LED Headlight from Truck-Lite?

[Flipside]

Looks like it could be interesting... Link to mfg site.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

eh, interesting concept, works like junk.

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=453008

looks like luxeon k2

 

[Mightyquinn]

We have these on almost all our HUMVEE's and HEMETT vehichles which are 24v systems. They are FAR better than the standard headlights that were in there. They have a very good beam pattern and pretty good throw! I think they cost the Army like $230 a piece.

 

[LukeA]

We have these on almost all our HUMVEE's and HEMETT vehichles which are 24v systems. They are FAR better than the standard headlights that were in there. They have a very good beam pattern and pretty good throw! I think they cost the Army like $230 a piece.

Mind if I ask how they hold up under the desert heat?

And are they ever used during the day?

 

[Mightyquinn]

They hold up quite well in the heat over here haven't had any problems with them nor have I heard anything bad about them either. Everyone wants a set on their vehicles. They do use them during the day but it is more like they have to have them on when the vehicle is on.

 

[LukeA]

They hold up quite well in the heat over here haven't had any problems with them nor have I heard anything bad about them either. Everyone wants a set on their vehicles. They do use them during the day but it is more like they have to have them on when the vehicle is on.

Thanks!

 

[LEDobsession]

I saw these awhile back and I never could figure out where to buy them. I wish they made them in 5 3/4" so I could put them in my 68 Chevelle. Anyone know where you can buy these?

 

[JeepGal]

I have also been hearing alot of buzz about these LED Headlamps...so I thought I'd check directly with the manufacturer. After speaking with someone in their Marketing Department, I was given a flyer with features and benefits - pretty impressive compared to halogen! I was also directed to the distributor search on their website. I found a NAPA store nearby and purchased a pair of the lamps for my 2008 Jeep Wrangler...they look incredible! I would recommend everyone check these out....they are worth my investment!

 

[Flipside]

NAPA?! Sounds spendy... What was their sell price?

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

are you guys serious? ok, if you can post beamshots to prove me wrong, go ahead, but these things are nothing more than a few LEDs at spot and a few LEDs with a wide-angle optic. Nothing special. You could make one yourself that would perform way better. Does my link not work or something? If you need to register before it will let you view the thread, tell me, I will ask to rehost the pics and post them here when I do, but you can't look at those pictures and say that these things are amazing or anything like that.

Now, I can see MightyQuinn's point since he probably sees a lot of flat terrain with straight roads where he is, and in that case, these lights will excell with that tight pencil-beam hotspot.

 

[Flipside]

are you guys serious? ok, if you can post beamshots to prove me wrong, go ahead, but these things are nothing more than a few LEDs at spot and a few LEDs with a wide-angle optic. Nothing special. You could make one yourself that would perform way better. Does my link not work or something? If you need to register before it will let you view the thread, tell me, I will ask to rehost the pics and post them here when I do, but you can't look at those pictures and say that these things are amazing or anything like that.

Now, I can see MightyQuinn's point since he probably sees a lot of flat terrain with straight roads where he is, and in that case, these lights will excell with that tight pencil-beam hotspot.

Consider yourself informed...

 

[Vinniec5]

LEDobsession what lights do you have in there now? I have a 70 with the 4-light system you have he same right? I hope you don't have T-3's in there

 

[-Virgil-]

Previous (very detailed) thread on these lamps here. If you've just got to have have LED headlamps because they're cool (which they are), and you can afford the $300 to $400 each, then buy these. They perform okay, not great. They are still outperformed by well-made conventional headlamps...that is, a $20 H6024NH GE NightHawk sealed beam gives objectively better beam performance. This LED headlamp was designed, photometrically, to replace the 24-volt military 7" round sealed beam, which has awful photometrics, much worse than even the nastiest 12v unit. A few more years of LED revisions and optic evolution are needed before LED headlamps fulfill the promise of better-than-standard
performance with lower-than-standard power consumption. Also, this headlamp has a polycarbonate lens. Those haven't ever held up well in the long haul in automotive headlamp lens service — raise your hand if you can't think of a car model with costly major-brand OE polycarbonate headlamps that nevertheless age fast and badly — so we have here an expensive headlamp with a "forever" light source and an age-prone, non-replaceable lens. The military doesn't care about cost of replacement headlamps! A year's service out of a polycarbonate lens is more than adequate as far as the military is concerned.

Then there is the fact that we're dealing with a multiple-emitter headlamp here. Multiple emitters w/multiple optics to create the different parts of the beam work fine when everything's aligned as it's meant to be, but if the various components are out of alignment — almost certainly the case in a mass-market, mass-produced lamp at this price point at this time — the beam formation and focus go all to hell. Two or three months ago, one of Truck-Lite's engineers told me this product is on optical revision 6.2 and would continue to improve. That kind of statement bears listening between the lines.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

Here is the post from HIDP, with pics rehosted.:

Here they are on my vehicle.... Just some teaser shots for you.... Camera was put on the same manual exposure setting & white balance for the photos.

Hella E-code, upgraded wiring harness (12 gauge w/ dual relays, fuse, etc.), and 170/100 watt IPF bulb versus the LED headlight:

Low:

High:

Beam shots...

Low:

High:

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=462960

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

That isn't all that great looking, imo.

This is what a beam pattern should look like:

 

[LEDobsession]

LEDobsession what lights do you have in there now? I have a 70 with the 4-light system you have he same right? I hope you don't have T-3's in there

Currently, there are no headlights in it. (I think there where T-3's in it when I hauled it home.) Its sitting in my dads shop back home. Still just a work in progress, but I want to use LEDs for all my lighting in the car. Yes, it uses the same 4 lights for the Chevelle up to '70. The '71 and '72 (beyond that, I don't care because thats when the Chevelle, ahem, died.) use a 7" lamp.

Previous (very detailed) thread on these lamps here. If you've just got to have have LED headlamps because they're cool (which they are), and you can afford the $300 to $400 each, then buy these. They perform okay, not great. They are still outperformed by well-made conventional headlamps...that is, a $20 H6024NH GE NightHawk sealed beam gives objectively better beam performance. This LED headlamp was designed, photometrically, to replace the 24-volt military 7" round sealed beam, which has awful photometrics, much worse than even the nastiest 12v unit. A few more years of LED revisions and optic evolution are needed before LED headlamps fulfill the promise of better-than-standard
performance with lower-than-standard power consumption. Also, this headlamp has a polycarbonate lens. Those haven't ever held up well in the long haul in automotive headlamp lens service — raise your hand if you can't think of a car model with costly major-brand OE polycarbonate headlamps that nevertheless age fast and badly — so we have here an expensive headlamp with a "forever" light source and an age-prone, non-replaceable lens. The military doesn't care about cost of replacement headlamps! A year's service out of a polycarbonate lens is more than adequate as far as the military is concerned.

Then there is the fact that we're dealing with a multiple-emitter headlamp here. Multiple emitters w/multiple optics to create the different parts of the beam work fine when everything's aligned as it's meant to be, but if the various components are out of alignment — almost certainly the case in a mass-market, mass-produced lamp at this price point at this time — the beam formation and focus go all to hell. Two or three months ago, one of Truck-Lite's engineers told me this product is on optical revision 6.2 and would continue to improve. That kind of statement bears listening between the lines.

Thanks for straightening that up. Im glad we have some people here on this forum that go through things very well and know what they're talking about. :twothumbs

 

[Vinniec5]

Hella makes replacement headlamps with H1/H4 removable bulbs. take a look on their site and see if you can find something. I've used them since the 80's on different cars i've owned always happy with Hella stuff. From what i've seen and read here LEDs just dont seem ready for headlights yet soon but not yet

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

That isn't all that great looking, imo.

This is what a beam pattern should look like, LED headlamps from LS600h:

 

[Flipside]

Thanks for the pics! Just getting back from a trip to Ohio (Wright Patterson) and Indiana (Badlands)...

While the LED lights certainly do look 'whiter', the beam pattern looks to be biased to the throw end of the spectrum. Not yet ready for prime time in my rig - also a Jeep. Thanks again.

 

[johnnyscolex]

I have a set of modified 24 v led headlights in my 66 nova I used to have the old t3s in it and ive been driving the military 7 inch 24 volt halogens for close to 8 years( I drive a humvee in the army) The led headlights produce a brighter and more consistant light source than the military version of the halogen bulb it outperforms the halogen lights in my s 10 which i replaced last year. The Led headlights in my opinion are far superior not just because of candlepower but it illuminates a greater area with more light. My reason for buying and installing these headlights where mainly because i had seen them in use and at the time there where no 12 v counterparts available.