LED Bulbs from Uncle Sam

rifiki

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And the point still remains that they are illegal.

I find the whole "I'll go for the brightest lights I can get and never mind what effect they have on others" incomprehensible and incredibly selfish if not irresponsible.
I total agreement with you, why do need ultra bright lights in a densely populated country?
 

Craiglxviii

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I total agreement with you, why do need ultra bright lights in a densely populated country?
To see the badly maintained roads...
 

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I must say, I'm very tempted to replace my H11 fogs with LEDs, as the only time I ever see/use them is when they come on at unlocking the car, and when the 'follow me home' feature kicks in, whilst I walk away from the locked car.

In nearly three years of this car ownership, I've yet to use them in actual fog, and the colour temp difference between the position lights (LEDs) and the fogs is seriously bugging me.

I won't use the so-called CANbus bulbs though - a separate, metal-cased resistor, fixed properly to a metal part behind the bumper is the way to go, I think.
 
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davemercedes

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To see the badly maintained roads...
- That really is a bad joke isn't it?

They finally opened the 4-lane "smart" stretch of the M5 (just south of M42 for those who haven't suffered it). The south/ westbound stretch of the M42 for about three miles before it joins M5 has a pretty dodgy surface, but in the last mile there are some frightening potholes. It stretches imagination too much to think that they could at least have patched them up before they lifted the "temporary" (yawn) speed limit!
 

Craiglxviii

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- That really is a bad joke isn't it?

They finally opened the 4-lane "smart" stretch of the M5 (just south of M42 for those who haven't suffered it). The south/ westbound stretch of the M42 for about three miles before it joins M5 has a pretty dodgy surface, but in the last mile there are some frightening potholes. It stretches imagination too much to think that they could at least have patched them up before they lifted the "temporary" (yawn) speed limit!

If only I was joking!!! The trend in Euro lighting has been towards brighter and more controllable beams, with ever greater range (laser high beams will illuminate road signs 650m ahead). In the US they want adequate light output and very rigidly controlled beam patterns and that’s it.
 

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For once the yanks might have it right.
Simplicity = reliability and lower costs.
 

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GLK that's exactly why I changed my fogs to leds, for the follow-me-home feature. I can't remember the last time I used fogs as fogs.

I have 100w led with inline resistors in but the resistors do get hot. This isn't a big issue as they are not on for long but I might try h11 35w 5k HIDS in there, see if they maintain temperature better.
 
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I don't think I've used mine as fogs except once and frankly they made no difference... I tried turning off the headlights and couldn't see a thing so went back to dipped headlights. But, when I drive to/from Gloucester on the 2-lane A roads it seems every other driver thinks they're supplementary headlights. Never seen anyone getting pulled for that, either!

There's a few Jack the Lad types using them on the motorway too (but unfortunately speed cameras don't catch them even though dazzle is worse than being a little over the limit - just IMHO).
 

LostKiwi

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I don't think I've used mine as fogs except once and frankly they made no difference... I tried turning off the headlights and couldn't see a thing
This is exactly why they are so pointless....(and annoying). At least if they did something there might be a point in them being turned on....
 

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they're useful for seeing my gates when I'm closing them when it's dark.
 

ZZZZ

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Exactly what LK said!

The only thing effective in proper snow / fog conditions, is a yellow beam - I learnt that when we lived in Toronto ...
 

M80

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The other amusing thing here is that American drivers in general are calling for a reduction in light output as they feel car headlights are too glaringly bright. That’s not the industry but general public attitude.

About time too,
the great problem is that there are already so many headlights, well dipped headlights, that cause danger to the oncoming traffic, and of course that could result in being a danger to the car with them if the oncoming car loses sight of the n/s edging and bounces off it.
I know that these lovely newer motors are all legal, and the owner has just bought as the manufacturer made it, but often I just go back to hi beam to combat my lost vision because of them.

The new reactive hi beam lights, do they first need to see headlights in front before they dip? I can't see how else they would work, but more motors are now hitting my eye balls with an intense light for a second before dipping.
 

Craiglxviii

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About time too,
the great problem is that there are already so many headlights, well dipped headlights, that cause danger to the oncoming traffic, and of course that could result in being a danger to the car with them if the oncoming car loses sight of the n/s edging and bounces off it.
I know that these lovely newer motors are all legal, and the owner has just bought as the manufacturer made it, but often I just go back to hi beam to combat my lost vision because of them.

The new reactive hi beam lights, do they first need to see headlights in front before they dip? I can't see how else they would work, but more motors are now hitting my eye balls with an intense light for a second before dipping.

They need to see a light source in front within the headlamp beam pattern’s arc, yes, but they’re cleverer than that. Now, there’s some clever maths that goes on. The new systems will dip in less than half a human reaction time, that is to say it will dip before you realise you’ve been flashed.
 

M80

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I can appreciate that electronics will act faster than the mere human, and cut the power and the light dies, although faster with LED as HID's will fade out.
But where it won't be an improvement is when travelling down a rural road at night I / they often see another cars headlights from way off. More often I will dip before their headlights come into view as I can anticipate the bend their rounding or the brow their climbing.

Maybe the experiences I've been having are just faulty slow reaction humans.
 

Craiglxviii

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I can appreciate that electronics will act faster than the mere human, and cut the power and the light dies, although faster with LED as HID's will fade out.
But where it won't be an improvement is when travelling down a rural road at night I / they often see another cars headlights from way off. More often I will dip before their headlights come into view as I can anticipate the bend their rounding or the brow their climbing.

Maybe the experiences I've been having are just faulty slow reaction humans.

This was Ajsl's opinion too; the reality is that although yours (or his) reactions might be spot on to do what you describe 100% of the time, the vast majority of other drivers' aren't. In my experience the vast majority of drivers don't bother until they're pointing right at me, and some not even then- whatever the lamp type, halogen, HiD or LED. So, for most people having ILS/ adaptive high beam will improve the situation that their normal oncoming traffic will see, as their lamps will dip (or create awesome moving black spot) more quickly than they would have done if left to the driver.

Also, rural driving accounts for a fairly low percentage of total vehicle-miles travelled each year, in this country ~7% iirc. So for most of the time when on main roads, managing the high beam is something the driver doesn't have to pay attention to.

So, put that together and it means that ILS is the best solution for most people, most of the time.

Me personally, I think it's the best thing to go in a car since poledancing limousines...
 

M80

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With me being a dinosaur I'm happy with halogen and manually height adjusting the beam. Then when I'm behind a car, or in fairly well lit surroundings I can drop 'em down just to reduce the discomfort of others. The Viano's pneumatic suspension stops me doing that now though.

Mind I even apply the parking brake at traffic lights to extinguish the brake lights for thems behind.
I guess I should take my driving test again to learn how to be a more competant selfish driver.
 

Craiglxviii

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With me being a dinosaur I'm happy with halogen and manually height adjusting the beam. Then when I'm behind a car, or in fairly well lit surroundings I can drop 'em down just to reduce the discomfort of others. The Viano's pneumatic suspension stops me doing that now though.

Mind I even apply the parking brake at traffic lights to extinguish the brake lights for thems behind.
I guess I should take my driving test again to learn how to be a more competant selfish driver.
You need brake hold to extinguish your brake lights............... That's also ace :)
 


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