LED headlight conversion

[amxpress]

The headlights in my 2007 Dodge 2500 are very poor, especially after driving my daughter's 2016 Toyota with LED headlights. I have aimed them with my 5'er hooked up and my airbags adjusted to keep my TV level. I saw LED H13 bulbs on Amazon reasonabilily priced I am considering. Has anyone tried these LED bulbs? Do you like them?

[fj12ryder]

^^^^That's another forum with self-professed experts. Is there anyplace to check their bona-fides?

Looks like there's as much differing advice on there as on any other forum.

[landyacht318]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?380986-Better-Lights-For-My-Truck

Ask some Automotive lighting professionals. You will not like what they say regarding your LED intentions, but you don't ask a plumber to fix your computer either, and thats what asking this forum compared to that forum linked above, is doing.

But I done gone fixed my computer by wiggling that thingie in the back yesserie golly gee shucks.

[amxpress]

This is the OP. Thanks for all the responses, though as usual on here, many conflicting views
I agree that LED replacement bulbs vary drastically based on brand and cost, both in quality and design.
After looking at the reflector in my stock headlamp housing, I can see how an LED bulb might not be focused causing problems for oncoming traffic in my low beams.
At this time, I can't afford to replace the complete headlamp housing assembly with ones designed for HID or LED lamps.
SO, I think I'll study the many LED bulbs and install a pair in my hi-beams as I won't have to worry about on coming traffic and I can get a good idea on how good they'll light up the road.
We'll see what happens, especially at night.

[Harvey51]

Much better, thank you.

[DrewE]

Harvey51 wrote:

Have you any advice on adjusting headlights for the amateur? This explanation is hard for me to follow. I usually drive out to a flat country road in the dark and adjust by eye.

Here's a different pretty good article on aiming headlights. I don't know that it's especially much easier or harder to follow; they seemed roughly similar to me at a quick glance.

While you do need a broad flat area to do the aiming, it's not so essential that it be perfectly level as long as it's consistent and flat.

[Harvey51]

dangerbird wrote:
Before headlights became part of the body lines, New York State required properly adjusted headlights as part of the yearly vehicle inspection. We had alignment devices that suctioned onto the sealed beam headlights. A few moments with a phillips head screwdriver and you were done. I think a lot of the blinding brightness today is due more to improper adjustment than the brighter bulbs. Headlight alignment checks should be an inspection requirement again.
Carl

Have you any advice on adjusting headlights for the amateur? This explanation is hard for me to follow. I usually drive out to a flat country road in the dark and adjust by eye.

[drsteve]

Keep in mind the after market LEDs may not generate enough heat to prevent ice from forming on those head lights

LED traffic lights have proven to have the same problem.

[bucky]

Landyacht, I'm not poking at you but what in the world led to that experiment with the manhole. Did you hit an open one?

[john_bet]

I for one do not like the LED's in those new vehicles that have them. They blind me on narrow country roads and city streets with very little street lighting. JMHO.

[Gdetrailer]

whatimmadoboutmylegs wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
I always curse you guys running hid or led in a reflector style headlights. Very unfriendly move towards your fellow drivers. I don't flash, not worth getting in a headlight pissing contest.

Check a scrapper for the factory projection headlight assembly if you want to join the hid / led club. Alternately retrofit projector lenses can be had for most trucks.

Actually it is not HIDs or LEDs in THOSE folks lights..

Sorry, but you're wrong. I can spot HID/LED retrofits in a halogen reflector housing quite consistently. The weird hot spots and scattered light are a dead giveaway. Although the blue tinted halogens are annoying, cheap HID/LED retrofits are worse.

Most of the vehicles I have been abused by are "beater" vehicles.. If the owner bought real HIDs they would be worth more than the car..

Cheapo blue tinted bulbs cost $20, entry level HIDs tend to start around $150 and go up from there..

ONE EXAMPLE OF HID KITS

Most street racers and folks with lifted boulevard queens tend to spend money on things other than headlights..

Not to mention putting in HID into a stock housing they LOSE high beams (HID bulbs do not have the capability of high/low)..

Takes a special housing with a projector lens and a separate Xeon high beam/reflector OR in luxury cars with factory HID they have a special moving reflector/lens assembly to perform High/low beam functions.. That all costs money and makes retrofitting DONE RIGHT rather expensive.

Many of the oncoming cars I have encountered with the blue tinted lights often have high beams on and switch down to low as they approach.. No change in color just a slight bit less blinding.

[GordonThree]

DrewE wrote:

Daniel Stern is an expert on automotive lighting, and he has written this about conversion bulbs for turning halogen (xenon) headlights into HID headlights. Nearly all of the basic concerns are the same for LED conversion bulbs, despite the technical differences between HID and LED (and incandescent) lights.

That website offers a great explanation and advice on why you shouldn't mess with your headlights.

However, it's likely to fall on deaf ears. Folks will continue to mess with their headlights, just like folks tow overloaded, speed while towing, etc.

[DrewE]

RLS7201 wrote:

DrewE wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
I put LEDs in my 2013 CRV. They are great! No adjustment required. They put the hot spot on the road about 30 feet in front of the car.
They do not shine in the rear view mirror of the car in front of me. I went to a large commercial garage door at night to see the pattern. No out of place stray light.

Richard

A hot spot on the road 30 feet in front of the vehicle is not good. That tends to focus your attention there, much too close to be able to react to anything except at very slow speeds. That also makes the pupils in the eyes close a little and so reduces distance vision.

Having lots of light near the vehicle does make the lights look nice and bright and effective to the driver. It's an unfortunate irony that this is misleading and they are not actually as effective. (There does need to be some balance in things, of course. One doesn't need or want a black hole in front of the vehicle. Even illumination, perhaps with a bias towards farther distances, is ideal--with a good cutoff for the low beams.)

Installing bulbs other than the type specified makes the headlights no longer DOT approved and therefore at least technically illegal, for what it's worth. Unless egregiously bad I suspect you're not too likely to be fined or otherwise harassed.

OK, then tell us where the hot spot should be for low beam head lights. I'm sure you are a qualified/trained expert in the automotive lighting business. If you feel the need to condemn, then offer the documented correct answer.
And you might want to read this.

Richerd

I am not, nor do I claim to be, an expert in automotive lighting. I have a little bit of knowledge (maybe just enough to be dangerous), but that's it.

The link you posted says the hot spot should be aimed at headlight level or a couple inches below (depending on the headlight designation and height) on a wall 35 feet in front of the vehicle. That's a very, very different thing than having it focused on the road 35 feet in front of the vehicle--it would be equivalent to having it on the road somewhere around a few hundred feet ahead.

My understanding is that you shouldn't see any real hot spots on a level road, but even (maybe even somewhat subdued) illumination. The goal is predominantly to illuminate things that are on the road, not primarily the pavement itself.

Daniel Stern is an expert on automotive lighting, and he has written this about conversion bulbs for turning halogen (xenon) headlights into HID headlights. Nearly all of the basic concerns are the same for LED conversion bulbs, despite the technical differences between HID and LED (and incandescent) lights.

[spike99]

.

Approx 6 years ago,I installed upgraded holegan bulbs (in factory canister) within two of my vehicles and they work great. re: Replaced factory dim H11 bulbs with modified H9 bulbs. After H9 bulb install, I adjusted their aim as well. Yes. Low beam upgrade is one of the best upgrades I've done. Especially for my dark country roads. Didn't go with LED bulbs but next time, I probably will (especially since LED bulb selling price is coming downward).

re: Surf: - click here -

Note: After searching a few U-Tube clips, I noticed that different brands of LED bulbs behave different light behaviour. Some have better focused light beam - compared to others brands (in the same canister). Before buying / trying LED bulbs, recommend reviewing lots of U-Tube clips - to find the better LED Brands.

Hope this helps.

[RLS7201]

DrewE wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
I put LEDs in my 2013 CRV. They are great! No adjustment required. They put the hot spot on the road about 30 feet in front of the car.
They do not shine in the rear view mirror of the car in front of me. I went to a large commercial garage door at night to see the pattern. No out of place stray light.

Richard

A hot spot on the road 30 feet in front of the vehicle is not good. That tends to focus your attention there, much too close to be able to react to anything except at very slow speeds. That also makes the pupils in the eyes close a little and so reduces distance vision.

Having lots of light near the vehicle does make the lights look nice and bright and effective to the driver. It's an unfortunate irony that this is misleading and they are not actually as effective. (There does need to be some balance in things, of course. One doesn't need or want a black hole in front of the vehicle. Even illumination, perhaps with a bias towards farther distances, is ideal--with a good cutoff for the low beams.)

Installing bulbs other than the type specified makes the headlights no longer DOT approved and therefore at least technically illegal, for what it's worth. Unless egregiously bad I suspect you're not too likely to be fined or otherwise harassed.

OK, then tell us where the hot spot should be for low beam head lights. I'm sure you are a qualified/trained expert in the automotive lighting business. If you feel the need to condemn, then offer the documented correct answer.
And you might want to read this.

Richerd