Are the Chinese learning to make better LED headlamps?

Lucilia

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
4
I have had dissapointing experiences with Chinese made LED headlamps. It seems that as long as the socket fits- there you go.
The most important parameter, i.e. the placement of the LED itself and the distance of the LED from the mounting flange seems to be the same for all types of bulbs.
Now, some manufacturers are comparing halogen versions with their LEDs, and showing exact matches for the placement.
I hope it will be possible to get Cinese made LED bulbs with the proper LED positioning in the near future.
I am actually considering buying non-Chinese DOT-approved LED headlamps with reflectors, in a unit, and modifying my car to fit them. My car has very poorly designed 9004 lighting. Most people who buy it replace the beams with European H4 reflectors. However, I am enamoured with LED lighting and like the less incandescent-like quality, when it's around 4000K.
I would welcome sugestions.
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
Welcome to this board, Lucilia.

I have had dissapointing experiences with Chinese made LED headlamps.

It sounds like you're talking about "LED bulbs" claiming to retrofit in place of halogen bulbs. Most of them are made in China, but no matter where they're made, they are not effective or safe. There is a very small number of bulbs of this nature that work to some degree in some lamps, but that's as close as we get.
They're not legal in any headlamp, and even in headlamps they work OK in, you can still get better performance out of a well-chosen halogen bulb. Please see this thread and the other threads linked within it.

The most important parameter, i.e. the placement of the LED itself and the distance of the LED from the mounting flange

This is a misunderstanding. Those parameters are important, but it doesn't matter if the LED's placement and orientation are the same as the filament (which is physically impossible), because the size, shape, and light emission pattern of the LEDs is not the same as those characteristics of the filament, and any lamp's optics are designed for one particular set of light source characteristics. This is not a household overhead lamp or desk lamp we're talking about; vehicle lamps are optical instruments. This page was written primarily about so-called "HID kits", but all the info applies equally as much to "LED bulbs" -- only the trivial details differ.

I am actually considering buying non-Chinese DOT-approved LED headlamps with reflectors, in a unit

That's the only kind of legitimate LED headlamp (though there is no such thing as "DOT approval" -- that is a misunderstanding of what the "DOT" mark on a headlamp means).

and modifying my car to fit them. My car has very poorly designed 9004 lighting.

What kind of car is it? Year, make, model?

Most people who buy it replace the beams with European H4 reflectors

That may or may not be an actual, objective improvement, depending on the specifics of the vehicle and the lamps.
 

Lucilia

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
4
Hi, my car is a 1994 VW Corrado.
Its headlamps are well known for their inadequcy. One Corrado owner said that you will surely kill yourself if you drive the Corrado with the original lamps.
Of course I know thatan exact match for focus between halogen and lED bulbs cannot be made, so the only thing left it seems, is to put in whole reflector-led units.
I was looking a a company named Hamsar that makes truck headlights.
http://hamsar.com/product/low-high-beam-headlight-90mm/
I could easily build adapter housings to fit these, either two each side, or a high/low high combo.
However, these are not too cheap, about Can$ 200 a unit.
Please tell me if you know of other brands that are of good quality byt maybe not as expensive.
 
Top