Anyone use LEDs for your high beam?

[Skiime]

Hey, it's been a while since I've done much research on LEDs for headlight replacement bulbs. Has anyone swapped their high beams for LEDs? I'm not very happy with the output of the current halogen bulbs, so I'm wondering if LEDs are brighter? I've noticed two different types. Some have some sort of power converter, or something (not sure what the cable is for) connected to the bulb like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Stark-All---...8&qid=1466004762&sr=8-3&keywords=9005+led+kit

And there are other ones that are just the bulb:
https://www.amazon.com/LEDKINGDOMUS...UTF8&qid=1466097855&sr=1-19&keywords=9005+led

Do they have the same light distance? Should I just get a set of Silverstars and be done with it?

 

[Markuson]

Hey, it's been a while since I've done much research on LEDs for headlight replacement bulbs. Has anyone swapped their high beams for LEDs? I'm not very happy with the output of the current halogen bulbs, so I'm wondering if LEDs are brighter? I've noticed two different types. Some have some sort of power converter, or something (not sure what the cable is for) connected to the bulb like this:
Amazon.com: Stark All-in-One LED Headlight Conversion Kit - 80 Watt - 8,000 Lm - Cool White 6000K 6K - High Beam Bulbs - 9005 / HB3: Automotive

And there are other ones that are just the bulb:
Amazon.com: LEDKINGDOMUS 2 X 9005 80W 7000K Crystal Cool White Super Bright High Power HB3 LED bulbs Projector Lens DRL Fog 9145 9040 9140: Automotive

Do they have the same light distance? Should I just get a set of Silverstars and be done with it?

One problem with LEDs is that they are directional in nature, so their light is often not going to hit standard reflectors at all angles for maximum effect. I think there's a good chance you'll get weird, or only partial coverage if you just stick LEDs in the stock reflector... Perhaps others have tried this. I've got LEDs in my back-up light housing, and it is brighter...but the throw pattern is a little odd.

 

[T4Runner]

Unless the lights are DOT/SAE compliant for the intended purpose, they're not worth the hassle.

 

[Willy beamin]

I posted up in the 100 section a while back when I saw this conversation happening - maybe you can pull from it - not sure anyone was running high beams though - good info nonetheless
OPT7 LED Headlight Kit

 

[Chocolate]

Yes - I have a 2013 LX 570, I am running the Opt7 kits in the high beams and fogs.

Here's a link to the retrofit I did before in my previous ES:

2004 Lexus ES 330 Quad Projector Upgrade: 2x D2S Xenon 35W + 2x LED 30W - Club Lexus Forums

I transferred the 9005s in the fogs of the ES into the high beams in the LX, and bought another H11 kit for the fogs. They are great, 3500 lumens each, no high voltage required, built in aluminum cooling fins and it even works when wet.



The LED kit overpowers the D2S Xenon.

 

[AL LC2013]

Unless the lights are DOT/SAE compliant for the intended purpose, they're not worth the hassle.

I think this is spot on.

I've tried both the opt7 led and mtec 9005 led in a 2013 for high beam/drl. They just don't work well with the headlight design.

The opt7 had a high frequency strobing in drl mode with the low voltage. The mtecs didn't strobe but doesn't have a nice cutoff pattern. Here is a photo with the mtec. I've not been high beamed by others with then on.

I'm going back to halogen.

 

[Chocolate]

It is highly variable depending on application. In the high beam projectors, they are brighter, though the beam pattern isn't quite as good - but they match the low beam color temperature much better.

The DRL function of low power to the 9005 highs is an annoying Toyota trait I had on the ES 330 and causes strobing when supplied with low power. It just means you cannot use the "dash" position on the lights on some of these vehicles, which was really no big deal to me in the ES. In the LX, the dash position does not engage the high beam at all. They could have just used the 194 parking lights (which are easily converted to LED) or LED drls depending on application.

The fogs are a different story - far superior light to the stock bulb in intensity and reach and they run much cooler. I already had the 9005s and considering how rarely I use the highs I might skip them in this application but the H11 fogs are definitely worth the 100 bucks for me.

 

[ceb]

I hope I don't come off like my usual NHTSA nazi self but lighting is something you really don't approach because of aesthetics. There is a reason why manufacturers use HID low beams and halogen high beams and are slow to adopt LED lighting because it all revolves around how the brain processes light. Manufacturers understand this but the aftermarket is just concerned with throwing anything together so that the color temp of the high beams matches the lows - but the actual beam pattern is immaterial.

As an example, low beams leave an area directly in front of the car dark. The reason for this is that the brain draws the eyes to the brightest area. While leaving this area dark, the eyes are drawn farther down the road - where they need to be.

Fogs fill in that area because they should only be used at very low speeds and because you need to see what is directly in front and to the side of the car.

LEDs are a whole different ball of wax. As others have said, LED emitters are directional and require a special housing to work prperly and develop a proper beam pattern. AFAIK, only MB has designed a proper LED fog light - no aftermarket has.

If anybody is bored, you might want to read this Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply and this Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

Although this discussed HIDs, LEDs just compound the issues because they are yet another "bulb" design.

 

[Chocolate]

I read both your links. A few points:

Toyota is using LED for both the high beam and low beam in the 2016 LC; and the 2016 LX is full LED plus a set of pointless, "just for looks" tiny fog lights.

Bright blue light is bad for your eyes in terms of long exposure - I have known that and there is data on this. So that is definitely true. Red light, as you may have heard, is better for preserving night vision.

Some say you don't want too much light in the foreground. This is pure bollocks in my opinion - with four sources of light, I have more light on the road, and I can see further down the road with an extra 7000 lumens total.

Please check out JVX Driver's Retrofit here:

Lexus IS250 Foglight Retrofit

I have no beam pattern issues with my fog reflectors - the bulbs fire to the side and illuminate the entire reflector. Check the photos and see which lets you see more of and further down the road.

 

[ceb]

That foglight photo is awful. Your eye is drawn to the ultra bright glare in the foreground and your distance vision is shot.

Manufacturers spend millions in developing lighting units that work (including the LED lights) but the aftermarket throws a couple of emitters together, solders on a couple of resistors and glues on a heatsink and calls it a day, counting on the average consumer in believing that brighter is better. That isn't always the case.

 

[Chocolate]

I guess we have to disagree here, the black car in the distance is easier to see and any people or objects on the other side of the street will be easier to see.

 

[Markuson]

I would just say that I'd prefer to have my brightest illumination pointed toward distant objects...NOT in the foreground.

Foreground brightness is problematic because it shrinks your pupil. That it impedes your ability to detect light in other areas is not a matter of opinion. When you shrink your pupils, it's only helpful if there is sufficient light cast on the scene you most need to see. Just like a camera lens, it's easier to focus smaller apertures (or pupils) but only if there is sufficient light to detect contrast.

Driving at full speed means you need to detect distance objects. If you wait until try hit those over-bright fogs, it's too late...and too bright a foreground means it's harder to detect the contrast required to recognize objects.

Eye-black warn by athletes is worn for the same reason: Bright reflections off your cheeks reduce your distance vision because it's creating glare, and glare is basically brightness that reduces your ability to detect objects in the rest of your field of view.

In other words... You want a consistent light, rather than bright regions--especially worth avoiding in the foreground.

My 2 cents.

PS. Edit...
This is the same reason you have yo make sure your roof-mounted lights don't blast a light-colored hood...because it creates glare. I think we would all agree an over-lit hood hurts your distance visibility. A foreground that's too bright is just another case of too much light on your "hood."

 

[Chocolate]

I'll keep my extra lumens 8)

No light bar required.

 

[Markuson]

I'll keep my extra lumens 8)

No light bar required.

I like my lumens too. Just saying it matters where they're aimed.

 

[Chocolate]

I will see if I can post a video sometime.

My goal is to see people, objects, or deer as far down the road as reasonably possible.

 

[Chocolate]

Check out the left side of the street.

 

[ceb]

I would just say that I'd prefer to have my brightest illumination pointed toward distant objects...NOT in the foreground.

Foreground brightness is problematic because it shrinks your pupil. That it impedes your ability to detect light in other areas is not a matter of opinion. When you shrink your pupils, it's only helpful if there is sufficient light cast on the scene you most need to see. Just like a camera lens, it's easier to focus smaller apertures (or pupils) but only if there is sufficient light to detect contrast.

Driving at full speed means you need to detect distance objects. If you wait until try hit those over-bright fogs, it's too late...and too bright a foreground means it's harder to detect the contrast required to recognize objects.

Eye-black warn by athletes is worn for the same reason: Bright reflections off your cheeks reduce your distance vision because it's creating glare, and glare is basically brightness that reduces your ability to detect objects in the rest of your field of view.

In other words... You want a consistent light, rather than bright regions--especially worth avoiding in the foreground.

My 2 cents.

PS. Edit...
This is the same reason you have yo make sure your roof-mounted lights don't blast a light-colored hood...because it creates glare. I think we would all agree an over-lit hood hurts your distance visibility. A foreground that's too bright is just another case of too much light on your "hood."

Bingo. Looking at a static picture and picking out specific items is fine (and yes, the black car is illuminated slightly better) but taking a quick look at the picture gives you a great view of those two oil spots on the ground directly in front of the car. Every time I look at that picture I see the oil spots and need to spend a few seconds pulling my eyes away from that spot to see the black car.

The "install" that Chocolate linked to is equally informative. It involves tin snips to create a cut-off shield, grinding away at the housing to make the bulb fit and a party balloon - all professionally designed to give real accurate aiming, cut-off and the balloon provides real moisture protection because we know that party balloons are high quality and will hold up when frozen and heated.

The average consumer equates any additional brightness as "better". They don't understand about glare or how the brain works. That specifically is how the aftermarket survives - by selling blatantly illegal (headlighting) and marginally legal (fog lights - merely because they are poorly regulated) lighting to a group of people that are trying to do the right thing (improve visibility) but fall for the hype and end up with a system that dangerously degrades their visibility.

Unfortunately, once you've paid good money for something that you think will improve your visibility, you become very vocal and will vehemently defend your purchase.

 

[Chocolate]

I'm just an "average consumer," if only I could understand how light works, light distribution and beam patterns. I just have to defend my purchase because that's what I care about, not the distance lighting and width.

The guy's custom install? Hate on his party balloon "gasket" all you like LOL. That IS ratchety as hell and not how I would seal it.

Remember, OEMs only specify the best equipment for everything, that's why you should keep your vehicle 100% stock for best performance.

So I appreciate your write up, but what about the left side of the street? Pretty substantial difference there - one you can see nothing, the other has the other side of the street and any people, animals, or objects in it illuminated.

I understand the concept of foreground lighting POTENTIALLY limiting distance vision, but comparing low beams only and low beams plus ~7000 lumens of extra light, the extra distance lighting improves how far I can see down the road and the width as well. I can see this discussion going back and forth forever - go with what you like.

 

[ceb]

I'm just an "average consumer," if only I could understand how light works, light distribution and beam patterns. I just have to defend my purchase because that's what I care about, not the distance lighting and width.

The guy's custom install? Hate on his party balloon "gasket" all you like LOL. That IS ratchety as hell and not how I would seal it.

Remember, OEMs only specify the best equipment for everything, that's why you should keep your vehicle 100% stock for best performance.

So I appreciate your write up, but what about the left side of the street? Pretty substantial difference there - one you can see nothing, the other has the other side of the street and any people, animals, or objects in it illuminated.

I understand the concept of foreground lighting POTENTIALLY limiting distance vision, but comparing low beams only and low beams plus ~7000 lumens of extra light, the extra distance lighting improves how far I can see down the road and the width as well. I can see this discussion going back and forth forever - go with what you like.

Clearly, many things on a car are a compromise of cost, reliability, fuel economy and so forth but in general, they've gotten things like air intakes and lighting right.

Lighting is strictly regulated in North America and Europe so manufacturers spend lots of money on research getting it right - keeping beam patterns, output and longevity in sync. The aftermarket can't come close to that.

 

[Markuson]

Not really just driving. Just basics of glare.

Do more lumens always help? Not if poorly directed.

Mountaineers wear these to block out problematic "lumens":

Photographers add these to reduce glare from peripheral "lumens":

Drivers add these because light reflecting off their hoods reduces contrast perception:

Polarized sunglasses=same goal. Reduce the visibility of certain directional light you see more contrast/detail.

This guy has a glare problem from his hood & over-lit foreground.

Hollywood blasts light in space suit helmets so you can see the actors, but you'd never want lights on your face in space or under water....

Still not convinced?

-Shine a flashlight in your eyes at night.
More lumens always better, right?

hehe