Why doesn't GE and Sylvania (the two biggest brands in automative light bulbs in the US) come up with a line of drop in replacement LED automotive lights? Obviously this is not practical for headlights (and foglights) at this stage, but other exterior and interior automotive bulb applications should be available from these companies, imo. I just replaced 10 year old license plate bulbs in one of my cars and there just doesn't appear to be any major brand LED equivalent bulbs. Does automotive LED lighting require a redesign of the lighting components to work correctly?
Whats the hang up with LED's?
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Actually LED headlamps are now quite feasible. Check out the new Audi R18 race car, obviously it has a huge array because its a race car but the tech is for their road cars.
I think the lack of LED automotive lighting is mostly due to economics. If your license plate bulb lasted 10 years there is no reason to believe that a quality replacement would not. Since most people don't keep their cars long enough to see the economic benefits of LED technology, retrofits are not offered on a large scale by major suppliers or OEMs.
However as mentioned luxury brands and aftermarket upgrades where performance is more of a priority over cost the technology is there.
If you are interested in LED technology there are many online options.
As to redesign of lighting components the LED requires a resistor placed before it in the circuit to protect it from voltage spikes
However as mentioned luxury brands and aftermarket upgrades where performance is more of a priority over cost the technology is there.
If you are interested in LED technology there are many online options.
As to redesign of lighting components the LED requires a resistor placed before it in the circuit to protect it from voltage spikes
I've seen some led bulbs at local autozone, for turn and stop signals, and I think for dome lights. I've seen some powerful enough to go to fog lights on some website. Leds still expensive, and only application I would use it today, are in my stepmom's diesel golf, she always has atleast one burned bulb ones in 3 month, ot at home. I use one bulb at home as equivalent of 40w, in lamp I use the most. It consumes only 9w an should work 20-30 years. Will switch to it, little by little, when cfl will burn out.
LEDs would be great for marker lights, you could make a sealed unit with a few foot long wiring pigtail then the elements wouldn't make the sockets all corroded. And you wouldn't have to allow access behind the fender/ trunk to get at it to fix it.
An LED license plate light would be brilliant marketing: Say if you ever get a ticket, ever, for a burnt out tag light, we the manufacturer would pay it for you!
An LED license plate light would be brilliant marketing: Say if you ever get a ticket, ever, for a burnt out tag light, we the manufacturer would pay it for you!
They are. Osram Sylvania is developing a line of standardized LED modules (bulbs) for headlamp and signal lighting for the OEM's. These LED's are designed around a purpose-built reflector/lens that maximizes the LED's output. The Ford Mustang for example uses a single LED in each of it's taillight sections and they are incredibly bright.
http://blogs.motortrend.com/pony-tail-inside-the-coolest-turn-signals-since-the-60s-2171.html
There really is no way to adapt a LED module to a lens/reflector designed for incandescent lamps and have it work satisfactorily. As the prices drop, there will be more and more vehicles that come with LED lighting technology standard.
http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Professio...tems/index.html
Look at some new gas station canopy lighing and 7-11 stores......there are LED luminaires lighting the parking lot and facade...LED technology is the Edison lamp of this century.
http://synergylightingusa.com/7-11-goes-led-with-synergy-lighting/
http://blogs.motortrend.com/pony-tail-inside-the-coolest-turn-signals-since-the-60s-2171.html
There really is no way to adapt a LED module to a lens/reflector designed for incandescent lamps and have it work satisfactorily. As the prices drop, there will be more and more vehicles that come with LED lighting technology standard.
http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Professio...tems/index.html
Look at some new gas station canopy lighing and 7-11 stores......there are LED luminaires lighting the parking lot and facade...LED technology is the Edison lamp of this century.
http://synergylightingusa.com/7-11-goes-led-with-synergy-lighting/
Retrofitting an LED that is bright enough to replace the old incandescent lamp isn't that easy. High power LED's produce quite a bit of heat that needs pulled away, and a simple plug in or twist lock type bulb doesn't provide a way to get rid of that heat.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
Those strobing at maybe 120 Hz or less are irritating as you are moving your eyes around while driving. If they strobe at 1 KHz or more, then they may seem like incandescent lights because you will not see the strobing.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
Those strobing at maybe 120 Hz or less are irritating as you are moving your eyes around while driving. If they strobe at 1 KHz or more, then they may seem like incandescent lights because you will not see the strobing.
Originally Posted By: BGK
Does automotive LED lighting require a redesign of the lighting components to work correctly?
It doesn't absolutely require a redesign, but it certainly benefits from it. Incandescent lamps emit light almost in a 360° pattern (except for what is blocked by the base of the lamp itself). Reflectors designed for incandescents take this light and attempt to redirect it all in one direction. LED lights are much more directional by nature and do not require as much redirecting of the light that they produce. (This is a good thing in that any time you have to reflect light, you also lose a little bit of that light.) In surface area, a fixture designed for an incandescent lamp will be mostly reflector instead of lamp, while a fixture designed for LED lighting will be just the opposite.
Also, as previously mentioned, high power LED's require a fairly substantial heat sink, as even a very small rise in temperature of an LED reduces the light output of that LED, something incandescent lamps don't have to worry about.
Does automotive LED lighting require a redesign of the lighting components to work correctly?
It doesn't absolutely require a redesign, but it certainly benefits from it. Incandescent lamps emit light almost in a 360° pattern (except for what is blocked by the base of the lamp itself). Reflectors designed for incandescents take this light and attempt to redirect it all in one direction. LED lights are much more directional by nature and do not require as much redirecting of the light that they produce. (This is a good thing in that any time you have to reflect light, you also lose a little bit of that light.) In surface area, a fixture designed for an incandescent lamp will be mostly reflector instead of lamp, while a fixture designed for LED lighting will be just the opposite.
Also, as previously mentioned, high power LED's require a fairly substantial heat sink, as even a very small rise in temperature of an LED reduces the light output of that LED, something incandescent lamps don't have to worry about.
Like above having high quality heat sinks for the LED chips is crucial in their performance and longevity. Look at the candlepower forum discussions about high powered flashlights, some have large heat-sinks. Another biggie is until 5 years ago or so LED's had horrible CRI output (Color rendering Index) For driving a cri of 85 to 88 would be minimum, Ideally you'd want a cri of 100. Until a few years ago pure white led's didn't exist, they were very blueish or purplish and typically had a color ring around the center beam. Older led flashlights with cree led's exhibit these symptoms.
Originally Posted By: 97prizm
Like above having high quality heat sinks for the LED chips is crucial in their performance and longevity. Look at the candlepower forum discussions about high powered flashlights, some have large heat-sinks. Another biggie is until 5 years ago or so LED's had horrible CRI output (Color rendering Index) For driving a cri of 85 to 88 would be minimum, Ideally you'd want a cri of 100. Until a few years ago pure white led's didn't exist, they were very blueish or purplish and typically had a color ring around the center beam. Older led flashlights with cree led's exhibit these symptoms.
The Cree XR-E lights had issues with the color ring because of the way the optic dome was designed and attached to the board, in conjunction with the fact that it had a narrower beam output that was hard to focus with a small reflector. Earlier LED's from Cree, Lumileds and others didn't have this issue. I think Cree designed the XR-E more for fixed lighting without a secondary optic.
Like above having high quality heat sinks for the LED chips is crucial in their performance and longevity. Look at the candlepower forum discussions about high powered flashlights, some have large heat-sinks. Another biggie is until 5 years ago or so LED's had horrible CRI output (Color rendering Index) For driving a cri of 85 to 88 would be minimum, Ideally you'd want a cri of 100. Until a few years ago pure white led's didn't exist, they were very blueish or purplish and typically had a color ring around the center beam. Older led flashlights with cree led's exhibit these symptoms.
The Cree XR-E lights had issues with the color ring because of the way the optic dome was designed and attached to the board, in conjunction with the fact that it had a narrower beam output that was hard to focus with a small reflector. Earlier LED's from Cree, Lumileds and others didn't have this issue. I think Cree designed the XR-E more for fixed lighting without a secondary optic.
Drive tractor/trailer here (please dont hold it against me). LED lights are great, except they are to effecient. Running in snow they dont make enough heat to melt snow off tail lamps. So i am assuming headlight will be the same problem?
And i believe Trucklite is making a 7" round (PAR56?) bulb for headlights. So i would bet other model bulbs will be following?
And i believe Trucklite is making a 7" round (PAR56?) bulb for headlights. So i would bet other model bulbs will be following?
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Many LED headlight designers have taken that into consideration. The Cadillac LED headlamps blow warm air over the lens to melt snow and ice.
This is an SR-90 LED flashlight. I own one. It's brighter than all of my F150's headlights on high beam.
Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Retrofitting an LED that is bright enough to replace the old incandescent lamp isn't that easy. High power LED's produce quite a bit of heat that needs pulled away, and a simple plug in or twist lock type bulb doesn't provide a way to get rid of that heat.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
All things being equal, an LED should burn cooler than an incandescent since being more efficient, less electricity is wasted as heat.
Retrofitting an LED that is bright enough to replace the old incandescent lamp isn't that easy. High power LED's produce quite a bit of heat that needs pulled away, and a simple plug in or twist lock type bulb doesn't provide a way to get rid of that heat.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
All things being equal, an LED should burn cooler than an incandescent since being more efficient, less electricity is wasted as heat.
A high power LED does burn cooler (much cooler), but the small amount of heat it does produce tends to affect it (reduction in light output, and to a lesser extent LED life) to a MUCH greater degree than an incandescent lamp. Thus the need for a relatively large heat sink.
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Retrofitting an LED that is bright enough to replace the old incandescent lamp isn't that easy. High power LED's produce quite a bit of heat that needs pulled away, and a simple plug in or twist lock type bulb doesn't provide a way to get rid of that heat.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
All things being equal, an LED should burn cooler than an incandescent since being more efficient, less electricity is wasted as heat.
Think of an LED as a computer chip like a CPU. They produce heat that has to be drawn away or performance is affected. Heat will degrade phosphors on white LED's, which results in tint shift. If the LED does not have sufficient heasinking the color will shift immediately, rather than progressively. The cooler an LED runs the longer its life will be.
Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Retrofitting an LED that is bright enough to replace the old incandescent lamp isn't that easy. High power LED's produce quite a bit of heat that needs pulled away, and a simple plug in or twist lock type bulb doesn't provide a way to get rid of that heat.
I absolutely despise most factory LED brake light setups, because they use PWM/PFM which just flashes the LED very rapidly to simulate dimming during normal operation, and sends a constant current when at maximum illumination. I have very sensitive eyes, and I can see that flashing, and it drives me nuts. The same goes for LED signs at gas stations.
All things being equal, an LED should burn cooler than an incandescent since being more efficient, less electricity is wasted as heat.
Think of an LED as a computer chip like a CPU. They produce heat that has to be drawn away or performance is affected. Heat will degrade phosphors on white LED's, which results in tint shift. If the LED does not have sufficient heasinking the color will shift immediately, rather than progressively. The cooler an LED runs the longer its life will be.
OMG, I had no idea they sold flashlights for $450.00. Thats crazy.
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