rockmeupto125 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 From what I understand, a few cars have them now. Has anyone seen any aftermarket kits that might be used to adapt to other applications (wink)? I've waded through a myriad of LED sites, and apparently the kewl thing now is to just have lights, regardless of whether they do anything or not. So search terms specifying headlight, bright, and real (as in real headlight) don't make any difference in search results. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaygermeister Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 From what I’ve seen the LED’s are being used as day time running lights and not as the actual head light. I think Audi uses a LED-HID combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 I know the technology is progressing to produce brighter and brighter LED lights, but it might not be at that level yet. I've seen some "LED combo" lights that appear to use incandescent or HID as the beam source, and LED accent lights. To me that's some sheeny advertising, but if its industry nomenclature then its to be expected. LED's are perfect for motorcycle application.....highly shock resistant, very lightweight, minimal current demand which would allow smaller alternators, smaller batteries, etc. Oh, well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para045 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 From what I’ve seen the LED’s are being used as day time running lights and not as the actual head light. I think Audi uses a LED-HID combo. +1 I don't think that LED's are good enough yet to be used for headlights alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Audi us using LEDs for headlights as well as headlight surround accent lighting on the R8: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/30/audi-r8...-led-headlamps/ It appears the A8 is also going to have them: http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/7/1/2 One article indicated the LED headlight option on the R8 is an extra $5000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimack Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have seen the full LED headlights on the HUMVEES and the HEMETT vehicles in Iraq. They had a weird lens that wasn't smooth, seemed to work great, at least better than what was previously on the HUMVEE. Clickey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 I saw those while I was surfing last night...didn't quickly find a price, but I did this morning...Damn! Best I found was $250....and yes, that was EACH. But lots of benefits. Here's a pretty straightforward and enlightening link to the HD forums...look for the posts by Lightguy. They look pretty cool. One thing I found is that there's no savings on power consumption...its 32/57 watts, no different then incandescent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dehning Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I think it will still be some time before LEDs become a better solution to HIDs. I don't think that it's a matter of not there yet, I just think it's a matter of cost. I have purchased a couple of 3 Watt Philips Luxeon Star LEDs recently for a project and let me tell you, they are so bright that they will leave a sport in your vision for a few minutes after you have looked at them. If there was a matrix of those in a single lamp, then I could see how that would work great for headlights. Here's another thought: I have been considering testing out a set of those 12V Home type led lights as taillights. . . SuperbrightLEDs makes an adapter that would let me plug them right in. A friend who is in the construction industry just fitted a boardroom with some kind of new LED spotlights that he was showing me and I was amazed at the light output, I think it's just a matter of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have seen the full LED headlights on the HUMVEES and the HEMETT vehicles in Iraq. They had a weird lens that wasn't smooth, seemed to work great, at least better than what was previously on the HUMVEE. My guess is that military applications don't need the range of illumination that civilian cars require, so the LEDs are more than adequate. Didn't the military use to mask off a good part of headlamps years ago for vehicles in the field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimack Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 I have seen the full LED headlights on the HUMVEES and the HEMETT vehicles in Iraq. They had a weird lens that wasn't smooth, seemed to work great, at least better than what was previously on the HUMVEE. My guess is that military applications don't need the range of illumination that civilian cars require, so the LEDs are more than adequate. Didn't the military use to mask off a good part of headlamps years ago for vehicles in the field? yeah they used to ride horses as well. the requirement for adequate lighting is still the same probably higher now, and there are still blackout lights on military vehicles, they stopped blacking out the headlights just after the Sherman tank was withdrawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 I was passed Saturday by an Audi, I want to say it was an A4, with the LED headlights on (daytime). Yes pretty bright and I couldn't see if it had any other type of headlight in the array & didn't see it. I have to say, it looked pretty gay the way they were arranged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 For around $900 the LED head and passing lamps for new or older Glides. link Click on thumbnail for close-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dehning Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 For around $900 the LED head and passing lamps for new or older Glides. link Click on thumbnail for close-up. Holy $hit that like 16 pairs of HID lamps!!! I'll wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiXXation Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Not what you are looking for, but I used an LED modular cargo/work light for a headlight and a couple of LED side-marker lights for the tail light on my grandson's Honda TRX90EX ATV. It's alternator output was so little that I was afraid standard bulbs would pull the tiny battery right down. They were pretty expensive, but have proved durable and they give off enough light to see at slow speeds, anyway, with very little current draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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