myoriginal77

Hello everybody,

I tried a search with no luck.

Anyone installed true LED headlights ?

If so, what did you use.

Thanks,

Frank

Ibanez540r

LED, as last I knew, has not had the technology yet to be used for headlights. They do not have the projection that HIDs or Halogen does.

There are several manufacturers making LED replacement bulbs (to get technical they are actually SMD not LED), but they are for show, not go. Used a lot in the "ricer" crowd. The light output and projection to actually drive at night is not there.

If your looking to improve headlights, HID is still the top of the line currently. ..there is someone out there making projection lamps for the C3. It was pretty pricey the last I looked.

taylor34

When upgrading headlights, are you recommended to upgrade the wiring harness as well? Seems like I remember some people doing that, wasn't really sure if it was necessary or not though. My headlights are terrible, at some point I'm going to have to do something about them.

BigBadBorry

LEDs, no, they just don't produce enough light to be anywhere near useful.

I converted mine to HID and couldn't be happier with the result. See original post - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...eadlights.html

Boris

PaPaPork

depends if you will use more WATTs

PaPaPork

are these HIDs the projector light style? not sure if I use the correct terminology but I would be interested in the low beams that don't have reflector mirrors but look like a camera lens...

BigBadBorry

These look similar to conventional QH globes.

worship79

The Lexus LS600h, Audi R8 and Cadillac Escalade, BMW M6, BMW 7 series all have full LED headlights (some as an option).

Visit hella.com for a look into the near future

7t2vette

There are a few choices right now for 5.75" LED headlights, they are expensive! They might take some mods to fit, some are made for other applications like motorcycles, but the diameter is the same.

http://www.jwspeaker.com/other/led-headlamps

http://www.jwspeaker.com/products/he...-low-headlight



http://www.hotbikeweb.com/tech/1206_...led_headlight/



Here are some examples on LED headlights that are not 5.75".

http://www.uapac.com/trucks/lighting...headlight.html



http://www.myhellalights.com/index.p...bi-led-module/

http://www.myhellalights.com/index.p...-led-low-beam/

PaPaPork

the bottom picture is what I was thinking about, I have them in my 05 acura and the quality of light is incredible, every little grain of dirt on the road is visible...

Ibanez540r

That would be HID

Ibanez540r

Your 05 Acura, along with MOST cars you see/seen with projector lenses are HID. As someone above has pointed out, some of the higher end brand new cars are STARTING to come LED.

7t2vette

Wrong, it is a Hella 90mm LED projector. Click the link for more info.

Ibanez540r

OMG!

YES - I understand the link is an LED projector

BUT

His 2005 Acura has an HID PROJECTOR!!!!




...worship79 was correct in correcting me that LED IS being used OEM. However, it is in a very limited number of cars as he pointed out, and is still very rare.

99% of people who refer to the "bright lights" or "blue lights" or "color shifting" etc. etc. etc. are referring to HIDs. They were what we all first started seeing in the 90s, first with the BMW I believe, and slowly became almost the standard into the 2000s for a lot of cars. His Acura, my Infiniti, and most others except for the budget cars. They have the "camera lens" housing.


Does anyone else want to point out that the link is LED?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp

7t2vette

I thought that PaPaPork was referring to a projector style light (like his Acura) that uses LED instead of HID, since this thread is about LED headlights.

Ibanez540r

I guess i should also add that anybody can PHYSICALLY install an HID kit with ballast into regular reflector housings, but it is wrong to do so.

The projector does as it sounds and projects the intense light of an HID down onto the roadway. In a reflector housing they are blinding to other drivers.

Some people do this, a lot of younger kids etc., to save money and be "cool" with blue, green, purple headlights. They are the ones that are blinding you. Replacement projector housings are expensive, whereas HID kits can be under $50.

A proper HID (OEM) can be demonstrated by pulling close to a wall or garage door. You can physically see the "cutoff line" which is a horizontal line that separates the light, below, and just a little bit of glare from the light above. Google cutoff line and I'm sure you'll see some examples. The better the projectors, the better the line, the better the system.

Color is measured per the Kelvin scale "K". OEM HID headlights are typically 4300K which is a somewhat "warm" light but still whiter then halogen. You can purchase bulbs anywhere from 2500K (Yellow - fog lights) all the way through 10-20K. I don't recommend anything over 6000K, with my personal favorite of 5000K. 5000 is perfect crisp WHITE. 6000K starts to add a blue hugh to the white. As you go up, they start to get bluer and then into purple. However, the higher the Kelvin, the lower the LUMENS, so it is a balance. The reason OEM use 4300K is it has the most LUMENS, meaning the brightest. You lose a little bit of lumens at 5000K, but not really noticeable. 6000K you can tell a bit and above it starts to become un-safe. ...try driving in some of these ricers with purple light... you can't see S*** in front of you... and then add some adverse conditions... BS.

PaPaPork

sorry for all that... I deleted my post already since it didn't bring anything to the discussion other than confusion, fell free to delete yours that reference mine so we can clean up maybe? keep this place nice and neat...

Richard454

Am I correct? - at $400/light times 4 = $1.6k!!!

The Hella LED projectors - just guess- will be more?- And look to me that you'd have to mod the headlight door quite a bit at almost 7" in length...

What about this???

7t2vette

I told you guys they were expensive!!!

One of the guys at VM has done some work on fitting the Hellas into the door, but he was using the halogen versions not the LED. He also altered the door to open less.

worship79

A buddy of mine is doing a bi-xenon conversion, based on the lights of an Alfa Romeo 159. Not simple to do, but a great improvement in visibility and no blinding of other drivers.