Ariel.Club Forum

It is not so much the power as what you do with it. Worldwide the regulations vary on vehicle lighting but the basics of it are there are various angles the lamp should be viewable from and be of a certain intensity.

The use of optics to focus the light can make the lamp more efficient, so you could buy a 3W led off the shelf and light it up as a torch, but a 1W in a designed enclosure could put more light in the area that you want it.



http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-LED-car-headlights!/

Any stuff out there on the units that they'll be using for headlights. I've seen the 3 watt ones and such they use for flashlights and the huge plastered together messes some of the people use to swap out their tailights with, just would like more details on the makeup of a LED headlight.

The automotive environment is VERY different to that of architectural which is what that study refers to,

I did not say that LED’s were 100’s of time more efficient only that over the life of the product its carbon footprint was 100’s times smaller.

HID has a nasty downside of various poisonous metals that need to be disposed off preferably not by throwing it in the bin which then adds another whack on if you start to recover these elements,

A decent LED should still outlast HID tenfold, yet both come in at similar price points.

At the moment power in versus light out HID scrapes in top, LED second and then halogen third commercially speaking in the automotive environment. To exceed the performance of HID with LED makes it a more expensive option..

This balance will change next year as the efficiency improves in the open market.

LEDs aren't quite 100s of times more energy-efficient than regular bulbs, but they are at least as efficient as gas-discharge technologies.

See http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12 ... scents.php for more info on a recent study.

[quote="WorkingOnIt"]
Question - at the intensity required for headlights, do LEDs still draw less current than conventional lighting?

If so I would expect there would be big demand from all the new electric vehicle makers.
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That would be correct IF electric vehicle makers were actually concerned about reducing energy consumtion rather than making money and exploting government grants and subsidies and increasing thier public perception for being green

The overall life cost of LED is less than halogen

The power consumption is 50 - 80% less

Over its life its carbon foot print is 100's of times smaller than a halogen bulbed unit.

Question - at the intensity required for headlights, do LEDs still draw less current than conventional lighting?

If so I would expect there would be big demand from all the new electric vehicle makers.

Cadlilac have offered it as an option on some models for a few years now, Audi also do the same with the R8. Buggati have it, Range / Land Rover offer dip beam as an option, Rolls Royce have them. Same as HID lower down the price range it is a cost option.

[quote="Mobile Centre"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="Mobile Centre"]
Hmm I could also see what the LED headlights would look like on your car......
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I think you mean sidelights don't get everyone excited you're in enough trouble as it is!!!   
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This is why you are miserable you are convinced everybody is wrong

This sure LOOKS like an LED headlight to me





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Ah! now I understand I though you were referring to th conversation we had about my knackered sidelights       

I think I read somewhere that LED headlights would be in production on a mainstream vehicle in 2010. Anyone know if that's true?

[quote="silver"]
Lloyd....Flasher....here

since this particular flasher is in the US, see if you can find the model being sold in the UK to speed up shipping and reduce costs.

I have replaced all my lights with LED's and used this flasher, once I figured out what wire went where (is wired differently in my Brammo then on the flasher) it worked like a champ
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For use on a  vehicle in Europe (UK included) it has to be CE marked and e approved which this relay is neither I am afraid. God bless the land of the free.

We can modify the wiring on John's car to take a relay we have in stock - the plug and play type we have scheduled for January 2010 but we are trying to move it forward but somebody put Christmas in the way!

Lloyd....Flasher....here

http://www.vehiclelight.com/ef33l.html

since this particular flasher is in the US, see if you can find the model being sold in the UK to speed up shipping and reduce costs.

I have replaced all my lights with LED's and used this flasher, once I figured out what wire went where (is wired differently in my Brammo then on the flasher) it worked like a champ

O wait I found another one 

[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="Mobile Centre"]
Hmm I could also see what the LED headlights would look like on your car......
[/quote]

I think you mean sidelights don't get everyone excited you're in enough trouble as it is!!!   
[/quote]

This is why you are miserable you are convinced everybody is wrong

This sure LOOKS like an LED headlight to me

[quote="Mobile Centre"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="Mobile Centre"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="silver"]
BUMP it's december 09...............PICS PLEASE.
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Don't hold your breath  (I nearly asphyxiated myself waiting), but thanks, Tim, at least they are here now, now I just need a LED relay. Spent £30 on bike ones today didn't work, let's hope the MOT man's in a good mood tomorrow when my indicators flash at 100 times a minute or more!!   ;) 
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Should of called me instead I could of saved you the £30 - who says Atom owners do not have money to waste!
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You said you didn't have any, I asked the question when you sent me the replacement lights   
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And I do not have any - I would of told you the bike ones would not work as would most others hence saving you £30. If you want to drive up I will get your indicators to work and you can drop off my Christmas card.
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THe MOT is at 8am tomorrow, I'd better get in the car now!!  See you at about 2am

[quote="Mobile Centre"]
Hmm I could also see what the LED headlights would look like on your car......
[/quote]

I think you mean sidelights don't get everyone excited you're in enough trouble as it is!!!