DING DING DING
HIDs in non-projector housings with no cut off shield are the worst lights for oncoming traffic. They scatter light everywhere in traditional housings
How about we let him try, see what he can invent because he is very good at it then give suggestions if there are useful ones
Geezuss… one opinion and I get jumps… sheesh, at least I’m trying to save him money 
Don’t get me wrong… I’d love what he’s been doing to all the mods… I think he’s one of the best around here, I just think financially it’s just not worth it as the cost of LEDs and all other parts cost more than HIDs kit, but then again… sometimes I’ve been spending more money on mods more than the price of the light itself anyway 
well… is just matter of question about spending money I guess… if the money didn’t matter then nothing is matter
as far as it’s blinding? yes it is blinding if you have car older than 2000 as most of those car weren’t made for HIDs but then again… a driving in front the truck is also blinding… just can’t win… but at least I can see more of the road ahead, not too mention street signs
just for thought… what makes you guys think LEDs isn’t as blinding as HIDs? anything over 4000 lumens regardless HIDs or LEDs it still will be blinding… so what the other choice? modify the headlights? like NYkers says… Fuhgetaboutit… more money, more problems
btw: I still would love to see the progress though and the end result … as for me… I’ll just sit and watch the master do his things
I think he is using parts he has, meaning his cost is only his time unless he decides on better LEDs if the trial run works well.
ouchs…$140 :Sp
Is anyone else not surprised that OL finally resorted to building a giant, gasoline-powered, self-propelled flashlight?
Internal combustion: when 18650’s won’t cut it anymore.
Not only am i not surprised, but if it can be done we know its him that will do it.
Nice attempt Old Lumens and please don’t forget to make your 4000 lumens LED bulb with Strobe and SOS modes enabled.
This is the most sensible comment I've read so far in this thread. Must also have next mode memory.
Good luck as usual OL. Watching with interest.
In all copper none the less
Beam shot of the stock low beams for reference later on.
In Post #1.
Yes, I agree. The reflectors are designed for Incandescent bulbs, but I still gotta do it, just to see for myself.
Do you think it would be doable to put the resistors in serial with the “led modules”? Won’t it imply huge high power resistors?
I think the easiest thing I could do is removing the signal leds at the dashboard >)
A couple of your questions arent in this post, but I didnt want to quote each of them.
Lows in headlights are shielded. If you look at the two filaments in twin filament bulbs, one is behind a metal shield, thats the LB. High beam filament is the other one and not shielded and that light is almost omnidirectional. The difference is in cars like one of my older ones that used h1 in the low beam, but used a incan based projector instead of a reflector in that case the shield was part of the projector housing itself. If you look inside some reflector lights you will see a structure that the bulb fits into that is another design for shielding. If you stick to the measurements for placement of the emitter based on the original bulb, low beam should work. But high beam will be difficult IMO.
Its true that some home made lights WOULD meet regulations, but they wont have gone through the rigorous testing to prove it. But most will not pass, and an engineer or whatever would be able to tell that a at a glance, let alone scrutinizing it. These would include the horrible HID set ups you mentioned earlier. Ive seen some serious modifications done to try to make them work including grafting the working bits of lights from modern cars into the lights of older cars, varying results. Someone mentioned using an oven to pry the lights apart, that is the type of thing Im talking about. One set up I saw, they were every bit as good as the car they originated in. SOmeone else mentioned and linked to retrofit projectors, thats the same type of thing too, but without needing to source the bits from wreckers (breakers yard).
Im told the whiter brighter incan globes achieve the added brightness with thicker filaments (Xenon over Halogen too), and given my learnings here re: CW v NW the shift in colour temp cant hurt in brightness. They achieve higher output without increased consumption via gains in design. Ill let some of the more tech folks clear this up though, because to me that sounds like witch craft.
Osram Night Breakers should be legal too. Im told they are better than the others. I will know tomorrow if they are better than Hella and Narva +30 and +50s. I think you will find the limit in your set up is the reflector and lens, and not so much the source of the light. When they say 50% more light, you dont get 50% more light. Maybe measured at the bulb it does, but it doesnt translate to that much more visible usable light.
If the emitters point in the right direction, and are shielded the same, then they technically should work the same, but with different output. Im subscribing too, interested in what you can achieve.
EDIT: I just inspected a H4 globe, and the shield doesnt quite block half the low beam filament. So more than 180 degrees of light will come from the filament to the reflector surface along with the light the shield reflects back out too.
To make that up with LED you would need more than one emitter to achieve the same amount of angle of light, being the emitters are 120 degree? << not certain of this…
:o
My high beam and low beam are two separate bulbs, in two separate reflectors. My low beam bulb does not have anything covering the filament. The area of the bulb that is covered, is just at the tip and it's purpose is to help keep heat off the plastic cup that is in front of it, which directs light back onto the main reflector. It does not block any other light, so the whole filament is exposed, as you can see in my very first photo in the OP.
The law here is no more than 55 watts for a low beam, (I believe). From what I understand the brighter bulbs that Sylvania and Phillips sell, are around 4000K-4500K versus the standard 3000K bulb. I am also fairly sure that to get more than 55 watts, they use a 6V or 9V bulb and sell it in a 12 V system. I believe that is the loophole in the DOT law. The bulb itself is 55 watt, but when put into a 12v system, it is of course, higher wattage. It also causes the bulbs to burn out rapidly. Usually in a year or less and sometimes in a very short time, depending on the vehicle. For vehicles where their voltage is running more towards 14V, then the bulb would only last a very short while, or it would burn out immediately. For vehicles where the voltage is closer to 12V, then they will last longer. In other words, I am saying that the manufacturer are doing illegal things, to get hotter bulbs past the DOT guidelines. From the hundreds of reviews I read, the bulbs have "short lifetimes", which again, tells us something is probably fishy with these "brighter bulbs". Of course, that is my own thoughts on the matter.
High beam, large single die facing downward
Daytime running lights (one of many), circular facing inward, also some behind fluted lens
Fog light, 4 die facing downward
Backup light, two die, one up one down
Tail light (one of many), circular facing inward, also some behind fluted lens
Directional on outside mirror, two die facing outward, also more on front of mirror
I couldn’t get a photo of the low beam due to the lens.
Funny thing is all exterior lights are LED except for the rear blinkers and rear tag lights. I have no idea why that is, though I should.
And the car if you’re curious
O-L,
I applaud you for taking on such a challenging project which is a far cry away from your customary flashlight mods. I have had several inklings recently to do some sort of LED mod or upgrade to my vehicle seeing how mainstream they are now becoming in the automotive world. I am currently working on a custom set of LED DRLs which I hope to post soon. I will be anxiously watching your progress and wish you the best of luck on this endeavor!
Well, I feel kind of bad about the whole thing, but I am going to scrap the project. It has caused some controversy on the home front, once my wife realized what I was going to do. She's a stickler about "the law", any law, every law, while I am... well.... OK, I don't mind bending the rules sometimes if I feel it won't hurt anyone or if I justify it in my own mind. Hey, that's just the truth. Anyhow, since I don't bite the hand that feeds me, then I will be scrapping the project.
I should have never started it, sorry guys...