Still no affordable LED headlight units available?

LED lights have become a lot cheaper over the last few years. I remember they were madly expensive just 4-5 years ago, and then a few days ago I picked up a pair of LED fogs for fiddy bucks.

So why, it seems, are there no good LED headlights similar to the GE Nighthawk or Philips LED01X1 available for, say, under a Benjamin per unit? I know you can get cheapo LED H4 bulbs, stick them in a regular housing and blind all oncoming drivers, but is the hardware needed to shield the bulbs properly really so expensive? One of these things costs more than a bigass LED bar.

What blinding cheapo LED H4 bulbs? I tried some a year or two ago and they were not as bright as a regular bulb.

The headlight housing itself cost money. Say, $60 each, as that's what a nice aftermarket 7" headlight housing runs on Amazon. Then there's the very high power LED, then there's the cooling fins/assembly associated with it. All that costs money. Truck Light has good stuff and is about as cheap as you're going to get right now. Not sure if they have 5.25" yet.

There is some stuff out there...

ADVmonster bulb

I don't know how bright it is compared to an incandescent bulb, and I'd imagine it has the same problem as HID retrofit kits, where there is a lot of glare for oncoming drivers.

Keeping a powerful LED and it's driver circuit cool inside a sealed housing that wasn't designed for it or to properly focus the beam is a similar problem to what people faced trying to covert regular halogens to projectors on BMW's so they could get the glowing rings back in the 90s. They just don't work all that well at lighting for what they cost.

Now, I picked up some 3600 lumen (each) LED off-road spots in their own sealed housings and holeee hell do they turn day into night. If you really just need light - buy some externals. They make them in all shapes from big squares to 1", 2", 3"... etc cylinders and also nice thin light bars you could discreetly mount atop the bumper or roof.

I see plenty of affordable LED headlights for sale. Online and at the swap meets.

Now, as for good LED headlights, that actually throw visible light down the road in a useful manner, that's a different story.

Ah ok, here are the Truck-lite units, available at the upper bound of what I'd call a reasonable price for now:

http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Headlamp/dp/B007K8AA7I

There are some Cree H4 LEDs available now which are VERY bright:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Brights-All--Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00PF0HIDM

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Also, make sure you are comparing them based on lumens and not wattage. All wattage tells you is how much energy it takes to operate. It's great for sizing the wiring and fuse but not for estimating value. You are concerned with how much light you get for that energy. I can make a lamp that provides zero lumens at thousands of watts :)

If there are no published lumen values then just move along - they are more than likely junk.

For my Samurai, cutting down wattage is a big part of the benefit! LEDs put far less load on the wimpy stock alternator and will free up more power for a compressor or winch with an upgraded one.

I've got two sets of Nighthawks and a bunch of cars with various upgraded 7" halogens. Love those LEDs.

As for price - not everything has to be $8.99 on eBay. They're less expensive than a replacement factory light and they really work well. They're engineered to last a long, long time (I think they have a 30k hour guarantee) so it's quite possible that there's a bit more care in the making than there is of the cheapo stuff.

That said, I've been told by a GE employee that the a Nighthawk is going away due to low volume. Hopefully that won't affect the Trucklite, as they appear to be identical and probably pop off the same production line.

GameboyRMH wrote: For my Samurai, cutting down wattage is a big part of the benefit! LEDs put far less load on the wimpy stock alternator and will free up more power for a compressor or winch with an upgraded one.

A Samurai? Butch it up with one of these on the roof rack! http://www.amazon.com/Tuff-Stuff-Performance-Light-Led-240W-15/dp/B00BF2V8ZS/ref=pd_sbs_auto_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=131WPTXMX6YJQR8R7F2Z

I'm skeptical of the 15000 lumens but for $88? Obviously... you can only hit the switch when no one is coming the other way but I'm pretty sure you could also wire up a PWM dimmer circuit if you wanted to use them at 10% as DRL/make-up light mounted between the headlights. That is what I do on my bike. 10% all the time, 100% with the high beam switch.

GameboyRMH wrote: Ah ok, here are the Truck-lite units, available at the upper bound of what I'd call a reasonable price for now: http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Headlamp/dp/B007K8AA7I There are some Cree H4 LEDs available now which are VERY bright: http://www.amazon.com/New-Brights-All--Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00PF0HIDM

Would the H4s work in a halogen housing/reflector without blinding everyone? I'm not sure i understand the practical difference between these and HIDs.

Swank Force One wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Ah ok, here are the Truck-lite units, available at the upper bound of what I'd call a reasonable price for now: http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Headlamp/dp/B007K8AA7I There are some Cree H4 LEDs available now which are VERY bright: http://www.amazon.com/New-Brights-All--Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00PF0HIDM

Would the H4s work in a halogen housing/reflector without blinding everyone? I'm not sure i understand the practical difference between these and HIDs.

Putting LEDs in a halogen housing is pretty much the same thing as a ghetto HID conversion...except it uses less power.

GameboyRMH wrote: For my Samurai, cutting down wattage is a big part of the benefit! LEDs put far less load on the wimpy stock alternator and will free up more power for a compressor or winch with an upgraded one.

Or it probably just makes more sense to upgrade your alternator instead of inconsequential differences in light bulbs.....

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: For my Samurai, cutting down wattage is a big part of the benefit! LEDs put far less load on the wimpy stock alternator and will free up more power for a compressor or winch with an upgraded one.

A Samurai? Butch it up with one of these on the roof rack! http://www.amazon.com/Tuff-Stuff-Performance-Light-Led-240W-15/dp/B00BF2V8ZS/ref=pd_sbs_auto_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=131WPTXMX6YJQR8R7F2Z

I thought about one of those before ordering the 6-led fogs, but there are a few problems:

1. Arr, they be a bit hard to stow in the hidden compartments, matey!
2. When I hit a hanging branch with that thing at speed, will the top edge of the Samurai's folding roof support the impact? I doubt it...
3. Roof-mounted weight is one of the worst kinds of weight, right up there with unsprung weight.
4. I'd have hood glare problems with the current hood paint.
5. I'm already pushing the accident replacement budget with the fogs I ordered.

(Here's what happened to the old fogs, and where the new ones will go)

gearheadE30 wrote: There is some stuff out there... ADVmonster bulb I don't know how bright it is compared to an incandescent bulb, and I'd imagine it has the same problem as HID retrofit kits, where there is a lot of glare for oncoming drivers.

I have one of their lights, the quality is suspect at best. The heat sink isn't actually attached to anything other than the screw on rear of the housing. Very little direct contact.

GameboyRMH wrote:

Swank Force One wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Ah ok, here are the Truck-lite units, available at the upper bound of what I'd call a reasonable price for now: http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Headlamp/dp/B007K8AA7I There are some Cree H4 LEDs available now which are VERY bright: http://www.amazon.com/New-Brights-All--Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00PF0HIDM

Would the H4s work in a halogen housing/reflector without blinding everyone? I'm not sure i understand the practical difference between these and HIDs.

Putting LEDs in a halogen housing is pretty much the same thing as a ghetto HID conversion...except it uses less power.

So don't do it, got it. Thanks!

yamaha wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: For my Samurai, cutting down wattage is a big part of the benefit! LEDs put far less load on the wimpy stock alternator and will free up more power for a compressor or winch with an upgraded one.

Or it probably just makes more sense to upgrade your alternator instead of inconsequential differences in light bulbs.....

Inconsequential? We're talking about 110W in foglights vs. 36W (with a big upgrade in light output too!), and the savings from headlights would be even bigger. Not inconsequential, especially with a sad little alternator that realistically puts out 30A before the lights start to dim.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Upgrade it then, I'd really hate to see how E36 M3ty a winch would operate if your current alternator cannot provide for silly incandescent lights....

Swank Force One wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote:

Swank Force One wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Ah ok, here are the Truck-lite units, available at the upper bound of what I'd call a reasonable price for now: http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Headlamp/dp/B007K8AA7I There are some Cree H4 LEDs available now which are VERY bright: http://www.amazon.com/New-Brights-All--Headlight-Conversion/dp/B00PF0HIDM

Would the H4s work in a halogen housing/reflector without blinding everyone? I'm not sure i understand the practical difference between these and HIDs.

Putting LEDs in a halogen housing is pretty much the same thing as a ghetto HID conversion...except it uses less power.

So don't do it, got it. Thanks!

And this precisely. +1 swanky one, +1

I do need to upgrade it, but I have to fabricate a new alternator support bracket, and for that I'll have to borrow a spare engine block...so it'll have to wait until I have the time (and money) for all that.

The Trucklites are great. I have one on my bike and it was a big improvement over the H4. Draws around 35 watts, if I recall. I have the exact current draw somewhere, or use your strong google-fu and find where I posted it. Hint: Site:HDForums.com

30w low, 54w high:

http://www.hdforums.com/forum/touring-models/352089-led-headlamp.html

That was off of the tech sheet.

Here's the actual measurements (taken off a battery direct to the bulbs through an DVM): http://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-classic-models/864359-stereo-amp-and-led-headlights.html

Bulb Amps
55W/60W H4 Low 4.22
7" Truck Lite LED Low 1.49

55W/60W H4 Hi 4.66
7" Truck Lite LED Hi 3.27

Incadescent Spot 2.3
Truck Lite LED Spot 0.75
(multiply by 2 for both spots)

35W/35W H4 Low 2.6
HD DayMaker 5-3/4" Low 1.8

35W/35W H4 Hi 2.6
HD DayMaker 5-3/4" Hi 1.8

so the Trucklite 7" measured is closer to 20W low, 45W high.

iadr wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: I do need to upgrade it, but I have to fabricate a new alternator support bracket, and for that I'll have to borrow a spare engine block...so it'll have to wait until I have the time (and money) for all that.

Direct replacement 120 amp (or 90 amp) bolts on your vehicle. I have bought from him and got great service: http://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_312/Suzuki-Samurai.htm install relays and run 90/130 H4's off the output of the alternator. What night turn to daylight. Move on. It's just money. :)

That is a sweet deal and I would totally go for it, but "just money" doesn't compute for me. First, I have to pay roughly double retail price when importing car parts legally due to duties and shipping. Second, I don't make first-world money.

And finally, I've already collected most of the parts to swap in a Mazda BJ alternator, which has the same mounting pattern as the GM alternators people usually swap in.

If the BP alt works, so does a 110a Millenia alt.