LED vs HALOGEN

[[email protected]]

Any ideas on pros/cons of led conversion versus halogen for '31 running on 6v generator?

[katy]

LEDs use a lot less power than Halogens.

[ryanheacox]

Welcome to the forum! There are both drop in halogen and LED replacement bulbs made. The halogen focuses better than the LED but neither are perfect.


With a generator I would go with LEDs as they draw much less current than halogens. They are also brighter than the drop in halogens. I run LEDs and like them.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by ryanheacox

Welcome to the forum! There are both drop in halogen and LED replacement bulbs made. The halogen focuses better than the LED but neither are perfect.


With a generator I would go with LEDs as they draw much less current than halogens. They are also brighter than the drop in halogens. I run LEDs and like them.

X2, have LED on 6 v generator.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Here is another of many strings about LED headlights


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=260297

[Kurt in NJ]

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I have no trouble with halogen and generator, for me it's about how far the lights project a beam, light the road and signs, tonight I will do more midnight testing, --- almost 20 years of halogen use, dig out my old regular bulbs for a baseline
I reduced the charge rate when I installed the halogen bulbs replacing the 50cp regular bulbs

[rotorwrench]

The smaller lights on any car may benefit from LED replacements due to less current draw but headlamps are a different story. Most LED lamp assemblies have clusters of LEDS which don't radiate light in the same way that the original incandescent bulbs did. This makes any current type of LED lamp ineffective for projection for distance of beam. They might be bright but they won't reach out there for distance like a bulb that was designed to be in an adjustable reflector. While a halogen bulb can be made to work well for distance to some degree, an LED still can't.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

My opinion/experience
Logo LEDs are an alternative, just have to understand and accept the risks. They illuminate much better than the 50 CP bulbs, but LEDs do not focus/pattern properly.


When comparing the 50 CP to LEDs, I found the difference astounding at how much further down the road I could see with the LEDs, on both low and high beams.

[DHZIEMAN]

If you are into the focussing thing, it is best to get your reflectors resilvered and use original bulbs (in my opinion) But, if you just want bright lights that cannot be totally focussed as originals and want to keep the current drain down, then LED's are the way to go. There is a company in england that had some that you had to know what polarity you wanted as they sold 6v, 12v and both pos and neg ground. And, I will share what I did and after it was done, I do not reccomend what I did. I installed 6 volt sealed beam adapters, and halogen sealed beams (which also do not focus right but are very bright) The downside is the current drain, and with a 3 brush generator, I was having to crank up the Amps for night driving, which during the day kind of was boiling the battery unless I drove with my headlights on. So I replaced the gen with a 6 volt alternator, and solve the boiling the battery issue. Had I had it to do all over again, I would have got my reflectors re-silverd and bought the 6v Pos ground LED's from England and been done with it!

[30 Closed Cab PU]

This may be the English company. I bought LED stop and tail lamps from them.


Lots of interesting info if you read teh entire site.


www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com

[DHZIEMAN]

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

This may be the English company. I bought LED stop and tail lamps from them.


Lots of interesting info if you read teh entire site.


www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com

Thanks for posting the site! it is the one!

[dumb person]

Pro Better battery life.
Cons Depends on what model you buy and how you fit it.
And more sensitive to voltage spikes.

[Keith True]

I didn't know they are sensitive to voltage spikes.The bulbs I bought from England don't care if you have 6 or 12 volts put to them.They are also not polarity sensitive.Those are the BA15-D part numbers.My two cents are,I bought a set to try out.I am a cheap SOB,and I am ordering four more sets.I have five sets of halogens from the Little British Car Company,and while I really like them,I am giving them to some friends now.Somebody has built the better mousetrap.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Keith True

I didn't know they are sensitive to voltage spikes.The bulbs I bought from England don't care if you have 6 or 12 volts put to them.They are also not polarity sensitive.Those are the BA15-D part numbers.My two cents are,I bought a set to try out.I am a cheap SOB,and I am ordering four more sets.I have five sets of halogens from the Little British Car Company,and while I really like them,I am giving them to some friends now.Somebody has built the better mousetrap.

You are correct, just more misinformation Keith. LEDs are not sensitive to voltage spike. Most that I have experienced with operate between 5 volts up to 24 volts, -and anything in-between..

[Keith True]

What is a surprise to me is that they are not polarity sensitive.I thought the very nature of a diode was to be one-way.From what I see most misinformation comes down the guy on the street from higher up.I was at a little seminar for chainsaw dealers a few years ago,and the rep was there giving a talk.He was telling us to shake our saws when they sat for more than 20 minutes.I thought it was to mix the synthetic oil they wanted us to use,but it wasn't.He said the new oils mix fine with alcohol,but the alcohol started it's phase separation in minutes.We couldn't believe a factory rep could be so ignorant of fact,and was out there preaching it.

[Badpuppy]

Originally Posted by Keith True

What is a surprise to me is that they are not polarity sensitive.I thought the very nature of a diode was to be one-way.

True, the LED is a diode that happens to emit light and requires correct polarity. A bridge rectifier (AC/DC converter) can be inserted in series to change it to the correct direction. It also requires a current limiter in series to prevent burning out the led. What surprises me is the things can operate at only 5V, since all the series components cause a significant voltage drop across them. But I assume the manufacturers know what they're talking about.

[Synchro909]

From what I have seen, the reported problems focusing LED headlights only applies to the rather poor US ones. I have seen the cut offs achieved by the Australian made ones and I have no issue with them what so ever.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

From what I have seen, the reported problems focusing LED headlights only applies to the rather poor US ones. I have seen the cut offs achieved by the Australian made ones and I have no issue with them what so ever.

Please provide a link to the good Australian ones you use.


Thanks

[blgitn]

I wonder how these would perform on a T with mag lights. The lights are powered by the magneto, from 5 to (maybe) 30 volts. Has anybody tried this yet?

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

Please provide a link to the good Australian ones you use.


Thanks

Here you go!
http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/

He is at Hershey each year and says that his best sales people are people who have already bought them! I'm also running his red LEDs in my stop lights. Don't look directly into them when they are lit, is all I can say.

While they cost us a few dollars (what good stuff come cheap?), the exchange rate will mean you pay wayyy less.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Here you go!
http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/

He is at Hershey each year and says that his best sales people are people who have already bought them! I'm also running his red LEDs in my stop lights. Don't look directly into them when they are lit, is all I can say.

While they cost us a few dollars (what good stuff come cheap?), the exchange rate will mean you pay wayyy less.

Thanks, this is the 1st I've seen these. Their are so many vendors/designs hard to figure out what to use. Currently running Logo Lites. Will be looking into these later this summer, have other things to do on my A right now.


You recommend. Have you installed the headlights on an A, or seen them installed on an A at night, or know of someone who has them?

[katy]

Originally Posted by blgitn

I wonder how these would perform on a T with mag lights. The lights are powered by the magneto, from 5 to (maybe) 30 volts. Has anybody tried this yet?

You would need a power supply that could handle the ~5-30 volt variable frequency input and put out either 6 or 12 VDC depending on your choice of voltage.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

Thanks, this is the 1st I've seen these. Their are so many vendors/designs hard to figure out what to use. Currently running Logo Lites. Will be looking into these later this summer, have other things to do on my A right now.


You recommend. Have you installed the headlights on an A, or seen them installed on an A at night, or know of someone who has them?

I run his Halogen globes. I'm on 12 volts with an alternator so I have plenty of juice to run them. It was as a result of this thread I asked him about his LED lights when I saw him at the weekend so I might be able to make a contribution to the discussion. His halogen bulbs are the best I've seen in orignal reflectors. His description of what he has done to get his LEDs as good as they are made perfect sense to me. He showed me a Logo Light and described what he does different. Chalk and cheese!
I've seen pictures of the light pattern from his lights. I'm sure he will be able to send you some pics too.
Maybe one of the members here has used these lights?
PS. I bought a pair of his red LED stop lights. I now get complaints from anyone following that they get black spots in front of their eyes after I touch the brakes. They are BRIGHT.

[Keith True]

The set I've been fooling with here are the ones from Australia.I like them.I want to get a few sets for myself,but getting them seems to be a major operation.My friend told me it took him a while to get them,but I don't think I want to jump through the hoops like he did to get them.My emails to them all come back as undeliverable.They list the Little British Car Company as an agent,but he says he will look into it and get back to me.LBCC really only wants to deal through email,but I don't like email tag.If you don't want to talk to me on the phone you just don't want my business.I would like to find out just how to lay my hands on them.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Keith True

The set I've been fooling with here are the ones from Australia.I like them.I want to get a few sets for myself,but getting them seems to be a major operation.My friend told me it took him a while to get them,but I don't think I want to jump through the hoops like he did to get them.My emails to them all come back as undeliverable.They list the Little British Car Company as an agent,but he says he will look into it and get back to me.LBCC really only wants to deal through email,but I don't like email tag.If you don't want to talk to me on the phone you just don't want my business.I would like to find out just how to lay my hands on them.

I've also been trying to contact them for more info. Been waiting a couple of days to get an email returned I sent. Had to use his personal email, could not email through the site or download price list, get a message I need to download an app, and when I try to tells me there is not an app.


Do not want to call international, is expensive under my plan.


If someone finds a way to contact them that works - please post the info. I really would like to try his headlights and post the results. Seems strange they attend Hershey, but trying to purchase on line is problematic.


Syncro909 - can you help since you are in Australia? There seems to be few of us interested, might make a few U.S. sales since I have yet to find favorable reports on other LEDs lamps, but these may work correctly on low beam.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

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deleted my info, was info for a different post

[Synchro909]

I just spoke with Anthony Pearson, the LED lights guy here. He said that many people get his email address wrong. It is [email protected]
Note - it is .net.au, not .com.au.
As I spoke to him, he was going through a couple of days emails from when he was away (when I spoke to him last weekend).
If you have any more trouble, let me know and I'll follow up.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Thanks Syncro909, that is the address I used - just checked email, have gotten a response from him overnight local time.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

For others interested in the Australian bulbs here is the response I got, and the instructions.

Yes I know about the Logolite LEDs and have had many negative comments from customers about them. Only good thing is they are cheap!!! I have also done beam projection tests ad find as you say don’t dip just get dimmer.
My Model A kit gives a proper high low beam dip with a flat top no glare low beam like a modern headlight. They work on both polarities and 6-12v. Brightness equates to about 55w Halogen.
To fit all one has to do is remove the existiiong bulb and holder and slide the lead module in from the rear and secure with fittings supplied. Connect lead to headlight wiring and ground and you are done. Have sold dozens of kits at Carlisle and Hershey last fall with great aplomb. Price USD$150 a kit plus Airmail post of $17.
I have included a copy of the instruction sheet to give you an idea on how it all works.
Cheers
Anthony Pearson


If you are replying to an email that I have previously sent, on a topic we have been discussing, please can you remember to include that email. I receive a large amount of email each day and it can be difficult to locate our previous discussions.

http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/
Business Hrs 9am-5pm CST (Adelaide)
Classic and Vintage Bulbs
82 Cumming St
Blackwood 5051
South Australia
Ph/Fax Office 0882784393
International +61882784393
Cell/ Mobile 0401123316


------------------------------------------
Hello,



I am researching LED headlamps



I recently converted to LEDs using logolites.

http://www.logolites.com/

They are OK, but do not focus/pattern. For high/low beam they only change intensity. On the Model A do they not sit correctly in the shell, and do not properly use the characteristics of the special head lamp lens. Additionally they have 2 rows of LEDs, an upper row and a lower row, but when inserted in the lamp socket the rows are not completely level with the ground.



I am looking for more info on your bulbs but have issues with your site. I am using Gmail/ Windows 8.1, internet explorer 11, 64 bit, and when I click on some of the links on your site, get a message you want to down load an app to my computer, I need to download an app, go search for one and none available. I have had this issue with other sites, contacted the site, and eventually it gets fixed. I've also tried this on Firefox. Am using goggle, not chrome.



So had to contact you this way instead of through your site.



Was hoping to get a catalogue/pricing and enquire about what I need.



Compounding this issue is you do not seem to have a dealer/etc. for your products in the U.S. You seem to have somebody in the U.K, but only for British cars.



Also I saw where you head lamp BA15D can not use the current sockets, so is the Kit mentioned include new sockets for my existing reflectors?



If you have more info and pricing, please email it to me at this address, and if you have U.S. contact/dealer.



Thanks

[Badpuppy]

Thanks for the good info, 30. Not quite a plug and play solution, but I see how it can work. It removes the external adjustment in favor of a fixed-focus design like the later 30's Fords using the flanged bulbs. The purpose of the manual focus was to throw the original 21 CP beam as far forward as possible. As Brent in TN points out, precise focus becomes less relevant with higher intensity bulbs.

The importance of proper low-beam angle and intensity becomes apparent when you encounter dense fog. Also I wonder how the different color temperatures (light frequencies) affect the amount of light reflected back into your eyes in fog.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Badpuppy

Thanks for the good info, 30. Not quite a plug and play solution, but I see how it can work. It removes the external adjustment in favor of a fixed-focus design like the later 30's Fords using the flanged bulbs. The purpose of the manual focus was to throw the original 21 CP beam as far forward as possible. As Brent in TN points out, precise focus becomes less relevant with higher intensity bulbs.

The importance of proper low-beam angle and intensity becomes apparent when you encounter dense fog. Also I wonder how the different color temperatures (light frequencies) affect the amount of light reflected back into your eyes in fog.

It looks like adjusting the focus, according to the instructions, is moving the assembly back or forwards in the reflector receiver and clamping it in place with the small hose clamp.


Would be nice if there was some one currently using these that could give a report on them.