Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: bigbikerrick on January 03, 2014, 02:39:20 PM
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Hello Folks, after riding a few times at night on my Sons HD with the "daymaker" all led headlight, its hard to go back to the other bikes with H4's even though I have relays /direct wiring, and Silverstar bulbs in my Aluminum, and Cal IIs headlights, the all LED light in the HD just illuminates the road beautifully from one side to the other, and when you hit high beam its a long reaching projector type of light right down the center of the road where you need it most. I know that optics/reflectors/lenses have alot to do with a great headlight, but that HD 5 3/4" light is $400. thats too much for me to justify, right now. My next door neighbor, a cool 77 year young gentleman who rides wings, and loves new electrical gadgets brought this product to my attention. He states he has bought stuff from electrical connection before, and they sell good quality products. I have no affiliation with EC. Im just wondering if anyone has tried one of these conversion kits, or maybe I will be the "guinea pig", The kit looks interesting to me. ( I know it wont fit in my eldo's bucket, with the little fan and all)
check it out.... Rick.
http://www.electricalconnection.com/other-lighting/led-hl-h4.htm
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25W of power into that tiny heatsink? Even with the fan my guess is that sucker will run hot! :o
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I've been looking for LED options for my motorcycles for a couple years now. This may be the best one so far. I'm sure it gets hot, but not as hot as the incandescent type! I'm very interested in this. I'd sure like to know more about the hi/lo part, like how do the patterns compare to what I'm used to.
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Yes The pattern it shoots out is what I am interested in as well. The heat part may be a concern.. I am thinking of getting a pair for my wifes 99 Camry. That would be a "good test mule" we drive that car about 1000 miles a month, all at night, and I go through about 3 sets of silverstars a year...the high beams burn out on them.
Rick.
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Garbage.
1) 25 watts onto that small of a heat sink, even with the fan, difficult to imagine trapped in a headlight bucket.
2) High beam only. That is NOT a direct H4 replacement. No high low.
3) The emitter on the die is huge relative to an H4 filament. It is even huge relative to an HID arc. It would send light everywhere.
That said, if you had an auxiliary headlight that was normally off, and you only turned it on for high beam, that might do the trick. But for an actual H4 replacement, that is garbage.
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The ad says hi/low. I was assuming one emitter was hi and the other is low, but maybe it's some other scheme.
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I'd like to try one if they are hi/low.
Here's my review on the Trucklite LED headlight on my V11S. Keep in mind that they don't always fit in the MG bucket, and I had a spare bucket from an old Yamaha that it fit in quite nicely. The Trucklites can be found for about $200.00
http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17838&p=192112
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The ad says hi/low. I was assuming one emitter was hi and the other is low, but maybe it's some other scheme.
There are companies that do make hi/low units. You can find them for about $50. That photo is a high only.
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It's the first kit I have seen like this. But some google search gives more of the like.
Unless a normal bulb, led lives not so long what it gets hot. Cooling will be biggest problem. So getting 25 watt cooled away is easier in a car where the back is open, as in a bike. 1800 lumen / 25 watt gives 72 lumen per watt, not so bad for a led.
They exist also as high/low and H7 /H11
Here image with fan:
(http://www.carnjoy.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/h/7/h7_h4_1800_lumen_dimlicht.jpg)
(http://www.carnjoy.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/h/7/h7.jpg)
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That's an interesting kit. My money is still on Halogen. ~;
I'm no expert. From from playing around with air cooling the processors in computers: IMHO that heatsink is nearly non-existant, and using a fan that small would hardly cool anything. ??? Processor fans fail all the time; on a motorcycle you wouldn't know until your LED fried.
I'd be really curious how hot the emitters get inside that headlight enclosure. The design seems to rely mainly on conduction/convection for cooling. Certainly a move in the right direction, just not quite there yet.
I'm still waiting for bright cold light, at minimal power consumption. :pop
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I have one of these bulbs installed in my Convert. Was a little long touching inside my Vetter fairing. Would have worked but instead I cut a hole in the fairing and used a wheel grease cap to create a space behind the bulb fan. So far I have not been able to test it on the road but in a dark shop with the lights out to set alignment I discovered it is very bright. The cutoff is good enough to not bother oncoming but not as sharp as the H4. Also, the angle line going up on the right side of the H4 bulbs seems to be gone. Don't stand in front of it and turn it on unless you like being temporarily blind. Mine is a different source but looks the same. It was $54 for the single bulb. It is a high/low. I hope to test it on the road in the next week.
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Excellent. I'll be looking forward to your report.
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I have a 20W fog, daylight LED bulb in an H4 headlight on the 750S.
Got it from Honk Kong on Ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Bright-Car-Auto-20W-LED-H4-White-DRL-Day-Driving-Head-Light-Fog-Bulb-Lamp-/300840007877?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item460b7638c5
You have to change the wires around but just make a note of them.
Find it really seems more noticeable to car drivers than the Philips 35W traditional bulb.
Or maybe less inclined to pull out on me at junctions ;-T
Can run high beam on all day without the worry of the battery going flat using the infamous, Bosch brushed alternator.
:beat_horse
But I have to change back to the Philips for the MOT because the 20W LED does not have a proper spread of light for night time riding. So it would fail the MOT. Not that I normally use the bike at night.
:)
Rob
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chineese go even further, 60watt led:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/1303114466/Best_quality_60W_3600LM_Cree_LED.html
how hot will that be?
or "new generation"
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/1015632232/New_Version_Generation_5_25W_3000LM.html
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That's a confusing web page. They claim 60w, but if you unravel the text it's two 30w bulbs = 60w.
15 watt CREE LEDs. 30W per 'bulb'. Two 'bulbs'.
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well other link specifies the led:CREE-CXA1512 LED
http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Arrays-NonDirectional/XLamp-CXA1512
datasheet:
http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampCXA1512.pdf
I don't see as high as 1800lm in the datasheet, other then overpower, and cool
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What's amazing to me is that in very short order LED's are coming alive! The light output is almost unbelievable compared to just a few years ago. We recently remodeled our kitchen installing 4 recessed lights in the main part of the kitchen along with LED under cabinet lighting. All dimmable. Total power draw from all kitchen light sources is no more than 60W. A little more pricey at purchase but should pay for themselves in relatively short order as my wife likes them on most of the day! :-\
I've bought some cheap LED bulbs from China and have had mixed results. Fairly high failure rate but good that they were cheaper. I think we're almost there with a good mix of cost/reliability/suitability to their intent. Maybe just a little more time? Can't even imagine what we'll see in the years coming.
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What's amazing to me is that in very short order LED's are coming alive! The light output is almost unbelievable compared to just a few years ago. We recently remodeled our kitchen installing 4 recessed lights in the main part of the kitchen along with LED under cabinet lighting. All dimmable. Total power draw from all kitchen light sources is no more than 60W. A little more pricey at purchase but should pay for themselves in relatively short order as my wife likes them on most of the day! :-\
I've bought some cheap LED bulbs from China and have had mixed results. Fairly high failure rate but good that they were cheaper. I think we're almost there with a good mix of cost/reliability/suitability to their intent. Maybe just a little more time? Can't even imagine what we'll see in the years coming.
I have just the opposite feeling. After being around LEDs since the 1980s, I wonder why it's taken so long for them to advance!
That being said, a couple years ago, I installed LEDs under the cabinets in my mom's house. They're great!
I'm glad to see them coming along, but it has been a long road getting them brighter and cheaper.
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It has been a long road but don't you feel that at least in part it was LED's relative expense compared to other technologies, let alone the standard incandescent bulb, which kept advances at bay? As I recall years ago, attempts to bring high powered LED's to market were thwarted by poor reliability. The 6" "can lights we installed have giant heat sinks with lots of cooling fins. Hot enough do these get that in some models ceiling insulation cannot touch the cans.
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It has been a long road but don't you feel that at least in part it was LED's relative expense compared to other technologies, let alone the standard incandescent bulb, which kept advances at bay? As I recall years ago, attempts to bring high powered LED's to market were thwarted by poor reliability. The 6" "can lights we installed have giant heat sinks with lots of cooling fins. Hot enough do these get that in some models ceiling insulation cannot touch the cans.
Yes, but when compared to the rise of personal computers during the same time, LEDs did not develop as quickly, or drop in price as quickly as computers. I've always been curious as to why.
Anyway, I"m glad they are about ready for primetime.
I'm tempted to try one of these LED H4 replacements in my fairing-mounted Sport 1100 headlight. It's always kind of sucked.
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Yes, but when compared to the rise of personal computers during the same time, LEDs did not develop as quickly, or drop in price as quickly as computers. I've always been curious as to why.
Low power LEDs have been around for 50 years or so.
Getting the material formulas right for higher wattage is fairly recent. And high powered blue / white is relatively new.
Plus it wasn't until recently that they were used much. It looks like my wife's car only has incandescent in the fog lights. Everything else is LED or HID. Those volumes will get the engineers working on new products.
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and those who remember, leds were easy in red green blue, but getting the color of a lightbulb with a good color index is very hard. The >100 year old bulb is still reference for colorindex, 100 is the same as bulb, the lower the number the uglier it gets. This for home lighting of course.
And for power the problem is with higher powers to get away the heat
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If you want the hi-reliability Cree's you have to pay the big bucks.
http://www.bajadesigns.com/products/
Cree sells their LEDs at several quality levels, cheap to expensive.
Skene makes the best dimmers.
http://www.lights.skenedesign.com/IQ_175.shtml
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Skene makes the best dimmers.
I prefer the one I designed.
~;
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I prefer the one I designed.
~;
Best commercially available?
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As I understand the discussion: Unless I want to experiment with various LED applications, my most reliable option for my converted [Yamaha bucket] 2000 Quota is a 'standard' incandescent bulb.
Next question: As compared to the Sylvania SilverStar Ultras or GE NightHawk Platinums, are Piaas better and worth the cost?
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As I understand the discussion: Unless I want to experiment with various LED applications, my most reliable option for my converted [Yamaha bucket] 2000 Quota is a 'standard' incandescent bulb.
Next question: As compared to the Sylvania SilverStar Ultras or GE NightHawk Platinums, are Piaas better and worth the cost?
I tried a set of PIAA xtreme super white, or whatever they were called. they were OK, but they also burned out like flash cubes. And they aren't cheap.
Crap.
I switched to the Silverstars and got a year or two from those. Cheaper and better then the PIAAs IMHO, but still not good enough.
I eventually switched to a good set of HID bulbs, and will not switch back. I can now see the road ahead AND the alternator doesn't struggle. Best so far.
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This one looks like it might be promising:
http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3000-Lumen-H4-H6-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html (http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3000-Lumen-H4-H6-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html)
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Anyone try this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Bright-Motorcycle-H4-CREE-LED-Headlight-Bulb-30w-Hi-Lo-Beam-Plug-n-Play-/400668583681?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d49b56701&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Bright-Motorcycle-H4-CREE-LED-Headlight-Bulb-30w-Hi-Lo-Beam-Plug-n-Play-/400668583681?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d49b56701&vxp=mtr)
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Here's my review on the Trucklite LED headlight on my V11S. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17838&p=192112
Do you have the photos posted somewhere else? That forum won't let me see them unless I register.
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Do you have the photos posted somewhere else? That forum won't let me see them unless I register.
I Just added the pics to my photobucket account here: http://s286.photobucket.com/user/ksiegel7/library/V11%20Sport?sort=3&page=1
The low beam is inconspicuous during the day, but I do turn on my aux. lights.
Ken
Edit: Each photo has been tagged properly…high beam, low beam, etc.
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Thanks very much, I'll take a look.
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That kind of money buys plenty of standard style bulbs. If your LED cooks, it's not as though you can pick up a replacement just about anywhere.
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Presumably you could put a standard halogen bulb in if the LED one quit.
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That kind of money buys plenty of standard style bulbs. If your LED cooks, it's not as though you can pick up a replacement just about anywhere.
You just unplug the after market system and plug in the old bulb.
In my case it is either a better light, or not riding every day. The factory lighting is too dangerous in the middle of the night for my daily drive. And in the case of the Stelvio, the stock system melts the headlight on high beam over a period of time.
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ADV Monster now sells one as well for $45. Problems is, it's about 2" deep past the mounting flange. My V7C bucket is too shallow unless I cut a hole in the back, or buy a deeper bucket.
Ken
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/
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ADV Monster now sells one as well for $45. Problems is, it's about 2" deep past the mounting flange. My V7C bucket is too shallow unless I cut a hole in the back, or buy a deeper bucket.
Ken
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/
6000K color temp.
Too bad.
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6000K color temp.
Too bad.
Why's that bad ???
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how bright is 2400 lumens?
how does it compare to 100 wt incandescent?
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Misc, random errata:
In the headlight spectrum*, 6000k ranges from a very cold white to a blue tinge. Very harsh contrast at night -- can't tell the difference between a wet spot on the pavement and a chuckhole with some. They also alter color -- stop signs look magenta/purple, and they cause eye fatigue. I try to keep my lights in the more warm, yellowish, 'sunlight' range of mid 3000's to <5500.
I'm basing the numbers on the lighting charts for LED/HID which may be different from classic kelvin. Here's one mfgr's chart. I think you need add some blue to all of the examples to get the real-world color tone.
http://www.delonixradar.com.au/hid-xenon/colour-chart.php
Since LED gives pure color tones rather than ranges of tone, the color shifts per 1000ºk are more obvious:
Here's the table from a university study on light temp v annoyance. They're mainly discussing HID, but the effects of color are the same. The lower the number, the higher the annoyance factor:
(study is at http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/57444/98625.pdf?sequence=1 )
The effect of lamp type on de Boer ratings of discomfort glare.
(Lower de Boer units indicate more discomfort.)
Lamp type Discomfort glare (de Boer units)
Tungsten-halogen 5.3
HID 4.7
LED-4000 4.2
One test conclsion: "As indicated in the Introduction, there is evidence that bluish light results in more
discomfort than white light. The imprecise term “bluish” should be regarded here as a
serviceable but rough approximation."
LED-4800 3.7
LED-6600 3.3
Here's a chart of LED headlight tones:
http://static---ledinsider.app-hosted.com/media/img/ledinsider/-/chart/colorchart2
As you can see, it differs fro mthe HID scale by a little bit. Why 6000ºk in HID and LED are different, I don't know.
This is a quick discussion of temps with respect to bulb choices:
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/lighting_tech/techpage.jsp?techid=170
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how bright is 2400 lumens?
how does it compare to 100 wt incandescent?
A 100w H4 Halgen puts out ~1100, 1400 lumens. So a 2400w would put out about twice that. Interestingly enough, a 55w Halogen is in the 950 lumen range. That's some dimishing return, right there.
The question is -- where does it put it? If it's not properly focused, it put it in the eyes of the oncoming driver. If 'scattered' it does not put it any farther down the road, which is what we're really after with greater output. Scatter also reflects off of all chunks in the air, including vapor. So there is a lot of reflected glare with an unfocused beam. As has been discussed here before, HID, LED, and halogen all require their own specific reflector/parabola design due to the placement and direction of the light source. No 'conversion' of bulb type is optimal without also converting the reflector.
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I had saved a pic of temp color for car headlight lamps ...
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag77/Penderic/ColorChart3_zps1efc8e03.jpg)
I like the 4000 range ... maybe put a blue dot in the center.
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6,000° is bluer than I like, but it's just a personal preference.
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Why's that bad ???
6000k is very blue.
You can be sure that street sign reflection at night would be annoying, and they would be useless in fog because of the glare.
5000k would be better. 4000k even better.
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I've been reading this and other headlight threads, and am having a hard time sorting it out, because everyone's got a different need - colors, voltage, clearance, beam patterns, etc.
I'm hoping that things have developed such that there is something like this:
1) A bulb that will replace the H4s in my Stelvio.
2) Plenty of clearance on the back side; it's not in a headlight shell.
3) I can install relays if needed, but if they pull less current that the present H4s, I wouldn't need to.
4) Don't run so hot that they'll melt my plastic reflectors.
5) Don't care if it's "DOT approved" and all that, just so it gives a good pattern and won't blind people on low beam. No one checks on headlight patterns here.
Does the collected data say that there's such a thing? The development of new stuff moves so fast, last year's solutions aren't optimum any more ....
Lannis
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I've been reading this and other headlight threads, and am having a hard time sorting it out, because everyone's got a different need - colors, voltage, clearance, beam patterns, etc.
I'm hoping that things have developed such that there is something like this:
1) A bulb that will replace the H4s in my Stelvio.
2) Plenty of clearance on the back side; it's not in a headlight shell.
3) I can install relays if needed, but if they pull less current that the present H4s, I wouldn't need to.
4) Don't run so hot that they'll melt my plastic reflectors.
5) Don't care if it's "DOT approved" and all that, just so it gives a good pattern and won't blind people on low beam. No one checks on headlight patterns here.
Does the collected data say that there's such a thing? The development of new stuff moves so fast, last year's solutions aren't optimum any more ....
Lannis
Yes, I installed a pair of HIDs in my Stelvio. Somewhere around $60 for the pair.
Excellent light. They have built in shields so they are not blinding. Lower wattage so that don't melt the reflectors or the handlebar switch.
I used 4500k, so they are not the goofy blue glaring color, but rather a very functional light.
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Yes, I installed a pair of HIDs in my Stelvio. Somewhere around $60 for the pair.
Excellent light. They have built in shields so they are not blinding. Lower wattage so that don't melt the reflectors or the handlebar switch.
I used 4500k, so they are not the goofy blue glaring color, but rather a very functional light.
My question related to the fact that the HID system that you have required you to mount the ballast and install relays, and do a little handwork to the shells (as I remember); and it was a couple years ago you did it, because I've been reading about it. My question was based on a hope that a headlight lumens version of Moore's Law is in effect, and maybe in 2014 there's something neat that I can just slip into the place where my current H4 bulbs are, turn on the switch, and get 100W equivalent worth of light for a 35W draw .... ?
Lannis
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My question related to the fact that the HID system that you have required you to mount the ballast and install relays, and do a little handwork to the shells (as I remember); and it was a couple years ago you did it, because I've been reading about it. My question was based on a hope that a headlight lumens version of Moore's Law is in effect, and maybe in 2014 there's something neat that I can just slip into the place where my current H4 bulbs are, turn on the switch, and get 100W equivalent worth of light for a 35W draw .... ?
Lannis
The LEDs will also need driver boxes mounted.
Yes, you need +12V from the battery. A good thing IMHO.
The modification to the bulb holder took about 10 seconds.
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A 100w H4 Halgen puts out ~1100, 1400 lumens. So a 2400w would put out about twice that. Interestingly enough, a 55w Halogen is in the 950 lumen range. That's some dimishing return, right there.
The question is -- where does it put it? If it's not properly focused, it put it in the eyes of the oncoming driver. If 'scattered' it does not put it any farther down the road, which is what we're really after with greater output. Scatter also reflects off of all chunks in the air, including vapor. So there is a lot of reflected glare with an unfocused beam. As has been discussed here before, HID, LED, and halogen all require their own specific reflector/parabola design due to the placement and direction of the light source. No 'conversion' of bulb type is optimal without also converting the reflector.
:+1
Rob
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I saw these in another lighting thread and ordered one for my V7. http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3600-Lumen-H4-H6M-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html Just shipped yesterday so I'll let you know how the install goes.
20w low beam 30w high. Just re-read the thread on vendors over at ADVRider and his last post indicates the recent redesign has allowed for an additional 1/2" clearance at the back.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=948701&page=51
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I installed 4 yellow H7 bulbs in the Benelli and they are fantastic. Detail at night is outstanding. Illumination to the sides is better and signage is not washed out with glare. The Benelli uses a faceted reflector like the Café Sport and the swap for it is on the list. Nokya makes the more yellow color. Web bike world has a very good write up on yellow headlights. An added bonus is that a lot of traffic ahead moves to the side, probably from thinking I am EMS or something.
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Got my LED H4 lamp the other day and installed it on my V7 Stone. It fits but was tricky to do so, I didn't think I'd be able to re-fit the rubber cap the goes on behind the stock H4 bulb to protect it from weather but managed in the end to get it to work. After that it was a struggle to get the clip back onto the backing plate of the bulb but again after a bit of time I managed it as well. Took some video of the old vs new during my nighttime commute into work and maybe I'll post them up at some point but for now I did get some screen grabs of the same section of road while using the high beams and another section when I had the low beams on.
First up is the low beam using the stock H4 bulb
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/RickFi/V7/dipold_zpsf5103b0b.png) (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/RickFi/media/V7/dipold_zpsf5103b0b.png.html)
Now the same section of road with the low beam LED light
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/RickFi/V7/dippednew_zpsa0b0e24f.png) (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/RickFi/media/V7/dippednew_zpsa0b0e24f.png.html)
High beam stock H4
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/RickFi/V7/brightold_zpsb8973c5b.png) (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/RickFi/media/V7/brightold_zpsb8973c5b.png.html)
High beam LED H4
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/RickFi/V7/brightnew_zps84ff6b35.png) (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/RickFi/media/V7/brightnew_zps84ff6b35.png.html)
A few observations, The light is much whiter as can be seen in the pics above. The LED high beam does not seem to project much farther than the dipped/low beam, it just fills in the space in front of the bike better. The LED light seems to throw more light out to the side than the stock H4 bulb, I didn't run into any head on traffic on the ride in so I can't tell if it will be bothersome to oncoming drivers but I'm a bit worried about that. Also noted that the blue high beam lamp stayed on once the LED was set to the dim position for 5-10 seconds and then the blue lamp would go out. Also the small daytime running lamp underneath the main bulb was not lit, not sure if it only comes on during the day? I never noticed it before so I'm not sure how it works.
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Looks better than stock to me from the pictures.
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Looks better than stock to me from the pictures.
yep and less power draw is nice, just worried about too much light being thrown at oncoming drivers, I'm sure I'll find out soon if it is a problem.
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Oh and here is what that road looks like when I go home at 0800ish. 7 miles of private access road along the Pacific Ocean, very nice stuff. Sorry about the June Gloom fog but this time of year it is almost always hanging about in the mornings.
(http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/RickFi/V7/daytimeroad_zpsd4f71111.png) (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/RickFi/media/V7/daytimeroad_zpsd4f71111.png.html)
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From those low beam pictures, the led beam seems skewed more to the right, away from oncoming traffic. Maybe that's just the way you were holding the bars.
Anyway, if people flash you, you could just adjust your headlamp down and/or to the right to reduce problems with oncoming traffic.
I'm using HID on several bikes but I'd prefer to go with led once they are developed to match the HID output. This looks promising.
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From those low beam pictures, the led beam seems skewed more to the right, away from oncoming traffic. Maybe that's just the way you were holding the bars.
It is how he was holding the bars. Look at the corner of the GPS unit vs. the double-yellow road stripe.
In any case, I think that I'll be order a couple of these; one for my V7R, and one for my R75/5, which only has a 180W alternator, and could benefit greatly from the lower power draw.
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It looks like in the stock headlight photos the light is aimed too low. Maybe the LED photos too. I know photos can be deceptive, so sorry if I'm wrong.
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ADV Monster now sells one as well for $45. Problems is, it's about 2" deep past the mounting flange. My V7C bucket is too shallow unless I cut a hole in the back, or buy a deeper bucket.
Ken
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/
Mounted a pair of these on my NTX. I have a 25 minute ride to work and the heat sink was cool to the touch. Had to modify the locking ring and dust covers to accommodate the heat sink. Light output and visibility are improved.
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Yes, but when compared to the rise of personal computers during the same time, LEDs did not develop as quickly, or drop in price as quickly as computers. I've always been curious as to why.
I think the reason for that is found in comparing the incandescent light bulb to the LED vs. the room filling computers of the early 1980s vs. the computers made possible with the 608x processors! No one was really motivated to replace a cheap light bulb which worked pretty well with a really expensive light which provided poor light in comparison. The LEDs had to be developed on a shoestring budget, from what I have been told, simply because few people cared much if they lived or died. Until the Gummit mandated transitional lights which are filled with mercury vapor, of course; Then money magically became available for LED R&D...
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Zinfan -- I ordered the Cyclops LED light from the link earlier in the thread. I finally got a chance to *try* to install it today.
It seems to be about 1/8" too tall. I can't get the reflector assembly back into the headlight shell, it sticks out about 1/8" too far.
Did you have to modify the rear of your headlight shell?
Thanks,
Jay
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Zinfan -- I ordered the Cyclops LED light from the link earlier in the thread. I finally got a chance to *try* to install it today.
It seems to be about 1/8" too tall. I can't get the reflector assembly back into the headlight shell, it sticks out about 1/8" too far.
Did you have to modify the rear of your headlight shell?
Thanks,
Jay
Jay,
I did not modify the housing to get mine to fit, do you have it aligned so the bulb triangle is pointed up? Traveling at the moment so I may be slow to reply.
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The Cyclops LEDs that I received were the earlier version, which are too deep to fit the V7 headlight shell.
They exchanged them for the new style at no cost.
That light is now in my V7R. It works well, except the low beam cut-off is nonexistent. This will not be good in fog, and may piss off oncoming drivers at night.
The ADVMonster LED H4, at only $45:
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/) is a well made unit. I got two of them to try. They have an excellent low-beam cutoff, but, alas, are too deep to fit in the V7's headlight shell. I'll likely put them in my VFR800. I like them enough that I'll likely try to modify (or replace) the V7's headlight shell so that I can switch to them.
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Have the Cyclops on the Griso and LOVE IT!!
Only thing is if it is hot, and I'm in traffic, my high beam indicator lights up on my dash. I think that must be reacting to the draw when the fan turns on.
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What about contrast? A bright light is one thing but less effective if the contrast isn't there. If the temp of the light is such as it gives you that washed out and lack of depth perception, I'd rather give up some illumination to have better contrast.
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They have an excellent low-beam cutoff, but, alas, are too deep to fit in the V7's headlight shell.
If you get a minute, can you post the distance from the mounting flange to the rear end of the bulb assembly please? I'd like to know if it would fit the shell I have.
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Have the Cyclops on the Griso and LOVE IT!!
Only thing is if it is hot, and I'm in traffic, my high beam indicator lights up on my dash. I think that must be reacting to the draw when the fan turns on.
Interesting. Is it just the indicator light, or does the high beam actually come on, too? I'm asking because it could indicate a ground problem where something is feeding back through the high beam circuit because it can't find an adequate path to ground.
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Interesting. Is it just the indicator light, or does the high beam actually come on, too? I'm asking because it could indicate a ground problem where something is feeding back through the high beam circuit because it can't find an adequate path to ground.
Just the indicator. I can trigger the high beans with the pass toggle or the selector button.
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If you get a minute, can you post the distance from the mounting flange to the rear end of the bulb assembly please? I'd like to know if it would fit the shell I have.
I'll do it tomorrow.
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Thanks, whenever you get a chance.
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What about contrast? A bright light is one thing but less effective if the contrast isn't there. If the temp of the light is such as it gives you that washed out and lack of depth perception, I'd rather give up some illumination to have better contrast.
I find it better than the stock light in all regards including depth perception.
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If you get a minute, can you post the distance from the mounting flange to the rear end of the bulb assembly please? I'd like to know if it would fit the shell I have.
The new, low-profile Cyclops one is 31mm.
The ADV Monster one is 50mm.
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Thank you, Jas, Now I'll go measure mine and see which one it is. I do know that it barely fits.
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Mine is 35mm from the three tabs on the flange to the back of the plastic cover over the fan. Measuring all the way to the disc shaped flange, it's about 40mm. I've been told that my headlight shell is a Bosch type, like BMW used.
I doubt if the ADVmonster bulb would fit in my shell, but I'd have to put a glob of clay in there and measure the clearance I have now to know.
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Just the indicator. I can trigger the high beans with the pass toggle or the selector button.
Is the high beam indicator controlled by a switch around the light asswmbly? If so, heat might be warping the trigger device and causing it to actuate while the low beam circuit is energized.
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Well, I also got the cyclops LED headlight bulb. I also had to get a new headlight 'adaptor' since the T5 had sealed beams.
Got the Hella replacement headlight from Summit Racing. Put the Cyclops bulb in there. Easy. FWIW, there is nothing behind the headlight to interfere (I have the SPIII/Police fairing on my T5).
The difference between my sealed beam halogen and this is stunning. BUT....not more in distance, just in all around light (which is what I wanted).
Color is more blue. I can tell the difference when seeing white reflective stuff (like on street signs). As far as seeing 'things' the color is no bother and is more pleasing to me than the yellowish H4 sealed beam.
For oncoming traffic, the LED low beam is just as visible (even in daylight) as the high beam. I used to have to run the sealed beams on high during the day.
Best thing is the lower current draw. 20W vs 55W. The alternator thanked me :)
So, if you need the light at a distance, stick with HID or halogen. For my uses the LED is perfect. (and, yes, I will keep an H4 bulb as a spare until I see how long the LED lasts, or, if I have a trip with extended night riding).
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Thanks for the report. We need some real-world impressions rather than marketing hype. I'm unclear what you mean when you say "headlight adapter".
What are the specs on the bulb? 20w tells us the energy budget, but watts has no relationship to useable light.
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:beat_horse
I bought the Cyclops H4, and mounted it on my California EV. think the light outpus is ca:3000 lumen ?
Removed it after a week.
To much stray light, using low beam ,olmost blindet by the reflections from the roadsigns...
Hi beam was almost as short range as low beam.
To me it was waste of money.
Current setup is relays and 85w bulb. Much better for my use.
Anybody want a cheap bulb ?
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Yes, the cut-off sucks. I have two bikes with them in, and use them for daytime riding only.
The ADVMonster H4 has a very good low-beam cutoff, but, the heatsink is longer (deeper), and doesn't fit the headlight buckets of either my V7R or R100R Mystic.
I'll likely put the two ADVMonster H4's in my VFR800.
http://stores.advmonster.com/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/)
They're only $45.
(http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-yp39j5/t5q3au/products/145/images/366/H4_headlight2__46926.1410267859.451.416.jpg?c=2)
ADVMonster also have LEDs for H1, H3, H7, H9, and H11.
They have a very active thread on ADVRider. I posted a request there for a lower-profile (shorter) model so that I can use them in the V7R and R100R. Cyclops actually revised theirs for the same reason. They had originally shipped me the earlier model, which didn't fit my V7R, but, exchanged them for the new, low-profile model.
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Thanks for the report. We need some real-world impressions rather than marketing hype. I'm unclear what you mean when you say "headlight adapter".
What are the specs on the bulb? 20w tells us the energy budget, but watts has no relationship to useable light.
Yep, rateed at 3000 lumens, but, that is also really no relation to usable light. Much of the light is spread out rather than directed straight down the highway. Same is true of my LED "driving lights" (ie, flashlights).
They really are not for those who want long range lights. I wanted one due to the low current draw. It was either that or spring for a high output alternator for $400.
The headlight 'adapter' is this one for my T5. They have others for round and other rectangle shape sealed beams.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-003177862/overview/
So, you mount this reflector assembly just like you would a seald beam, but, it has a socket on the back for an H4 halogen lamp.
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I wanted one due to the low current draw. It was either that or spring for a high output alternator for $400.
That's exactly why I got one and it's serving my needs very well. I carry a quartz-halogen bulb as a spare, and in case I find myself needing to ride more than a couple miles at night. My next one will be one of the ADVMonster LED bulbs that has better low beam cutoff.
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I'm attracted to the low power demands of LED but the scatter, lack of down-range penetration and deceptive claims of illumination are holding me back.
The senseless part is if you have to replace the reflector and lens to accommodate the bulb, they should provide stuff that's not onlt base (h4) compatible, but also LED compatible. That would correct my first two objections. The lying about performance part will still be a crap shoot. For example, MOST places selling LED driving lights sell by the pair and advertise (as an example) 50watts of power. WOW! I say -- 50w is the equivalent of me current H4 halogen. Given the illumination difference I should be able to bbq venison from a mile away! Not so. This is the total draw on the system for both of the pair. By the time you do the math, you've got about 15w at the bulb, per bulb. The rest of the draw is for fans, voltage converters, etc.
Others add up the draw of the elements that make up the bulb -- say 5w elements x 4 = 20w. They don't tell you the total system draw for cooling and voltage conversion.
And the methods go on. I can't get an apples to apples comparison of LED to halogen or HID, and not even to other LEDs.
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ADV Monster and Cyclops do not sell anything near 50W and sell single bulbs. Their targets are off road motorcycles.
Reflectors tailor made? Not mine and not any factory ones that I know of.
Most reflectors are made for H4 pattern lights. That's what most headlights are made for. There is a shift to projector type headlights in cars and bikes. You can also get sealed beam replacements that have projector type reflectors. I was leery of these and, like I stated before, my main concern was current draw, not down range performance.
You can find complete LED headlight assemblies but they are very expensive. Even then I would not expect the light projection capability to be equal to a good halogen.
Last, when I found bulbs rated at 40W or 60W that was for a PAIR of lights, ie, each bulb was 20W/30W. Most of the higher output LED's are the CREE 10W variety. Even in mine there are three LED's. Two for low beam and one additional for high beam, hence 20W on low and 30W on high.
Yes, there is a lot of hype. Just don't believe it. LED replacement bulbs do NOT outperform HID or halogen. They just don't. If you are concerned with down range performance then get a good halogen or HID.
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You can find complete LED headlight assemblies but they are very expensive. Even then I would not expect the light projection capability to be equal to a good halogen.
Actually, the reviews I've read on the Truck Lite sealed beam LED headlamp say it's as good or better then quartz-halogen. I don't have one because of the high price.
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For those of you fussing about the heatsink handling 25W, you're thinking about it a bit wrong. The LED uses 25W. Whatever needs to be dissipated by the heatsink is the current drawn through the LED (Kirchoff's law) times the voltage drop across the controller the heatsink supports. Not the voltage drop across the LED. And the basic calculation is P=IxE Power equals Current times Voltage.
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For those of you fussing about the heatsink handling 25W, you're thinking about it a bit wrong. The LED uses 25W. Whatever needs to be dissipated by the heatsink is the current drawn through the LED (Kirchoff's law) times the voltage drop across the controller the heatsink supports. Not the voltage drop across the LED. And the basic calculation is P=IxE Power equals Current times Voltage.
Well, there are two heat sources. The LED(s) probably drop about 3V, so you can calculate that heat. The controllers are usually switching supplies, which are pretty efficient, so that's not a straight I x E calculation. The LEDs themselves are cooled by the main heat sink and fan in the bulb I have.
Wake Forest, huh? We're about 40 minutes apart. We'll have to go for a ride some time.
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Hi, seagondollar! Long time no see!
I get the part about a heat sink being a passive device -- no energy supplied. But some of the LEDs I've looked at have a fan as well.
ADV Monster and Cyclops do not sell anything near 50W and sell single bulbs. Their targets are off road motorcycles.
Reflectors tailor made? Not mine and not any factory ones that I know of.
Most reflectors are made for H4 pattern lights. That's what most headlights are made for. There is a shift to projector type headlights in cars and bikes. You can also get sealed beam replacements that have projector type reflectors. I was leery of these and, like I stated before, my main concern was current draw, not down range performance.
You can find complete LED headlight assemblies but they are very expensive. Even then I would not expect the light projection capability to be equal to a good halogen.
Last, when I found bulbs rated at 40W or 60W that was for a PAIR of lights, ie, each bulb was 20W/30W. Most of the higher output LED's are the CREE 10W variety. Even in mine there are three LED's. Two for low beam and one additional for high beam, hence 20W on low and 30W on high.
Yes, there is a lot of hype. Just don't believe it. LED replacement bulbs do NOT outperform HID or halogen. They just don't. If you are concerned with down range performance then get a good halogen or HID.
H4 is a bulb base definition. It defines (among other things) that particular 3-eared base plate and the terminal arrangement. It's not a lens pattern and has nothing to do with light dispersion.
I understand that a lot of these h4 replacement 'bulbs' do not come with 'tailor made' reflectors and that it's hard to find LED-compatible reflector/lens assemblies that properly handle LED light. That's the problem, and these low-end products only offer half of the solution. However, KC, Truck-lite, VISION-X, ARB, and Speaker all make LED headlights as complete assemblies. Unlike the bare bulbs, many offerings from these folks are DOT compliant. Since I can't get a good apples-to-apples comparison, I can't judge whether or not they do better than halogen without buying and trying. As you say, they're spendy, spendier than I can afford to experiment with.
. . .and the rating per PAIR is inherently deceptive. When you buy a 4-pack of household light bulbs do you buy 240 watts, or do you buy four 60-watt bulbs? Is that beer a 72-ouncer or is is a six pack of 12 ouncers? If you buy a bag of bolts did you buy 150mm or a ten count of 15mm?
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I understand the distinctions.
A headlight shell made to take an H4 halogen bulb has a specific reflector design made to optimize the output from the halogen bulb. If you put in an HID or LED you will not have an optimum pattern.
And, yes, the purpose made LED headlights might work well. Don't know and not willing to shell out $400 just to find out they aren't any better than a halogen or HID setup. Heck, I'd rather get one of the projector adaptors for HID's and use it instead of one of the LED setups.
For what I wanted performance wise the setup I bought fits my needs.
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I just do not know how people survived riding any distance at night before halogen bulbs were default on all motorcycles. I myself only covered a few miles. I know it was more than 10,000 miles ridden at night. And, oh my, some of it was in the rain!
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And, oh my, some of it was in the rain!
Uhhhhhggg... you just reminded me of the times I rode in the rain, at night, with my stock Kawasaki H2 headlight. In dry weather it was about as much help as a candle. In the rain I remember it was hard to tell if it was actually on. Fortunately that's now converted to a standard automotive QH sealed beam.
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I've done a few HID mods now and find the same problems exist re: LED in terms of reflector/lens incompatibilities. They've been discussed here and elsewhere so I won't repeat most. The two I'll focus on is the warm-up time and rest time for HID v the others. Mine take as long as 30sec to come to full brightness and they seriously do not like being toggled. My HIDs WILL bbq a deer at ~mile ranges -- but their inability to be dipped and re-lit in a timely manner makes them useless as high beams. And if you're after range and saturation with an HID conversion, it's silly to use them as a low beam.
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but their inability to be dipped and re-lit in a timely manner makes them useless as high beams.
Why would you turn them off and on?
Mine stay lit. The high/low motor takes care of the shielding and moving for the dipped beam versus high beam.
The ones I have are shielded so well that the eliminated a light scatter problem that my stock Stelvio had.
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Which brand would that be? The H7's I have on my Buell scatter all over.
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My bubble has been burst! But maybe I saved $165 [for an H4 and a pair of H3s.]
I've got 2 sets of larger PIIA fogs, one set I was going mount on the side car. The lesser electrical load looked attractive since the alternator output on the Quota is marginal.
While the debate goes on I guess there is no cold fusion.
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Was on Cyclegear site and came across these
http://www.cyclegear.com/SPEEDMETAL-LED-Conversion-Kit#pr-header-back-to-top-link
Speedmetal led kit
Going down the review looks like someone installed them on a stelvio.
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But is is a hi/lo beam or a one-trick pony? I only see two leads on the connector . . .
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Was on Cyclegear site and came across these
http://www.cyclegear.com/SPEEDMETAL-LED-Conversion-Kit#pr-header-back-to-top-link
Speedmetal led kit
Going down the review looks like someone installed them on a stelvio.
I've got one at home. I didn't fit in the headlight bucket on my Sport. I'll probably put it in my Suzuki Bandit that has a brown sport in the headlight lens due to running a 100 wt H4 bulb for 79k miles
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I asked CycleGear some questions about the Speedmetal LED bulb, and got some answers.
RH: SKU : web2046547
Is this bulb DOT "approved"?
Does it have real high and low beams, with low beam cut-off?
Does it have a cooling fan? How is it cooled?
CG: These lights are not DOT approved for street use. They are a single bulb and do not adjust for high and low beam. There is no cooling fan.
RH: You wrote: "They are a single bulb and do not adjust for high and low beam."
I know that this would be true for the H7 bulbs. Is it also true for the H4 bulbs? They are normally high/low dual filament.
What is the color temperature?
CG: This would be the same for all of the bulbs this product offers. Unfortunately we do not have the color temperature information available.
IMHO: These are not acceptable bulbs!
Now to decide between the ADVmonster and the Cyclops which is a bit brighter, and a bit warmer light, but twice the money.
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Redhawk,
I purchase an H4 high-low LED bulb from Todd @ Guzzitech and installed in my 07 Griso.
Yes it does have a round thingy after the "three sided - bulb" maybe it is a fan but I really don't know what it is. The kit came with adapter rings for other types of High-Low bulbs but Todd had already put the H4 ring on mine.
Installation was easy, two screws off, out with bulb assembly, pull loose rubber bulb cover, press down spring, disconnect wiring plug then reverse order but I left off the rubber bulb cover.
I've only commuted a few foggy morning with my new light on the low setting but here's what I've found:
The bulb is suppose to be rated at 3,000 lumen and I believe it.
The bulb has a higher temperature (shorter wavelength) and is whiter.
It does project further and signs / reflectors / road -edge white paint lines really shine out now.
The light is flat due to the wavelength and you loose contrast. (warmer light has better contrast)
I don't know about the high setting I haven't used it due to nearby traffic. One these days I'll have to really try the high beam out. The high beam does work- - that much I do know.
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Yes it does have a round thingy after the "three sided - bulb" maybe it is a fan but I really don't know what it is. The kit came with adapter rings for other types of High-Low bulbs but Todd had already put the H4 ring on mine.
That sounds like it's the same as the Cyclops H4 LED bulb that I've been using. That's the one with high/low, but the low beam doesn't have any cutoff to keep light out of oncoming drivers' eyes.
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I had the cyclops in my V7R. No low beam cutoff. The only difference between low and high beam, was that high was a little brighter.
The ADV Monster H4 has a nice cut off. The Rev 1 ADVMonster is too deep to fit the V7's headlight bucket.
The Rev 2 fits, and has an even better cutoff.
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I've got one of these kits. I didn't fit in the bucket on my Greenie. I assume it won't fit on the EV. I was going to install it in my Bandit to replace the 100 wt H4. This is a fairing mount and doesn't have a bucket. Haven't gotten around to it.
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There seems to be a little confusion about LED cooling. The reason for cooling is not because the LED will get hotter than a halogen bulb. It is because of two factors:-
1. The Lumen output of a LED drops considerably with temperature.
2. The LED has a negative temperature coefficient. i.e. The voltage drop decreases with temperature and so, if not cooled will draw larger and larger currents and keep heating more until they fail.
They should be driven with a constant current regulator for this reason. I don't know if this is the case in the cheaper units?
Cheers
Brian ;D
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A mfgr has no obligation to list every standard his product doesn't comply with, but those who have been certified in some standard are usually proud to say as much. So it's easy to tell DOT compliance. If it's not a beenie helmet and labeled as DOT compliant, it is. If not, it isn't. Assuming it is because it's not marked NOT DOT compliant is like assuming anything not marked NOT FOOD is edible.
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I took rodekyll's post to mean the opposite of what you said, that if it's not marked, you can probably assume it's not compliant. If it is marked, it's compliant and meets standards, with the exception of beenie helmets with counterfeit DOT labels. I think that's what he meant, anyway.
As far as your bulb being better than a DOT compliant one, one of the requirements of DOT compliance is that on low beam, the bulb can't glare in oncoming drivers' eyes. My LED bulb does not have good low beam cutoff, and is not DOT compliant, but it produces lots of bright light.
Reply 19 in this thread: http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=70273.0 shows my LED bulb's output compared to a DOT approved quartz halogen bulb. You can clearly see the difference in the low beam patterns. I don't ride at night, so I've been enjoying the low current draw and visibility of the LED bulb, but I'll eventually change to a DOT approved version at some point.
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I have a pickup truck that has the factory headlight bulbs. I have drivers flash their head lights at me nearly every night I drive. I have had truck drivers complain to me over my C.B radio about my bright lights (yes I have a C.B. radio), yet they are compliant.
Have you at least TRIED to have these adjusted?
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too-bright headlights may help you see down the road better, but you risk blinding/dazzling oncoming drivers who might not be able to keep it between the lines.
I'd rather have a few less candlepower than have a dazzled driver veer into my path some night.
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So, the million dollar question is, what is DOT compliant?
I bet the DOT requirements for approval of a headlight can be found on the web, with some searching.
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too-bright headlights may help you see down the road better, but you risk blinding/dazzling oncoming drivers who might not be able to keep it between the lines.
I'd rather have a few less candlepower than have a dazzled driver veer into my path some night.
Quite so and the reverse is also true. While I try to avoid riding after dark for the simple reason that wildlife is so prolific around here the risk of hitting something is so high as to be almost inevitable an added menace of late is the addition of LED light bars to the front of vehicles, most particularly large 4X4's. While these undoubtably offer greatly improved illumination for the driver of the vehicle they are on they are blinding for oncoming traffic even from a considerable distance away. On the rare occasions I do venture further than the pub after dark I find these over-illuminated pests a dangerous nuisance, not only as they make it very hard to see the road but the glare also makes it virtually impossible for oncoming drivers to detect the very fauna the owners of the light bars are hoping to spot!
Pete
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I was curious so did look up headlight standards. It was not simple. First, regulations on placement, testing, size, etc. Then those reference other standards. I think I went through about5layers of documents before I came to the specific headlight performance requirement, which is the SAE standards.
https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/005/sae.j1383.1985.html
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From your reference note:
" Required equipment shall be de-
signed to conform to the SAE Stand-
ards or Recommended Practices ref-
erenced in those tables."
See my post just above yours ;)
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Has any body tried the LED that Harpers sells? My V11 EV could use a better headlight.
http://www.harpermoto.com/l.e.d-headlight-retrofit-kit-481102.html
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So, the million dollar question is, what is DOT compliant? Is it a minimum standard, a maximum standard? Is it a law? The term glare is relative. I have a pickup truck that has the factory headlight bulbs. I have drivers flash their head lights at me nearly every night I drive. I have had truck drivers complain to me over my C.B radio about my bright lights (yes I have a C.B. radio), yet they are compliant. A motorcycle headlight in most situations can be adjusted up and down with a reach over the handle bars. Cars have two h4 bulbs and motorcycles have one. I would think that having one bulb that is brighter is no different than having two lights. Anyway, if we are going to do inventory of non compliant feature on a motorcycle, I am sure the headlight is the least important. I do not have a horn, non DOT exhaust, open air filters, non DOT fuel management, no resistor plugs and wires, small mirrors, no exhaust gas or fuel tank recovery. A bright headlight is the least of my worries. I had no effect on the truck and trailer parked on the other side of the blind hill yesterday that I almost hit.
We get it. You're an American, so the rules don't apply to you. Interesting rationalization of beliefs v reality. I'd like to be in the courtroom when you try it on the judge. :winer
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Has any body tried the LED that Harpers sells? My V11 EV could use a better headlight.
http://www.harpermoto.com/l.e.d-headlight-retrofit-kit-481102.html
That looks very much like the Cyclops 20/30 watt LED bulb I have.
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But the pattern of the lighting is listed ;)
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So my reality is the same as yours. To many rules, to many laws, we, me and you are criminals. I got penalized today by the IRS for putting to much money in my medical saving account and then spending on my medical bills. I'm sure that your motor vehicles are 100% compliant. Yes I am an American, greedy and very self centered like all the rest of the American's I know.
Now that I took the time to read 108 pages of NHTSB/DOT rules on head lights, I found there are minimum standards for lighting. And they pertained to minimum wattage, maximum number of lights and location of lights. Maximum brightness was not listed.
No, we have nothing in common. Especially not at this level.
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I am running two Cyclops H-4 LEDS in my Stelvio with GREAT results.
The biggest help, however, is from the twin Rigid D2 HD Driving auxiliary lamps that I installed. Posted elsewhere.
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=75440.0
.
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Has any body tried the LED that Harpers sells? My V11 EV could use a better headlight.
http://www.harpermoto.com/l.e.d-headlight-retrofit-kit-481102.html
That looks like the Cyclops. The low-beam cutoff is pretty non-existant. Low beam is just slightly dimmer than high, but, no cutoff.
I have one in my V7R, but, am replacing it with an ADVMonster, Rev2, (Rev 1 doesn't fit). The ADVMonster has way better cutoff, though, still not perfect. It is acceptable enough to not blind oncoming drivers.
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That looks like the Cyclops. The low-beam cutoff is pretty non-existant. Low beam is just slightly dimmer than high, but, no cutoff.
I have one in my V7R, but, am replacing it with an ADVMonster, Rev2, (Rev 1 doesn't fit). The ADVMonster has way better cutoff, though, still not perfect. It is acceptable enough to not blind oncoming drivers.
I'd love to see a couple high/low photos if you get the time.
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I've been running my Cyclops H-4 LED conversions in my Stelvio for about 2 weeks now along with the Rigid D2 HD auxiliaries.
This set-up produces an amazing amount of light. I've made several night trips in substantial traffic and I have not had any flashes from oncoming cars. The H-4 inserts are set adequately high for me and the high beam fills in quite a ways down the road. The biggest help, by far, are the auxiliary Rigids that I have splayed out a few degrees to illuminate the road sides in front of me. Apparently, the angle of my aim is such that oncoming traffic is not getting a direct focused beam in their eyes.
The performance of the H-4 conversions are probably largely dependent on the reflector design of the stock lamps into which they are installed. I'm very satisfied with mine although installation requires some fiddling as I have outlined earlier.
More here-
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=75440.0
Road signs about 1/4 miles away, Twin Cyclops on high and twin Rigid D2 HD on-
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc462/leafman60/Stelvio%20II/IMG_3888.jpg) (http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/leafman60/media/Stelvio%20II/IMG_3888.jpg.html)
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If I'm stuck in traffic, of its a really hot day, my "high beam" indicator flips on.
Is the relay catching the extra draw from a fan in the light and reporting that to the dash?
I'm electricly stupid, so sorry if I'm using the wrong terms.
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If I'm stuck in traffic, of its a really hot day, my "high beam" indicator flips on.
Is the relay catching the extra draw from a fan in the light and reporting that to the dash?
I'm electricly stupid, so sorry if I'm using the wrong terms.
I cannot explain that.
Usually the high beam is a separate circuit.
Perhaps there is a problem with the bulb and low beam current is somehow shorting over to the high beam connector at the bulb and backfeeding up the high beam circuit and thereby lighting the high beam indicator.
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I'd love to see a couple high/low photos if you get the time.
OK -- I'll try to remember to do that when I change it, as I can get both in the same session then.
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I took a test ride with my new Speedmetal led head light setup. Base on my real world experience, the headlight worked exceptionally well. From my riding perspective the lighting is much better than a h4 bulb. While driving my car with some one driving towards me and riding behind me on the bike, the light is not glaring or blinding.
Others have voice their opinion regarding these lights as being glaring or assumed that it is something that it is not. Kinda like my kid telling me she does not like a certain food because someone else did not. They are entitled to their opinion, but experience is a real test. As far as being approved by a government agent, who cares. Its not unapproved either. Those that want to throw out that kind of argument are acting like an 8th grade bully behind a computer screen in some far off land. I hate Alaska and everything about it, but I never been there.
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I love being 'insulted' by folks who can't put a verb in a sentence. It make me wonder how he knows what an 8th grade bully is. ::) :D **C
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Update:
I bought a 10w LED and driver circuit through eBay and repaired my Cyclops 20w-30w bulb. Both an LED emitter and its driver had failed. I can only assume that the failure of one caused the failure of the other. I removed the failed emitter from the triangular post and epoxied the new on in the same place. I then wired around the failed matching driver so the new driver powered the replacement LED.
The result was reasonable, and I put it back in my Mille's headlight bucket. After another couple hundred miles, another of the original LED emitters started randomly flashing on and off. Eventually it stayed off.
I ordered a new LED assembly that looked similar to the Cyclops unit from eBay seller "lil.xin", for $13.23, free shipping from China. When it arrived, I found that it appeared identical in every way I can judge it, other than the power connector. This includes the "LED" molded into the plastic fan shroud, the current consumption in high and low, and all other dimensions. It even came with the exact same set of base adapters so it can fit a variety of sockets. The only difference is it had three bullet connectors instead of the standard 3-blade headlight connector. I installed the connector from the failed Cyclops assembly and put installed it in my bucket. It's working fine.
As I posted somewhere before, I do very little night riding, so the headlight is mostly used for daytime visibility to other drivers. I adjusted the headlight to be bright but not blinding to oncoming traffic when in the low beam mode. This uses two of the three LED emitters. I'm hoping that avoiding all three at once, with its reduced heat generation, will result in reasonable bulb life.
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The guys I ride with on old Brit stuff with questionable alternator capabilities have been switching to the LED H4 bulbs. I have one on my Norton. The first thing I noticed was how different the light was. It's bright and a fierce glow. You also notice that the cagers seem to notice it more too. Which is what I really want out of a light. I'll put one in the Guzzi not because the charging system can't keep up with the halogen, but because I want to be seen.
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http://stores.advmonster.com/headlight-replacement/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/headlight-replacement/)
I have a couple of these on some of my bikes:
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-mesh-monster-led-headlight/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-mesh-monster-led-headlight/)
They work great.
They have a new version that is even better:
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/)
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Jas, the ADV Monster version is on my list to try.
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http://stores.advmonster.com/headlight-replacement/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/headlight-replacement/)
I have a couple of these on some of my bikes:
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-mesh-monster-led-headlight/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-mesh-monster-led-headlight/)
They work great.
They have a new version that is even better:
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/ (http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/)
Unfortunately, they don't make the original H4 mesh monster anymore. The newer R3 version won't fit into the V7's headlight bucket because the power supply cord is now routed out the rear of the unit, along with the mesh, so it's slightly too long to fit. Since the previous version's power supply was routed out the side of the unit, it necessitated less rear clearance.
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I might try one of these next. Hopefully with the plug coming out the side there should be room.
Astra Depot H4 6000K 9003 HB2 Motorcycle Motorbike Cob LED Headlamp Bulb Kit for Harley Bike Cruiser Bobber Chopper, 24W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMEQWMI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_YKDUxb27PH27F
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I've had great luck with the Cyclops H-4 LED's for quite a while now.
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I might try one of these next. Hopefully with the plug coming out the side there should be room.
Astra Depot H4 6000K 9003 HB2 Motorcycle Motorbike Cob LED Headlamp Bulb Kit for Harley Bike Cruiser Bobber Chopper, 24W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMEQWMI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_YKDUxb27PH27F
If that's not exactly the same as the eBay one I have now, and the failed one I got from Cyclops Adventure Sport, it's darned close. They're not great for night riding because the low beam doesn't have a cutoff at the top to keep light out of oncoming drivers' eyes. I find I can adjust the height of mine to look bright but not blinding to other drivers in the daytime, so I rate it "pretty good" for my use. The next one I get is going to have a real low beam pattern.
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Those too-long bulbs are going to be a thing, so we're going to need to get used to them. You can drill out the back of the bucket and fit those long bulbs. Drilling it might be a good idea anyway, because LED gets very hot to the rear of the module.
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The Truck-Lite and its extremely similar Peterson 7" round sealed beam headlights seem to be the same size behind the mounting ring as their incandescent ancestors. They do stick out in front of the mounting ring somewhere near an inch. I put one in my Ninja 250 and it's a great headlight, except that in the daytime, if you're not in the beam, it doesn't even look lit. The optics are so "good" they don't scatter significant light outside the beam pattern.
I was riding ahead of my daughter, who was on the 250, and I had to stop to see if the headlight was working. My solution was to get my son to 3-D print a diffuser of clear plastic that snaps over the front of the bulb. It's just a thin layer of clear fused filament in front of the bulb's lens, and a 1" cylindrical mounting ring, and it lights up brightly in the daytime. At night it can be removed and put in the tail bag. I'm quite sure I'd find out it's not legal if I asked the officials about it.
It brings to light the two separate purposes of headlights: Being able to see, and being seen. As good a headlight at this is for seeing, it's below par for being seen.
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Unfortunately, they don't make the original H4 mesh monster anymore. The newer R3 version won't fit into the V7's headlight bucket because the power supply cord is now routed out the rear of the unit, along with the mesh, so it's slightly too long to fit. Since the previous version's power supply was routed out the side of the unit, it necessitated less rear clearance.
Thanks for the info on the R3. I was contemplating buying one for my V7S for the better beam pattern, but, now I guess I'll stick with the Mesh Monster.
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Installed this on the Mille, for $45: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VT6QJ5H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VT6QJ5H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Claimed 3600 lumens at 40w using Cree diodes.
Haven't had it out at night yet so can't report on brightness and cut-off focus, but the power draw is better than the H4 halogen: I get charging breakeven at 1200 rpm vs 3000 rpm with the 55/60w halogen.
Reservation: lens is polycarb, not glass, so we'll see whether it scratches or pits.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mTTJmQ/Daymaker_Clone_Mille.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mTTJmQ)
It was a no-fiddle fit in the headlight shell so it's easy to go back to the Cibie if necessary.
SP fairing goes on later this week.
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Installed this on the Mille, for $45: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VT6QJ5H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VT6QJ5H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Claimed 3600 lumens at 40w using Cree diodes.
Haven't had it out at night yet so can't report on brightness and cut-off focus, but the power draw is better than the H4 halogen: I get charging breakeven at 1200 rpm vs 3000 rpm with the 55/60w halogen.
Reservation: lens is polycarb, not glass, so we'll see whether it scratches or pits.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mTTJmQ/Daymaker_Clone_Mille.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mTTJmQ)
It was a no-fiddle fit in the headlight shell so it's easy to go back to the Cibie if necessary.
SP fairing goes on later this week.
I am curious what the beam pattern and low beam cutoff looks like.
I saw no mention of DOT compliance in their description.
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DOT inscribed at the top of the lens.
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It that one all LED? (no incandescent elements)
Does it fit a standard 7" housing made for automotive type sealed beam headlamps?
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Take a look at the ADVMONSTER site.
In the headlight replacement section, they have the Native H4 replacement bulb, from what I've heard the
heat sink portion is placed in the reflector area for use in crowded headlight shell applications.
I'm Shure that the people at ADVMONSTER can explain the design better than I can, I am
considering one for use in my r80rt ,where real-estate in the headlight bucket is scarce.
it moves the heat further from the wiring ,just like the H4 it replaces.
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Went for a ride with the $45 40w Daymaker clone with Cree diodes.
It's very bright. Fairly sharp cutoff on low beam and good reach on high beam. But as you can see in the photos, the high beam is focused pretty narrowly down the lane, without much illumination for the berm. It may be better if I aim the lamp a bit higher. Right now it would make me nervous about wildlife -- and that dark spot to the side means you corner into a black hole. Will re-aim and try again.
Lo beam first, then high beam.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/gudy5k/Daymaker_Lo.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gudy5k)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nJ7Qkk/Daymaker_Hi.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nJ7Qkk)
photo upload on internet (http://imgbb.com/)