LED hesdlights and fog lights
03-28-2018, 09:21 AM
#1
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LED hesdlights and fog lights I'm looking to put LED headlights and fog lights in my 2000 firehawk. What exactly would i need to switch it over? I'm finding out that its not simply changing out the bulbs.
03-28-2018, 06:04 PM
#2
Copy & Paste Moderator
Most drop-in LED are not good for headlights or fog lights. Some are passable and it comes down to design of the LED drop-in and the housing you put it into.
The style style that sometimes works alright has a short tight row of LEDs positioned like the original filament.
The other multi-led units are good for taillights and turn signals, but not headlights since they fill the housing but don't send the light down the road like a headlight or fog light would.
There are a few different brands and models, including some from Philips and Sylvania along with copies from other aftermarket brands.
If you want to keep the stock look, get the LMC housings and use 9012 Halogen bulbs in place of 9006 and 9011 Halogen in place of 9005.
If you really want to get LED, try a 9005 and 9006 set of LED and see how they go. However, be on the lookout for a negatively altered beam pattern. Sometimes the shape gets altered and is very obvious. Sometimes the spread is altered which may look alright at first, but then you notice there is no bright hotspot which lessens distance/throw or the overall beam is dimmer despite being whiter.
The other thing to consider with LED drop-in is the heatsink shape/design. We have popups with limited space so not everything may fit. Also, insufficient heatsink leads to increased thermal throttling of the LEDS (the driver senses increased temperature and lowers output).
The style style that sometimes works alright has a short tight row of LEDs positioned like the original filament.
The other multi-led units are good for taillights and turn signals, but not headlights since they fill the housing but don't send the light down the road like a headlight or fog light would.
There are a few different brands and models, including some from Philips and Sylvania along with copies from other aftermarket brands.
If you want to keep the stock look, get the LMC housings and use 9012 Halogen bulbs in place of 9006 and 9011 Halogen in place of 9005.
If you really want to get LED, try a 9005 and 9006 set of LED and see how they go. However, be on the lookout for a negatively altered beam pattern. Sometimes the shape gets altered and is very obvious. Sometimes the spread is altered which may look alright at first, but then you notice there is no bright hotspot which lessens distance/throw or the overall beam is dimmer despite being whiter.
The other thing to consider with LED drop-in is the heatsink shape/design. We have popups with limited space so not everything may fit. Also, insufficient heatsink leads to increased thermal throttling of the LEDS (the driver senses increased temperature and lowers output).
Last edited by VIP1; 03-28-2018 at 06:17 PM.
03-28-2018, 06:10 PM
#3
Copy & Paste Moderator
This is what I mean by a short right row of leds:
Ignore the brand or heatsink design in the pic. There are various similar ones out there with different heatsinks and brands on them.
Some have 3 LED in a row, some have 4 LED in row. More LED doesn't necissarily mean brighter. The driver, heatsink, and led positioning have tall to be built well and work together to produce useable light.
Also, ignore most Lumen rating on these. Most are misleading (and some are outright lies).
That pic above is for a single filament bulb like a 9006. There is also a version with two rows for a dual filament bulb like an H4.
Here is a Philips H4 LED:
Ignore the brand or heatsink design in the pic. There are various similar ones out there with different heatsinks and brands on them.
Some have 3 LED in a row, some have 4 LED in row. More LED doesn't necissarily mean brighter. The driver, heatsink, and led positioning have tall to be built well and work together to produce useable light.
Also, ignore most Lumen rating on these. Most are misleading (and some are outright lies).
That pic above is for a single filament bulb like a 9006. There is also a version with two rows for a dual filament bulb like an H4.
Here is a Philips H4 LED:
03-28-2018, 06:20 PM
#4
Copy & Paste Moderator
Currently the best in LED lighting is LED Projectors. But that will be a much more custom solution. There are a few good options there (such as KOITO and Hella and clones), but there are cheap bad ones too (much of what is on ebay).
There are plenty of threads on HID Planet on these LED bulbs, projectors, etc (in addition to HID). I'm on there with the same screen name.
There are also some threads here on LS1Tech about replacement LED fog projectors.
There are plenty of threads on HID Planet on these LED bulbs, projectors, etc (in addition to HID). I'm on there with the same screen name.
There are also some threads here on LS1Tech about replacement LED fog projectors.