LED Motorcycle headlights? - SV650.org

andrewsmith · 24-09-12, 08:38 PM

LED Motorcycle headlights, has anyone had any experience with how they actually work?

Just a bit curious how they are able to produce a good light levels with a standard bulb for Hibeam

24-09-12, 08:46 PM

Do you mean HID's?

andrewsmith · 24-09-12, 08:52 PM

no LED. I know how HID's work as they work in a not to disimilar way to a Fluorescent tube (just at a higher discharge level)

NTECUK · 24-09-12, 09:26 PM

Only know Audi use it so far
http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/a8/a8...ed-lights.html
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Art...emium-cars.htm

andrewsmith · 24-09-12, 09:38 PM

Ducati use a varient with a Xenon bulb (or similar) on the Panagale

yorkie_chris · 25-09-12, 08:11 AM

Nope.

Look at most LEDs, they've got some fairly small emitting angle of 120 degrees or so compared to halogen or HID.

The efficacy is excellent, my dive torch is a cree XM-L making around 900 lumens from under 10W of power. You'd need closer to 50W to get similar performance from halogen.

They can also have some serious throw with the right optics.

However, nothing you can drop into the standard headlights to get anything like a reasonable result in terms of proper beam pattern, brightness and throw.

Best bet would be to make some with some XMLs or SST-90s behind some 40mm or so aspheric lenses and have them as fairly tight beams to add throw to the high beams.

SST90:

(photo borrowed from packhorse of candlepowerforum/ccrexplorers forums)

andrewsmith · 25-09-12, 08:23 AM

Cheers YC
You answered my next question too. Might look into building a couple of spotlights over the winter

You build the dive lamp?

yorkie_chris · 25-09-12, 08:25 AM

Getting there, collecting parts and materials

andrewsmith · 25-09-12, 08:30 AM

whats the aim off battery?

yorkie_chris · 25-09-12, 08:45 AM

What do you mean the aim off battery? It would really be conducive to conversation if you'd type more clearly in something resembling English.

Although to take a flying guess at what you mean; the battery will be in a separate container mounted on the waistbelt connected by a power cord. The container will have 6x 18650 lithium cells in parallel which should give 5.5+ hours of runtime at full power.

24-09-12, 08:38 PM	#1
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	LED Motorcycle headlights? LED Motorcycle headlights, has anyone had any experience with how they actually work? Just a bit curious how they are able to produce a good light levels with a standard bulb for Hibeam __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

24-09-12, 08:46 PM	#2
TCochrane Guest Posts: n/a	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights Do you mean HID's?

24-09-12, 08:52 PM	#3
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights no LED. I know how HID's work as they work in a not to disimilar way to a Fluorescent tube (just at a higher discharge level) __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

24-09-12, 09:26 PM	#4
NTECUK Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: essex Posts: 5,314	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights Only know Audi use it so far http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/a8/a8...ed-lights.html http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Art...emium-cars.htm __________________ Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have trust issues. Last edited by NTECUK; 24-09-12 at 09:31 PM.

24-09-12, 09:38 PM	#5
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights Ducati use a varient with a Xenon bulb (or similar) on the Panagale __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

25-09-12, 08:11 AM	#6
yorkie_chris Noisy Git Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax/Leeds Posts: 26,645	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights? Nope. Look at most LEDs, they've got some fairly small emitting angle of 120 degrees or so compared to halogen or HID. The efficacy is excellent, my dive torch is a cree XM-L making around 900 lumens from under 10W of power. You'd need closer to 50W to get similar performance from halogen. They can also have some serious throw with the right optics. However, nothing you can drop into the standard headlights to get anything like a reasonable result in terms of proper beam pattern, brightness and throw. Best bet would be to make some with some XMLs or SST-90s behind some 40mm or so aspheric lenses and have them as fairly tight beams to add throw to the high beams. SST90: (photo borrowed from packhorse of candlepowerforum/ccrexplorers forums) __________________ Currently Ex Biker Now rebuilding a 63' fishing trawler as a dive boat

25-09-12, 08:23 AM	#7
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights? Cheers YC You answered my next question too. Might look into building a couple of spotlights over the winter You build the dive lamp? __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

25-09-12, 08:25 AM	#8
yorkie_chris Noisy Git Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax/Leeds Posts: 26,645	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights? Getting there, collecting parts and materials __________________ Currently Ex Biker Now rebuilding a 63' fishing trawler as a dive boat

25-09-12, 08:30 AM	#9
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights? whats the aim off battery? __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

25-09-12, 08:45 AM	#10
yorkie_chris Noisy Git Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax/Leeds Posts: 26,645	Re: LED Motorcycle headlights? What do you mean the aim off battery? It would really be conducive to conversation if you'd type more clearly in something resembling English. Although to take a flying guess at what you mean; the battery will be in a separate container mounted on the waistbelt connected by a power cord. The container will have 6x 18650 lithium cells in parallel which should give 5.5+ hours of runtime at full power. __________________ Currently Ex Biker Now rebuilding a 63' fishing trawler as a dive boat

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