[Vwdiesel] OFFTOPIC: LED lighting

Thu Jan 10 19:00:06 PST 2013

Interesting...I wonder if the controllers work with the conventional
power management on the sealed systems like James and I are using.

Also, it would be nice if not too far down the road we could just replace
our halogens with LEDs.  Especially for DRLs, which run all the time, and
take a fair amount of power, which probably translates into a couple of 
gallons a year for some of us.

I like the idea of ultrabright...it would help scare off UFOs and pea
combines.

> 
> Some of the motorcycle lists I'm on spend a rather large amount of time worrying about lighting.  For those riding longer distances including at night, it's good to see and be seen.
> 
> You might find it useful to look at the forums in http://www.advrider.com/ and http://www.ldriders.com/.  (For the latter, you may have to join to be allowed to search the archives.)
> 
> While most of the lights they are considering are far, far brighter than what you'd want, you might be interested in some of the controllers (e.g. http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/hstrial-QualiRegResou/-strse-LED-Controls/Categories.bok).  LEDs are nicely dimmable so you could set things up so that you can change the brightness so that it's relatively dim if you are backing in snow, brighter for backing along the asphalt driveway, and really bright for blinding the neighbors. ;)
> 
> Best,
> Scott
> 
> On Jan 10, 2013, at 12:12 PM, Val Christian wrote:
> 
> > James, those are the same lights I got, simply from a different vendor.
> > I did negotiate a price of $26.25 US, shipping included.  Those are IP67
> > rated, so the rainy season shouldn't leak into them.  I think they are 
> > rated to 30 or 32V.  
> > 
> > 27W all around may work for you, but it is simply too bright for the back, 
> > in snow.  I'd have to run tape on them to reduce the output.  When the snow
> > is warmer, the albedo must be greater (grin).
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >> 
> >> I have these in floods, not beams.
> >> http://www.ebay.ca/itm/190718274574?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m
> >> 1497.l2649
> >> Probably pretty much what you are looking at.
> >> I bought 20 of them, a buddy wants 8, I'm using the rest.  Best thing is
> >> they are good for 12 or 24v, so my Iltis will get decent backup lights,
> >> along with some of the 24v equipment, track hoe, cat, etc...  The rest go on
> >> sprayer, and tractors. I think they are great.  Was just at a big farm show
> >> in Saskatoon today, they were selling what appear to be nearly identical to
> >> the ebay ones, for a c-note each.
> >> 
> >> I personally wouldn't bother with 10w lights, the more the merrier, use 27w
> >> all round.  
> >> 
> >> So far no failures in the cheapie LED's.  I've converted a substantial
> >> number of halogen implement lights to HID, using the tuner kid car kits
> >> available on ebay.
> >> So far one transformer has expired, out of a dozen lights.  They are BRIGHT,
> >> and incidentally, 5 or 6000k temperature like the led's.  
> >> That said, the 27w led's are a candle compared to the HID conversions. 
> >> 
> >> If you need lights that stand up, Bosch makes very good worklights, that
> >> were intended to be 100w halogen. Glass lenses, steel housings.  I've had
> >> them on stuff for nearly 20 years, and they are stout, on outdoor equipment,
> >> no exposed rubber.  I've converted most of them to HID at this point, which
> >> is like carrying the sun around on the roof of the tractor.  2 rear floods
> >> replace ALL the stock lighting on the rear of my tractor, on the front of a
> >> combine, you don't even notice that the OEM lights are on or off with 2
> >> forward floods.
> >> -james
> >> 
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
> >> Behalf Of Val Christian
> >> Sent: January-09-13 4:40 PM
> >> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> >> Subject: [Vwdiesel] OFFTOPIC: LED lighting
> >> 
> >> This is off topic, but diesel...
> >> 
> >> I have a compact diesel tractor, which lives outside.  The rain, the snow,
> >> the bird poop.  Every 6 or 7 years I have to replace my lighting, because
> >> the rubber fixtures holding sealed beams rot out.  The fender mounted lights
> >> are not quite as helpful as I have a loader on the tractor.  The most the
> >> lighting is used is in the winter, and while I sometimes use the loader for
> >> clearing snow, 95% of the time, I am pushing with a blade reversed.
> >> So the most critical lighting is for backup, and since I am working in snow,
> >> the illumination level can be rather low.
> >> 
> >> So looking for more permanent lighting, I have come up with a hodge-podge of
> >> partial solutions:
> >> 
> >> -27W LED floods, intended for the front
> >> -10W LED floods, small size, intended for the rear -low wattage strip lights
> >> for marking the fenders when on the road (red) -low wattage strip lights for
> >> the front (low illumination, for snow work)
> >> 
> >> The 27W LED floods subjectively put out more light than a halogen headlight.
> >> The color temp of all the lights is about 6000K, and does not shift with
> >> voltage.
> >> The lighting draw less than half of the previous lighting, and the lumen
> >> output will be much higher.  (eg the four 27W floods are 2010 lumens each)
> >> All fixtures are IP67 waterproofing.  All the gaskets are silicone rubber.
> >> Some of the internal power modulators need retrofit.  They are encased in a
> >> transparent packing tape, and on a high vibration platform like a tractor, I
> >> think they are likely to wear through, and short/fail.
> >> 
> >> Has anyone else done this on their equipment/car?  It seems to me that LEDs
> >> are getting close to the point where they could replace HID lighting, with
> >> equivalent performance, and no warm-up times.
> >> 
> >> Has anyone using LED lights encountered systemic problems, like them
> >> inductive spike failures?  I have heard that a welder had problems with them
> >> on his welding truck.
> >> 
> >> Long post, sorry, but I welcome any observation or ideas.
> >> 
> >> 
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> > 
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