stamar Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I got my first led lights the other day from autozone, 1156 they were amber and werent what i was looking for I wanted maybe as bright as the ones that are there already in my dome lights, 1141 So I noticed one of my tail lights were out, and sure enough it fit. its orange behind red so it actually is a different color than the other one. It occurred to me that all of the outside lights on the rv, and theres a lot, are all incadescent. Whent the lights are on it must barely be charging the deep cycle and when i was shopping for my dome lights from ebay china, I noticed they sold like h1 and 9006 led headlights too. convert the sealed beams to h4 or something then get chinese leds.they seem to be literally cheaper than our halogen lights we buy here in stores. thatd be like another alternator almost for your alternator charged toyhome. \ I cant picture which is greater but I honestly think depending on how much night driving you do, that led lights are going to in effect generate more power than any solar panel could.... it depends on driving amount obviously. I kind of want to finish with a complete direct link of all the bulbs in a dolphin, or other toyhomes. especially the led headlight project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 I did get an idea that i wanted to have dome lights in all different colors for my interior. maybe one red, one or more blue, white warm yellow etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 16, 2012 Author Share Posted October 16, 2012 I went ahead and ordered the 36 led dome lights that seem poular. Just two. Because its for car dome lights I have my doubt it will be bright enough. But regardless then I can set up different brightness set ups. I really want to have lights that can be on basically y to 12 hours a day so when I get them I can set up two for full time and the rest for short term brightness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Finally got my two led lights from china. Ill post pics later. One of my lights worked with the enclosed adapters, its the over stove light so it was fated that be installed. Side by side with the incadescent light over the sink the 36 led light seems to be the exact one for replacement. In warm yellow or 3300 color. Maybe only 5 percent less bright. Very happy with it although I haven't wired the other one in yet. If 36 led is almost perfect I predect that 40 led smd is exactly perfect. I'm going to order from the same company 2 40led smds this time in cool white for variety. And that will be the end I'm leaving the others incadescent. I just have too many spare incadescent bulbs now. I've got two den reading lights in amber with 16 leds for stealth. One warm white over the stove and one over the frig. One cool white over the sink and one over the couch. I've never used the light in the bathroom or the one in the overhead and I can keep the double light in the middle incadescent and just remember to turn it off quickly. I may return to the double light later with two leds that are super bright, much brighter than stock if I find the right ones. Like 60 smd led or 80. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Headlights are too expensive in led still. They require special projectors. I can save power with hids. The projects now are all the turn signals and lights outside the rig. Nothings as important as the inside lights though, other than the headlights so I've taken a big bite out already. When I have all the bulbs for outside written down I will order them all at once. I don't even have a count yet but I figure aound 20 bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Headlights are too expensive in led still. They require special projectors. I can save power with hids. The projects now are all the turn signals and lights outside the rig. Nothings as important as the inside lights though, other than the headlights so I've taken a big bite out already. When I have all the bulbs for outside written down I will order them all at once. I don't even have a count yet but I figure aound 20 bulbs. you could easily install some Cree LED chips into a carefully cut out set of old lights and use thermal paste to put the back sides of them against some old pc processor coolers. they also sell the focusing lenses at dx.com too. the chips are like $13 delivered; lenses are 3. guaranteed to send a beam into the next county if you did the setup correctly. I was considering putting some into my riding mower so that my neighbors think aliens are landing at night when i mow my lawn at 2:00 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 There are projects on the internet. Toyhomes with single sealed beam headlights are expensive to start doing yourself upgrading. Retail led headlights are just now reaching cars like the leaf and some audis. Costs over 600 If I could do it I would I drive mostly at night and losing all that juice is expensive.h Id like to see it first though. I don't think you want to cut sealed beams as much as upgrade them to h4 projector lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 cutting the beams is fine; we would be resealing them after and doing it permanently with jbweld or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 5x7 LED lights are about $225 ea. To save power and get more light (than stock) for less$$ look for 6000K HID light conversions they should be about $100 a set LED info http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/GenericView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&pageName=/home.jsp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 for headlamps you wouldn't want smd panels or clusters with tens of LEDS. you would want ultra high output Cree chip which make focused beams like in all the new high output flashlights; These can be had for $13. These are exceptionally bright and get exceptionally hot; but could be cooled easily with a heatsink by the fan air under the hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 I actually already have hids if I upgrade the headlights to h4 I don't know the amount of juice it saves somewhere around 2 thirds, but an led headlight probably saves 97|percent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 H4 is about 60 watts, HID is about 35 watts, LED is about 40 watts. Real numbers vs hype Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 With the typical leisurely cruising speed of 55mph, I don't really see too much need to have headlights that light up the road 2 miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Let me count the reasons. Moose, Elk, deer, antelope, mountain goat, cows. Too much light, is barely enough With the typical leisurely cruising speed of 55mph, I don't really see too much need to have headlights that light up the road 2 miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 With the number of deer in Wisconsin, I want light. My Goldwing has a 140/85 watt halogen up front and I light up the road very well, I also light up the fields on each side when on high beam. I have only been hastled by one police officer. When I informed him that I was driving 80 miles a day to/from work, and how many deer I see, he backed off and told me to go to low beam early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 An 8 watt led headlight is brighter than a standard 55 watt headlight. You can make 40 watt led headlights but they can light several football fields. That gives a rough estimate of led bulbs save 85 percent wattage. An led bulb used in the same place as a incadesent bulb is 80 percent efficient 20 percent waste Vs 20 percent efficient 80 percent waste. Or its 4 times the power to light. The first headlights they are using aren't using projectors. All in all the auto industry is trying to keep the public away from led headlights right now to juice us for money. But you'll see headlights that efficient and more There is no hype below those numbers. The truth is you can do things with led lights that have a power to light ratio of close to 20 to 1 because. They make less heat. And they last roughly 20 times as long at least. In order to make leds appear any less effecient the auto industry can make a less effecient light. The first ones they bring out actually use more power than hids. They still last way longer. That's because they are the same people selling you hids. How about led headlights are cheaper than hids, last longer and use a fraction of the power? That's why they're blocking them and selling them for a lot. Homemade ones might be closer to what a real led should be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hids btw save 35 percent over halogen not two thirds. Still looks like free money to me considering how I have to run the engine to charge my deep cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm not positive the homemade flashlight and fan set up isn't using too much power for me It is essentially a bulb that's a projector. Something will come up soon that we can get on ebay for 5 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 No doubt that LED put more light down the road, but they consume more power than a HID. So it depends on what your needs are, HIDs also put a lot of light down the road and are 1/4 the cost. Be warned some of the cheaper HID lamps are not carefully built and have a focus problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 http://rallylights.com/ any thing you would ever want to see at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 An 8 watt led headlight is brighter than a standard 55 watt headlight. You can make 40 watt led headlights but they can light several football fields. That gives a rough estimate of led bulbs save 85 percent wattage. An led bulb used in the same place as a incadesent bulb is 80 percent efficient 20 percent waste Vs 20 percent efficient 80 percent waste. Or its 4 times the power to light. The first headlights they are using aren't using projectors. All in all the auto industry is trying to keep the public away from led headlights right now to juice us for money. But you'll see headlights that efficient and more There is no hype below those numbers. The truth is you can do things with led lights that have a power to light ratio of close to 20 to 1 because. They make less heat. And they last roughly 20 times as long at least. In order to make leds appear any less effecient the auto industry can make a less effecient light. The first ones they bring out actually use more power than hids. They still last way longer. That's because they are the same people selling you hids. How about led headlights are cheaper than hids, last longer and use a fraction of the power? That's why they're blocking them and selling them for a lot. Homemade ones might be closer to what a real led should be Show me the Lumens watts don't mean much. High power Cree LED's make lots of heat, heat means loss. Cree has the highest LED light output yet but they are still less than 250 lumens per watt. For about $1400 you can have a nice set of LED head lamps for your new Audi they are projection head lamps. On the plus side LED head lamps are a very high color temp close to 7000K. There is a co. making LED 7" round head lamps for the military but they are 24 volt and I have not been able to find a price but I'll bet they are a least $500 each. This is new technology the led market is expanding but cheap head lamps are not in the near future. My Tacoma has LED tail lights built right into the lens. The main reason is cost nothing else it's not a plot bulbs are much cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 I'm on my phone for internet. This thread has a backlog of links and pictures I will post someday Showing the data of led headlights watts to lumens. And led dome lights installed and packaging ppictures. I have an idea of installing an led smd and leaving the bulb in for one bright light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 http://dx.com/s/cree+led+car.html?category=712 some people are always the skeptics on LEDs... its NOT that hard to find them pre made (see above link) . personally I like the concept of building my own though like Stamar. maybe out of something like these: http://dx.com/p/5-cree-q5-5-mode-1000-lumen-white-light-drop-in-led-module-52-7mm-42mm-8-4v-max-35244?item=45 http://dx.com/p/66mm-24mm-2-90-degree-99-transmittance-glass-optic-13618?item=54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Trust me I am not against LED's at all they are the wave of the future every single lamp in my camper is a custom made flush mount 15 chip LED fixture they are close to the perceived output of a 10 watt halogen due primarily to the narrowness of the beam instead of 360 degrees of mostly wasted light . But some one hands me a flash light with a rating of a 1000 lumens with one Cree chip is right full of it. The hype is fuzzy specs if you can build a DOT approved $30 head lamp you’ll have the manufactures falling all over them self’s to buy it from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 As Stamar mentioned ; it would not benefit them to run themselves out of business. It's the same reason Eastman Kodak didn't embrace digital cameras until it was too late and then wasted millions playing catchup, the same reason oil producers do not sell solar panels, or ammunition makers make and sell ballistic vests. Believe in the Cree chip or not. Now I will build an assembly to prove you incorrect, because I like where Stamar was going with power savings and quite frankly also because dx.com worked great for me and my Cree 8 volt flashlights are brighter than my Mercedes high beam halogens. I'll post results when done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 The stats of led headlights provided to us from audi are aa far cry from the real stats,which I will link to you of 8 watts. So while its true audi headlights won't even help much because they are bs future headlights based on existing technology, not bought through the retail chain will save at least 85 percent power, just to to start. It is quite easy to take the leds and make them waste power. All technology is fed to consumers in levels that are most profitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 my first successful leds are these http://www.ebay.com/...984.m1497.l2649 now these are obviously made for your map lights, meant to be about a foot from your face. the three adapters each come with are for map lights. there was one in the toyhome cab this would work with. in my dolphin the over the over the oven light works with one of the adapters. I dont think a picture is going to really show but i did a side by side test with the incadescent light over the sink. at first it looked like the new led light was brighter but its not. what it is is cooler ( still labeled warm mind you) so it illuminates closer to natural daylight. however i was able to test its brightness unbiased to color with the incadescent next to it by turning both on and off and seeing the reach and putting a book under each this is dimmer than a normall 1141 incadescent light. just barely I feel it is 90% as bright. difficult to tell but you can tell. I saw someone soldering the wires to put it in the square overhead. I was able to install it in my square overhead without any soldering by pulling apart one of the adapters with the spring and putting one end in each of the recepticles. I would show you a picture but im afraid if I open it it will all fall apart. because it did fall apart a few times and i blew a fuse till i got it right. the bulb recepticle is still there and believe it or not it would be easier to install it with the bulb there or break off the end and leave it there. you could make the bulb extra bright using both the led and the incadescent. and I plan to do that a couple steps from now, Im going to have the middle two lights be bright as can be lights. but that is a few shipments from china away. I just ordered these http://www.ebay.com/...=item337b35d88f going with 48 leds for the next. now i realize that were actually looking for LOW power and these are sort of fighting against the concept being now brighter than the orignals. this is for over the sink and over the couch. for a quick flash without leaving them on. cool white creates a better visibility but less like the orignal yellow 2300 incadecent lights. even the warm ones i got are not as yellow they are 3300. I have small 16 led tailights in amber in my reading lights i can turn on for low power i think these lights are unique to the den model dolphin. but they take the same bulbs and do the same function as those lights that turn all around most toyhomes have. meaning they are good for dim reading lights because you can aim them at the book. no pictures i got them at autozone, i dont recomend them but Ive got them and im not throwing them away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Don't tell the navy about this: I'm using one in my stovetop generator downstream: http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=271078414263&index=20&nav=SEARCH&nid=64666780197 Step boost buck dc to dc converter. we use these at work also.And it DOES change current/voltage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 no kidding that was the most ridiculous thing i have heard i ran it by my friend who is an electrical engineering student in case there was something i missed. Just going to let it die, I will say out loud theres a whole telephone game of ignorance that sometimes goes off in a forum. I want to cut that one out early, and obviously. Thats some crazy bs dont listen to it and watch the names it came from, like some free form babble and the next person took it on like it made sense. in 12 volt audio systems there are step up parts for 12-24 volts and some for each level ( 14 16 18 20) comes in all car stereo installation equipment. That is the apprentice electrician work there, dc power. thats the opposite of what I think a forum is for. This is the age of the end of bs. Other than that everyone have a nice day. ;o) all consumer dc batteries put out 1.5 volts. put them together and they make 3 volts. I can show you the inside of any rechargeable battery, they all end with a capacitor that raises the dc up from the last cell. all dc power. put in a capacitor( a battery is a capacitor) dc voltage goes up. put in a resistor and it goes down. you can look it up, but if you disagree dont post here im not listening to it or putting up with it. This is not the type of conversation you need to be part of. this is a project searching for the direct links to buy things and if you dont have those you dont belong here relating your electrical training it just might waste my time if i believe it. I still love you though. what if you had 12 volts.... and then you put it in serial to 2 aa batteries.... what would you have? 15 volts!!!!!!!! except you dont need the whole battery just the wire front to back to be in serial. if you dont understand thats fine dont ask questions, dont interject you are going to be a reading only participant in these two little projects im working on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 stepping up voltage is no problem at all; you just lose current. the draw is the question; how much current does the laptops charger waste is the real question. Electricity is like water; you can play games with pressure and volume but not both at the same time. So they make some valid points; its the absolute denial that voltage cannot be stepped up I take issue with. :-) I am an IT manager with a degree that included advanced physics attained in 2000. I am supporting a tier one automotive supplier engineering facility with many EEs and MEs working here that teach me some things (in between beers). we only buy Dell computers and laptops here (mostly for the volume discounts) I am not the biggest fan of Dell but they did standardize their power bricks for all models and offer 12 volt charger bricks that plug right into the ash tray and are very very thin and efficient. of course the new models are low consumption icore 5s that are LED backlit with SSDs also which doesn't hurt. I totally think i can make some headlights that will blow the pants off of halogen stock 6054s consuming 1/5 the juice for less than $100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 You can absolutely totem I will direct link a paragraph explaininghid headlights and how the lumens to watts ratio they are showing you is incorrect like I already said. Led headlights are no less efficient than led dome lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 I just started a new job and one of the forklifts has led spotlights. The others have halogen. They are all ridiculously bright. The brand is illumen. The led housings have metal heat sinks. They are using four led elements each light, no projectors. No fan jusst metal fins. Put that light in a headlight projector with a cut off and you can illuminate a warehouse. I have no idea what they cost, too much I bet. They are on kumotsu forklifts which I believe is toyota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eve "n" Stephen Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 There is one catch to super bright headlights, the guy coming at you may not be able to see anything and head-on into you! I've recently been near blind by super bright headlights, especially those that are very high color temp, blue white. If they don't aim below the eye level of oncoming drivers, super brights suck! Of course this means they don't reach out as far and the extra brightness doesn't really help much. Great as high beams with no oncoming drivers though. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 That's why we would lens and aim them... ANY headlight can blind an oncoming driver if the lights are not properly adjusted and focused... hence we simply install them and drive up to a garage door and fine tune their trajectory until they are not in oncoming line of vision.... Brights are aimed up on purpose and thus as a courtesy the brights should not be used when oncoming present. But don't tell that to the hillbillys in deep north Michigan; they love to just leave em on and flip you off when you drive by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I just started a new job and one of the forklifts has led spotlights. The others have halogen. They are all ridiculously bright. The brand is illumen. The led housings have metal heat sinks. They are using four led elements each light, no projectors. No fan jusst metal fins. Put that light in a headlight projector with a cut off and you can illuminate a warehouse. I have no idea what they cost, too much I bet. They are on kumotsu forklifts which I believe is toyota. Yeah i didnt mean that they would need thier own fan; merely that they would need a heatsink and would be cooled by the trucks viscous fan drive output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.