Yellow Lighting Question

[Dmski]

Could you elaborate on why colored lenses on led are fickle things? I figured that it would work like a hid setup where changing the lens to Amber would help increase depth perception and shadowing on potholes and instead of washing everything out which is what I find on extremely bright white or blue light.

 

[Hilldweller]

It depends on the LED.
I've played with filters on a few that were all generally considered "white" and got results that went from sorta-yellow to yuck-green. Sometimes too gawd-awful-amber, sometimes aaahhhhhhh.
LED manufacturers are having a tough time producing a genuinely white LED with a smooth SPD. Keeping the glare down, good focus, reducing artifacts. It's a tough order to fill for those little buggers.

 

[kojackJKU]

I think its because they are using the LED to directly light the road instead of firing them at a lens and using the lens to focus the beam. Just my opinion. all these leds with little round "reflectors" around them do nothing. I figure take 6 very good high power leds and fire them at a properly designed reflector, you would produce a superior light compared to even a 50" led bar etc.

 

[Hilldweller]

I think its because they are using the LED to directly light the road instead of firing them at a lens and using the lens to focus the beam. Just my opinion. all these leds with little round "reflectors" around them do nothing. I figure take 6 very good high power leds and fire them at a properly designed reflector, you would produce a superior light compared to even a 50" led bar etc.

Or combine a parabola and projector. That's the most successful method so far.
Even colored parabola. Ponder on that one a while.

 

[kojackJKU]

there you go, much better than direct lighting.

 

[JeepinJon]

Probably --- but, like you said, it depends...

And filters on LEDs are a ponderous thing. You don't always get what you expect from them due to the wonky SPD. I doubt that I'd fiddle with the color on a Squadron, if it were me. I'd just look for the beam that had the pattern that I wanted.

I am planning on getting some Squadrons, and since the yellow wide cornersing lenses are only $10 I might get some and give them a try to see how they perform before retrofitting them to the stock fog location on the JK. I do realize they aren't DOT approved, but I also couldn't tell you the last time I used my fogs on the highway either since they typically induce more glare and create a spot closer to the vehicle to focus your eyes on.

 

[lugueto]

While Squatchout raises a valid and important point, amber or yellow lighting is not only useful in sleet or snow, where LEDs would not only be counter productive in their white versions but will also end up covered in snow and ice because they dont run warm enough. Amber lighting helps cut through fog, dust clouds, smoke and rain better than white light does. In these cases, the yellow LED, be it with a filter, yellow tinting or yellow LED, that light will work just as well if not better than halogen lights.

 

[Dmski]

I think it would be interesting to try a spot/flood small led light with a yellow tinting. Yes, it doesn't have the cutoff line and yes, mounted too high it will just blind you in bad weather, but mounted low enough/at an angle downwards I wonder if you could get semi decent results in fog or rain. The appeal of LED is because of the low power.

 

[kojackJKU]

no, because of light scatter with them. you NEED a focused beam because if not no matter if you have them angled down, they will still scatter light around and be way less than ideal.

 

[Dmski]

Got it. The only fog worth looking at for me is the Hella 550 but thought I'd see if it was worth looking into rigging up your own setup with LED's. Great info here guys! Thanks for your input.

 

[kojackJKU]

no. we are saying that the led lights you are talking about will not be good fog, foul weather lights. there are many good fog lights, but you have to buy a true fog. not just a yellow filter. its not so much the color, but the beam.

 

[verdesardog]

Europeans were using yellow lights for years but have found that yellow is not any better than white. Seems counter intuitive since blue does scatter which is eliminated with yellow lights.

Using filters with LED's does not work well since LED's emit a narrow range of color specific to each type. White LED's do not have an even spectrum but peaks at several colors. If you want colored light from LED's you need to get specific LED's!

Well aimed low flat beam lights are what is needed for inclement weather......