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H4 LED + other LED lighting


docc

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Just to clarify my original post: I realize there are H4 LED units that have an inline "driver" or box that also has to fit in the bucket. While early Sport buckets have more room than the later LeMans plastic buckets, mine has extra wiring and relays already taking up space.

 

I recall someone posting a photo of an LED H4 with a heatsink on the back of it, but can't find it now.

 

I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the stock V11 headlight is pretty weedy . . .

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Swoosh, you only confirmed for an 850-T.  Sooo, the question is, for a V11 . . .

 

So you're going to make me pull out the bulb and try it on the V11? Sooooo demanding!

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If these things need fans, but they're enclosed in the bucket, it seems the'll be running awfully hot. That can't be good for reliability and I don't want to cook my relays in the bucket.

 

You guys know how I feel about my relays. . .

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Swoosh, you only confirmed for an 850-T.  Sooo, the question is, for a V11 . . .

 

So you're going to make me pull out the bulb and try it on the V11? Sooooo demanding!

 

 

No, you don't have to take it off of the 850.  Just buy a new one, try to fit it, take lots of pictures, then life test it for a while and let us know !  :P:

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If these things need fans, but they're enclosed in the bucket, it seems the'll be running awfully hot. That can't be good for reliability and I don't want to cook my relays in the bucket.

You guys know how I feel about my relays. . .

Actually the heat output of a powerful LED is less than half the heat output of a halogen incandescent bulb. The heat is intense in a tiny localised spot on the LED, which would destroy it unless a heat sink or something similar can conduct the heat away. But overall LED heat output is much lower, so you don't need to worry about heat. If it is ok for incandescent, it is more than ok for LED.

I didn't like the idea of relying on a tiny fan for cooling the LED, so I fitted an LED with  a heatsink made of big copper braid loops. The steel headlight bucket barely gets warm enough to feel it, and no moving parts.

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If these things need fans, but they're enclosed in the bucket, it seems the'll be running awfully hot. That can't be good for reliability and I don't want to cook my relays in the bucket.

You guys know how I feel about my relays. . .

Actually the heat output of a powerful LED is less than half the heat output of a halogen incandescent bulb. The heat is intense in a tiny localised spot on the LED, which would destroy it unless a heat sink or something similar can conduct the heat away. I didn't like the idea of relying on a tiny fan,so I fitted an LED with big copper braid loops. The steel headlight bucket barely gets warm enough to feel it.

 

Seems a fan would actually work if there were some louvers in the bucket.

 

I always wanted a hotrod with louvers.

 

*Chopped, channeled, lowered, louvered. Twice pipes, candy apple red*

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The fan will work even inside a bucket. It just needs to cool the electrics on the LED. Remember it's only 20w.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Will the H4 LED units with a heat sink work just as well then?

It may not fit if they heat sink is on the outside of the light. How much room is in the bucket? They often provide the bulb dimensions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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If these things need fans, but they're enclosed in the bucket, it seems the'll be running awfully hot. That can't be good for reliability and I don't want to cook my relays in the bucket.

You guys know how I feel about my relays. . .

Actually the heat output of a powerful LED is less than half the heat output of a halogen incandescent bulb. The heat is intense in a tiny localised spot on the LED, which would destroy it unless a heat sink or something similar can conduct the heat away. I didn't like the idea of relying on a tiny fan, so I fitted an LED with big copper braid loops. The steel headlight bucket barely gets warm enough to feel it.

 

Marty, how's this heat sink LED working out? I asked on the other thread to get the link fixed: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18532&p=221139

 

Lot's of good info in JBBenson's LED Headlights thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18532&page=1

 

I'm seeing lumen ratings from 1000 to 7000 and everything in between. And a wide array of color from 3000K to 8000K.  :blink:

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Overall I'm pleased with my LED headlamp. It is a 40 watt 3000 lumen 6000 K LED with no fan, just big copper braid loops that you can adjust so they nudge against the back of the headlight bucket on the inside.

If I was to buy another, it would be brighter than 3000 lumen. Not enough to melt the road seal, but enough to stun possums.  

The color tint is slightly bluish, so if you like a yellow headlight, you should look for a lower number than 6000 k. The beam is a bit smudgy through a Bosch H4 LH traffic lens, maybe because I had to fettle the H4 lamp adapter to throw the low beam to the left instead of to the right. All the H4 LEDs I have found are made for RH traffic, so you won't have to do this. 

At the risk of buying outside the USA, you could look at www.aliexpress.com and search for "H4 LED copper".

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20170521101957&SearchText=h4+led+copper

You will see several choices there. I have bought many things from them, but beware, shipping to NZ takes more than a month, quality is a gamble (I have binned about 30% of things from them), and you won't be helping Trump make 'Merica great again. :whistle:  

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