LED headligths

BigDan

Observer
I have some originals 9007 headligths bulbs on my 96 E350 based RV ....

I`m looking for some new LED headligths ,,,,

what a confusing situation !!!

they range from 35Watts to over 500 wattss .........................hey 500 watts ( 70,000 lumens ) , Is it possible ? Imagine the glare !!!
would they be rated diffrently then other bulbs ?
I`m confused !!


I have 35 watts HID`s on the wife`s Vibe , and it`s great ....

what should I go for on the E350 9007 ????

thanks

Daniel ,
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
You should probably ask this on the Candlepower forum, but be prepared for harsh but knowledgeable responses. I looked into retrofit LEDs two summers ago, and there was no good solution for 9007s in stock housings. The factory 9007s on my Dodge truck were the worst factory headlights I had ever owned, even with upgraded capsules. I went with HID projectors retrofitted to stock housings. I think mine are 55W/4300K, and they are OK but not great. However, they are a huge improvement over the 9007s.

LEDs can be excellent if you get something like the factory units that are on new Porsches and the like, but I have not seen anything like those for retrofit on anything but round-headlight Jeeps.
 

BigDan

Observer
the battery tray on the driver side is quite near the bulb socket

I ordered some 9007 GE Nighthawk ,,,had some on my Vibe quite better then originals .........otherwise ill modify the battery tray for more clearance

thanks folks

Daniel
 

stingray1300

Explorer
what should I go for on the E350 9007 ????

thanks

Daniel ,

May I recommend you get some auxiliary lights instead of putting bulbs in halogen housings that were never designed for them? By "converting" to either HIDs or LEDs in a halogen housing, you're putting yourself in line to be in violation of two (2) federal laws:
.
FMVSS - 49CFR571.108 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/octqtr/49cfr571.108.htm
.
And
.
NHTSA - 49CFR564 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/octqtr/49cfr564.5.htm
.
Putting anything but a halogen bulb in a halogen housing is like putting someone else's prescription glasses on - you can see, but not well. HIDs/LEDs make a lot of light, but it will be scattered all over the place (not where you need it). You need to look into the science of lighting to learn about the inefficiencies, deficiencies and legalities of doing what you're thinking about.
.
I recommend auxiliary lighting.
 

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
All 3 of my rigs have 55w HIDs and I have never experienced the problems some guys talk about, most of the bulbs are made to exactly the same specifications as halogen bulbs and the light diffraction is no different, the difference in all my headlights is phenominal! especially in my '91 with hella 6054 replacement lenses, with the original halogens I was afraid to travel after dark here because most of the state is open range, meaning cows and horses can be anywhere, not to mention all the pronghorn and mule deer, with the new glass and HID bulbs I no longer worry at all!

Make sure you buy quality digital ballast sets and you should have no troubles, I use these guys exclusively www.xenonhids.com, they are extremely knowledgeable, super helpful and very well priced,

And as far as violating any laws? so many people break laws everyday just driving to work so that has never bothered me, and if you check your state laws there are usually a lot of regulations regarding the legality of auxiliary lighting and the use thereof on public roads so these people driving around with their auxiliary lights on are in total contempt of multiple laws, at least thats the case here anyway!
 

Umbrarian

Observer
May I recommend you get some auxiliary lights instead

In many states it is illegal to drive on the highway with auxiliary lighting. This option may not be available to the OP. Also, it can be quite time consuming even if legal. For example, replacing sealed beam on my Jeep was a 10 minute job. To add auxiliary lighting, I would have had to wire up a new switch, find a suitable mounting location, and find suitable lights, etc., and using them on-road was ILLEGAL in that state. So upgrade of existing was only option.

By "converting" to either HIDs or LEDs in a halogen housing, you're putting yourself in line to be in violation of two (2) federal laws:
.
FMVSS - 49CFR571.108 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/octqtr/49cfr571.108.htm
.
And
.
NHTSA - 49CFR564 http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/octqtr/49cfr564.5.htm

Your assuming the replacements are not DOT approved. It is perfectly possible to replace them with 100% legal devices. All my replacements are DOT approved and pass yearly safety inspection.

Putting anything but a halogen bulb in a halogen housing is like putting someone else's prescription glasses on - you can see, but not well.

This is another assumption on your part.

HIDs/LEDs make a lot of light, but it will be scattered all over the place (not where you need it).

And yet another assumption on your part.
.

You need to look into the science of lighting to learn about the inefficiencies, deficiencies and legalities of doing what you're thinking about.

Right back at'cha.
 

SnoViking

Adventurer
I'm running the NightEye Brand LED head lights in both my vehicles (5 sets of lights; about 12 months on 2 sets and 6 months on the other 3 sets) and have been really happy with them. The price is right, the color is perfect, the "pattern" of light is awesome, and the "quantity" of light is abundant. These are IP68 and have built in fans. They are fairly compact and I have had no issue in fitting them into the stock locations.

These pull 36w (advertised but havent actually checked them) and they put out a better amount of light and better pattern than a set of 55w HIDs I have previously. Plus there's no ballast to find a home for and no warming up on cold days.

Plus if you buy them from NightEye (as the seller) on Amazon they have a 3 year warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KLWDN5K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

stingray1300

Explorer
In many states it is illegal to drive on the highway with auxiliary lighting. This option may not be available to the OP. Also, it can be quite time consuming even if legal. For example, replacing sealed beam on my Jeep was a 10 minute job. To add auxiliary lighting, I would have had to wire up a new switch, find a suitable mounting location, and find suitable lights, etc., and using them on-road was ILLEGAL in that state. So upgrade of existing was only option.
.
Nobody said anything was supposed to be easy. As long as the beam pattern (fog, e.g.) is approved and the wattage is 55 watts or less, then they have federal DOT approval. (all 50 states and P.R.)

Your assuming the replacements are not DOT approved. It is perfectly possible to replace them with 100% legal devices. All my replacements are DOT approved and pass yearly safety inspection.
.
No, they are not. Just because someone doing your inspections does catch that illegal 'conversion', doesn't make them DOT approved. There are absolutely no DOT-approved conversions on the market today. Even the manufacturers of the components (Toshiba, Sylvania, Philips, Osram, etc.) didn't make the components to be part of any conversion. They made the parts, and outside companies morphodited them into what you have in your rig. All the way down to the shape of the HID arc vs. the halogen filament, changes the light output and focus. If you want HIDs or LEDs, change the housing. Nobody wants to believe that they've been mislead - understandable, but are you going to rest on an incorrect opinion? Not the course of wisdom.
.

I'll make this simple for everyone (those who are honestly looking to learn something, anyway...) Have a read on this link. The guy who put it together sits on the board of SAE (a lighting engineer). Ultimately more qualified than all of us here put together, to speak on the matter. if you still feel the same way after reading this material, the God help you, because you're really not interested in learning anything. And BTW, he invites people to contact him directly to discuss these matters further. But be prepared, he's a feather ruffler by nature.
.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html
.
Good health to you!
 

Umbrarian

Observer
.
No, they are not. Just because someone doing your inspections does catch that illegal 'conversion', doesn't make them DOT approved. There are absolutely no DOT-approved conversions on the market today.

Like I said mine are DOT approved. Like I also said, replacements, did not say conversion.
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
My feeling about headlights has always been that if the stock lights are not adequate for the kind of driving I do, then an upgrade is in order, whether DOT legal or not. I have been tweaking my headlights since the 1960's and have never, NEVER, been stopped or questioned on my headlights. Stopped once in late 60's for Cibie fogs, and once a few years ago for having high beams on with fogs (it was not foggy, just real dark, and the cop was not in my light pattern but on a side road). If you are sensible about what you do, tweaks can add a lot of value. Just don't do dumb stuff, and be prepared to do things twice if the first time is not acceptable.
 

stingray1300

Explorer
Like I said mine are DOT approved. Like I also said, replacements, did not say conversion.
.
This entitlement generation... sheesh. Replacement, conversion, same thing in this case. Your vehicle did not come from the factory with HIDs/LEDs. That is a "conversion". Just because someone believes something, doesn't make it true. There is no such thing as a DOT approved HID capsule in a halogen housing. If you had bothered to read either of the 2 links I provided for everyone, then you would see what I mean. And if you had bothered to read the science of why your situation isn't at all what you think it is, you'd understand. But I can see that's asking too much. "People choose to believe what they desire to be true". You can say they are DOT approved all day long, but the nomenclature in the federal laws disagree with you. And so do I. And so do the principles in the science of lighting. You can argue with it, but you've already lost by that point.
 

Umbrarian

Observer
.
This entitlement generation... sheesh. Replacement, conversion, same thing in this case. Your vehicle did not come from the factory with HIDs/LEDs. That is a "conversion". Just because someone believes something, doesn't make it true. There is no such thing as a DOT approved HID capsule in a halogen housing. If you had bothered to read either of the 2 links I provided for everyone, then you would see what I mean. And if you had bothered to read the science of why your situation isn't at all what you think it is, you'd understand. But I can see that's asking too much. "People choose to believe what they desire to be true". You can say they are DOT approved all day long, but the nomenclature in the federal laws disagree with you. And so do I. And so do the principles in the science of lighting. You can argue with it, but you've already lost by that point.

Not HIDs, not in a halogen housing. You make too many assumptions.

Nothing in those two links prevents replacement with a DOT light.

Other than you, a random guy on the internet, everyone else says it is legal. Perhaps that is because they have seen it, unlike you who are just making assumptions without facts.

MFGs DOT certification:

When properly mounted, is designed to conform to the requirements listed in the Department of Transportation (DOT) FMVSS-108 and the Transport Canada (TC) CMVSS-108. The DOT symbol on the headlight signifies that it is street legal.

I guess you know more about their lights than they do.
 
Last edited:

doug720

Expedition Leader
I tried LED's in my 60 for awhile, a short while.

The lights very bright, lit the the road well, and on low beam, I received very few complaints from on-coming drivers. But they have one big problem...Snow and ice.

Here is what they looked like after driving a few miles in snow! The LED's generate little to no heat to clear the lens. I removed the LED's and reinstalled the Hella halogens I have used for years.

Maybe there is a newer LED with a heater of some kind available, but the ones I tried just stayed covered in snow.

As the OP was in Canada, this would likely be an issue for him.
 

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BigDan

Observer
I'm running the NightEye Brand LED head lights in both my vehicles (5 sets of lights; about 12 months on 2 sets and 6 months on the other 3 sets) and have been really happy with them. The price is right, the color is perfect, the "pattern" of light is awesome, and the "quantity" of light is abundant. These are IP68 and have built in fans. They are fairly compact and I have had no issue in fitting them into the stock locations.

These pull 36w (advertised but havent actually checked them) and they put out a better amount of light and better pattern than a set of 55w HIDs I have previously. Plus there's no ballast to find a home for and no warming up on cold days.

Plus if you buy them from NightEye (as the seller) on Amazon they have a 3 year warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KLWDN5K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Patrick,

I dont see the 9007 in the link .....would H11 be the same ?
thanks
Daniel
 

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