6.5" TRANSPORTER LED DRIVING LIGHT 90 WATT 10° BEAM. CTL-TPX1810

TEEJ

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I just ordered this LED Driving Light.

Its made to mount to OTR trucks and equipment. The specs look pretty good, and the price after all was said an done seemed reasonable (Under $600 including relays, harness, mounts, etc, if I had to actually pay for it).

From Vision X:


6728132811_8c11e21e1b_z.jpg






6728133497_7f92085396_o.jpg



6728133193_bf345cf6a2_o.jpg



They quote 496 Lumens per LED (They round up to "9,000", but in the text it says the actual number which is darn close.)


:huh:
[/URL]
 
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TEEJ

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I should get it next week, but I won't be able to test it until a week or so later.

Any recommendations for what types of tests would be of interest?
 

-Virgil-

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Teej, I have edited your post for the following reasons:

-Your first image was much too large. 800px is the maximum allowed, and it's not polite to approach even that dimension without a good reason. Anyone who needs to see a giant version of any of the pics you posted can easily find such images on vendor websites and elsewhere.

-Your post was FULL OF ALL-CAPS SHOUTING!!! IN OUR EARS!!!!!!! WITH PROMOTIONAL TEXT COPIED AND PASTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DIRECTLY FROM THE VENDOR'S WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. This is all kinds of rude and obnoxious and you will need to please not do it again. If the Vision-X people want to use this site for advertising and promotion, they can pay for the privilege, same as everyone else.

Please review the rules of this board and follow them. Thank you.
 

-Virgil-

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…And once your post is redone in a more polite, less assaultive manner that looks less like shilling, then we can have a discussion about whether the claims that "Blue cover helps light penetrate snow" and "Red cover helps light penetrate dust" are any more legitimate when they come from Vision-X than from Lightforce. From there it's just a quick and easy short hop to discussing the validity of their imaginative claim that "with these high horsepower lights, you won't need the wider beam spread found on other driving lights."

And while we're at it, we can discuss the interesting lack of lens markings or any other indication of DOT or SAE certification, ECE type approval, or -- gosh -- any evidence at all that these lamps have been tested to comply with any technical or legal standard for vehicle lighting devices. (Note: drivers and owners of OTR trucks get very costly tickets and even costlier enforced downtime for having noncompliant lighting devices on their vehicles, even if those devices aren't turned on.)
 
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TEEJ

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Sigh

There seem to be a lot of rules....sorry for being slow on picking up on them.

I just pasted verbiage from their site to avoid typing it all. I think I can re-size pics in the future (I did host them to flikr first, as I did get the part about hot linking at least).

OK, yeah, the boiler plate stuff about the filters is probably BS, and I could have left it off if not running out the door/not taking time to edit it (Hence the paste).



So, there needs to be markings that show the lights are DOT compliant, and some other standards?

What should I be looking for?
 

TEEJ

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well, before any tests should be conducted, can you resize your pictures to 800x800 as per the rules of the forum? :)
And before you resize it, can you rehost the pictures as opposed to hotlinking? It helps to maintain the forum's bandwidth :thanks:

Now I'm really confused - I thought hot linking was to the maker?

I used Flickr....Flickr is also Hot Linking?
 

Illum

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not the second pic, the first pic, which was removed :)
The second pic was okay, looked interesting until Scheinwerfermann raised the point about the lack of DOT compliance, now I'm wary of its performance...
 

TEEJ

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OK, I used Flickr to re-size the first pic to 471 x 500, so that should be OK now.

Does DOT approve driving lights (I know they headlights, brake lights, etc...)?


PS - I followed the link to the rules, and see what you all mean, again, sorry for the bad form....I should be OK now.
 
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AnAppleSnail

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Does DOT approve driving lights (I know they headlights, brake lights, etc...)?

DOT approves all safety-related vehicle lighting* (NO!)
==============================================================================================
EDIT to avoid having things wrong:

*This is false. DOT creates regulations that manufactures of vehicles and lighting must follow. These include testing the entire unit in a given car. Switching a different model of light into your car make it a not-necessarily-certified light. The requirements are complex and any changes to the light unit will probably make it out of certification.

Back to my post:
==================================================================================
Get out a bright flashlight (1000 lumens) and duct tape it to the hood your car in the driveway. Now walk to the end of the driveway and pretend you are an oncoming driver. I bet you can't see the driveway (your lane) at night!

These lights are for off-road use only. Note that their video states that they are off-road lights. Not because of vibration this and dust that, but because they are illegal and unsafe. Using these on the road (As they do, illegally, in their video) is unsafe because it will dazzle oncoming drivers. Also, lights like this tend to illuminate road signs like a nuclear holocaust, blinding you. Lastly, a blast of light (A 10 degree cone is not enough to punch through snow) will make a wall of brightly lit rain or snow or fog.

It's a neat product, but it's not useful for anything outside trail driving. If that.

Look for upgrades to your existing lights. Running my stock headlamps through relays made a huge difference. Get higher-wattage legal bulbs in legal housings and reflectors/optics. Run heavier wiring and call it a day. Humans in general are bad at judging how well they see. The things that make this vision-x-super-streme crap look good are that it lights the near things well. I don't know about you, but I want to see the distant things. Every photon that hits the pavement at my toes closes my pupils so that I cannot see the farther away things.

Edit:

Click

"All New Death-Star Lights by Vision X" would be an apt name for these new bad-boy over-the-road driving and fog lights (not street legal). Combine 12-18 of our high-watt LED chips with state of the art optics and beam spreads ranging from 10° to 40° to 60° and light up the planet. These new 90 watt Vision X LED Transporter Lights are the ultimate LED Lighting System for over the road Trucks, Transport vehicles and you name it. "

" The Transporter LED lights feature 5 watt LED technology with 493 lumens per LED for the ultimate light output. Highest reliable LED output/watt on earth."

Anyway, I don't believe 100 lumens/watt at 5 watts with 12x5 (60) watts in a hand-sized unit. Not for long!



Edit: Scheinwerferman corrected me: DOT does not approve things, manufacturers prove that they are in spec.
 
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TEEJ

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Well, they are for off road use, I wouldn't use driving lights in traffic, DOT approved or not, I don't even have my brights on.

I understand what you mean about too much proximal brightness making it difficult to see distant objects, as it would stop my eyes down, etc. That makes sense.

I'm not sure what you mean about relays for stock lights, you mean cut into the harness to the stock headlights? That might be beyond my meager electrical skills.

It sounds like you feel the stock headlights are dimmer than they can be due to the losses in current, and that a more robust electrical system would make them brighter? Or is that only if I also upgrade the bulb wattages, to compensate?

We use the trucks off road for work, and the trails are very dark, and...deer, etc, are a constant issue. One of my buddies just "upgraded" my headlights to HID bulbs when the OEM headlights were bashed in, but, they are horrible - Bright as all get out 55w units, but, the oem reflectors and the HID capsules don't have the same depth relationship as the OEM halogen bulbs, so the beam is not focused properly. I'm going back to OEM headlights this week. They were great off road, but, even on low beam, ridiculous ON the road...I taped a silver duct tape band across the bottom of the lamps to make a cut-off (Beam's upside down, so the bottom of the lamp cuts off the top of the beam.)

The truck is off the road for other repair work, so at least the stupid HID stuff can come out before someone gets blinded (The tape worked really well as a cut off, the pattern was pretty sharp, but, really, a taped light is ridiculous). - AND I'm sure NOT DOT approved. :D

So, this off road light will be to replace the function the HID's were SUPPOSED to address. It will be covered on the road of course.


I plan on some beam shots. I'm hoping it does provide close up light, as the stock 9007 system is anemic...and throw for 100 yards (well lit) will be enough. Its supposed to have enough spill to cover the sides.

I might use a Lux meter, albeit my experience with it thus far has been checking office and crawlspace service area lighting, etc....not outdoors. Any tips?

:D
 

AnAppleSnail

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I'm not sure what you mean about relays for stock lights, you mean cut into the harness to the stock headlights? That might be beyond my meager electrical skills.

It sounds like you feel the stock headlights are dimmer than they can be due to the losses in current, and that a more robust electrical system would make them brighter? Or is that only if I also upgrade the bulb wattages, to compensate?

:D

When I rebuilt my headlights, I did the following:

1. Make a 3-wire bundle to tie the headlamps to two relays and the (-) battery post. This has to connect 3 sets of 3 connections (Left lowbeam, right lowbeam, lowbeam relay; left highbeam, right highbeam, highbeam relay; left -, right -, negative post).
2. Splice that wire onto the headlamps' socket connector
3. Wire the old headlight power to the relay input
4. Include fuses!

How to do this on a Geo

The diagrams are more friendly to me than their wall of text.

The differences on your truck are basically going to be the wire lengths (3' for my little car) and maybe the fuse rating.

Schweinfeinerman's site has a report on the effects of voltage drop through crummy wiring and its effects on light output. Basically, filament output rises with voltage to the fourth power, so a small voltage drop hurts output.

I'm glad to hear that you plan to cover the lights when you don't use them. If you have some bright lights, consider duct-taping them to the hood or bumper as an informal test to see what beam patterns work...
 

TEEJ

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Thanks for the advice, I'll see what makes sense. I have the FSM for the rig, but I'm not an electrical guy. As the truck got hit by another truck (Another party's....their insurance), and its in for repairs anyway, I might see if the shop can do some re-wiring for me on the side while its in there. Steps 2's "That wire" was looking like 8 things from step 1, so I should not touch it, I'll fry something. :D



It sounds like the current flow goes like water through plumbing...so a small change in cross section can create a critical orifice, etc....that part makes sense.

Was thinking of upping the alternator as well, the rig has a winch and might need to run a converter to a pump, a welder, etc....probably the same principle would apply, battery to alternator run, plus the ground paths...or the extra juice would have trouble getting through and melt something.
 

-Virgil-

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Actually, DOT does not approve any vehicle equipment. The American regulations do not work on an approval basis. We have a "self-certification" system wherein the maker or importer of a piece of regulated vehicle equipment such as a light certifies that it meets all applicable provisions of all applicable regulations. Auxiliary lamps (fog lamps, "driving" lights which are more correctly called auxiliary high beam lamps, spot lights, etc.) are not Federally regulated. However, their design, construction, and performance is closely specified by SAE standards. These stipulate not only the beam performance, but also many aspects of construction including lens durability and vibration resistance, resistance to water and dirt entry, that kind of thing. "Bomb-proofness" is not part of the test. It's certainly arguable (and it's a winnable argument) that the SAE standard for plastic lens durability is not as stringent as it should be, but at least it's a more or less objective standard against which a component can be objectively assessed. This is one reason why lamps from reputable manufacturers, even those kinds of lamps that are not subject to Federal regulation, bear the relevant SAE markings. The other reason is that auxiliary lights on vehicles are subject to State regulation, and many states officially or informally require evidence of SAE compliance on all lighting devices -- even the ones that are not mandatory.

In the rest of the world (more or less), the European-derived ECE standards apply. The technical requirements are conceptually the same as those in the SAE standards, though they differ in detail, and these are based on an approval system wherein the maker of a regulated item submits it for testing and type-approval before it's allowed on sale.

Which is better, type-approval or self-certification? Probably type-approval, though it's possible to cheat under either system. Liability exposure is the force that tends to keep at least the reputable makers on the straight and narrow under the American self-certification system. If a device they have certified as compliant is tested and found not to be compliant, they are subject to government penalties. If that test comes as part of an investigation into a crash (or pattern of crashes), then they are subject to lawsuit. But if they don't make any such certification in the first place...why, they can't really be accused of false certification, can they!

Without evidence that a lamp has been tested to SAE and/or ECE standards, all you have to go on is the manufacturer's claim that it's an amazing, great, terrific, best-in-the-world, awesome lamp. And when the manufacturer or marketer seems disposed to make a bunch of claims that are easily dismissed as bogus and/or misleading, the wise would-be purchaser pauses and considers what else such an outfit might be lying about.
 

TEEJ

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So an SAE or ECE marking is what I should be looking for....gotcha.

They do list one standard, the IPF-68, and say it means its water (2 meters?) and dust resistant. They do give a lifetime warranty. The light's already shipped, and they said I can check it out, and if I don't like it, I can return it no questions asked. I wanted to test it, and see how it did/held up to abuse. In the context that it would be used, I'm not sure what liability would be in play if the light wasn't in conformance with standards that it doesn't legally need to be in compliance with, as its not the primary lighting system, or performing a critical path function, etc.

If it just stops working, or is not as bright as needed, etc, I can just return it....and/or just not buy another from them. If I never bought a product that had hype rather than hard facts in ads, I'd be living in a cave I think, so I always take the hyperbole with a box of salt anyway.

:D

I WILL however be looking a bit harder at its quality now that you have highlighted the potential issues.
 
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AnAppleSnail

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If it just stops working, or is not as bright as needed, etc, I can just return it....and/or just not buy another from them. If I never bought a product that had hype rather than hard facts in ads, I'd be living in a cave I think, so I always take the hyperbole with a box of salt anyway.

Do let us know how it works - I like lights. CPF is a great place to discuss all sorts of lights - we're just persnickety about road safety (Rightly so, I think!). I hope these light-cannons do well for your drivers on the off-road stuff. You might nudge the field guys about cops cracking down on unsafe lighting on the road, just in case someone is in a hurry to get home and forgets to cover the lights after a job.

IPF-68 is well and good, but my experience is that plastic housings shift or deform or something, after a while, and let dust and water in. It's a good sign that they state a warranty, but 'lifetime warranty' ranges from 'ship it to Hong Kong at your expense and wait 3 months' to a real no-hassle make-it-right policy. Have fun with it. I'm curious about its ability to maintain brightness as it warms up, and as it ages.
 

TEEJ

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I like experiments at least...and sure, in NJ, you really HAVE to keep off road lights covered, even if they are SAE stamped 55 watt Hella's, etc. They don't seem to enforce fog lights for some reason as far as covering, but driving lights, yes. In NY I once got a ticket for driving with my fog lights on "when it wasn't foggy enough"...even though the undulations in the road had pockets of denser fog periodically, etc ("Tell it to the judge"). That was for being on, not about being covered. :D

Roof lights seem to be targeted the most, but we don't use them because of overhead clearance issues, going with bumper mounted lights. :D
 

-Virgil-

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So an SAE or ECE marking is what I should be looking for....gotcha.

Yes.

They do list one standard, the IPF-68, and say it means its water (2 meters?) and dust resistant

IP-68 (not "IPF") refers to the degree of Ingress Protection. It's not an automotive lighting related standard, though water and dust ingress protection is fine and there's nothing to stop a manufacturer from asserting whatever degree of IP it thinks its lamps meet.

I'm not sure what liability would be in play if the light wasn't in conformance with standards that it doesn't legally need to be in compliance with, as its not the primary lighting system, or performing a critical path function, etc.

"Not the primary lighting system" and "Not performing a critical path function" don't necessarily mean no liability.

I'm not sure what you mean about relays for stock lights

Read this page.

One of my buddies just "upgraded" my headlights to HID bulbs when the OEM headlights were bashed in, but, they are horrible - Bright as all get out 55w units, but, the oem reflectors and the HID capsules don't have the same depth relationship as the OEM halogen bulbs, so the beam is not focused properly. I'm going back to OEM headlights this week

That's a smart decision. "HID kits" in halogen-bulb headlamps or fog/auxiliary lamps (any kit, any lamp, any vehicle no matter whether it's a car, truck, motorcycle, etc.) do not work safely or effectively, which is why they are illegal. See here.

For (true) off-road use, it sounds like the LED lamp(s) you bought will likely do at least an adequate job if they work as advertised. I have to think they're not very cost-effective for the driving conditions you describe, though, at $600+.
 
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-Virgil-

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Schweinfeinerman's site has a report on the effects of voltage drop through crummy wiring and its effects on light output.

It does? That's headline news to me...I don't have a website!

Basically, filament output rises with voltage to the fourth power

Close, but not quite right. Filament output (lumens) varies to the power 3.4, power consumption (wattage) varies to the power 1.6, and lifespan varies to the power -13 with voltage change. These exponents are approximate; they vary maybe 15% or so depending on the particulars of any given bulb design. There may be an exponent for filament luminance but I don't know it offhand.

It's worth paying attention to that lifespan exponent. Negative thirteen is an extreme influence. Most of us don't have enough light at night so it's worth trading off lifespan for the better beam performance that comes from extra light and luminance, even though it's a lopsided tradeoff. But in some cases (such as bulbs with very short rated lifespan) the reduction in lifespan can give rise to unreasonably short bulb replacement intervals.
 

AnAppleSnail

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It does? That's headline news to me...I don't have a website!
Ah, someone has such a page and they post here a lot. Is it the other car lighting person here? I couldn't find it googling around briefly

Close, but not quite right. Filament output (lumens) varies to the power 3.4, power consumption (wattage) varies to the power 1.6, and lifespan varies to the power -13 with voltage change. These exponents are approximate; they vary maybe 15% or so depending on the particulars of any given bulb design. There may be an exponent for filament luminance but I don't know it offhand.

It's worth paying attention to that lifespan exponent. Negative thirteen is an extreme influence. Most of us don't have enough light at night so it's worth trading off lifespan for the better beam performance that comes from extra light and luminance, even though it's a lopsided tradeoff. But in some cases (such as bulbs with very short rated lifespan) the reduction in lifespan can give rise to unreasonably short bulb replacement intervals.

Thank you for the clarification. I had headlights in my geo so old that the reflector on the back of the unit had worn off. Replacing those lamps was a great upgrade. Later, I found that I had yellowish and dim beams that were not very visible (Based on people attempting to merge onto me at night), and given the apparent lifespan of the previous bulbs I wasn't worried about upping the voltage. It's a good bet that they will go out sometime, but they have had much more effective performance since the upgrade.
 
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