The LED headlight thread

Kevin88RRC

Well-known member
I'm referring only to the numbers assigned to cool vs. warm. In camera, when you dial in a low number, the image becomes blue. That's why I had confused cool/blue with a low number.
Yeah that's a throw back to film stock. Tungsten balanced film was at 3200k so if shot in daylight would be very blue and vice versa.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
it’s the camera compensating for the light to correct for the current temp of the source. In my mind I was dialing down the number as if I’m looking at a camera screen, and seeing blue, therefore 3500 is cool, 6000 is warm. This is wrong, because I my mind I was telling the camera to match the color, but actually the camera is compensating for the color.

Sunlight on a white wall is going to be about 6000, but if I manually tell the camera (lie to the camera) that it is 3500, the camera compensates by going the other way, by going blue. I understood this, just that I thought I was dialing in to MATCH the color, not COMPENSATE for the color. I was thinking visually, not numerically.

Anyway, all that to say I understood Peter’s original post well enough to realize that I was thinking of Kelvins wrongly all this time!
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
I just couldn't pay full attention to the led headlight video. I'm not nerd enough. my 100w halogen Hellas do well enough for me not to need auxiliary lights.
But I wonder what the best ammo is to use to shoot headlights.....
 

rover4x4

Well-known member
There should be a written test given before LED lights can be purchased and a follow up inspection of thier installation on said vehicle. LEDs rival Ebay retrofit HIDs in annoyance.
 

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
I just couldn't pay full attention to the led headlight video. I'm not nerd enough. my 100w halogen Hellas do well enough for me not to need auxiliary lights.
Hella 1000s with stock-size halogen bulb do a super-nice job at supplementing low beams, even when aimed lower than the cut-off of low beams - but I have no idea as to how blinding they may be for oncoming drivers or in rearview mirror.
I have 100W low-beam Hella H4 bulbs for the headlights, but I am hesitant to throw them in. They may be less-offensive than bluish LED headlights/aux lights.
 

Kevin88RRC

Well-known member
There should be a written test given before LED lights can be purchased and a follow up inspection of thier installation on said vehicle. LEDs rival Ebay retrofit HIDs in annoyance.
Nothing worse than over powered and poorly aimed headlights. It would be nice if police enforced this more or during state inspections.

I probably already posted this but it's worth posting again. Nice article on aiming.
 

BarryO

Well-known member
Nothing worse than over powered and poorly aimed headlights. It would be nice if police enforced this more or during state inspections.

I remember when I was a kid growing up in NJ that headlight aiming was one of those things checked during the regular required vehicle inspections. I guess just about all States have moved away from that sort of thing now.
 

BarryO

Well-known member

New shootout.

Informative video.

One thing to keep in mind is that there's no such thing as "DOT Approved". As as government agency, DOT sets regulations and specifies applicable standards, but does not do product testing and approval. DOT compliance is self-affirmed by the individual manufacturer. I'd take any DOT labeling on generic Chinese lights with a grain of salt, unless backed up by test documentation.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I'm still tempted to get some replacement bulbs, if only for the lower amp draw. However, the head lights on my Series truck are Sylvania, and they are a very nice, neutral white. The Defender headlights are pretty bright, but they are very yellow compared to what I have on the Series. A friend of mine just put some IPF LED bulbs in his LC 78, and they were adjustable to match whatever lens/reflector you have. I'm still waiting to see if any of the bulbs will ever start making a true 360 light source that will get closer to the original bulb pattern when they are properly adjusted. Prices are coming down, and the cheap Chinese bulbs are getting good reviews. But they need to be just a bit warmer, more reliable, and more adjustable before I'd buy.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Before and after. I will need to adjust them, but not bad for a total of $60 spent.

1AEA1D8F-0195-40FB-8BC1-01AEEDEAC7B2.jpeg
8D323DEC-A241-4E0E-B3DB-3A49FE65CB96.jpeg
 

jimbobwae

Active member
Hey RB, I went through the thread but missed exactly what you purchased for this setup?
One of my Wagner original sealed beams just died and I like the look of your after image as a replacement for the headlights and your expense is attractive too!

Assume you retained the original harness connection?



Before and after. I will need to adjust them, but not bad for a total of $60 spent.

View attachment 8648
 

Akitatw4

New member
Can you provide the link for these bulbs? We’re they plug and play?
So I am a few years late to the thread, but I read thru and have not seen an answer to this. I have a 1995 D90 with original headlights and I need more light. Any updates on kits or the RBBailey set above?
Thanks in advance!
 
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