LED Headlights

IMHO, LED lights are only good for marker lights. They don't produce the lummens needed to project out there. I have a whole drawer full of new lights of every kind imaginable and none of them passed my requirements. Try the #795 35Watt Halogen bulbs with glass lenses and you will be happy .....

:fing32:

I did find a bunch of LED threads, but none here in the case section.
I too have played around with LED's for other projects in the past. The trouble I have always had has been focusing them properly. As far as lumens you can just keep ading LEDs until you get enough. But with a massive array like that how do you propperly focus the light to make it effective. I have seen some new units at my electrical parts supplier that are what got me thinking about this. I will start toying around between tractor projects and see if I can make something.

I was concentrating on trying to find the most effective lighting and still stay within the OEM light buckets. I found that LED's could produce the light but would not reach out much beyond the front of the tractor. The charging system on these tractors limits you to about 10 amps reserve power and the 35 watt Halogens fit the end results I was looking for. The #796 bulb has the same base as the 1157. Another good choice is the H-3 halogen but the bucket needs to be vented to relieve the heat generated .....

:fing32:

I have seen some pretty innovative LED arrays recently. There are two basic approaches to this. One being a simple flat panel filled with LEDs mounted in place of the headlight. The second being something similar in general shape to a stock bulb that would use the stock lens and housing to focus the light out. I agree with the aproach RestMyCase took in keeping the stock look and set up. I found a sight (www.autolumination.com) that has a pretty large selection of leds that might work well. I am going to try to get in touch with someone over there and find out what might be the best option.

It simply comes down to how much do you want to spend. I own a set of the first ever approved LED DOT spec headlights.... They ran my over $500. I also have a set of LED fog lights that put out 250 lumens each, they cost me about $50 each. As for drop in bulbs ( they dont exsist ) Because if they did I would own a set.

Don't forget there are many types of LEDs. An array of 20-35 of those little 5mm ones only puts out the light output of ONE of the more powerful types, if that much.
Even just one of something like the TerraLUX MiniStar5 modules would provide more than enough light, if you can fab a mounting for it.

JB222 said:

BullDogBones,
First of all you need to get back into the garage and off the computer. I am dying to see how the diesel implant is going.
Second, Check out that site. Looked like their were some very interesting applications on there.

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LOL if I wasnt sitting in a motel for work I would be out in the shop working on it.

I deal with installing emergency lights and wiring on vehicles almost on a weekly basis. I know that whelen and code3 make a scene light for there light bars that would be more than bright enough. Also check out the replacement led's for stream light flashlights. Though you may have to fab a mount for the bulb it could be worth it. Let us know how it works for ya

wseternmd said:

I deal with installing emergency lights and wiring on vehicles almost on a weekly basis. I know that whelen and code3 make a scene light for there light bars that would be more than bright enough. Also check out the replacement led's for stream light flashlights. Though you may have to fab a mount for the bulb it could be worth it. Let us know how it works for ya

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Do you have pics. Send me a pm about pricing.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I have not had a lot of time to hunt recently but think I have settled on a direction to go with the project. I have found a number of rectangular led asemblies that could be mounted in place of the exiting housing. I have not found the right size unit yet but will keep looking.
The picture below is the closest I have found so far. It does not specifically say the lumens, but the 6 bulb unit like it is rated at 1000. I would assume this is 500 for a total of 1000 between the two headlights.
Also the have a really low power consumtion which would allow me to mount a few more on the tractor for a backup light and a hazard light and not drain my battery.
Here is a link to a video of this light in use.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSHSuGnaX9M

JB,

I have been monkeying around with a couple of these from VisionX.


They have a bunch of housings, sizes and beam patterns and are bright as heck . Really good quality , and mounts of all sorts too. The Solstice pictured above runs about $100, and can be run at 9V up to 50V.




900 lumens, plenty of light .:fing32:

http://www.visionxusa.com/LED-Solstice_Series/c1_48/index.html

Maybe they have something to fit in the space you require.

I don't have any pics yet as I just installed them yesterday, but I found a set that work. They are a Philips MR16 flood light bulb designed for 12v track lighting to replace halogen bulbs. $25 and 485 lumens each. I just had to drill a 3/4" hole in the back of the headlight bucket, wedge the bulb mount in the hole (it's tapered), apply a little silicone to "glue" it in place, and solder wires to the bulb contact pins, and run the ground wire to the tractor engine/frame/werever. Because they are designed for AC current the positive/negative conections don't matter. The light is very bright white, and projects at least 40ft. One bulb will light up my 24x40ft shop pretty well. Much better than the stock bulbs (which were useless and melting the lenses), and only $50 and about an hour of work including the "planning". And I left the stock lens in place so the tractor still looks stock.