Headlight upgrade to led...

[Been a while]

Yeassss i know, l.e.d's in standard headlight fittings....but!
I had to do something. ..

Well at least they're not h.i.d i guess but i had to do something with the Navs headlights..

I noticed these on special whilst looking for new globes after losing the low beams..
These are not the real bright ones, i think!
They're $100 from super bleep, $30 more than the ones i normally use... yeahhh expensive but Afterpay makes things accessible...
Ill test them out tonight and see how they go.

 

[tweak'e]

i suspect they are probably illegal to use on the road over there.
the other upgrade is there is some higher output halogen bulbs. i think Philips by mem.

 

[Old.Tony]

i suspect they are probably illegal to use on the road over there.
the other upgrade is there is some higher output halogen bulbs. i think Philips by mem.

Philips, Narva and IPF all produce higher output H4 globes and (having tried the Philips and IPF ones in my car, and the Narva ones in my wife's) they do put out more light but not substantially more.

I notice that although these globes say on the packaging that they're not ADR-compliant and are for off-road use only, the emitters themselves seem to have been positioned roughly where the filaments of a halogen globe would be, unlike some of the cheaper ones I've seen. The non-compliance might be from the colour (5900K) but HID are often 6000K+ so these are probably going to work well.

My understanding is that halogen globes put out around 1400 lumens or thereabouts, so these should be noticeably brighter.

Keep us posted, I've got +130s in my car at the moment (I think that's supposed to mean 30% brighter) but wouldn't mind a little more. LEDs may even last longer than halogen and use less power, which I could use on the bike too!

 

[Horatius]

Will keep the sunnies close by should I happen to pass you on the highway at night. Go for it of course, but jesus some of those aftermarket light jobs can be ordinary lol.

 

[user 10312]

Why don't you just use the +130 Halogens. They work pretty good in the D40 lens. You could even go for the + 150's although the bulb life is shorter about 250 hrs. Don't go to higher colour temperatures. Blueish light is distracting for oncoming drivers. They may light the white lines slightly better but you actually backwards in light output. The human eye has the best sensitivity and contrast in the middle of the light spectrum.

If you need more light get yourself a pair of spotties. I run a pair of Lightforce HID genesis. One spread other spot. The light out of them is insane. LED's are not even the same street.

 

[Been a while]

i suspect they are probably illegal to use on the road over there.
the other upgrade is there is some higher output halogen bulbs. i think Philips by mem.

Oh man, everything is illeagal here...

I'm on to it, i turned them down and to the left last night and they seem fine.. ill grab some picks, they're not super bright but ill keep an eye out for complaints eh

The alignment helps alot, i think this is where most fail and come unstuck with the wollopers..
Keep ya posted...

 

[Been a while]

Philips, Narva and IPF all produce higher output H4 globes and (having tried the Philips and IPF ones in my car, and the Narva ones in my wife's) they do put out more light but not substantially more.

I notice that although these globes say on the packaging that they're not ADR-compliant and are for off-road use only, the emitters themselves seem to have been positioned roughly where the filaments of a halogen globe would be, unlike some of the cheaper ones I've seen. The non-compliance might be from the colour (5900K) but HID are often 6000K+ so these are probably going to work well.

My understanding is that halogen globes put out around 1400 lumens or thereabouts, so these should be noticeably brighter.

Keep us posted, I've got +130s in my car at the moment (I think that's supposed to mean 30% brighter) but wouldn't mind a little more. LEDs may even last longer than halogen and use less power, which I could use on the bike too!

Yeah I've been through all the 130 types etc, the last set where these top dollar waste of money crap too ..

Will see i guess, what concerns me is heat on those rubber headlight seals eh

The durability is a handy factor too, as with power consumption. . Those light switches stalks don't like being overloaded eh..

Oh and bikes, man, what a time to be building and riding huh The lighting now days are just god sent... hid on bikes, yes please lol
Rigid industries make perfect lights for bikes, road and enduro .. i used them on the nav, small and bright, and I've never been questioned having 2 sets mounted, and thats with 2 on top of the bar. .

 

[Been a while]

Will keep the sunnies close by should I happen to pass you on the highway at night. Go for it of course, but jesus some of those aftermarket light jobs can be ordinary lol.

Lol, ill expect "the can" to the screen/face
Onto it mate, tuened them down and to the left..
Going to have another play tonight when i find a factory wall i can adjust them on..
I have too do the spotlights too..

You have to pull the stinking lights out to access the adjustment screws on the navs.. or am i doing something wrong lol
It's a ***** of a job..

 

[Been a while]

Why don't you just use the +130 Halogens. They work pretty good in the D40 lens. You could even go for the + 150's although the bulb life is shorter about 250 hrs. Don't go to higher colour temperatures. Blueish light is distracting for oncoming drivers. They may light the white lines slightly better but you actually backwards in light output. The human eye has the best sensitivity and contrast in the middle of the light spectrum.

If you need more light get yourself a pair of spotties. I run a pair of Lightforce HID genesis. One spread other spot. The light out of them is insane. LED's are not even the same street.

I was going to wack in 100w+ but was warned they can burn out stalks...

These modern light bulbs just sont cut it..or im going blind. ..
The d40 may have better reflectors mate, you'd hope so lol

Yup, got some spotties but its just the low beam that kills me, i can see crap!

 

[Old.Tony]

Yeah I've been through all the 130 types etc, the last set where these top dollar waste of money crap too ..

Will see i guess, what concerns me is heat on those rubber headlight seals eh

The durability is a handy factor too, as with power consumption. . Those light switches stalks don't like being overloaded eh..

Oh and bikes, man, what a time to be building and riding huh The lighting now days are just god sent... hid on bikes, yes please lol
Rigid industries make perfect lights for bikes, road and enduro .. i used them on the nav, small and bright, and I've never been questioned having 2 sets mounted, and thats with 2 on top of the bar. .

On my bike I've got a casing behind the headlight mount that won't fit the usual heatsink/fan thing you normally see on LED lights so if it comes with that crap I can't use it. I've added some driving lights (LED) so I can see better and thankfully my bike now has a 90A alternator so it can cope with it.

There's obviously room behind the Navara's headlight but that rubber boot really is something to worry about, especially if it starts letting water enter the headlight and the reflector gets tarnished!

Have you tried the lights yet? Any dramatic increase in light output? Was it worth it?

 

[Been a while]

On my bike I've got a casing behind the headlight mount that won't fit the usual heatsink/fan thing you normally see on LED lights so if it comes with that crap I can't use it. I've added some driving lights (LED) so I can see better and thankfully my bike now has a 90A alternator so it can cope with it.

There's obviously room behind the Navara's headlight but that rubber boot really is something to worry about, especially if it starts letting water enter the headlight and the reflector gets tarnished!

Have you tried the lights yet? Any dramatic increase in light output? Was it worth it?

I had a play last night against the fence, definetly brighter. .. No real spot which is good.
I'm going out tonight to use Woolworths brick walk to align them and the spoties
Ahh these ones don't have the heat sink so you can use the oeiginal rubber boots..

Tonight when i align them and they're not being cooled by passing wind will be good test for heat..
I've also read that these lense covers can be affected by heat from these too.. soooo ill be keeping an eye on them for sure..

 

[OldManBeard]

Over the years I've tried quite a few different options for getting decent light output from headlights, both bikes and cars. What I've been using for the last 5 to 6 years are shown here. They were purchased from eBay but you can probably get them elsewhere at a higher price. They provide fantastic light output but, even more importantly, they produce a beam pattern virtually identical to the standard globes. The only downside is that you can't readily use the standard rubber boot, as you would with standard globes, because of the large base, which houses the cooling fan. This in itself has caused me no no problems in either car, with no dirt or moisture entering the lights.

There is a lot of talk, here and elsewhere, about whether such lights meet ADR. I have been unable to find anything in the ADRs that suggest they are not legal, provided the beam pattern is the same as the light originally fitted to the vehicle. When challenged to do so, I've not yet come across anyone who can show otherwise. Let's face it, popping these in is no different to switching from standard globes to blue ones, which actually provide a whiter output.

 

[Been a while]

Check to see if the fan can be taken off and on! I noticed on the one set with just the heat sink/cooling fins, no fan, that you can remove and replace..
I didn't get out last night to take picks but these ones have a definite cut off line in the light spread... it favours the left..

 

[OldManBeard]

I didn't get out last night to take picks but these ones have a definite cut off line in the light spread... it favours the left..

As it should for vehicles driven on the left-hand side of the road. Strictly speaking, only the passenger side should have an asymmetrical beam but these days nearly all vehicles also have it on the driver's side. It's one of those things the authorities turn a blind eye to, just to appease foreign vehicle makers.

Incidentally, the fan is not removable from the lights I have.

 

[gethro]

Over the years I've tried quite a few different options for getting decent light output from headlights, both bikes and cars. What I've been using for the last 5 to 6 years are shown here. They were purchased from eBay but you can probably get them elsewhere at a higher price. They provide fantastic light output but, even more importantly, they produce a beam pattern virtually identical to the standard globes. The only downside is that you can't readily use the standard rubber boot, as you would with standard globes, because of the large base, which houses the cooling fan. This in itself has caused me no no problems in either car, with no dirt or moisture entering the lights.

Could you post a link from eBay, please? I have fantastic highbeams (what with two LED long throw spotties and a lightbar) but low beam is abysmal.

 

[OldManBeard]

Could you post a link from eBay, please? I have fantastic highbeams (what with two LED long throw spotties and a lightbar) but low beam is abysmal.

I can't find that exact model anymore but this set, from the same seller I purchased my last set from a couple of years back, look to be about the same. Alternatively, just search eBay for "led h4 lights". Stay away from anything too ridiculously cheap or any that don't have either a cooling fan built-in or at least a generous heat sink. These lights generate a fair bit of heat, both from the LED itself and the control electronics, which is also built into the base. Electronic components simply can't handle heat as well as non-electronic "standard" lights, so it must be dissipated or the unit will have a rather short life. OTOH, if it doesn't generate enough heat to need a fan or heatsink then it can't be producing anywhere near as much light, that's just basic physics.

To give an indication of the effectiveness of the LEDs I have; after I fitted the bullbar to the Nav I also fitted the driving lights (130W halogen) I had been using on our last 3 fourbys. Compared to the standard headlights they were great. After installing the LED globes into the headlights I couldn't easily see whether or not the old diving lights were on or not. Those driving lights have since been replaced by LEDs as well.

 

[freddo]

Will keep the sunnies close by should I happen to pass you on the highway at night. Go for it of course, but jesus some of those aftermarket light jobs can be ordinary lol.

Ordinary, I've brought 3x LED's that have all been wired wrong, Lo is Hi and vise versa, from Aussie supplier there solution was to send a replacement, No refund, Obviously new there was a problem, the one from Flea-Bay China wanted me to change the wiring on vehicles plug, as Vehicle was under warranty I Didn't want to comply.

 

[Erick]

Played around with LED’s over the years and they all have one thing in common. Low beam has lots of light but high beam is not much brighter or focused than low beam. If u go for more lumens ( brightness) u just light up the road signs -to the point it becomes a worry. Especially the big green ones.
Now have HID ‘s. Don’t turn night into day, but put the light where it’s useful-on the road. Beam pattern is factory. Best thing about them is the hi/low switching, the bulb/element moves instead one element switching off and another switching on. Truly makes a big difference. A small single row led bar for when I need light just in front of me and to the sides I don’t need to see two kms down the road. Half a km is fine.
Dearer than normal bulbs, but under $200 from memory. Kit had everything.

 

[Erick]

Typo -lld’s should be HID’s

 

[Old.Tony]

Fixed it for you.