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Im looking to replace some lights on my truck with LEDS, Im wondering if anybody can recommend some brands. Id like to use Amazon as I am a prime member. Ive been looking at a few and cant decide. I need 3 to 5 interior dome lights, new lights for the 3rd brake lights/reverse lights. And Id eventually like to get some brighter headlights. If you guys have any particular lights you like to use I would greatly appreciate some recommendations, Thanks
I have been watching the LED headlight market, waiting for my opportunity to pounce. One problem that worries me about LED... winter driving. A snow/ice-covered headlight may or may not melt the obstruction. I need to ask somebody who has tried LED headlights in the winter.
I was looking at my friend Rikster-7700's choice for headlights, and the "brochure" spooked me. The product description had this:
Disclaimer
Before you buy, make sure you have at least 2.0 inches clearance behind the headlight housing and it does not fit on anything that requires a cover or boot.
That sounds like while the headlight lens might not get hot, the electronics to drive the LED will. This does not bode well for longevity.
I also noticed they bragged about watts the way some less-reputable vacuum cleaners brag about amps. Power consumption frequently has nothing to do with work performed. For a vacuum, I want to see inches of vacuum and SCFM - as well as the amps. That gives me work performed and the efficiency. Now with this light, it boldly declares 80 watts - but in another line it claims 1.9 to 2.9 amps.
12 volts times 2.9 amps (formula for watts) equals about 35 watts.
A normal incandescent headlight bulb uses 55 watts (about 4.5 amps).
80 watts (as claimed) would be 6.7 amps.
The other claim was 8000 lumens, where a conventional incandescent 9007 puts out 1000/1350 lumens. I think the Silverstar Ultras put out 1800 lumens in high beam, but talk about your short-life bulb. While 2000-3000 is not unheard of in an array of LEDs as small as a 9007 bulb, I think 8000 lumens is stretching credibility. If I could put out 8000 onto the road - I suspect I would go snow blind.
I don't know. These are all just numbers. I'm curious what Rikster-7700's experience is with the headlights.
I too had similar concerns, and I still think they are stretching some numbers somewhat. The wattages often quoted with LED's are their equivalent wattage when compared to an incandescent or discharge lamp.
The clearance on the rear of the lamp is due to the heat sink fan that is mounted exhausting away from the lamp into the engine compartment, which seems to be a standard amongst high output LED lamps. The drivers can create heat, and even in the LED light fixtures we use at work (T8 drop in troffer replacements) which have less output, the heat sink can get pretty warm (these fixtures have been running for 4 years now).
As far as the 8000 lumen claim, I too think they are just throwing large numbers at people to sound impressive (I will have to see if I can dig out my light meter). Please don't get me wrong, these lamps are bright and throw light a lot better than the lamps that were in the housing. As usual with LED's the high beam performance is somewhat lacking, but the low beam is better than my high beam was on my regular lamps, so I don't really find this to be an issue. The stark lamps I used use two LED horizontally (well almost, more so towards the top, they are a triangle) to provide your regular headlamps (looks good from the front and not offset as some others I have seen) and a third on the bottom of the lamp to provide "high beams". The light did not appear too scattered and I am not lighting up the inside of any cars in front of me, unless I am right on their a$$, no one has flashed, gestured or adjusted the mirrors that I have seen yet (I did adjust my headlights following install).
In regards to this, I live in a semi-rural area, so while we do have dark roads, I don't think they are as dark as some witness on here.
The light is a nice, white light, that seems to cover the ditches and sides of the road well. Another thing I have noticed is that any reflective surface really stands out in the headlights, be it street signs, markers or even illuminated road signs on the interstate, I can see them a good distance off. I am not sure how this translates to wildlife (deer and such) as I have not really seen any since I installed the lights (truck is not my DD).
I will try and snap some pics next time I am out at night in the hulk for reference. But I figured, given the price and the fact no mods were needed to my trucks wiring or headlamp enclosures, that these were worth a try. Worst case I would put regular lamps back in my truck. As of right now the LED's are staying for the foreseeable future.
I tried some Lifetime LED headlights for about a year and decided they were not for me. Bright white, yes. Scattered everywhere too with zero focus. Ended up switching to the 100W 9007 Hella bulbs and using a relay harness and this works better. Not as white but focuses as expected to not blind folks. Also put in a curved LED light bar on the front bumper with a relay to the high beams, this makes rural driving very easy.
One thing about LED's. All but the newest versions are still in the blue spectrum of light. Blue light scatters quickly and will not throw a "beam" like a conventional incandecent "white light" bulb will. They look really bright when you stare into them but don't cut the mustard at 100 yards.
One thing about LED's. All but the newest versions are still in the blue spectrum of light. Blue light scatters quickly and will not throw a "beam" like a conventional incandecent "white light" bulb will. They look really bright when you stare into them but don't cut the mustard at 100 yards.
LEDs come in a rainbow of colors, but if one wants to brag about lumens - they typically use the less-expensive approach of a bluer LED. My philosophy is to focus on the color temperature first (get it below 5500 degrees Kelvin), then just make sure the lumens meet or exceed incandescent bulbs. We don't need 3000, 4000, and up lumens - 1500-1800 lumens is fantastic for high beams when focused correctly.
Modern headlights have a "cut". This is when there is a hard line between light and no light at about the trunk height of a car in front of us. This cut is made by strategic placement of light barriers on the bulb itself, coupled with a complimentary-designed headlight reflector and nose cone.
One opposing opinion (there's always that guy). Two years ago I swapped every bulb in my truck sans headlights to LED. What I found was that the usable light put out by a lot of the LED's available today was pretty abysmal, but I had a hard time finding anything in a color range under 5k. The ones Rikster posted are cheap enough I'd try them.
The only place I've still got the LED's I started with are in the cab and on the license plate. I've said it before on here but I went the projector approach on headlights and it was the best money I've spent on this truck.
Please enlighten us on what size and brand of LED light bar you have there. I like that mounting location.
It was a Philips 32" curved unit from eBay. Fit the contour of the bumper very well. The LEDs are 5w each vs. ~2.5W for most bars. Inventory of light bars on eBay changes frequently so no link to the one I bought about a year ago.
It was a Philips 32" curved unit from eBay. Fit the contour of the bumper very well. The LEDs are 5w each vs. ~2.5W for most bars. Inventory of light bars on eBay changes frequently so no link to the one I bought about a year ago.
Thanks for the response. That looks really good there. Any wind noise like people complain of when there mounted above the windshield. I don't want to go that route and have been trying to figure out a good spot. I had a cheap 40" straight bar that I mounted below the air dam on the steel support member, but it was too low to be of much use.
It was a Philips 32" curved unit from eBay. Fit the contour of the bumper very well. The LEDs are 5w each vs. ~2.5W for most bars. Inventory of light bars on eBay changes frequently so no link to the one I bought about a year ago.
Thanks for the response. That looks really good there. Any wind noise like people complain of when there mounted above the windshield. I don't want to go that route and have been trying to figure out a good spot. I had a cheap 40" straight bar that I mounted below the air dam on the steel support member, but it was too low to be of much use.
One opposing opinion (there's always that guy). Two years ago I swapped every bulb in my truck sans headlights to LED. What I found was that the usable light put out by a lot of the LED's available today was pretty abysmal, but I had a hard time finding anything in a color range under 5k. The ones Rikster posted are cheap enough I'd try them.
The only place I've still got the LED's I started with are in the cab and on the license plate. I've said it before on here but I went the projector approach on headlights and it was the best money I've spent on this truck.
Could you post a link to where the projectors came from? Is the high beam separate from the projected beam or do you lose the high beams with that setup?
Could you post a link to where the projectors came from? Is the high beam separate from the projected beam or do you lose the high beams with that setup?
The high beam is part of the projector, it basically has an internal cut off shield. The only thing that happens when you turn on your high beams is the rest of the bulb is un-shielded which means you have the light output from high and low beams.
Bi-xenon Projectors: Your choice of the O or X shaped. No difference other than looks. I like the standard O shape myself.
Compatible Ballasts: 35w vs 55w summed up: 55w (+20% intensity) (-20% lifespan)(-1000K color)(3year bulb warranty vs 5 years).
D2S HID Bulbs: The color of the bulb. I have 5500k and I personally cant detect any blue.
4500K:Warm White (~3500 lm)
5500K:Pure White (~3400 lm) - I went with this one, I'll go 4500k next go around but these put out a pure white from the truck. Has a blue tinge from the exterior though that I don't much care for.
6500K:Cool White (~3200 lm)
All that's fitted in a set of buckets from 1A. Wish I'd gone with the Harley buckets now but not doing all that over again! The projector kits run on sale around black Friday and ran around $250 on sale.
08-22-2016, 08:41 PM
