Anyone using LED headlights?

[nocreditnodebt]

A very different outcome when a reflector/projector is designed around an LED light source by a OEM manufacturer.

Cannot compare such a headlight, to one into which one drops the best appearing aftermarket LED bulb whose marketing tickled their serotonin receptors and caused a 'click order' to be placed.

I get so irritated at the 'bro trucks' arond here with their LED drop ins which blind every single vehicle on the other side of the road, and have a horrible beam pattern which makes the 'bro' think he can see better with a bunch of warm and fuzzy pupil constricting foreground lighting.

It is the ultimate in arrogant ignorance.

[takeiteasy]

[Steve M.]

[Yellow Rabbit]

Has anyone tried Sylyania Zevo LED headlights? I'm considering these. I think they may be made by the same manufacturer as what Gowesty sells, but they are priced lower.

[thatvwbusguy]

The 7" round LED headlights from Sylvania, Peterson, GE and several other brands are all relabeled versions of the TruckLite 7" round technology. I tested a set of the GE NightHawk LED headlights a couple years back and found them to be good, but not great.

The reflector style LED headlights work well, but they don't offer the same performance as the projector lens styles like the JW Speaker 8700 Evolution 2.
_________________
Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

[ragnarhairybreeks]

I posted an update on my h4 led trial

https://shufti.blog/2017/02/12/vanagon-h4-led-bulb-update/

One of those lights shining on a wall and also down the road comparisons.

Not by any means a well done field comparison of the led and halogen bulbs, but good enough for you to get the idea.

Alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com

[IdahoDoug]

Hairy,

Interesting - thanks. Agree the beam pattern kinda falls apart with the LED bulb in the incandescent lamp. But worse - the high beams. If the photos mimic the observed appearance, it looks like the 100w conventional bulb kicks ass. The LED high beam also seems to sear the snow in front of it, which tells me it's going go cause a lot of very bright illumination right in front of the car on high beam - not good.

I'd love to see similar shots of a true LED lamp. Out in the garage I have a pair of audi PES low beams. I should investigate hiding them behind the grille or something. Great cutoff, and overall illumination. Just ugly!!
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[ragnarhairybreeks]

Doug,

I disagree with a couple of your points. I don't think the beam pattern is that bad. Yes, the halogen beam is very crisply defined, but the led ain't that far behind. And the near front glare on the snow isn't what you might think from the pics. In falling snow and snow packed roads I didn't find any problem.

It's always difficult to convey theses things with photos, you'll just have to believe me Doug

Today I played around with one led and one halogen a bit more. Some close up beam pattern experiments and some lectrical measurements. The electrical measurements were not done as well as they could have been, I used hand held meter instead of my bench top unit. The latter would have been more accurate ( what with the switching and reg circuitry in the led bulb).

That stuff is posted here

https://shufti.blog/2017/02/13/vanagon-beating-the-h4-led-subject-to-death/

The physical placement of the led elements on this bulb is, in my opinion, as good as you can get. On the long axis it's very comparable. But on the horizontal axis it's impossible (as far as I know) to get a surface mounted led in the same position, and radiating 360 degrees.

But you know, the light output for the low current draw is still very impressive.

Alistair

[Skidub]

I completed my LED headlight install today using the Sui-Tech 7" universal LED kit with DRL harness. Super easy install and pleased with the results. I figured for the price, $175, it was worth a shot compared to some other more expensive options. Pics and notes:

I removed, primed, and painted the GW bucket assembly that had a little rust and finish painted the light retainer trim ring:

Back side of light with connections: (red for DRL, yellow for flasher)

Adapter + Connections:

DRL Harness: (came with a spade on the end and needed a terminal, fixed that, and has a simple add-a-fuse connection...connected to fuse position 18 which is switched power on)

Putting It All Together:

I'm happy with the results and the lights are really bright. Makes the standard high beam light appear very yellow in comparison. I still need to make a little connector wire to route from the yellow wire with the spade on the back of the lights and t-tap it or splice it to my signal wires for amber halo operation. Anybody know what color wire to tap into on the front turn signal harness? Yellow?
_________________
86 Syncro GL Tin Top
Subaru 2.5L Swap
Rblt Transaxle w/ R Locker + Decoupler

[unibagel]

Looks great! I went with the Sunpie version from amazon.

What is the anti-flicker adapter for?

[takeiteasy]

Looks good!
_________________
'85 Weekender 1.9L

"With your past and your future precisely divided.
Am I at that moment? I haven't decided."

[Skidub]

I completed my turn signal halo connections last night. Works great. It took just 18 or so inches of 16GA wire with terminal connectors on each end.

I connected one terminal end on the turn signal spade on the back of the head light and then I ran the wire through the side marker bulb/housing boot, removed van the signal wire, put a piggy-back spade connector on the free spade (decided I didn't want to tap or splice the wire), then reinstalled the van turn signal wire and my new turn signal halo wire on the piggy-back terminal.

On my van, 86 Syncro tin-top, the signal wires were black/green on the passenger side and black/white on the drivers side. Confirmed first with a multimeter,

Interestingly, when the engine is on, but headlights are off, the DRL white halos are on as designed. When I flip the turn signal wand up or down the orange signal halo replaces the white DRL halo as designed. However, when I flip the signal wand off, it takes about two seconds for the white DRL to re-illuminate. I'll post up a video today or tomorrow.

I am wondering if the delay between turn signal halo off and DRL halo reactivation is some kind of voltage lag between switched power going fully off and constant power coming back on, use of my piggy-back set up, or maybe this is just normal for the Sui-Tech light operation. The halo function described does not affect headlight operation. When on, the headlights are on and experience no lag or drop in illumination.
_________________
86 Syncro GL Tin Top
Subaru 2.5L Swap
Rblt Transaxle w/ R Locker + Decoupler

[raoul mitgong]

Anyone have issues with snow build up with their LEDs?

I read that there was an issue with snow/slush build up due to the cooler glass up front. I also read that some new LEDs had a heating element built into the glass. Don't know what that adds to the price of these already spendy units.

-d
_________________
84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim))

[bajaleo]

[OB Rat]

JW Speaker 8700J's on the outside for both low and high beam. Insides are the stock high beam Hella's that I painted (3 coats lens yellow & 2 coats clear).

The JW Speaker's really are the best you can get, I believe. Developed for the US military, they are, not literally, bomb proof and will stand up to abuse more so than any other headlight out there.

[86scotty]

Skidub, thanks for the writeup and pics! You've pushed me over the edge.


_________________
86 Vanagon Westfalia 87k
1998 Ford E350 4x4 camper build
Vans flip flops

[bajaleo]

Any pictures of the installation process? Did you need new buckets? Do these have a DRL feature also?

[baltik]

OT what bumpers are these?

[OB Rat]

[quote="bajaleo"]Any pictures of the installation process? Did you need new buckets? Do these have a DRL feature also?


Sorry, no pics. The JW Speaker series (7") fit right into the standard round 7" buckets. Very easy to install. The only extra mod came at the connection. Mine, (the 8700 "J"), came with the H13 plug out of the back of the light. I needed the more common, 3 blade, H4 to just plug & play. You would need the adapter to do it right but I wasn't patient enough to order, wait and then install with those as I wanted the lights in for a little road trip. You'd want the H13 "female" and H4 "male." adapter, which are cheap and easy to find. I instead cut the plugs off each end and connected each of the 3 wires together with simple blade connectors. Took just a few extra minutes to do. The model I got do not provide DRL's, tho there are models that do.

I can't say enough good things about the JW Speaker 8700 series lights. Wether you go with the standard 8700 Evo 2 or the "J" like mine, you just can't go wrong.

[OB Rat]