The LED headlight thread

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
I have seen Trucklite LED headlights when they first came out in 24V for military Humvees.
The shitty quality of light distribution, unnatural bluish tint, and vastly increased retro-glare from dust was obvious.
You could look at the vehicles in the convoy - the ones with shitty 6024s had better lighting than these.

Times have changed, as well as LED technology. Still, retrofitting LED bulbs into incandescent housings is bad. DOT-compliant round LED lights are okay, but as they are brighter than stock headlights, they WILL blind the oncoming drivers more. DOT spec sucks big time.

Personally, I have not found a better solution than E-code Hella housings with higher-than-usual brightness temperature halogen bulbs. I'll take a photo of the light distribution whenever I have a chance - it speaks for itself.
 

Red90

Well-known member
Times have changed, as well as LED technology. Still, retrofitting LED bulbs into incandescent housings is bad.
How about this. Before making blanket statement, why don't you open your mind and look at the test videos I've linked. They show that there are LED bulbs you can buy that produce good, safe beam patterns.

DOT-compliant round LED lights are okay, but as they are brighter than stock headlights, they WILL blind the oncoming drivers more. DOT spec sucks big time.
Another blanket statement that is not always true. There are a lot of DOT compliant headlamps that do not blind. The regulation does not mandate blinding. Once again, tests videos were provided of DOT compliant lights that have nice sharp cutoffs without blinding.

Here is a nice side by side shot of low beam patterns with a Hella ecode on the right and a Truck-Lite halogen DOT on the left. The T-L DOT has a sharp cutoff with no blinding. I've run it for 10 years and not a single person has flashed me.
Low_Beams.jpg
 

NPT90

Well-known member
DOT-compliant round LED lights are okay, but as they are brighter than stock headlights, they WILL blind the oncoming drivers more. DOT spec sucks big time.

Personally, I have not found a better solution than E-code Hella housings with higher-than-usual brightness temperature halogen bulbs. I'll take a photo of the light distribution whenever I have a chance - it speaks for itself.

Actually the cutoffs of my beams are right at the trunk lid of almost all passenger cars, even with a 1.5" lift. Fundamentally disagree with this assertion. It is very possible that they have modified their design to address this problem

The E-code Hellas I cannot attest to but the photo's I have seen produce a noticeably higher cutoff than my trucklites.
Here is a shot for shot comparison for 7" round bulbs on a JK

The article shows you the light output of all the options we have discussed herein (minus the LED replacement bulbs and nolden). It's a great write up in terms of comparison and light output. Shows the JW speakers as a clear winner in terms of light throw and pattern (not surprising given the advantages of a projector vs reflector housing). Probably the most comprehensive comparison I have seen with minimal bias.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Cutoff height is set by the adjustment of the light. Everyone should be adjusting their lights correctly.

Agree with that assertion.

But obviously the geometry of the beam matters.

Just because you can point your headlights at the ground doesn't mean useable light doesn't suffer. It was a consideration for me given that I prefer to see things in my periphery as I drive down poorly lit roads. Again, the full DOT LED housings just did a much better job of cutoff and beam width then anything I have seen. Scroll through that article and you will pretty much see what I am talking about.
 

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
The purpose of E-code light distribution is to increase the field of illumination for the shoulder of the road, while keeping the oncoming glare to a minimum.

So from the standpoint of oncoming glare Trucklite and JWSpeaker lights are about the same as IPF E-code, and offer no benefit for shoulder illumination.

It is not that big of a deal w/r/t to the shoulder, but it may be a difference between hitting a deer or a cow or a moose or not. It was for me, more than once.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
The purpose of E-code light distribution is to increase the field of illumination for the shoulder of the road, while keeping the oncoming glare to a minimum.

So from the standpoint of oncoming glare Trucklite and JWSpeaker lights are about the same as IPF E-code, and offer no benefit for shoulder illumination.

It is not that big of a deal w/r/t to the shoulder, but it may be a difference between hitting a deer or a cow or a moose or not. It was for me, more than once.

Again, seems off given the information in the post right above you. You are obviously entitled to your opinion, personally I think it's incorrect.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
I have to say I am impressed with the light output of the IPF housings in that comparison post.

Given this empirical analysis I wouldn't say they offer any disadvantage to LEDs minus some beam spread and cutoff concerns. The article is pretty clear about costs ect. Obviously LEDs are spendy, offer some benefits in terms of optics/usable light/power consumption but after reading that article I am not sure they are markedly better than an IPF/Delta housing (e-code) and some better bulbs. If the aesthetics are a concern for you I think the performance of the halogens in the better housings don't offer any disadvantages. Though the author does go on to say that you will essentially pay for the LED headlamps in bulbs over several years of investment.
 

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
Again, seems off given the information in the post right above you. You are obviously entitled to your opinion, personally I think it's incorrect.

I think only the second statement in my post you're referring to qualifies as an opinion. I'd extend it even further by saying that both TruckLite and JWSpeaker headlights cast far more light to the opposite shoulder - which may be a good or a bad thing. I'd hate it as a pedestrian, I'd love it as a driver.

The photos you posted definitely show a giant improvement in light pattern and quality compared to TruckLite of 10 years ago. I don't know what headlights are those, but I am almost positive those are not LED bulbs in incandescent housings.
 

Red90

Well-known member
The photos you posted definitely show a giant improvement in light pattern and quality compared to TruckLite of 10 years ago. I don't know what headlights are those, but I am almost positive those are not LED bulbs in incandescent housings.

You could take the time to actual read the thread. All the information has been posted.

Here is a test of LED bulbs on a stock Jeep 7" housing compared to the halogen bulbs. They also show some cheap LED bulbs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSqCFWztC-k here is another lower cost bulb with a nice pattern. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TMMtyhFEo
 

NPT90

Well-known member
I think only the second statement in my post you're referring to qualifies as an opinion. I'd extend it even further by saying that both TruckLite and JWSpeaker headlights cast far more light to the opposite shoulder - which may be a good or a bad thing. I'd hate it as a pedestrian, I'd love it as a driver.

The photos you posted definitely show a giant improvement in light pattern and quality compared to TruckLite of 10 years ago. I don't know what headlights are those, but I am almost positive those are not LED bulbs in incandescent housings.

You'd have to read the article to find out, I have summarized it to the best of my ability.

They sure do cast light into the opposite lane but again the cutoff is crisp so its unlikely to be blinding anyone. In the 2 months I have run them no one has flashed their brights at me. Not a scientific analysis by any means but a real world experience.

Concerning pedestrians, unless you are under 3 feet tall these lights are not in your field of vision and offer the added benefit of a wider beam to illuminate reflective materials (bikes, traffic cones, emergency vehicles).
 

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
You could take the time to actual read the thread. All the information has been posted.
I did. I've been following this thread since its start.

I am not sure what got your panties in a bunch, honestly, short of having invested in Trucklite stock.

A big part of my work had to do with active illumination night vision systems, so I am very familiar the physics involved. Still, when it comes to headlight choice, I put my esoteric knowledge away, and weigh my personal experiences as a pedestrian and as a driver, including oncoming traffic glare and being blinded by the lights from behind - therefore I said the choice of Hella E-code housings with higher-than-normal brightness temperature (~3000K) bulbs is my personal preference. I have LED lights on the bumper of two of my trucks that are outstanding, but I never use them on pavement.
 

Red90

Well-known member
I am not sure what got your panties in a bunch, honestly, short of having invested in Trucklite stock.

Well. You keep asking questions that have been answered and making statement that have already been shown to be wrong.
 

mgreenspan

Founding Member
And I thank you for not using LEDs on the road. Nothing worse than having to completely move my head while driving or look away to not be blinded.
 

Red90

Well-known member
He's actually advocating for E-codes over LEDs hahaha

Umm, no. I'm trying to provide information on all the "good" options out there. I'm not against full LED housings at all. There are a lot of great 7" LED headlights out there. But there are other good options as well and I think that if we are going to have a discussion, we should list out everything. This allows people to make intelligent choices based on their budgets and preferences.

There are good and bad full LED headlights.

There are good and bad LED bulbs in halogen housings.

There are good and bad halogen bulbs in halogen housings.

They are all suitable options and people should be allowed to see what options are good and not be biased.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
And I thank you for not using LEDs on the road. Nothing worse than having to completely move my head while driving or look away to not be blinded.

I have seen some folks running shitty lightbars on their trucks at night. The LED aux lights are great off road though, to be honest, I am rarely offroad so the investment was a moot point.

Given that the LED DOT driving lights have a nice cutoff and are very bright I am questioning the need for any auxiliary lights, obviously personal preference but the headlights are such an improvement it would be hard to justify additional lighting.
 
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