aidandj

iTrader: (5)

That makes more sense. It wouldn't fit in there though. The projector takes up a decent amount of room.

Ugh. Not you guys too.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

It's probably a tad early to be converting to LED. The technology does appear to be working at the OEM level, but not much in the way of affordable, compact, high-quality aftermarket offerings yet.

It took a while for the automotive industry to fully embrace electric headlights as an alternative to oil and acetylene gas, but today we have all sorts of cheap, reliable halogen lamps.


I'd suspect there's room in there to put a pair of 50mm projector modules side-by-side, even if a little bit of the hi-beam module gets clipped. Headlamps and Accessories, Headlamp Model 50mm Module, Headlamp Model 50mm Module, Headlamp Model 50mm Module






Aside from aerodynamics and good taste, the barn-door mechanism does take up a lot of valuable space which would otherwise be put to better use.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Those are about double the price of the 60mm. And I should be able to fit 2 60's side by side. I am only doing one now for cost reasons.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

I can pull headlight assemblies for ~$70, regardless of type.
If there is an OEM LED option you think might work, I'll take a look tomorrow.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

I have no idea what OEMs came with LEDs. All of the ones I can think of are huge. Prius, New tahoe? Do LEDs need reflectors and housings or can you just stick the diode out there and it works?

Cool thing about the projector is all you need is the projector.

Itty

I am interested to see how this thread progresses. I like the idea of freeing up a bunch of space (and weight) where the barn doors are. Although I do like the popups too. Sorry Aidan.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

I should have taken another picture this morning after I pulled out the other one. SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES.

A while ago someone made aluminum replacement headlight lids. Don't think they are still making them so I'm going to have to make a small piece of metal to connect the 2.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

If you can pull the headlight assembly from a current-gen Mercedes vehicle for $70, you can retire tomorrow just by re-selling them on eBay.




Well, the 2016 Miata comes to mind. It's smallish.







While I don't speak from personal experience here, I suspect that a reflector is still required. Or, if not "required" per se, then helpful.

Even projector headlights still have reflectors, regardless of whether a halogen or HID lamp is fitted. They're just smaller than those used in non-projector lights, and are obscured from view behind the lens. Any light source which is more-or-less omnidirectional required a reflector.



LEDs aren't totally omnidirectional, but they're not perfectly focused either. A lot depends upon the housing style (eg: the resin housing which contains the emitter can, itself, act as a lens), but I would suspect that while the reflector could be much smaller and simpler than one used with a halogen or HID lamp, you'd still have a fair amount of light coming out of the emitter at an orientation which will not be directly incident with the projector lens, and that for optimum performance you'd want to capture and reflect this light.

If you look at aftermarket LED offerings, be they bar-type or sealed-beam style, they all use reflectors.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

So its an LED in a projector? So all I really need is an LED 9005 bulb for my current projectors?

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Monk. I'm dying for some current gen Mercedes vehicle headlights. No particular reason.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I've seen a lot of these assemblies out there, and from what I've read, their light output is pretty miserable.

The geometry of the "lamp" section also doesn't match that of a halogen / HID lamp (the LEDs are not centered in what would normally be the glass envelope, but rather spaced out from the centerline somewhat).



Putting an LED module into a projector housing designed for an HID lamp seems to be the 2015 equivalent of putting an HID with a sleeve-type shutter into a reflector housing designed for an HB1 halogen lamp.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Yeah. Not my cup of tea. Even adding high beams would turn this budget upside down. I'm at about $120 right now after HIDs and projectors.

Which is not much more than good E-codes + bulbs.

OGRacing

iTrader: (1)

but it winks...

OGRacing

iTrader: (1)

just weld a tab on to the A frame and bolt one of these guys on. high beams solved.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

I don't remember seeing any Merecedeses in the lot, but there is definitely a jaguar sitting there...
Looks like I'm going to make a quick buck this week.
I'll keep an eye out for some OEM LEDs and take some pics, just for the purpose of data collection.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Those things are ******* expensive. And its a huge ripoff because the chinese ones use the same LEDs. But companies like rigid just charge out the *** for "made in america". Its a mockery of "made in america"

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Anybody have any experience with something like these?


I could stick them to the inside of the turn signal lense and wire them up as turn signals.

They're prime, i think im going to try them out.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Nvm. They have them at vatozone for $16. Going to pick some up tonight and test them out.

Any other links to cheap LED strips? (Waterproof preferred)

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Got the $30 vatozone ones. Going to try and find cheaper ones on ebay. Or just run these. Idk yet

Itty

Looks kinda like titty bar lights.