Nolden 7" round Bi-LED headlight review!

[4x4overlander]

Not trying to yank your chain but what do you mean by "measured light output"?
What did you measure it with? Where? How?
Lumen measurement is a tricky science. I'd withhold judgement until I see the LUX on targets that I place and measure myself.
Never ever believe your eyes. Ever. And never believe the literature from a manufacturer. Especially one like that Nolden that isn't exactly an industry leader...

I personally did not measure the light output of these lights.

I understand that these measurements were undertaken in a light tunnel in Germany.

As for never ever believe your eyes. Ever!!!! Enough said


I was stating the 'facts' as put out by both manufacturers AND by personal driving experience.


As for never believing the literature from a manufacturer then all I can assume is that you measure the volume of coke in the bottle you buy, the calorfic value of the fuel you buy, the energy efficiency of the fridge, the bass decibel of your audio equipment etc etc.

OK Nolden is not a US company unlike Trucklite and JW Speaker. Is that part of the problem?

The figures given out by JW Speaker are 'CALCULATIONS' should we trust those?

On the Truck Lite website for the 7" LED I can not readily see a figure for the light output be it a calculation of raw lumens or a calculation of effective lumens or a measured light output


Brendan

 

[Hilldweller]

I do work in a test and measurement lab... ...so, yes, I measure almost everything.
I used a really neat air pressure analyzer to tune my home theater (7.3 system). I used a spectrum analyzer to tune the 2-way radio in my truck. I used an o-scope to figure out the pwm on my Jeep to mount all of the fancy headlights I've tested. And I use a simple light meter to test the lights.

I have no experience with Nolden lights. But, then again, Nolden doesn't build the lights; they're made for Nolden.
If you look at all of my headlight testing and reviews, you'll see that I'm just as skeptical about EVERYTHING I test unless I see hard data ahead of time. The first two generations of Truck-Lite LED headlights were terrible ---- and I reported them as such. Truck-Lite performed their due dilligence and improved the breed.
JW Speaker set the bar higher and built their lights to a more modern spec.

I'll give the Nolden product the same scrutiny if I ever get to see one.
I also have friends in the automotive lighting industry that will probably get to them first; if they let me, I'll post their findings. They don't like the Truck-Lites as much as I do, btw.

 

[4x4overlander]

Well I have had just a little bit of experience in a university research lab and am used to doing physical measurements, although in a completely different area to lights. The main thing I learnt there was that the best research tools were an open mind and your eyes!


Yes the lights are made for Nolden whereas Speaker actually make theirs. One thing we have noticed is the difference in build quality between the Speakers and the Nolden lights. Sorry but I have a strong objection to having to take a file to a £1,000 (1,6000 US$) set of lights to get them to fit the rings. Then there is the question of the corrosion issue with various Speaker lights, then the return rate of the Speaker lights is a lot higher then the Noldens.

So Noldens might not be considered a industry leader on the other side of the Atlantic. However high end vehicle converters in Europe specify Nolden lights.


On our 3 4x4's we have standard Land Rover candles, plus Lightforce lights, another has Speaker 8700's plus Lazer Lamp LEDs, the third just has Nolden lights.


These vehicles are our daily drives and we both believe the Noldens are the best lights we have on our vehicles.

Yes I could fit Truck Lites in the first one of our vehicles but looking at the US manufacturers published figures and other peoples opinions I am not inclined to do that. The Truck Lite 7" have only just become available in a road legal version in Europe.

If another 7" LED light becomes available which on paper appears to be better then the Noldens at a comparable price, I will try them out and make my own mind up about them.


Brendan

 

[Hilldweller]

I never had to modify a JWS light to fit anything. I had to modify the buckets on Jeep to fit the first generation of their lights but they were all perfect fits on the new lighter/smaller generation.
Never saw one with any "corrosion issue" either and I've installed plenty...

As for aftermarket fitment, many reputable outfitters have installed hundreds of IPF H4 buckets on Land Rovers through the years in the mistaken belief that they were improvements. And they're the worst H4s I've ever measured and not even able to meet the bare minimum standards of FMVSS-108 to be legal.
And 6V Volkswagons had lights that met the standard...

Now, back to the lumen claim of 1700. Compare that to the best of the best that are on the road right now, the Hellas in the Caddies, the Audis, the MBs. They're all shooting 700 or so lumen.
That's why I find the Nolden claims dubious (to say the least).

I do maintain an open mind. And open eyes. I just don't trust my eyes; I trust my meters. And empirical testing.
Eyes lie. Brains and eyes work together to tell us things that aren't so, to fill in gaps, to exaggerate. LEDs are superbly able to mislead ---- they always look "brighter" than they really are and convince the user that they can see better than they acutally do.

 

[1911]

...
And 6V Volkswagons had lights that met the standard...

LOL this brings up some old memories. A '61 beetle was my first car, not to mention a whole slew of 6-volt motorcycles. Now there is the definition of a small adventure - riding a bike with a single 6-volt sealed-beam headlight on a Colorado mountain road at night. Especially if said bike had Lucas electrics.

I still have one 6-volt bike, but I'm going to convert it to 12 volts with a Kubota tractor alternator.

 

[AndrewClarke]

I know this one's been closed for a couple weeks, so I hope you don't mind me re-opening it. I find it interesting, HillDweller Bill, that you're favouring the JW Speakers over the Trucklites. I've been pondering buying the JW Speakers as I can get them for around wholesale, but after reading links like http://bogiesreviews.webs.com/Review - Phase 7 LED Headlights & Passing Lamps.pdf it seemed like the Trucklites might be better than the JW Speakers, regardless of price. Bill, it sounds like your findings are different from those in that PDF.

I'm also still not convinced that LED headlights are a "bright idea" for those of us who live where it snows a lot. I don't want to make an expensive purchase and then find out it was a mistake.

The Noldens look interesting too, just to keep this mostly on topic

 

[Hilldweller]

I know this one's been closed for a couple weeks, so I hope you don't mind me re-opening it. I find it interesting, HillDweller Bill, that you're favouring the JW Speakers over the Trucklites. I've been pondering buying the JW Speakers as I can get them for around wholesale, but after reading links like http://bogiesreviews.webs.com/Review - Phase 7 LED Headlights & Passing Lamps.pdf it seemed like the Trucklites might be better than the JW Speakers, regardless of price. Bill, it sounds like your findings are different from those in that PDF.

I'm also still not convinced that LED headlights are a "bright idea" for those of us who live where it snows a lot. I don't want to make an expensive purchase and then find out it was a mistake.

The Noldens look interesting too, just to keep this mostly on topic

Their test contains no actual measurement.
Beamshots look wonderful on the interwebs but they're meaningless.

The foreground lighting that they're fond of on the Truck-Lite P7 is objectively something that reduces visual acuity at speed....

Don't get me wrong; I like the Truck-Lite P7 and if I were to buy a 7" LED light right now for a Jeep, that would be it. But that's for me, for where I drive, for what I do most often.
By all measurable performance criteria though, they are inferior to the JWS Evo.
I wouldn't run a TLP7 in a motorcycle that sees mostly street use.

As far as LEDs in the Great White North, I don't know. The original JWS 8700 had a blower to heat up the lens; the new ones don't. I have no idea how much that matters. Not enough snow where I live to ever test it.
The one and only time I had my Jeep out in big snow, I had accumulation on the headlights while running 65w halogens. So nothing is immune to snow if there's enough of it.

 

[AndrewClarke]

Thanks for the info. That's interesting about the blower on the earlier JWS lights. I didn't know that. I'd feel pretty stupid spending $$$ on the JWS lights, even at wholesale, and then finding I can't use them in the snow. Last night we had a 2.5 hour drive home in the dark in the snow, so it's definitely a consideration. OTOH that was in the Volvo, which is our usual family hauler.

I guess in a worst-case scenario, I can probably re-sell the JWS headlights if they just don't work for me.

Thanks again,
- Andrew.

 

[Hilldweller]

Thanks for the info. That's interesting about the blower on the earlier JWS lights. I didn't know that. I'd feel pretty stupid spending $$$ on the JWS lights, even at wholesale, and then finding I can't use them in the snow. Last night we had a 2.5 hour drive home in the dark in the snow, so it's definitely a consideration. OTOH that was in the Volvo, which is our usual family hauler.

I guess in a worst-case scenario, I can probably re-sell the JWS headlights if they just don't work for me.

Thanks again,
- Andrew.

If you get on Jeepforum you'll find a guy in Alberta who's had JWS on his Jeep since I put mine on. Wish I remembered his handle.
He's in the JK section.
You can find him in this thread but it could take a long time...
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/headlight-shootout-1166827/

 

[OGwagen]

How do they compare to graphics of JW Speakers or Trucklites?

Well if you're in Europe they're about 1300euro/pair or so. In the USA, about $700/pair.

Where can these be found for 700?

 

[mk216v]

Where can these be found for 700?

Less $ now due to the ebay whores;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-7...Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e8df7ca99&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-7...Parts_Accessories&hash=item58ab81b688&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/sch/6000/i.html?_nkw=nolden&_dmpt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&_rdc=2

 

[kojackJKU]

anyone else put these next to the truck lite and jw speaker ?

 

[kojackJKU]

Well, I was lucky enough to put a JW speaker/Harley daymaker next to my truck lite, The low beams are similar, the truck light has a wider beam, on high beam however, the truck lite is the hands down winner, There is so much more light coming from the TL you can't even tell the JW was on high beam. its like the JW just moves its led inside the housing instead of turning on a second one like the truck lite.

I am guessing the holden will act like the truck lite more.

 

[koly]

If you get a set of these Nolden's off ebay, where do you get the stainless steel adapter ring for the Gwagen?

 

[mk216v]

If you get a set of these Nolden's off ebay, where do you get the stainless steel adapter ring for the Gwagen?

Hrrmmm, they're not able to offer the stainless adapter ring separately?(if you haven't asked, ask them to check availability)
LMK further.