LED Headlight

[ELIMINATOR]

Looking at various LED H4's on the internet, my guess is that they will be crap! A normal H4 bulb has an element precisely located, the reflector needs this to focus the light. the LED ones are not one point of emitted light, so the reflector will end up scattering light.

[movenon]

I was also concerned about scattering light all over the place that is one of the reasons I didn't get an HID and went with an LED.  It seems to be pretty good so far.  LOT better than a stock bulb.  In mine the position of the LED is the same as the halogen element and faces up with no direct forward light.  Good or bad there are a number of designs some of which like you say scatter light all over the place. The back side of the LED is solid, no LED's facing the other way.

Here is the one I am using. http://www.ebay.com/itm/281427044978?item=281427044978&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:L:OC:US:3160&vxp=mtr


Here is a style that probably is not as good. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pack2-White-Super-Bright-80W-HB2-H4-Cree-XB-D-LED-Headlight-Low-Beam-Head-Bulb-/131188832641?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e8b76b981&vxp=mtr

There are some specific problems in mounting a LED headlight in the FJ.  Mechanically if the heat sink or fan is to large on the end of the bulb you will not be able to get the FJ headlight bulb retaining clip back on holding the bulb in.  

The fan diameter on the one I am using is 38mm and IMO that is the max size you can use and you have to develop a technique to get it clipped.  I had to loosely fit the bulb then push in the lower part of the spring under the fan then reach on top and force the top part of the clip over then latch it.





Now that I know the the mounting problem I will be looking for an easier LED to mount.  I can do this one in the blind now but it took a while with a spare headlight on the bench to develop a system.  The LED came with a "LED driver" box. It is small, about the size of 2 match books stacked on top of each other.  I just Velcro-ed it to the bottom inside side of the fairing. Very small aluminum box probably for controlling the fan but that is a guess.

I am still sorting out some small issues with the bike and hope to have it out this week end for more testing.  But here in the garage the LED is fantastic and it is easier for me to see any light scattering and pattern in the large light colored enclosed space.

Next will be LED running lights.
George

[Pat Conlon]

George, looking at the mfgr's sales sheet, I thought you installed the H-4 collar first, then the actual led unit fit in a (white) barrel that is mounted in the center of the collar.
Does that cooling fan blow any air inside the headlight housing? i.e.dust problems?

[movenon]

I tried to separate the fan but was unable to. That said there are models out there that the fan can be installed on after the LED is put in place and cliped which is the way to go.  I was lucky and was able to get it cliped, but I had to figure a drill out to do it.  Any LED with an attached fan larger than 38mm IMO will not work.  I had an old headlight assembly to practice on until I was convinced that I could do it.  Still was bit of a challenge.

I will carry the old bulb with me for a "field" repair.  Can't get a replacement LED headlight bulb at Walmart..

Tell you the truth I didn't check which way the fan was blowing.  I will try tomorrow.  In the dead silence of the garage if you listen real closely you can hear the fan. Any ambient noise and you (I)  can't hear it and with the engine running nothing.  The LED fit's pretty tight up against the reflector housing but dust is dust.... I trimmed the dust boot to fit but it is not as tight as it could be.  Fist go around...

I adjusted the light as per European MOT spec's against the garage door,  Wish I would have checked it with the old halogen so I had something to compare the pattern to..  Looks pretty good, it doesn't have a real sharp cut off like a projector lens but to me it looks good.  Next time a stock FJ comes over I will check it.  The light is around 6000K and bright to say the least.  Lot better than stock.  

How I adjusted the headlight:
With me on the bike I had a helper measure up to the center of the headlight.
Marked on the garage door the height with a piece of tape.
Set the headlight/bike back 12 1/2 feet.
Adjusted the low beam,  top edge of the hot spot down about 1- 1 1/2 inch's below the tape mark.

Don't know if that's correct but that's how I did it.  Actual road test will verify.

One note.  At under 1000 RPM the light modulates a little above 1000-1100 RPM it stabilizes.  Doesn't bother me, it just happens.

I can't say that I would recommend the LED that I got because it presents a challenge to install in the FJ.  The light quality is 6000K white to almost blue. Like daylight.  It throws out a lot of light !  I think there are LED headlights that are easier to install on the market I just haven't had time to go looking yet.
Hoping this information will help someone else thinking about an LED headlight.

Next will be LED running lights.

I will take it out tomorrow night for a run about.  I have been fixing a few other small ill's.  I knew I had a "concern" before the WCR but nothing that couldn't wait until after the rally and no one would even notice.  Yea, right.  The unofficial WCR FJ tech inspector took about 1 minute to spot my front brake line was a little tight in the bend.  Can't get away with shit  .  Anyhow it's fixed now Pat  .  
George

[ELIMINATOR]

What happens if the cooling fan stops working? How hot does this run, I use LED GU10's in my kitchen, replacing the 50 watt spotlamps, the LED replacements are rated at 5watts, and only get warm to the touch. They use 10% of the power of the conventional spots, this LED H4 uses 60%, I would have thought it was blinding?  i have in the past used 9watt CREE fog lamps, they were bright enough!

[movenon]

What happens if the cooling fan stops working? How hot does this run, I use LED GU10's in my kitchen, replacing the 50 watt spotlamps, the LED replacements are rated at 5watts, and only get warm to the touch. They use 10% of the power of the conventional spots, this LED H4 uses 60%, I would have thought it was blinding?  i have in the past used 9watt CREE fog lamps, they were bright enough!

I don't have a lot of solid answers yet as I have just recently installed the LED and need some night time riding to evaluate the light in the real world.  I know it is a lot brighter,  the pattern is different, seems to fill in light lower plus brighter,  consumes  50% less power and has a high kelvin rating which some like and some don't.

The LED is rated at 20 watt's consumption for 2000 lm and 30 watt's at 3000 lm's of light.  So 20 watts or approx 1.52 amps depending on the voltage for low or "dipped" beam and 2.8 amp draw on high beam.  The lm rating puts it up there with a Hella 100/80 bulb (2900 lm) with an average life of only 100 hours, standard 55 watt bulb is rated at 500 hours. Although it seems I get more life out of them than that.  The LED's rated life span is 10,000 to 30,000 hours depending on which Chinese advertisement you are looking at.  The LED color temp is up at 6000K which is like daylight.

Choices for a brighter headlight in an FJ:
Upgrade the stock bulb to a higher wattage unit  (more current draw, more heat, shorter life span, watch the connectors for melting)
Convert to an HID
Convert to a LED
One member with a lot of talent has converted to a projector bulb.

Long term issues using an LED headlight are yet to be determined.  On low beam consuming 20 watt's I don't think it will get to hot. The LED's are mounted on a thick machined aluminum heat sink. And the FJ reflector area is large with a thick glass front.  

How does changing your headlight bulb effect the MOT testing over there?  Here in the states we are spoiled (or lucky) in that respect.  I plan on adding another 2000 -3000 lm (15-30 watts) of running lights next.  

George

[Bminder]

I'm very interested in how the bulb performs George. I was considering buying an LED bulb, but decided to wait until my HID bulb craps out.

I recently installed 2 LED spotlights like these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-12V-30W-CREE-U2-LED-Fog-Spot-Head-Light-Waterproof-Working-Lamp-Black-/201103802443?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed2b8804b&vxp=mtr

They fit quite nicely on the Renntech engine bars. I installed them with a remote dimmer switch and a relay that turns them on full brightness when the high beam is switched on. I am very happy with them so far. Coupled with the 55 watt HID, there is an incredible amount of light coming from the front of my FJ.

Derek

Looks interesting.
And I LOVE the mashed-up English in the description! haha:

- The world's top American original CREE-U2 light bead,outside the brightness of the stars
- Night driving be obviously strong pillar
- Unique square spot suitable for pavement super province electricity night driving more fuel efficient more secure absolutely not deficit battery
- Function: Continuous switch a super white head,two near the light,flashing three invincible

[movenon]

I'm very interested in how the bulb performs George. I was considering buying an LED bulb, but decided to wait until my HID bulb craps out.

I recently installed 2 LED spotlights like these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-12V-30W-CREE-U2-LED-Fog-Spot-Head-Light-Waterproof-Working-Lamp-Black-/201103802443?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed2b8804b&vxp=mtr

They fit quite nicely on the Renntech engine bars. I installed them with a remote dimmer switch and a relay that turns them on full brightness when the high beam is switched on. I am very happy with them so far. Coupled with the 55 watt HID, there is an incredible amount of light coming from the front of my FJ.

Derek

Looks interesting.
And I LOVE the mashed-up English in the description! haha:

- The world's top American original CREE-U2 light bead,outside the brightness of the stars
- Night driving be obviously strong pillar
- Unique square spot suitable for pavement super province electricity night driving more fuel efficient more secure absolutely not deficit battery
- Function: Continuous switch a super white head,two near the light,flashing three invincible

Hey, I don't speak Chinese either .  They make the same exact light now with a CREE-U3 which is a little brighter.  Both are on ebay you just need to read the description.  Another model is out there with a CREE U5 they claim 125W equivalent. Probably looks like an arc welder coming down the road.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-U5-3000LM-LED-Waterproof-Handle-Bar-Driving-Fog-Spot-HeadLight-For-Suzuki-/331318212988?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d241ab97c&vxp=mtr
George

[pdxfj]

After seeing a thread on a VFR board about using the CREE LED lamps in one of those bikes and the difference it made, I am very tempted to go the LED route.

Nice that George saw the same improvement in the amount of light on the road just in front of the bike.  Same results on the VFR thread.

Thanks for posting this up! 

[movenon]

After seeing a thread on a VFR board about using the CREE LED lamps in one of those bikes and the difference it made, I am very tempted to go the LED route.

Nice that George saw the same improvement in the amount of light on the road just in front of the bike.  Same results on the VFR thread.

Thanks for posting this up!  

I took it out for a longer evaluation and for me it is a big improvement.  But I have been running a stock rated headlight bulb.  Reviews and pictures are a bit subjective.  What I have noticed is the pattern is good.  It seems to provide more ambient light up close and still projects plenty of light down the road. The high beam fills in and adds light but not as noticeable as one might think. The low beam is plenty.  On low beam I can see a reflective end of the road barrier sign at 1/2 mile away clearly.  The 6000K light really reflects on signs.  Standing back and looking at the bike (as an on coming car) the bike headlight is very visible.

Adding visibility is a big part of what I am trying to do.  I can see that when I get LED running lights mounted that I will be extremely visible head on day or night and have all the light needed.

In the pictures below the dumpster is slightly over 200 feet away and the picture doesn't pick up all the light that was there it was taken hand held.  The "hot spot" starts at about 4 paces in front of the bike and go's out to around 20 more paces on low.  The head on shot, the bike is on the side stand and with a rider on board the light pattern will drop down a little.  Also I need to adjust my lateral adjustment to the right slightly.




George

[skymasteres]

You know,  it's amaing what you can find on the Internet.  I went looking around trying to figure out the difference between all of the lumen and watt ratings of the led bulbs and stumbled upon this.

http://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4421297/Cree-rolls-LEDs-with-double-lumen-density-and-50--less-power

Seems like the Cree cxa 1520 is the new big led chip since last September.  Still gotta find an h4 packaged one though.

[movenon]

You know,  it's amaing what you can find on the Internet.  I went looking around trying to figure out the difference between all of the lumen and watt ratings of the led bulbs and stumbled upon this.

http://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4421297/Cree-rolls-LEDs-with-double-lumen-density-and-50--less-power

Seems like the Cree cxa 1520 is the new big led chip since last September.  Still gotta find an h4 packaged one though.

That's good information Mike ! I like the toning down of the Kelvin.  I am not complaining but I personally would like to be at 4500-5000 Kelvin.  I am sure that chip will show up in an H4 soon.  We need an H4 that designed to install in our headlights.  Some of the current LED H4's I don't think will fit into our headlights due to how they are clipped in.  Something for anyone wanting to buy one to think about. 
George

[ELIMINATOR]

The laws over here in England are outdated! The use of 100w headlamp bulbs are illegal, yet, an HID is far brighter. The rule makers have not caught up with technology, only relating the wattage of the filament, as opposed to the lumens emitted!!!

[ribbert]

The laws over here in England are outdated! The use of 100w headlamp bulbs are illegal, yet, an HID is far brighter. The rule makers have not caught up with technology, only relating the wattage of the filament, as opposed to the lumens emitted!!!

Is it possible you have the same law as us. HID's are legal, but only on vehicles with self levelling suspension.

Noel

[movenon]

George, looking at the mfgr's sales sheet, I thought you installed the H-4 collar first, then the actual led unit fit in a (white) barrel that is mounted in the center of the collar.
Does that cooling fan blow any air inside the headlight housing? i.e.dust problems?

LED update:

Pat, I removed the LED headlight in the pictures above in the first post to run some tests and discovered as you noted.  The H4 base plate will unlock from the LED element, I just wasn't twisting hard enough I guess.  Anyhow that makes the LED that I am using in the pictures above easy to change now.

The fan sucks in air over the fins.  The bulb seals to the headlight reflector ok but not like using a gasket.  Some models of LED headlights use a heat sink system instead of a fan.

The heat generated is warm but not hot in anyway. The small driver box also gets warm.  Nothing to be alarmed about IMO.  More testing tonight using a different manufacture of LED.  Lots of variations of LED's, LED mounting position, reflectors etc..

Compared to close to or stock headlight I am happy with the LED.  Less power, instant on, lot more light, more visible to on coming traffic.
These are next http://www.ebay.com/itm/271556269155?item=271556269155&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:L:OC:US:3160&vxp=mtr.
George