LED Headlamp Bulbs

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › LED Headlamp Bulbs

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#151392 23-Aug-2014 22:59

Hi All

Question for the boy racers here-

I want to raise the brightness of my 2012 Korando headlamps.
I do alot of driving at night on gravel rural roads and the brightest halogens that supercheap and repco sell seem like they could be improved upon.

I know HID headlamps are illegal in NZ, however I was wondering about LED bulbs.
I see you can now get LED bulbs that will fit into the H4 headlamp ballasts which put out about 2000 to 3000 lumens on hibeam where as a halogen on hibeam is only about 1500.

If i was to take it to the VTNZ station and ask them to check it with their headlamp tester thingy, would it be legal if there was no extra scatter created from the LED bulb?

Has anyone here had any success with LED over Halogen as an alternative to HID?

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

1 | 2

3344 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Vocus

#1114282 23-Aug-2014 23:05

Given headlamp enclosures are carefully designed for the specific type of bulb to be used, there is no way at all that an LED "bulb" is going to give the correct throw pattern in an enclosure designed for incandescent bulbs. And I really doubt it's legal to change the lamps for a different (non-approved) type.

richms

28187 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1114315 23-Aug-2014 23:37

Its illegal, just like all the replacement LED stop and indicator lamps are. headlights etc get their approvals with a defined lamp in them, any other lamp and they are not an approved lamp anymore.

Mind you, so many imports come in with non complying HID retrofits that have horrid beams and are on the road and getting warrants, and many people put LED stoplamps in without being hassled so I guess you would be fine.

Richard rich.ms

tardtasticx

3075 posts

Uber Geek

#1114354 24-Aug-2014 00:38

I thought I read somewhere that HID lamps are fine so long as you have the whole light casing (lens and reflector things) replaced to meet standard for HIDs? It was only if you put the HID bulb where a standard bulb would go it would become illegal.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#1114357 24-Aug-2014 00:40

I find these high powered headlights create visibility problems for oncoming traffic. They are so white and bright, and wouldn't be surprised if they have caused accidents in the past.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#1114361 24-Aug-2014 00:53

I find simply looking to the left side of the road prevents any problems for me. The only time it becomes a problem is with poorly aligned headlights in crappy weather. However, I've found slowing down is usually a good preventative measure for that situation too.

There are people here that think they are even too bright to be used during the day!

Our Caldina GT-T has HID's (I think) and have a very high output but sudden light fall-off, unlike a standard bulb. The sudden drop out of the light can be scary at times! Your eyes definitely need to adjust to the shortened visibility. The sudden drop off of light I can definitely see causing accidents, but it's usually fine.

tardtasticx

3075 posts

Uber Geek

#1114362 24-Aug-2014 00:55

mattwnz: I find these high powered headlights create visibility problems for oncoming traffic. They are so white and bright, and wouldn't be surprised if they have caused accidents in the past.

For sure. I don't think they're illegal but they should be. They're unnecessary.

hio77

12999 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

#1114371 24-Aug-2014 01:45

on Rural roads late night, i can see a use for a tad brighter lights.. especially the twisty gravel ones!

for an urban setting however, i cant stand it when people have overly bright lights, sometimes stop to question... are they too rude and or distracted to not think to dim their lights? or simply make a habit of blinding people all the time because they use excessively bright lights.
When an oncoming car does this, and simply looking to the left of the road is not a safe option, ill simply slow down. Better option than not being able to see effectively where your going..

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

petercad

113 posts

Master Geek

#1114381 24-Aug-2014 07:25

You could try 90/130W H4 with a relay kit to ensure they're getting 12V at all times, otherwise the best option is some aftermarket driving lights on a nudge-bar or something like that
Anything other then Halogen bulbs in your Korando is an instant WOF fail.
Light reflectors are designed around a type of bulb (in your case probably H4), and defined light distances from the reflector to illuminate the road ahead, by putting HID or LED in there, you will be changing the distance from the source of the light to the reflector, thus changing the lights output dramatically, and not likely for the better

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1114385 24-Aug-2014 07:44

http://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/in-service-wof-and-cof/general/lighting/headlamps

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#1114391 24-Aug-2014 08:20

Brighter lights don't make you a safer or better driver
Often people fit aux lights or drive with fog lights on as they like the added illumination this gives closer to the vehicle (and particularly off to the sides)
I find this solution simply means you compromise your long distant vision, as you now need brighter main beams to get what you feel is a safe distant view (you're really just adding light noise and having to compensate for it)
Additionally folk forget that once you're moving (at any speed) your focus point moves away from the vehicle, so highlighting whats a few metres in front or off to the side is less relevant. Its too late to adjust your vehicle position for an obstacle/corner 10m in from of you when you're doing 50km/h, you should have set up for that much earlier

Bung

6487 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1114405 24-Aug-2014 09:06

raytaylor: I see you can now get LED bulbs that wziill fit into the H4 headlamp ballasts which put out about 2000 to 3000 lumens on hibeam where as a halogen on hibeam is only about 1500.

Some of the "+" performance H4 are around 1900 lumens on high. They get better performance by improving the focus of the filament. That seems to be something that an array of LEDs wouldn't be. The LED may be x lumens but where is it put by a reflector designed for a point source?

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1114411 24-Aug-2014 09:26

mattwnz: I find these high powered headlights create visibility problems for oncoming traffic. They are so white and bright, and wouldn't be surprised if they have caused accidents in the past.

I have noticed that some pickup trucks and high SUVs have their headlamps mounted high due to the larger design of the vehicle, and even on low beam this can be annoying to other drivers.
So out of courtesy, if I am on a sealed road, i will generally angle my headlamps down further with the switch on the dashboard

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1114412 24-Aug-2014 09:33

Okay so the consensus is that LED's are still likley to create too much of a beam scatter

However if I was to find a complete enclosure and replace the reflector for one designed to be used with an HID or LED kit on the korando, then its all good.

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

Bung

6487 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1114415 24-Aug-2014 10:03

raytaylor: So out of courtesy, if I am on a sealed road, i will generally angle my headlamps down further with the switch on the dashboard

At least you have that option. They are supposed to test your lights with that control zeroed ie highest position. You might be able to use it to cheat a little when there's no traffic around.

The last time I went for a WOF they adjusted both head and fogs down far enough to be dangerous without saying anything to me. I called in at another testing station and got the headlights lifted to the upper limit. That actually looked a bit high on dip so I've dropped them slightly. It's a balance between light on road surface and light that shows something at the far edge of dip zone.

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1114860 24-Aug-2014 22:36

Bung:

At least you have that option.

I love my korando

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

1 | 2