Has anyone ever tried LED headlights?

[YarisSedan]

I have heard mixed reviews about them that the light output is very low compared to a typical halogen.

Something like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-H4-Lens-DC-10v-24v-7-5W-High-Power-Car-LED-Light-Lamp-Headlight-Fog-Light-/271165676543?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f22bbdbff&vxp=mtr

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Yeah, I wouldn't bother. You're going to hate yourself for buying those once night hits. I'd reserve LEDs for DRL's (none in the sedan) and turn signals if just swapping bulbs.

[YarisSedan]

Yeah i know about 5 years ago led bulbs used to be the craze but id think technology has improved since then. Led output has been getting better at least on the flashlight market. Lot of the stuff is made in china anyways. Its hard to believe a 7.5watt led bulb can produce the same light output as a halogen bulb.

[fnkngrv]

lumens and distance of projection are not things that go hand in hand unfortunately in this case.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Yeah i know about 5 years ago led bulbs used to be the craze but id think technology has improved since then. Led output has been getting better at least on the flashlight market. Lot of the stuff is made in china anyways. Its hard to believe a 7.5watt led bulb can produce the same light output as a halogen bulb.

They may be bright in terms of luments (I have some LED flash lights that are as bright, if not brighter than halogen headlights), but it'll be a spot and not widespread. I love LEDs, but I'll never get LED headlights :laugh:

[CTScott]

I saw some crazy LED off-road lights at the NY Auto Show that were easily as bright as their incandescent counter parts, but one that bright are more than double the price of HIDs.

[dragoonmc]

I saw something the other day about research going into retro fits for LED headlights into Semis so I would imagine that LED headlights on Ebay are not going to be good if there is real research going into them still

[mazilla]

LED light bars are the brightest things roaming the local deserts at night(usually on top of a sandrail) ...much brighter than ANY typical headlight.

[ciscobear]

Those are good for fog lights just for HID matching, just as decorative lights. Don't expect to get any light throw from those.

[UberSilver]

Only two automotive companies are using LED headlamps, and only in there top of the line models. I had a 20,000 lumen LED off road lamp, but I sold it, as there was no good place to mount it.

[fnkngrv]

that's the problem still with LEDs...they can be bright as hell, but focusing them so not as to blind oncoming traffic is the trick

[yarisugi]

Though LED technology is rapidly improving, nothing can beat HIDs yet.
Like fnkngrv stated, bright doesn't mean good for the road and other cars driving in the opposite direction.
Those cars you see with bright white lights - nothing but glare.
High power LEDs still have issues with heat dissipation and they need certain optics for focus.
To the OP, you'll be very disappointed if you buy the LEDs you linked to. Save your money.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

LED light bars are the brightest things roaming the local deserts at night(usually on top of a sandrail) ...much brighter than ANY typical headlight.

But we're talking about bulb swaps, not purpose made LED units :wink:

[jcboy]

LED lights are usually not wide-angle, theyre directional. that's why position matters when people retrofit their car interior lights with such. (try it yourself, im not talking about ready-made replacement lights, rather just LEDs + DIY). glare shouldnt be an issue, but a lot of careful attention should be put into this when using as headlights.

oh, and the heat, that's actually where the HIDs win hands down over them, and the distance of light projected. light output vs. current, LEDs win by a small margin. the thing is LEDs don't produce UV light, which can cause a little bleaching on the thinner (aka newer cars LOL) reflectors.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

LED lights are usually not wide-angle, theyre directional. that's why position matters when people retrofit their car interior lights with such. (try it yourself, im not talking about ready-made replacement lights, rather just LEDs + DIY). glare shouldnt be an issue, but a lot of careful attention should be put into this when using as headlights.

oh, and the heat, that's actually where the HIDs win hands down over them, and the distance of light projected. light output vs. current, LEDs win by a small margin. the thing is LEDs don't produce UV light, which can cause a little bleaching on the thinner (aka newer cars LOL) reflectors.


That is a purpose made headlight. We're talking about just a simple bulb swap here.

But yes, placement matters with LEDs if you don't get a wide spreading one. I took a few minutes to get the lighting right in our Camry (using just a simple, 6 SMD board in the lone (dome) interior light. The same with my ex's Civic (all three interior lights in her car). lol


LEDs do produce a lot of heat if not properly heat sinked or if too much voltage is running through them. I have LEDs in my car. Those are properly made, so they don't run hot. However, on my first attempt to make a macro photography ring light, I over powered the LEDs, and they were HOT within a minute or two. I had to modify the battery case to run lower wattage. All cool now. haha

[invader166]

I came across this article today. It looks like the new LED bulb designs may have cought up to the regular halogen ones. Mind you, quality replacement bulbs like these are not cheap, but it may be an easier non-glare solution then doing a projector retrofit with HID.

http://www.xenondepot.com/Philips-12953BWX2-H4-LED-Bulb-Review-s/62.htm

[fnkngrv]

My buddy that has been helping me build my car sells kick ass LED retrofit kits with lifetime warranties for $100 for the set. I will be installing them for sure. I have ridden in close a dozen different vehicles he has installed in that run from 2000 to 2014 for model years. Also they have been GM, Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Jeep. Also as an interesting addition the ones he sells have built in cooking fans.

Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e

[fnkngrv]

My buddy that has been helping me build my car sells kick ass LED retrofit kits with lifetime warranties for $100 for the set. I will be installing them for sure. I have ridden in close a dozen different vehicles he has installed in that run from 2000 to 2014 for model years. Also they have been GM, Toyota, Ford, Honda, and Jeep. Also as an interesting addition the ones he sells have built in cooking fans.

Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e



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[Rocketyaris]

I bought Starnill 72w LED headlight bulbs on Amazon.com for $65 bucks. They are awesome so far.

[heeroyuy01195]

Bringing this back. Wanted to see if anyone has tried LED's since this was posted. I drive on a lot of highways at night that don't have street lamps. Would like some extra lumens if possible. HID's are a no-go for me, too many issues with them in the past and the high beam usually doesn't work or stops working shortly after install.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Bringing this back. Wanted to see if anyone has tried LED's since this was posted. I drive on a lot of highways at night that don't have street lamps. Would like some extra lumens if possible. HID's are a no-go for me, too many issues with them in the past and the high beam usually doesn't work or stops working shortly after install.

What brand HIDs did you get? I've had two Morimoto Elite ones from The Retrofit Source (on my second Yaris now), and they work great. Had to warranty the kits a couple of times, but after receiving the new parts, they work flawlessly in low and high beams.

If you want LEDs, I'd suggest waiting for VLEDs to finish their H4 Micro Series headlight.

http://www.vleds.com/shop-products/led-headlights/micro.html

The H4 won't be listed yet as they are still working on it and a few other bulb types.

[heeroyuy01195]

I've gone through a bunch of different brand HID's over the years and eventually about 3 years back I switched back to halogens.

vled has a headlight bulb listed for the Yaris but it looks huge-normous so I'm guessing it's best I wait for the micro series like you said. Curious how the spread will be on them vs. a halogen or HID. Time to consult the google!

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I've gone through a bunch of different brand HID's over the years and eventually about 3 years back I switched back to halogens.

vled has a headlight bulb listed for the Yaris but it looks huge-normous so I'm guessing it's best I wait for the micro series like you said. Curious how the spread will be on them vs. a halogen or HID. Time to consult the google!

My very first HID was some cheap eBay one, and never again did I decide to buy a cheap item.

The Micro Series supposedly lines up the light intensity to that of a halogen bulb, so I'm assuming it'll be good.

[FunctionSpec]

I tried a set of Nighteye 80w LED bulbs and they were no good. Light output was low and didn't have any range. People with halogens driving next to me had better range and output. Color temperature was a bit off looking, was a bit too blueish. Threw back on my HIDs and man what a difference, it was like the sun vs the moon. Going to stick with HIDs from now on. I have a ballast from Xenon-Vision that is still going strong after 10 years and a set of cheap Bi-Xenon H4 bulbs from eBay going on 3 years now. I would stay away from Xentec, those are no good.

[yariseggvvti]

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=726&pictureid=6249

26inch LED light bar, LED foglamp with three led bulbs and 43k HID headlamp.

[miiser]

Bringing this back. Wanted to see if anyone has tried LED's since this was posted. I drive on a lot of highways at night that don't have street lamps. Would like some extra lumens if possible. HID's are a no-go for me, too many issues with them in the past and the high beam usually doesn't work or stops working shortly after install.



Keep in mind that HIDs are much more brighter that leds. But leds are more clear than HIDs. I think the best solution is project headlights but there require some skill to fit them.
One thing that worries me to is that you have to cut the rubber seal to install the leds because otherwise they don't fit


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[heeroyuy01195]

My very first HID was some cheap eBay one, and never again did I decide to buy a cheap item.

The Micro Series supposedly lines up the light intensity to that of a halogen bulb, so I'm assuming it'll be good.

I'm going to keep an eye on the Micro Series kit. I've had HID's from ebay, some from more reputable sources, some from local sources, just never had luck with them. I also didn't like the spread pattern without a projector. If we had an OEM projector headlight option then I would likely try them again.

I tried a set of Nighteye 80w LED bulbs and they were no good. Light output was low and didn't have any range. People with halogens driving next to me had better range and output. Color temperature was a bit off looking, was a bit too blueish. Threw back on my HIDs and man what a difference, it was like the sun vs the moon. Going to stick with HIDs from now on. I have a ballast from Xenon-Vision that is still going strong after 10 years and a set of cheap Bi-Xenon H4 bulbs from eBay going on 3 years now. I would stay away from Xentec, those are no good.

I'll keep these in mind but still don't want to use the HID's without a projector because of the spread pattern.

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=726&pictureid=6249

26inch LED light bar, LED foglamp with three led bulbs and 43k HID headlamp.

Can you show a picture of the light pattern and distance?

Keep in mind that HIDs are much more brighter that leds. But leds are more clear than HIDs. I think the best solution is project headlights but there require some skill to fit them.
One thing that worries me to is that you have to cut the rubber seal to install the leds because otherwise they don't fit


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I know the HID's are much brighter but to really get full use out of them, a projector setup is ideal, like you said. I absolutely hated the spread pattern when I had the HID's and I hated being flashed by oncoming vehicles. I don't trust myself to reseal the headlight properly so I'm going to skip the retrofit option lol. I suppose in a way the LED setup would probably be best in a projector but I'm still curious to try them.

I was looking into getting these
http://www.xenondepot.com/h4-philips-12953BWX2-LED-Bulb-p/12953bwx2.htm
My main drawback is that it's rated at 1000 lumens low beam which is what my current OSRAM Night Breaker Unlimiteds are rated at. The spread on those philips bulbs looks quite close to a standard halogen bulb but slightly brigher. I know they aren't meant to be a super bright option, but rather an "upgraded" OE replacement. Maybe I'll just go old school and mount two 6" KC lights in my front grill :headbang:

[miiser]

I'm going to keep an eye on the Micro Series kit. I've had HID's from ebay, some from more reputable sources, some from local sources, just never had luck with them. I also didn't like the spread pattern without a projector. If we had an OEM projector headlight option then I would likely try them again.







I'll keep these in mind but still don't want to use the HID's without a projector because of the spread pattern.







Can you show a picture of the light pattern and distance?







I know the HID's are much brighter but to really get full use out of them, a projector setup is ideal, like you said. I absolutely hated the spread pattern when I had the HID's and I hated being flashed by oncoming vehicles. I don't trust myself to reseal the headlight properly so I'm going to skip the retrofit option lol. I suppose in a way the LED setup would probably be best in a projector but I'm still curious to try them.



I was looking into getting these

http://www.xenondepot.com/h4-philips-12953BWX2-LED-Bulb-p/12953bwx2.htm

My main drawback is that it's rated at 1000 lumens low beam which is what my current OSRAM Night Breaker Unlimiteds are rated at. The spread on those philips bulbs looks quite close to a standard halogen bulb but slightly brigher. I know they aren't meant to be a super bright option, but rather an "upgraded" OE replacement. Maybe I'll just go old school and mount two 6" KC lights in my front grill :headbang:



These are extremely expensive mate. Literally. You won't even see an extreme deferent between these and the regulars. For me this kind of money for 2 headlights is absolutely out of the question. I don't know what's your headlight status (I mean how foggy they became over the years), but in the same amount of money you can replace the entire headlight module, and buy 2 new oem valeo's. that's better if your plastic has became foggy after so many years.

Led light-spread isn't better than HIDs. In fact HIDs has better light spread I think.

Our headlights are designed for regular lamps anyways.
But really, my opinions is: don't give so much money for these. It isn't worth it by any means.
There are decent leds for about 1/3 of the price. Starting from about 70€-$ you can get a decent quality. After all lights are consumable products. And you can't predict how long they will last


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[heeroyuy01195]

These are extremely expensive mate. Literally. You won't even see an extreme deferent between these and the regulars. For me this kind of money for 2 headlights is absolutely out of the question. I don't know what's your headlight status (I mean how foggy they became over the years), but in the same amount of money you can replace the entire headlight module, and buy 2 new oem valeo's. that's better if your plastic has became foggy after so many years.

Led light-spread isn't better than HIDs. In fact HIDs has better light spread I think.

Our headlights are designed for regular lamps anyways.
But really, my opinions is: don't give so much money for these. It isn't worth it by any means.
There are decent leds for about 1/3 of the price. Starting from about 70€-$ you can get a decent quality. After all lights are consumable products. And you can't predict how long they will last


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I hear ya, I'm still up in the air on this. Going to see what happens with those slim LED's that Kaotic mentioned. Leaning towards just sticking 2 lights in my front grill somewhere for the extra candle power.

[miiser]

I hear ya, I'm still up in the air on this. Going to see what happens with those slim LED's that Kaotic mentioned. Leaning towards just sticking 2 lights in my front grill somewhere for the extra candle power.



Just keep in mind, that yes led is the future. And yes led lights are getting better every year. But still HIDs are in the lead right now. You can't compete an expensive-quality HID with leds. And especially 55w hids. If you see a title of a led light that says it's better than a 55w hid and brighter then it's a lie.


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[Cezza07]

I'm getting some HIKARI LED headlights on Saturday, along with Reverse (back up) lights and internal lights.

I have OPT7's in my other car and they are bomb....
SOOO much brighter than my old halogens, secondary to this it lights up the highway signs/cat eyes/lines and such a lot better.

Brake lights have been swapped out with LED's, next step is the indicators/flashers.


I will post before and after pictures once completed.

[jonce2001]

yes ...most are not great
BUT!! Try ATSHARK 110w 10400lm H4 tricky to fit as space is tight for fingers.
remove bulb, replace with a bulb base and clips in with original springs, and led unit
screws in, get a buzzing noise of the fan coolers but dont hear it inside
They are AWESOME!!!!! mind blowingly bright!!!!!

[Yaris709]

I have a set of led's I bought from a local supplier and they were the top notch lights they had. Put them in my yaris and they're as dull as f*cking candles. Look bright looking at the car. Other people have had excellent luck with them. I had a set of led's before as well (more lower end) and no difference. My philips xtreme vision halogens are easily 2-3 times brighter. I don't think the yaris reflectors take well to led's in my opinion

[Yaris709]

And I purchased an led light bar from amazon, just a cheap $50 23" cree light and it's like daylight.

[heeroyuy01195]

And I purchased an led light bar from amazon, just a cheap $50 23" cree light and it's like daylight.
Can you put up some pics on where you mounted it? I've been using some osram nightbreakers and they're definitely a huge improvement over stock. Still unsure about LEDs

[Yaris709]

I have one of those licence plate brackets bolted on the front bumper directly. Gotta use a few big washers to get the 23" to fit. It's a pain to aim the light bar but doable. I'll get a few pics in the next couple days and post here. You'd be better off with a light bar than the led headlights in my opinion

[Cezza07]

So the HIKARI H3 LED headlights I bought are frikkin AWESOME.

Highly reccomend... And on Amazon right now they have a deal where you get a free pack of LEDs with a headlight purchase. Which are also very good.

With one purchase, I got my reverse lights, forward side lights, headlights, and the trunk light. Looks so good.

(I have also replaced the brake and interior lights, all I need to do now is replace the flashers)

[07liftback]

So the HIKARI H3 LED headlights I bought are frikkin AWESOME.

Highly reccomend... And on Amazon right now they have a deal where you get a free pack of LEDs with a headlight purchase. Which are also very good.

With one purchase, I got my reverse lights, forward side lights, headlights, and the trunk light. Looks so good.

(I have also replaced the brake and interior lights, all I need to do now is replace the flashers)

Can you post some wall shots for the rest of us? Just turn on the headlights and go towards any blank wall or garage door and take a shot of how it looks on the wall. This will tell us how evenly dispersed the light is. Not only this, it will tell us how wide they are and if the hotspot is focused towards the distance, not focused on the ground 3 feet in front of your car or pointed into the sky.

A video post would be helpful too.