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brucepick · 01-17-2012, 06:47 AM

LED Headlights:

I am ignoring the LED headlights discussion. I am ignoring it because there is no way that an array of LEDs can give a properly formed beam when inserted into a system designed for a light source that very nearly a pinpoint in size.

Low beams need to have a severe cutoff above the horizontal plane to avoid blinding other drivers. That's a legal and a moral requirement. Never mind that some inexpensive aftermarket HIDs (different of course from LEDs) violate this daily.

High beams need to have a pencil shaped beam to put light out into the distance.

Neither of these is going to happen when the light source is the size of a Tootsie Roll, inserted in a system designed for a pinpoint light source.

That's not to say that you can't have an LED headlamp. But the housing, reflector and "bulb" have to be designed to work together. Not just be designed to FIT together.

01-17-2012, 06:47 AM	#33 (permalink)
brucepick OCD Master EcoModder Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Eastern CT, USA Posts: 1,936 Outasight - '00 Honda Insight Team Honda Gen-1 Insights 90 day: 54.18 mpg (US) Thanks: 431 Thanked 396 Times in 264 Posts	LED Headlights: I am ignoring the LED headlights discussion. I am ignoring it because there is no way that an array of LEDs can give a properly formed beam when inserted into a system designed for a light source that very nearly a pinpoint in size. Low beams need to have a severe cutoff above the horizontal plane to avoid blinding other drivers. That's a legal and a moral requirement. Never mind that some inexpensive aftermarket HIDs (different of course from LEDs) violate this daily. High beams need to have a pencil shaped beam to put light out into the distance. Neither of these is going to happen when the light source is the size of a Tootsie Roll, inserted in a system designed for a pinpoint light source. That's not to say that you can't have an LED headlamp. But the housing, reflector and "bulb" have to be designed to work together. Not just be designed to FIT together. __________________ Coast long and prosper. Driving '00 Honda Insight, acquired Feb 2016.