than other xenon bulbs.
• Warranty: 2 years on both the bulbs and the ballasts.
• In the box: 2 H7 xenon bulbs and 2 Hilox Evolution II ballasts.

If you are after a single bulb, there is also the H7 Evolution II Black Solo. You'll find all the kits under Hilox xenon kits.

Which colour temperature should you choose?

Frank chose 6000K, a colour with a light blue glow. The current Evolution II kit comes in 4300K, 5500K and 6500K. The higher the number in Kelvin, the whiter and bluer the light looks:

• 4300K: warm white light, closest to the light of many factory-fitted xenon headlights.
• 5500K: bright white light.
• 6500K: white light with a blue tint, closest to the 6000K that Frank chose.

If you want as much usable light as possible, a lower Kelvin value is usually the right call. If the crisp white-blue look matters to you, a higher value suits better.

Xenon, CAN-bus and the on-board computer

Frank didn't want any "annoying faults on my on-board computer". On newer cars that is a fair point. Many modern cars have a CAN-bus system that controls the lighting and checks that the bulbs are working. A xenon kit behaves differently from a halogen bulb electrically, so such a system can throw up an error message. That is why the Evolution II kit has a CAN-bus II module which, according to Hilox, works without faults in cars with CAN-bus or lighting monitoring.

If your car has a start-stop system, or you are not sure whether it has CAN-bus, ask us via contact before you order.

How to fit an H7 xenon kit

The exact steps differ from car to car, but with an H7 headlight they are usually the same:

1. Find a spot for the ballasts. Pick a flat, dry spot in the engine bay, away from hot parts, where the cable can reach the headlight.
2. Let the bulbs cool down and switch the lights off.
3. Open the back of the headlight by removing the dust cover, and take out the halogen bulb.
4. Fit the xenon bulb. Hold it by the base and don't touch the glass.
5. Connect the bulb to the ballast and the ballast to the original bulb connector. Tidy the cables away neatly.
6. Close the dust cover and test the low beam before you fix everything in place for good. Bear in mind that xenon needs a moment to warm up before it burns at full strength.

After fitting, have the beam aligned and check whether your car still meets the APK (the Dutch roadworthiness test) requirements. If in doubt, ask the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) or your inspector.

Xenon or LED?

Besides xenon, LED is a popular upgrade for the low beam. The main difference is start-up time: xenon needs a moment to reach full strength, while LED is on instantly. According to the product details, the H7 Evolution II xenon kit gives 4 times more light than halogen, and the H7 XTR Black LED kit 3.5 times more. Have a look at all the LED low beam and high beam kits too.

A word of caution about use on public roads

The product details of the H7 Evolution II xenon kit state: no ECE / E-mark, therefore not intended for public roads, but only for the track and private grounds. Read this carefully before you put a xenon kit in your headlight, and if in doubt, ask the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) or your inspector.