3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
So we're starting to see LED headlamps on the R8, the Prius, and a bunch of other mid-high end vehicles. I've been searching the web to see if anything is available as an aftermarket LED headlight and thus far haven't turned up anything except for this:
These of course probably won't do for actual night driving, but I imagine they would look wicked inside a set of DEPO's. Be interesting to mess with if had a few extra bucks laying around...
Those won't be anywhere near bright enough. If they were high output Luxeons, Crees, or similar, then there isn't enough heatsinking for those and it would just self destruct.
Check out the heatsink they put on LED bulbs for home use
Given that LED household lamps are only now starting to appear and cost somewhere around $15 each for a 25W incandescent equiv, these are either a scam or someone is crazy stupid.
I'm a little confused by the heat sink your talking about though... LED's of course do not create heat, but do the household ones require resistors and thus heatsinks?
What do you mean LEDs don't create heat? Any practical lighting using LEDs requires heatsinking to prevent it from burning itself.
I guess I was simply going off of experience. When I've been doing my LED tail lights lately and I test them before putting them back in the socket, even my 42 or 68 SMD LED lights are cool to the touch while 'burning'. But is that different than what your talking about?
I myself am just getting into LED, wiring, and all the jazz that goes with it. So I'm definitely glad to get any misconceptions I have cleared up before I blow something up! Thanks for everyones input!
Some of the higher power LEDs can use 1 to 10W. Tehy do generate heat and it is necessary to remove it; otherwise shorter lifetime or reduced output can be expected. These generally output around 60 lumen per watt. Compare to appx 15 lumen / watt from an incandescent bulb.
The LEDs in automotive headlamps will probably be the higher power ones -- I'm guessing 5 to 10W variety for packaging reasons.
Another issue that just came to mind is that the output of the above bulb will not match that of a 9005 bulb making it incompatible with the optics in yourheadlamp.
ahh interesting, see I did not know that the higher the power of LED the more they would generate heat, and that does make sense that unlike an incandescent bulb you'd want to get rid of that heat ASAP!
I would love to see a breakdown of the prius LED headlights at some point to see how they've worked out the technology for the automotive application.
What'd be more interesting is to see LED PROJECTOR headlights. I doubt we'll get there anytime soon because the optics inside a projector are a bit more tedious and specific than regular halogen reflector headlights. Dang, I'd go to LED headlights in a second if they were as bright as regular halogen.. i don't even care about HIDs if LED's matched halogen
ahh interesting, see I did not know that the higher the power of LED the more they would generate heat, and that does make sense that unlike an incandescent bulb you'd want to get rid of that heat ASAP!
I would love to see a breakdown of the prius LED headlights at some point to see how they've worked out the technology for the automotive application.
They generate more heat because they require more energy. Typical 5mm LED is something like 2V, 20mA, or 30-40 mW so they don't require much energy and cannot generate much heat in the first place.
Once you hit 1W and higher, then you'll start to notice the heat. They have only recently become way more efficient than incandescent bulbs and most applications you find now are on par with compact fluorescent bulbs, around 60 lumens per watt. (For comparison, 15 lumens per watt is typical for incandescent.)
As little as 10 years ago, LED were outputting about 20 lumens per watt. Cree recently announce they have 200 lumen per watt LEDs.
Just found a single LED capable of 2000+ lumens. It's 3x3mm and takes 9A. At 3.25V, 3.15A, it outputs 1000 lumens, and 3.75V 9A the output is over 2000 lumens. Something that small with that much power going through it will definitely require heatinking!
Those won't be anywhere near bright enough. If they were high output Luxeons, Crees, or similar, then there isn't enough heatsinking for those and it would just self destruct.
Check out the heatsink they put on LED bulbs for home use
Given that LED household lamps are only now starting to appear and cost somewhere around $15 each for a 25W incandescent equiv, these are either a scam or someone is crazy stupid.
Well, the thinking behind these is energy savings, as well as LEDs will basically last forever...so in the long run, it is savings versus buying even 3-5 year CCFL's...although not MUCH ATM, but it's some...and if you are a true SUPER green person, like there are lots of in Santa Monica, and have the $$$, it appears worth it...
and IDK quite why nobody has REALLY gotten the LEDs more off the ground, my work flashlight is BLINDINGLY bright, and super compact...LED Lenser T7 getting 200 lumens and ~78hrs out of 4AAA batteries in a handheld light thats 5.5" long and has a usable range of ~700ft. I don't see why systems like this can't be implemented into cars easily...and it wouldn't be hard for an experienced tech to home fabricate either...
Most architectural LED replacement bulbs at the moment are about the same efficiency as compact fluorescent bulbs. For 20 times the cost of a CFL, the only real benefits of LED, the extended lifetime, durability of the packing, and probably no mercury vapor. As far as CCFL, I don't know anyone that uses those for lighting since they are half as efficient as compact fluorescent bulbs. Only applications really are TVs and computer monitor for most people.
LEDs are only now starting to go mainstream lighting because it's only been in the past 10 years or so that they've become efficient and inexpensive enough that they can compete against other lighting technologies.
That flashlight of yours costs around $100 -- many people balk at anything more than $10 so that's a no go for most people.
Automotive lighting is expensive too. Adding $1000 to the cost of a Camry for LED headlamps is definitely a no go. How many Camry buyers will pay another 5% to have LED illumination.
You know, I'm thinking the original link.. those 9005's. Might be good for fog lights. Would look pretty unique too. I'm thinking about buying a cheap set of fog lights for like $20 and putting an LED bulb in it. Shrugs. Just an idea that popped in my head.
What'd be more interesting is to see LED PROJECTOR headlights. I doubt we'll get there anytime soon because the optics inside a projector are a bit more tedious and specific than regular halogen reflector headlights. Dang, I'd go to LED headlights in a second if they were as bright as regular halogen.. i don't even care about HIDs if LED's matched halogen
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Scamry
Thanks for everyones input!
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