LED Headlights? pros & cons

[Maks]

Has anyone out there changed out their truck headlights from OEM (usually halogen) to LED bulbs? I pull with an HDT (Volvo) and find the low beams not very bright. I've tried new halogen bulbs with a little improvement but not much. They are aligned correctly, the outside covers are clear and in good shape, and the inside projection reflectors are like mint.
Has anyone tried LED bulbs, whether in an HDT or not?
I believe that one has to be careful to keep the lumen number (brightness) down below 8000 for low beams as to not blind oncoming traffic? But not sure if the 8000 lumen number is really correct. Some of the LED bulbs I've seen are WAY too bright and would be dangerous for other traffic.
Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.

[mlh]

The ones you saw may not have been too bright. Most scatter the light too much and make them look too bright. Diode Dynamics made some great ones. They would be the first place I would look.
Lynwood

I just found this on DD website
APPLICATION NOTICE: LED bulbs are legal in the USA for Fog Light use only. Not compliant with DOT / FMVSS108 and not street legal in the USA for Headlights. Legal for off-road use in ATV, snowmobile, and off-road racing use. International legality varies by country. Note: This usage regulation is not unique to Diode Dynamics bulbs. All LED bulbs from all brands, regardless of marketing claims, are prohibited from street use in halogen headlights in the USA. Click here to learn more.

[RMcNeal]

I replaced my OEM Ford headlights with LED ones some years ago.
It was getting to the point I wouldn't drive at night before the change as my vision isn't what it used to be due to age and Diabetes.
Now, I can see very clearly at night. It's not just the brightness, but the light is much more "white" where the old bulbs were getting "yellow" looking.
I've always hated the bright lights from oncoming traffic and was reluctant to change mine to LED because of this, but I have to say, if they are aimed correctly, you can see very well and not blind oncoming traffic. One of the best "upgrades" I did to my truck!
Bought mine on Amazon from Mars Auto...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[cotter key]

Check out place called "Headlight Revolution" online. They carry all kinds of auto led replacement bulbs. If you call they they will try to answer all questions and maybe the best fit for you.

[jsb5717]

I ran LED’s in my last truck for several years. They were 6000k and were plenty bright…they were reflector headlights. I definitely prefer the whiter light.

Current truck is Halogen in projector headlights and works fine but still might swap them out one of these days. I understand that LED performs differently in projector than it does in reflector style headlights.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Maks

Has anyone out there changed out their truck headlights from OEM (usually halogen) to LED bulbs? I pull with an HDT (Volvo) and find the low beams not very bright. I've tried new halogen bulbs with a little improvement but not much. They are aligned correctly, the outside covers are clear and in good shape, and the inside projection reflectors are like mint.
Has anyone tried LED bulbs, whether in an HDT or not?
I believe that one has to be careful to keep the lumen number (brightness) down below 8000 for low beams as to not blind oncoming traffic? But not sure if the 8000 lumen number is really correct. Some of the LED bulbs I've seen are WAY too bright and would be dangerous for other traffic.
Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.

My F-450 came with the factory option LED headlights and foglights. They light up the everything. They are amazing.

The surprising downside is that the lenses DO NOT GET HOT ENOUGH in a strong snow storm to melt the snow on the headlights and snow will build up on the lens and block the lights. This is not much of an issue for me because I don't see much snow in Southeast Virginia; but I did have problems and was surprised a couple of years ago driving through Connecticut in a snow storm. I had to stop several times to clear the lenses.

[Fred]

Also this:

Easy Tricks For Keeping The Ice Off LED Headlights
Spray De-Icer on the headlights. ...
Wax your headlights before a snow storm. ...
Spray a coating of DuPont Dry-Film Lubricant onto the headlight lenses. ...
Spray a thin coating of PAM cooking spray onto a rag and wipe the headlight lenses with it.

[Fred]

And this:

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/16...ed-headlights/

[twindman]

I just searched the net and found articles that headlights have a maximum lumens of 3000. So 6000 is way to bright.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by twindman

I just searched the net and found articles that headlights have a maximum lumens of 3000. So 6000 is way to bright.

I am admittedly not an expert. I've done a little research in trying to understand the different lights.

I don't know if there is a direct correlation between Lumens and Kelvin. Maybe there is. But here's what I've found...

Kelvin in LED lights (ie: 2700K, 6000K, 8000K, etc) refers to the level of white that's in the light while Lumens speaks more to brightness intensity of a halogen bulb much like watts speaks to the brightness of an incandescent bulb.

Halogens are always more in the yellow spectrum. So a 6000K LED might appear more bright than halogen but is really more a factor of more whiteness in the light than say a 2700K LED light, which is more yellow and probably closer in color to halogen. An 8000K LED is more white...perhaps a bit toward the blue spectrum but isn't necessarily brighter.

In my experience with 6000K headlamps I found that the whiter light made it much easier to see even though a 3000 Lumen Halogen light bulb might actually be a brighter intensity.

I never had a problem with other drivers flashing me because of the LEDs. Just keep them properly aimed like any other headlight

[twindman]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

I am admittedly not an expert. I've done a little research in trying to understand the different lights.

I don't know if there is a direct correlation between Lumens and Kelvin. Maybe there is. But here's what I've found...

Kelvin in LED lights (ie: 2700K, 6000K, 8000K, etc) refers to the level of white that's in the light while Lumens speaks more to brightness intensity of a halogen bulb much like watts speaks to the brightness of an incandescent bulb.

Halogens are always more in the yellow spectrum. So a 6000K LED might appear more bright than halogen but is really more a factor of more whiteness in the light than say a 2700K LED light, which is more yellow and probably closer in color to halogen. An 8000K LED is more white...perhaps a bit toward the blue spectrum but isn't necessarily brighter.

In my experience with 6000K headlamps I found that the whiter light made it much easier to see even though a 3000 Lumen Halogen light bulb might actually be a brighter intensity.

I never had a problem with other drivers flashing me because of the LEDs. Just keep them properly aimed like any other headlight

My bad. I forgot you were talking Kelvin, no lumens.