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Converting to LED headlights

Started by MeToo, November 02, 2017, 06:09:09 PM

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MeToo

Hi, has anyone had any experience replacing the factory headlights with LED lights? The 1976 models used sealed beam lights but it seems to me LED lights are more effective and they look better too. Is it as simple as merely removing a few screws and swapping the sealed beam units?

TJ Hopland

There are direct replacements for the 4656 sealed beam.    There are some that come in a set of 4 for like $90 but either say not DOT approved or say nothing.   Looking at the design I can't imagine that they would be good for both drivers and oncoming drivers.  They look just like the typical off road lights with what appears to be several smaller reflectors.    Even the more expensive ones from slightly reputable vendors which are in the $120-300 range each don't mention DOT approval so it makes you wonder.   I have not yet seen any such thing sold from bigger automotive vendors which has to tell you something.   Just to make sure I wasn't out of date I just checked rock auto and they list LED's for most places on a 76 Eldo but nothing for headlights.   

One I had not seen before from a vendor I have used for other stuff is this one.   At least this has more of the OE LED look in the photos were they appear to be doing some more advanced mixing and control of the beam.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-headlight-bulbs-conversion-kits/filter/Base_Type,H4656,1,11535:

What ever you do when you are done please have someone drive that car at night while you are in another car ahead of it and coming towards it.   It doesn't do you any good to be able to see if everyone else is blinded by you.  There is way too much of that going on these days.  I have had younger drivers comment on that issue so I know its not just me getting old.   
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

MeToo

One little issue is that they won't work the lamp monitors. There is no where on any of the lights I've looked for the fiber optics to connect and draw light from the bulb. On the old sealed beams there is a notch for this and the prongs are on the bulb. The LEDS, the prongs are on a cord at least a few inches long. That cord is for the wires and doesn't conduct light.

67_Eldo

I am (eventually) going to convert the sealed beams on my 1967 Eldorado to halogen. I reviewed lots of material on the web because I was initially going to go with LEDs. To make a long story short, here's my abbreviated analysis:

Headlights require more candlepower than a single LED element can provide. That's why LED headlights have a dense cluster of elements at their core. The density of that LED cluster, however, is not nearly as great as the illumination available from a single halogen element.

Halogen elements, like the sealed beams before them, can precisely place a very bright point source of light inside a parabolic reflector. A nice small point source + a well-defined parabolic reflector = a well-focused beam of light.

The size of the cluster of required LEDs ruins the "point source" nature of the headlight. The blob of LEDs is simply too large of a light source to get neatly under control. Therefore LED lights can be very bright but they can't be very well focused. This manifests itself in shorter "throws" of light in LED headlights as well as more off-axis irritation for drivers who have to endure the unfocused brightness of oncoming LEDs.

Once I install my aftermarket headlight-power relays (to handle the increased power draws from the new headlights), I'm going to install halogens.

Maybe I'll also fix the headlight doors so that they open when the headlights are on! :-)

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Quote from: 67_Eldo on November 23, 2017, 06:02:59 PM
Maybe I'll also fix the headlight doors so that they open when the headlights are on! :-)

Maybe you are on to something. Just open them half way and you won't blind oncoming drivers!  :) :)
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille