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| LED headlights; wait what??? https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34989 |
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| Author: | Jopapa [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 6:14 am ] |
| Post subject: | LED headlights; wait what??? |
I happened across this article last night while surfing around during my lunch break. I'd like to see them in person before passing any judgement, but it sure seems like it could be a good solution in the future. http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &langId=-1 Dan, have you heard anything about these? I don't plan to jump ni and buy a pair, but it just piqued my interest. |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:53 am ] |
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Yep, I've been following these thru their R&D over the last few years. If you've gotta have LED headlamps because they're cool (which they are), and you can afford $300/ea., then buy these. They perform...legally. They are still outperformed by well-made conventional headlamps, however. A few more years of LED revisions and optic evolution are needed before LED headlamps fulfill the promise of better-than-standard performance with lower-than-standard power consumption. |
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| Author: | MichaelS [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:11 am ] |
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And higher than standard prices, $300 each? ouch |
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| Author: | wjajr [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:35 am ] |
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I bet these units would be great for the day time driving lights GM & Canada so love. I see more Cyclopes GM trucks coming down the road with one lamp lit, and one out. We live on the coast, but not that close... I know not every one of these guys can be signaling Paul Revere... |
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| Author: | Jopapa [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:37 am ] |
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Quote: Yep, I've been following these thru their R&D over the last few years. If you've gotta have LED headlamps because they're cool (which they are), and you can afford $300/ea., then buy these. They perform decently. They are still outperformed by well-made conventional headlamps, however. A few more years of LED revisions and optic evolution are needed before LED headlamps fulfill the promise of better-than-standard performance with lower-than-standard power consumption.
Your final statement pretty much confirms what I suspected. Even if the LED technology was good enough now, I wouldn't even consider them until they offered them with E-code beam patterns. So much better to see with and so much easier on the eyes of oncoming traffic.
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| Author: | slantvaliant [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:31 pm ] |
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I liked this sentence: "Truck-Lite has been able to successfully develop a perfect blend of thermal management and light output to produce an aesthetically pleasing beam pattern through innovative precision optics. " Yep. Aesthetics are where it's at! 
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| Author: | Jopapa [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:50 pm ] |
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Quote: I liked this sentence:
Yeah, that's my biggest concern with buying headlights....."Truck-Lite has been able to successfully develop a perfect blend of thermal management and light output to produce an aesthetically pleasing beam pattern through innovative precision optics. " Yep. Aesthetics are where it's at! I've had a couple people say that the Audi R8 uses LED headlamps. Anyone know if this is true? |
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| Author: | Reed [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:46 pm ] |
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Yet another example of how "engineering" is driven by marketing- its all about appearnance, not quality. 
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:09 pm ] |
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Yep, the R8 has LED headlamps. So does the Lexus LS600h ($5200 apiece rock-bottom trade price @ Toyota parts counter), and they'll be available as an option on the '10 Prius. WJA- Daytime running lights are effective safety device as long as they're implemented correctly, which in North America they mostly are not (too much glare, too much power consumption, masking of turn signals, encourage improper nighttime/bad weather use of lights). European regs require DRLs starting in 2011 on all cars, but they won't be the wasteful/dumb kind we mostly get here, with modified operation of headlamps or turn signals. They'll be dedicated white lights that take very little power to run, bright enough to improve vehicle conspicuity without causing glare, without masking turn signals, without lulling drivers into thinking their regular lights are on after dark, etc. We're already seeing these Euro DRLs on some cars in America. Current Audi models, BMWs with "angel eye" DRLs, the high-end Cadillacs. |
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| Author: | wjajr [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:40 am ] |
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Dan In the last few years with the proliferation of the integrated turn signal & headlight styling craze taking over. I have found it increasingly difficult to catch on coming vehicles turn signals flashing. Most likely I'm not alone on this. We have a ton of NB registered cars around here being a border town, and I have noticed the new vehicles from over the river extinguish the married head light when the turn signal is lit. This makes missing the signal imposable for oncoming drivers. Just the asymmetrical presentation of one headlight going out alone garners increased scrutiny, than add the little amber flash contrasted against the opposite side's bright white light. I like it. |
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| Author: | stonethk [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:26 am ] |
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Quote: Dan
Hit the nail on the head wjajr. I thought I was the only one that noticed/peeved by this.In the last few years with the proliferation of the integrated turn signal & headlight styling craze taking over. I have found it increasingly difficult to catch on coming vehicles turn signals flashing. Most likely I'm not alone on this. I'll gripe for a second, at least once a week I nearly "cut off" a turning car because the turn signal blends in with the whole headlight assembly...my vision is 20/20. I remember years ago being pulled over because of an aftermarket turn signal I had on my Vespa. Upon researching i found that the DOT required a certain color amber lens. If I ever get in an accident (knock on wood) because of not being able to see a turn signal I will be sure to bring this up to the insurance company. |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:57 am ] |
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Quote: In the last few years with the proliferation of the integrated turn signal & headlight styling craze taking over. I have found it increasingly difficult to catch on coming vehicles turn signals flashing. Most likely I'm not alone on this.
You're not. It's a real problem. The technical standards call for the minimum acceptable turn signal intensity to be higher the closer the signal is mounted to the low beam headlamp, but these standards have not been upgraded since they were written, which was back when headlamps and turn signals could not be integrated into the same housing behind a common lens because all vehicles had sealed-beam headlamps. There's ongoing discussion in the SAE lighting committee on the matter, but I wouldn't look for any real fix any time soon.Quote: We have a ton of NB registered cars around here being a border town, and I have noticed the new vehicles from over the river extinguish the married head light when the turn signal is lit.
Some vehicles turn off one side of the daytime running light function when the turn signal on that side is operating. It depends on the distance from the turn signal to the lamp used to do the DRL function. It's not a good solution if the DRL function is produced by a headlamp, because it greatly worsens the safety consequences of drivers' tendency to use the daytime lights at night rather than turning on their full headlamps. The European regulation I mentioned earlier (for dedicated daytime running lamps not involving the headlamps) contains provisions for extinguishing or dimming one DRL when the turn signal on the same side is operating. In this case it's a good idea, because those European DRLs don't encourage misuse of lights (like headlight DRLs do).
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| Author: | Jopapa [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:36 pm ] |
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Quote: Yep, the R8 has LED headlamps. So does the Lexus LS600h ($5200 apiece rock-bottom trade price @ Toyota parts counter), and they'll be available as an option on the '10 Prius.
Definitely a pricey way to go. Glad I don't drive a Lexus, though I wish I could afford an R8 after having seen the one in Iron Man.
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