Home » Gear review »
Wipac 7inch Defender Headlamp LED Conversion (gen2) review
This Wipac LED Conversion is one of those upgrades that was long overdue. A few months ago it was finally time to lift Rafiki’s lighting setup to modern standards by installing the Gen2 LED headlamps from Wipac. The new LED headlamps provide better visibility at night, improve looks, and are super easy to install. We opted for their 2nd generation LED headlamps, which include a multi-use halo ring.
What is the Wipac LED 7’’ LED Gen2 Conversion for the Defender?
If you’ve ever driven a Defender at night you know how scary it can be. Our headlamps emit the same amount of light as candles, and any oncoming traffic on a highway will leave you blinded in the dark. Although we try to prevent nighttime drives on our overland journeys, they happen. Throw some breathtaking afternoon safari drives in the mix and you’ll end up making your way to camp long after the sun has set. For us, it was the safety factor, combined with the fact that we wanted to enhance Rafiki’s sleek looks, that made us opt to overhaul the lights fully. It was time for a headlamp upgrade!
The Wipac LED Conversion for the Defender’s headlamps is a great way to improve visibility at night. This LED conversion has an integrated Halo circle with Daytime Running Lights and an indicator function. The kit is fully SAE-approved, E-marked, and road-legal in Europe and North America. It features clear glass for maximum light dispersion and high-quality LEDs for a powerful output.
This Wipac kit is a direct replacement for the existing 7’’ round headlamps and fits into the existing bowls and bezels. It’s a simple swap, and with minor cable adjustments, you can easily connect the DRL and indicator function too.
Specifications of the Wipac LED conversion (Gen2)
- Low beam: 450 lumens (9.2W)
- High beam: 1280 lumen (24.5W)
- Indicator Halo: 195 lumen (7.8W)
- Daytime Running Lights: 215 lumens (6.8W)
- Available with chrome or black accents
- Available for left- and righthand-drive vehicles (choose the correct one)
Pros
- Increased visibility at night
- Lower power usage
- Fully waterproof unit (no more moisture in the headlamps after a river crossing or heavy rain)
- No more need for spare headlamps
- The halo includes a Daytime Running Lights function in a clear white color (visibility during the day)
- Besides the DRL the halo also acts as an extra indicator in bright orange, a nifty dual function!
- Super easy installation. Direct swap if you don’t need the Halo DRL and indicator function, or some simple wiring adjustments if you do want these functions.
Cons
- White light impacts your night vision, and therefore there’s a slight negative impact on what you can see outside of the dipped/main beams
- The bright lights provide a lot of clarity, but provide less contrast than warm-white or amber lights
Would we buy it again?
We fully believe anybody with a Defender should consider upgrading their headlamps to a more modern solution. The upgrade from normal light bulbs to LED made a huge difference in visibility and reliability. Right off the bat, it provided us with brighter lights and sleeker looks. Although we were hoping for an even bigger impact in nighttime visibility, it’s fair to guess it would most likely not be road-legal, and this conversion surely is (no worries about MOT with this conversion). All in all, this upgrade has made a big improvement in visibility, and combined with the added benefits of lower power usage and increased longevity we are super happy with it. It has made a difference and we are super happy with it.
In addition to the LED headlamp conversion, we installed Wipac’s Side Light Kit.
Our approach for gear reviews
As long-term overlanders we fully understand the need for high-quality and reliable gear. We know that if gear isn’t up to standard it can hinder your adventures, resulting in discomfort or a dangerous situation.
We write our reviews after extensive testing and with you – an adventurous overlander – in mind. We hope you appreciate our information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Wiring tip
As our Defender 300tdi did not have any live ignition wires to hook up the Daytime Running Lights in the Halo correctly, we connected this function to the side lights (the small lights on the front). This way we can drive fully dark, as well as engage the side lights with the added Halo for clear daytime visibility. When driving in normal night conditions we use the dipped function, lighting up the side lights, halo, and dipped beam. We are happy with this setup and think it’s a practical compromise.
Our headlamp kit did not have a manual included. Luckily Wipac was super quick in sending it to us. You can download it here!
Check out these product shots
Appreciate this info and have something to spare? Buy us a coffee!
We hope our blog provided you with practical information that’s useful to your adventures. Want to dive deeper into this or other subjects, and plan a call? We are here to help!
Hi there adventurer! A quick heads-up: This product is provided (for free or at a discount) to us in support of our adventures. This review contains opinions of our own and is not influenced by the collaboration. We know the importance of high-quality gear and truthful reviews, you will rely on it on the trails, and so do we. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you and stay adventurous!
0 Comments