Dimmer for those sometimes too BRIGHT LIGHT'S we love!

[xcmountain80]

Well while sitting by a campfire nursing a beer and enjoying the company of wife and k-9 I started to day dream. Hmmmmm I thought I love my Light Force 240's but some times they are just to bright (for daily commuting). Unless you commute by barren road (occasionally) or by desert, you may learn they are just to bright. My idea was to utilize a factory Toyota Dimmer to control the LF's. If I could turn them down to 1/2 power using the dimmer and yellow diffuser covers they would be tolerable by other drivers (at least until they cut you off) then
KA-BLAM retinal searing Light Force 240 Style.


Aaron

 

[ntsqd]

Most dashlight dimmers (I assume that's what you thinking to use) are just a potentiometer. Usually they work by varying the voltage to the bulbs. Bulbs designed to run on 12VDC aren't going to live as long when sent something less. And the current will increase.

If you really want to dim them I think the place to start looking is in a variable Pulse Width circuit. Imagine turning them on and off, really fast! The more off time the dimmer they will be.

Or, you could wire them into your high beams. That way when you go to lows the aux lights also go off.

 

[offroad_nomad]

Florida must be a little more tolerant then Virginia. Here you would likely get a ticket from the VA State Police or county LEOs for running those LF lights on the roads.

 

[xcmountain80]

Well I can turn them off myself, I just waned to dim them. I realize the bulbs won't last as long but think of the other side. Bulbs are $8 ea. extra set of lower voltage lights are spendy for the good ones at least $150. I figure @ 1/2 the output they would be bearable on the road with other traffic maybe 1/4 output. I usually use them when running the back roads late night or early morning. You only truly know just how bright the LF 240's are if you have owned them.

Aaron

 

[Erich_870]

Well I can turn them off myself, I just waned to dim them. I realize the bulbs won't last as long but think of the other side. Bulbs are $8 ea. extra set of lower voltage lights are spendy for the good ones at least $150. I figure @ 1/2 the output they would be bearable on the road with other traffic maybe 1/4 output. I usually use them when running the back roads late night or early morning. You only truly know just how bright the LF 240's are if you have owned them.

Aaron

Are you saying you need an amount of light that is between your stock head lights and your 240's? Or do you just want to be able to run your 240's in all situations?

Personally I think a dimmer would get old after going through 3 or 4 sets of bulbs, but that's just me.

The newest high power led's use pulse modulation to keep thier temps and power usage down, I wonder if the circuitry could be modified to reduce light out put.

Erich

 

[89s rule]

There is a guy on Ih8mud in the 80's section who did this. I think he did a few other wiring upgrades, but he had $500 in the mod. Too rich for my blood, this was just wiring, switch, etc. NOT the lights.

I have a set of 240's in my garage that I picked up off of pirate a few years back and just havent hooked them up. With the aquisition of my new 80 I will be dusting them off after I pick up an ARB or the like.

 

[eugene]

Lights like this are pulling a lot more current than dash lights so your going to need a heavy duty dimmer. Most modern vehicles use a PWM circuit so some high current transistors would be needed.
You could do a simple relay to put a pair in series like some DRL's for 1/2 brightness.

 

[xcmountain80]

Well shyt kids I guess I need to just get some additional lights. I have all my bumper electrical bits wired to 2 pin connectors for quick on and off applications. I still have the original fog light set waiting for something to be plugged into. A set of LF 140's perhaps.. I dunno.


Aaron