LED headlamps - what's your view as a user?

[figbat]

This trend for tiny headlamps annoys me. Ever-increasing brightness from an increasingly smaller area of reflector means oncoming cars can be more blinding than ever.

That's the development though - there is no 'reflector', just a light source and a projector lens(es); it was the same for xenon HID. Traditional filament lamps needed the reflector (and therefore the large size) to effectively light the way whereas LEDs don't. The same trend has revolutionised offroad cycling in the dark.

 

[Chromatic]

Potentially very expensive if the LED fails, it's not like you replace a halogen bulb.

I came here to say something similar. Headlight goes in my car, a new H4 bulb for a fiver and a few minutes putting it in and job done.
Headlight goes in my wife's car and many £100's later with numerous visits to garage whilst they try to fix it, and it still isn't working properly.

 

[Jody]

just a light source and a projector lens(es); it was the same for xenon HID.

Projectors still use a reflector.

Gives a sharp cut off with no scatter. Plus it gave a nice prismatic effect at the cutoff which was/is desirable for the buyer.

 

[rogerzilla]

H4 is an ancient design but can be very good in the right headlamp. The best headlamps I ever had in a car were in a K12 (Mk3) Nissan Micra with its silly bug-eyed look.

The CX-5 had LEDs with swivelling dipped beams, which were rather good. I'd rather have those than the adaptive/matrix stuff.

 

[fossyant]

The adaptive Matrix is really clever stuff, but I can imagine, eye wateringly expensive if it develops a fault.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Re LED brightness - I thought that they were subject to the same legal output limit as any other headlamp type.

 

[Jody]

Re LED brightness - I thought that they were subject to the same legal output limit as any other headlamp type.

There is no legal output level for Xenon or LED (Halogen were only limited by watts) as long as they have the appropriate beam pattern.

That's why they keep getting brighter every year.

 

[Alex321]

Re LED brightness - I thought that they were subject to the same legal output limit as any other headlamp type.

They have to comply with the relevant British Standards, but it is hard to actually get hold of those without paying for them. I 'm not sure, but the limits used to be defined by wattage, which is of course completely different for LED.

 

[mustang1]

I love them. I will never have a car without them.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

They have to comply with the relevant British Standards, but it is hard to actually get hold of those without paying for them. I 'm not sure, but the limits used to be defined by wattage, which is of course completely different for LED.

It does seem hard to find appropriate info'.

As I understand it all vehicles with OEM LED sealed units are road legal in the UK. They will have gone through a type certification process.

Vehicles, thus fitted, should also have an automatic headlight self-levelling system installed.

There is, however, a problem where people retro-fit LED bulbs into units that were not originally designed for them. The light pattern produced is incorrect and potentially dangerous.

These are not road legal.

Maybe the latter are what is causing the bad rap for LED lights?

 

[mistyoptic]

To address the OP. I think they’re carp.

My last two cars had Xenon lights, which were great on country roads. My current car, same brand later model, has LED. They don’t have the same range forwards on country roads and they have a small dark patch in the middle on main beam due to the sharp cut off and some chromatic fringing at the beam edge (main beam is dipped plus an extra spread of light above, i.e. two projectors).

Would change them for Xenon in a heartbeat if I could.

 

[figbat]

Of course another benefit of LEDs that is useful to the OEMs is their significantly reduced power consumption, which helps with overall vehicle efficiency, battery size, alternator size and so on.

One small feature I have found with LEDs is that in frost and snow the lights don’t warm up enough to clear the lights, so I make sure to physically clear them.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Of course another benefit of LEDs that is useful to the OEMs is their significantly reduced power consumption, which helps with overall vehicle efficiency, battery size, alternator size and so on.

One small feature I have found with LEDs is that in frost and snow the lights don’t warm up enough to clear the lights, so I make sure to physically clear them.

Thanks for the last para' tip.

 

[CXRAndy]

When our cars were parked outside in winter. I would completely defrost the car with a large jug of Luke warm water. I could do all the glass, mirrors and all the indicators in 1 minute. I've used this method for over twenty years on all vehicles, never had a cracked screen, lense or mirror. LUKE warm not boiling water

 

[icowden]

With the Volvo the effect is to shape the high beam around the oncoming vehicle, so rather than losing the whole main beam when something is approaching, you only lose the bit that's pointing at the oncomer. This means that you still get to see up the road in your lane, as well as the nearside verge etc. When behind something the main beam is turned off.

Same on the VW ID4. The LED IQ Matrix headlights are the best headlights I have ever had. Compared to the halogens on my old Renault Scenic the amount I can see now is huge. They are an absolute joy to use.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ2N1rij6JM