Bad Idea-LED headlights?

[SleepingWRX]

Ok I was just thinking about this the other day...LEDs can be pretty f'n bright...is there any company out there that makes LED headlights/bulbs? Would it be possible to have led headlights? I tried searching around the net a bit and only found foglights and taillights. I would do anything to have some better lighting on my WRX.(the stock stuff is so dim I may as well have a flashlight strapped to the hood)

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[Spicy McHaggiz]

I've heard that some companies have been experimenting with the concept, but its not very common.

 

[AlmightyBirdman]

I've heard that some companies have been experimenting with the concept, but its not very common.

x2 they experimented it on one of the new Lexus models iirc. But I don't think that LED lights extend very far. I've seen people with LED fogs and the light output is worse than a stock light output would be.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

get some HID's. they are cheap on ebay. your headlight capsules arent designed for them but overall its much better light output.

i bet the grand prix's are still worse...

 

[Stink Star]

early 2000's infiniti Q45's had an array of 7 LED's in each headlamp... worked really well but it was quite expensive

i also remember from school there was an idea being tossed around about using a single LED light inside the car and routing it to each headlight using fiber optics.

 

[Bru]

The 2009 Escalade has LED headlights on the platinum package only

 

[SaturdaysGS]

early 2000's infiniti Q45's had an array of 7 LED's in each headlamp... worked really well but it was quite expensive

i also remember from school there was an idea being tossed around about using a single LED light inside the car and routing it to each headlight using fiber optics.

Those arent LED's, thats actually 7 little projectors (the all aim to one focal point) with one HID bulb. Ive seen people retrofit that Gatlin Gun look-a-like into other cars. Cool, but the light out put is no better than a few other OEM projectors.

 

[Stink Star]

Those arent LED's, thats actually 7 little projectors (the all aim to one focal point) with one HID bulb. Ive seen people retrofit that Gatlin Gun look-a-like into other cars. Cool, but the light out put is no better than a few other OEM projectors.

really? ive always heard that they were LED's and i thought they made a big stink about it back in the day, thats why i remembered it. either way, those new Caddy headlights are tits!

 

[Bru]

 

[syP]

LEDs have no distance.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

LEDs have no distance.

exactly

 

[Stink Star]

LEDs have no distance.

you are probally right, but thats why they use a specially designed lens to focus the beam.. im sure if you just did a retro it would work like shit, but if the entire unit was designed with using the LED in mind, the end product would overcome this hurdle

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

i could see it if they used a specialized lens.... but you have to remember it will generate alot of heat because the size of the led would have to be enourmous

 

[Bru]

The Lexus LED headlights on the LS600h uses three LED projectors on each side for low beams, instead of one giant one.

 

[Burtonrider10022]

LED is very cool burning

 

[Stink Star]

i could see it if they used a specialized lens.... but you have to remember it will generate alot of heat because the size of the led would have to be enourmous

except for the fact that LED's dont produce heat....

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

except for the fact that LED's dont produce heat....

that is actually a myth unless using infrared

http://www.ledsmagazine.com/features/2/5/8

The energy consumed by a 100-watt GLS incandescent bulb produces around 12% heat, 83% IR and only 5% visible light. In contrast, a typical LED might produce15% visible light and 85% heat.

Especially with high-power LEDs, it is essential to remove this heat through efficient thermal management. Without good heat sinking, the internal (junction) temperature of the LED rises, and this causes the LED characteristics to change.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

if youve ever touched a led it gets hot, really hot

 

[Stink Star]

that is honestly news to me... whatever the case, they still produce the same amount of light using drastically less energy

 

[Burtonrider10022]

what about police LED lights... those go really far!

 

[Mickey]

I find it incredibly hard to believe that an LED could cause such high heat considering it is hardly a load and draws VERY small amounts of amperage. I have also never heard of an LED being hot. That doesn't really mean anything though. There are lots of things I don't know.

 

[SleepingWRX]

what about police LED lights... those go really far!

That's kinda why I got the idea. I have a blue light(firefighter) and it's one hella bright LED light. I didn't know if it had been done, I was checking if it was possible. We have a command vehicle that has a large LED lightbar and that thing puts out a shit ton of light...I should just strap some huge spotlights to the front of the WRX rally style:rollpicard:

 

[10sec]

I made some out of a 10 watt l.e.d. with lexus projector fog lights. They looked pretty cool but even with 10 watts they just weren't bright enough. Whats this heat thing all about?? I have touched plenty of high power l.e.d.'s with my fingers and yes they were warm, have you ever touched a halogen light??? That is hot, an l.e.d. is considerably cooler than that hands down, thus making them NOT hot.

 

[Burtonrider10022]

lol, thus making silentD wrong.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

how am i wrong, read the website i posted genius