L.E.D light conversion
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From: woodlawn il
L.E.D light conversion
i was thinking about installing led headlights on my 1995 ford F-150 and was wondering if i needed to do any conversion for a bigger fuse or new headlights any input would be appreciated
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
LED is more efficient than a regular "burning wire" bulb so no you don't need a bigger fuse or anything like that. I have not seen any LED headlamp bulbs yet though and if they are available I bet that're pricy.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,964
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From: Fort Worth
From what I've found it's not easily done and you'd have problems with your housing melting. Here's a quick bit of info on it.
"LED light sources
The first series-production LED headlamps on the Lexus LS 600h
Automotive headlamp applications using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been undergoing very active development since 2004.[39][40] The first series-production LED headlamps were factory-installed on the Lexus LS 600h / LS 600h L starting with the 2008 models. Low beam, front position light and sidemarker functions are performed by LEDs; high beam and turn signal functions use filament bulbs. The headlamp is supplied by Koito. Full-LED headlamps supplied by AL-Automotive Lighting were fitted on the 2008 V10 Audi R8 sports car except in North America. The Hella headlamps on the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum became the first U.S. market all-LED headlamps. Present designs give performance between halogen and HID headlamps,[41] with system power consumption slightly lower than other headlamps, longer lifespans and more flexible design possibilities.[42][43] As LED technology continues to evolve, the performance of LED headlamps is predicted to improve to approach, meet, and perhaps one day surpass that of HID headlamps.[44]
The limiting factors with LED headlamps presently include high system expense, regulatory delays and uncertainty, and logistical issues created by LED operating characteristics. LEDs are commonly considered to be low-heat devices due to the public's familiarity with small, low-output LEDs used for electronic control panels and other applications requiring only small amounts of light. However, LEDs actually produce a significant amount of heat per unit of light output. Rather than being emitted together with the light as is the case with conventional light sources, an LED's heat is produced at the rear of the emitters. The cumulative heat of numerous high-output LEDs operating for prolonged periods poses thermal-management challenges for plastic headlamp housings.
Prolonged operation above the maximum junction temperature will permanently degrade the LEDs and ultimately shorten the device's life. The need to keep LED junction temperatures low at high power levels always requires additional thermal management measures such as heatsinks and exhaust fans which are typically quite expensive.[45]
Additional facets of the thermal issues with LED headlamps reveal themselves in cold ambient temperatures. Not only must heat be removed from the rear of the headlamp so that the housing does not deform or melt, but heat must in addition be effectively applied to thaw snow and ice from the front lenses, which are not heated by the comparatively small amount of infrared radiation emitted forward with the light from LEDs.[46]
LEDs are increasingly being adopted for signal functions such as parking lamps, brake lamps and turn signals as well as daytime running lamps, as in those applications they offer significant advantages over filament bulbs with fewer engineering challenges than headlamps pose."
Headlamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"LED light sources
The first series-production LED headlamps on the Lexus LS 600h
Automotive headlamp applications using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been undergoing very active development since 2004.[39][40] The first series-production LED headlamps were factory-installed on the Lexus LS 600h / LS 600h L starting with the 2008 models. Low beam, front position light and sidemarker functions are performed by LEDs; high beam and turn signal functions use filament bulbs. The headlamp is supplied by Koito. Full-LED headlamps supplied by AL-Automotive Lighting were fitted on the 2008 V10 Audi R8 sports car except in North America. The Hella headlamps on the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum became the first U.S. market all-LED headlamps. Present designs give performance between halogen and HID headlamps,[41] with system power consumption slightly lower than other headlamps, longer lifespans and more flexible design possibilities.[42][43] As LED technology continues to evolve, the performance of LED headlamps is predicted to improve to approach, meet, and perhaps one day surpass that of HID headlamps.[44]
The limiting factors with LED headlamps presently include high system expense, regulatory delays and uncertainty, and logistical issues created by LED operating characteristics. LEDs are commonly considered to be low-heat devices due to the public's familiarity with small, low-output LEDs used for electronic control panels and other applications requiring only small amounts of light. However, LEDs actually produce a significant amount of heat per unit of light output. Rather than being emitted together with the light as is the case with conventional light sources, an LED's heat is produced at the rear of the emitters. The cumulative heat of numerous high-output LEDs operating for prolonged periods poses thermal-management challenges for plastic headlamp housings.
Prolonged operation above the maximum junction temperature will permanently degrade the LEDs and ultimately shorten the device's life. The need to keep LED junction temperatures low at high power levels always requires additional thermal management measures such as heatsinks and exhaust fans which are typically quite expensive.[45]
Additional facets of the thermal issues with LED headlamps reveal themselves in cold ambient temperatures. Not only must heat be removed from the rear of the headlamp so that the housing does not deform or melt, but heat must in addition be effectively applied to thaw snow and ice from the front lenses, which are not heated by the comparatively small amount of infrared radiation emitted forward with the light from LEDs.[46]
LEDs are increasingly being adopted for signal functions such as parking lamps, brake lamps and turn signals as well as daytime running lamps, as in those applications they offer significant advantages over filament bulbs with fewer engineering challenges than headlamps pose."
Headlamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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