ToplessPony94
03-30-2015, 12:26 AM
A number of folks have posted thoughts and fears about LED headlights and LEDs versus HIDs. I converted from HIDs to LEDs this afternoon and thought I'd post very preliminary first impressions.
First, LEDs are MUCH easier to hook up than HIDs and require less wire fishing and general kipple under the hood. They give a cleaner final look. The particular kit used here is the one sold by LateModelRestoration.com for a 1994 Mustang, though others are available and would likely give similar results. And of course LEDs draw much, much less power than HIDs.
Here’s the start with both HIDs:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0013_zpsutyrajbl.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0013_zpsutyrajbl.jpg.html)
Now passenger side replaced with LED:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0014_zpsanfdonlt.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0014_zpsanfdonlt.jpg.html)
Final with both LEDS:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0016_zpsizz5qawe.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0016_zpsizz5qawe.jpg.html)
The camera “enhanced” what I was actually seeing somewhat. Those "lobes" above the main area were much less pronounced to my eyes, especially in the case of the LEDs.
The HIDs were much more stark than the LEDS, which were warmer and more yellowish. These are the highest color temperature available in both lights and the HIDs have a much higher color temperature than the LEDs. I think I would have preferred something between the two, but that was not available for the LEDs.
Generally, in the pics and in a quick drive, the LEDs appear a bit less bright that the HIDs, but my very hasty first impression after driving less than a mile is that I see better with the LEDs and they throw a more consistent light pattern. Time will tell if that’s true or not. I suspect that the LEDs are not really less bright than the HIDs but that they appear that way because of the difference in color temperature. I also didn't meet any other traffic on my very brief drive, so no idea if people are going to "flash" me or not or even if I have the lights well adjusted. When I first got the HIDs I got flashed a lot, but they were a fairly new thing back then and everyone with them got flashed. I have rarely been flashed with the HIDs in the past few years now that they are more common. I would expect that properly adjusted LEDs would not get flashed much if at all.
As many people have reported, my HIDs always blinked when I went over a serious bump. I have no idea why, but would love to know if someone else has information on that. I expect that the LEDs won't have that issue, but again time will tell.
First, LEDs are MUCH easier to hook up than HIDs and require less wire fishing and general kipple under the hood. They give a cleaner final look. The particular kit used here is the one sold by LateModelRestoration.com for a 1994 Mustang, though others are available and would likely give similar results. And of course LEDs draw much, much less power than HIDs.
Here’s the start with both HIDs:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0013_zpsutyrajbl.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0013_zpsutyrajbl.jpg.html)
Now passenger side replaced with LED:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0014_zpsanfdonlt.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0014_zpsanfdonlt.jpg.html)
Final with both LEDS:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/LED Headlights/DSCN0016_zpsizz5qawe.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/LED Headlights/DSCN0016_zpsizz5qawe.jpg.html)
The camera “enhanced” what I was actually seeing somewhat. Those "lobes" above the main area were much less pronounced to my eyes, especially in the case of the LEDs.
The HIDs were much more stark than the LEDS, which were warmer and more yellowish. These are the highest color temperature available in both lights and the HIDs have a much higher color temperature than the LEDs. I think I would have preferred something between the two, but that was not available for the LEDs.
Generally, in the pics and in a quick drive, the LEDs appear a bit less bright that the HIDs, but my very hasty first impression after driving less than a mile is that I see better with the LEDs and they throw a more consistent light pattern. Time will tell if that’s true or not. I suspect that the LEDs are not really less bright than the HIDs but that they appear that way because of the difference in color temperature. I also didn't meet any other traffic on my very brief drive, so no idea if people are going to "flash" me or not or even if I have the lights well adjusted. When I first got the HIDs I got flashed a lot, but they were a fairly new thing back then and everyone with them got flashed. I have rarely been flashed with the HIDs in the past few years now that they are more common. I would expect that properly adjusted LEDs would not get flashed much if at all.
As many people have reported, my HIDs always blinked when I went over a serious bump. I have no idea why, but would love to know if someone else has information on that. I expect that the LEDs won't have that issue, but again time will tell.