LED Headlight

[chocker]

Hi,
I just purchased one off Ebay. Just waiting until it arrives. Hopefully I will still be riding and there is no snow when it gets here lol. Just wondering, if the beam level seems ok on my halogen bulb do I need to adjust after the install? I wouldn't think so unless the beam is totally different. I realize it will be stronger but since it is the same dimensions and the fact that it does have the same light pattern as the original, bulb wise, then I shouldn't need to adjust.

Mark

[movenon]

I had to adjust mine.  I tried a second manufacture of an LED headlight and had to adjust it again.  I would plan on adjusting it.  Its easy to do if your adjusters are in working shape.  For me it was the vertical adjustment that changed the most.  Not a bad idea to spend some time and adjust it where it should be.  
George

[chocker]

I received the LED headlight and installed it. It is amazingly more bright than stock. I just have to adjust a little higher than the stock bulb but I am very impressed.

Mark

[TexasDave]

I just installed mine this week and am amazed by how much brighter. Now I have to get some led light on the rear.  Dave

[Earl Svorks]

 I got a bargain on a headlight pulsating module from a local dealer. Before I got around to installing it, I had the chance to go by two riders (separate occasions) who were coming toward me on more or less open rural highways. I was somewhat startled both
times by just how conspicuous it made them. Like from a mile away, I'm thinking WTF is
that coming towards me ? Ambulance,, cop,, emergency response ? I had no idea, and I admit openly to feeling a bit foolish realizing what they were when they went by.
Personally, I have no desire to announce my presence, impending or otherwise, to all and sundry on the road. The stock exhaust on my 90 is very quiet, most times we (Mr FJ and I) don't even turn heads.I think the lack of attention this wins me has allowed me
to garner far fewer encounters with the Revenue Collectors Motor Patrol and others of their ilk. When traveling at the velocity the FJ is comfy with, well, you understand.
I do, however recognize how effective the pulsing thing is at getting the attention
of other drivers.
  I figured how to get the benefit of the thing selectively. The device uses fairly crude internals, you can hear the relay when it works. My headlamp is just a 100 watt H4.
I have wired the relay to be triggered by my horn. I have tandem electrics, hi and low pitch, they are very loud . (forklift truck accessories!) They make people jump.
The flasher operates for about 5 cycles with a single touch of the horn button.
I use it sparingly but it is very effective. Mr Police have showed no interest, which is just the way I like it!

[Capn Ron]

My headlamp is just a 100 watt H4.

Hey Earl,

I picked up on the above comment in your last post.  I'm currently running a stock wattage headlamp with the relay mod for full voltage at the bulb.  It's ...ehhh...adequate.  After riding behind a few FJ riders using HID setups (I can't ride in front of them at night as the light of a thousand suns would melt my tail light!!) it would be nice to have a few more lumens. 

I really like the flat, even light distribution and simplicity of a stock H4 bulb.  Did you just replace the stock wattage bulb with a 100 watt H4 bulb?  Are these commonly available?

[FJmonkey]

Hey Earl,

I picked up on the above comment in your last post.  I'm currently running a stock wattage headlamp with the relay mod for full voltage at the bulb.  It's ...ehhh...adequate.  After riding behind a few FJ riders using HID setups (I can't ride in front of them at night as the light of a thousand suns would melt my tail light!!) it would be nice to have a few more lumens. 

I really like the flat, even light distribution and simplicity of a stock H4 bulb.  Did you just replace the stock wattage bulb with a 100 watt H4 bulb?  Are these commonly available?

Join the HID club Ron, it is way better than the DARK side.... But LEDs seems to have some potential, keep us posted dude....

[ribbert]

I got a bargain on a headlight pulsating module from a local dealer.......

"Earl", not sure about the benefits of this on a headlight full time but I do like your idea of having it hooked up to the horn or maybe the high beam flash button.
I have one on my brake light with LED globes, it is adjustable for flash rate and duration. I have even had people comment on it at traffic lights as to how effective it is as they have come up behind me.

Noel

[Pat Conlon]

Ron, 100w with a relay, no worries, just make sure the lamp plug is ceramic.....

Lesson learned...

[movenon]

Can't really add to much. I run an LED headlight.  It is brighter and easier for other drivers to spot than the stock bulb. I think it is because of the bright white/blue color it emits and more lumen's than a stock bulb.  The HID bulb from what I have seen puts out more light but the pattern is also difficult to control but as with the LED headlights there are a bunch of different manufactures all with slightly different approaches to emulating a true H4 Halogen pattern.  It is the "wild west" with aftermarket HID and LED bulbs.

The high output Halogen's (90 or 100 watt bulbs) probably put out as much or more light as the LED headlight but for me the shorter life expectancy of the bulb, heat and high current consumption are negatives.  IMO the FJ electrical system is not overly robust in it's design.  Adequate is about the best I can say.  Now add heated grips, running lights, extra 12V/5V outlets for GPS, cell phone, charging port in some cases higher current draw horn or horns and you can tax the electrical system.  While I am at it the stock FJ battery is also in that "adequate" category but nothing to brag about. Just an opinion.

As a note you can not use a typical headlight modulator with the LED bulb as it switch's from full on to full off faster than a Halogen bulb (no dimming effect). It is pretty much instant on or off.  There is at least one manufacture that makes a special LED headlight modulator so it can be done, just expensive at present. China will probably fix that....

I like to think the LED headlight will last a lot longer but that has yet to be determined. It takes off load from the electrical system and is brighter than stock.  Here in the US where the headlight runs with the ignition on that can't be all bad.  I have converted every light on my bike to LED's except the turn signals and the low fuel bulb in the instrument cluster.  Someday I will convert the turn signals and make a few other electrical mods to make things more efficient.
George

[Pat Conlon]

I know that LED's are the future, absolutely....I'm just not sure on the durability....I'll be watching your long term results closely.

Thank you George, Mark and Dave for doing this...

[Earl Svorks]

Hey Guys,
In answer to questions/comments from interested peers.
I was never really impressed by the FJ headlight, even from brand new. The brighter bulb helps but I'd be open to another type , be it HID, or LED. Seems every other car on the road at 5am when I'm going to work has way more light than my Mazda commuter and my FJ combined.
The 100 W H4 is not so difficult to find. Bike shops, performance car outfits,, seek and ye shall find.
  Yes they do make a bit more heat. I had the light go out on a trip. It turned out to be ground failure in the socket. Aside from the heat the bulb generates, it's current draw
makes it more important that you eliminate any voltage drop across any connectors involved. A connector that has been unplugged a couple of times is where you'll find a
terminal whose fit has loosened up. You don't really feel it in a gang plug until you remove the individual spade or pin socket.  This condition will generate enough heat to blacken and or melt a plastic gang plug.  Seems half the motorcycles I look at will have signs of this at the alternator output plug, or at the rectifier.
  The brake light is one place where I'll take all the attention I can get. I agree, a modulator is a very good idea here.
  I have long been a fan of the maintenance free battery. It's advantages are clear compared with the wet lead/acid style. I see that there are more recent developments
in this field. Smaller, lighter, more CCA at higher voltage, bring it on!

[movenon]

I know that LED's are the future, absolutely....I'm just not sure on the durability....I'll be watching your long term results closely.

Thank you George, Mark and Dave for doing this...

I agree with watching the durability issue. It is an unknown at this time. I have my old bulb tucked away on the bike, just in case.

Earl, I agree also about the spade connectors. Like others I have found what appears to be a good connector on the outside to be not so good inside.
I recommend everyone check this line and plug coming from the alternator at least once every few years.  New ceramic headlight connector is nice, mandatory if you want to run 100 watts or an HID without future problems.


The following is just stuff I am playing with, or did until the cold weather set in.

I am at present running a LiFePo battery and have been experimenting with super capacitor boost packs.  The battery weighs 2.05 lbs and they (?) claim 360 CCA.. yea, right.. Time will tell.  The capacitor boost packs are interesting. I have used it on my diesel truck and for a while used it with no battery in the FJ. Almost took it to the WCR that way but ran out of nerve... The short of it is the "boost pack" alone will start the FJ with gusto but if and when you run out of power (won't start) you are dead in the water quickly.  So you need a battery back up for a "recharge" of the pack which happens in about 120 seconds.  I made a 3 amp battery pack and it worked fine but I didn't care for the battery design (safety's).

I then put in the LiFePo battery for the FJ and now am thinking about adding a smaller capacity boost pack. It is not required I am just interested in them. It gives a power boost on start up,  taking the load off the battery.  The pack is mostly just capacitors and the weight is minimal.  
In the picture below the boost pack is the blue capacitors on the left side. The green batteries are the ones I used as back up. The center is a typical 84-90 FJ battery.


This is when I was running it with no battery. Terminals were not hooked up at the time.


More about boost packs: (in the video he uses an RC battery pack as a back up, please don't do this. RC batteries do not have safety's or balancing circuits built into them) and there are other construction issues.  But it shows the capability of the system.
Mini BoostPack 12V Capacitor Car Battery Update

Future electrical mods planned for the FJ is a timer circuit (or plain old switch) to disable the headlight turn on for 60 +- seconds after the ignition switch is turned on. Having more energy available for the starting system ? Helpful if you have a low battery.
Install coil relay giving full voltage to the coils.

Sorry for the long post... Winter time.
George

[Firehawk068]

Future electrical mods planned for the FJ is a timer circuit (or plain old switch) to disable the headlight turn on for 60 +- seconds after the ignition switch is turned on. Having more energy available for the starting system ? Helpful if you have a low battery.
Install coil relay giving full voltage to the coils.

Sorry for the long post... Winter time.
George

You could get "Euro" spec switch gear for the headlight...........................Easy to find on e-bay. It has an "Off" position for the lights.(I also like the "Flash-to-Pass" feature).............Super easy to wire up.
Some models are direct plug-and-play
(downside is: You have to remember to turn them on)

[movenon]

That's to easy Alan . yes thought about doing just that.  I do like the looks of that switch.
George