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Northernremedy



Member Since: 18 Aug 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 122

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Aintree Green
LED bulbs in spots
Hello! So.... Is it an improvement over osram night breaker type bulbs to fit led bulbs to spot lights? Got Wipac Comets (H4) and just wondering. I presume there might be a great reason why people haven't done it.
Post #465572 22nd Oct 2015 5:53pm
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Dave-H



Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1507

England 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Tonga Green
I tried it a couple of years ago, with a set of H4 LED's in hella spotlights ... complete waste of money.
Gave no real 'beam' just a bright flood light for about 25 yards ahead. Standard bulbs were way better.
I don't think LED bulbs get refracted by the light reflectors very well [The reason most reputable places say LED's are no good in lamps designed for bulbs]
HTH Thumbs Up Guns and Landrovers .... anything else is irrelevant.
Post #465732 23rd Oct 2015 9:10am
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discomog



Member Since: 09 May 2015
Location: Notts/Lincs Border
Posts: 2526

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
DaveH is absolutely correct. I decided to fit some DRL's to a Morgan and as I didn't want to fit any more lights I used the existing spot lamps but fitted with LED's - great as DRL's but absolutely useless as spots or fogs. The light reflects in all directions and no beam of light whatsoever. My advice is don't waste your time and money trying to convert your spots to LED.
Post #465749 23rd Oct 2015 10:03am
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Wangers



Member Since: 19 Jan 2013
Location: West London
Posts: 265

United Kingdom 1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Aintree Green
[quote="Dave-H"]The reason most reputable places say LED's are no good in lamps designed for bulbs]
HTH Thumbs Up[/quote]

Not really, but it is the reason that putting LED bulbs into fillament lenses is illegal.

ie take out a clear indicator bulb from amber lense, add white LED bulb and re-fit = illegal.

Light waves fro the diode reflect differently to those froma fillament bulb, hance the pattern is all wrong and from what we say "it looks Censored . TY&GN
10 years in a WOLF, WIMIK and Snatch and this is all I have to show!
Post #465909 23rd Oct 2015 6:04pm
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Lost for Words



Member Since: 18 Jun 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 200

No one, to my knowledge, has even been able to manufacture an LED spot lamp, let alone retro fit them... Thumbs Up Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Post #466128 24th Oct 2015 2:14pm
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Northernremedy



Member Since: 18 Aug 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 122

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Aintree Green
Perfect. Well that explains that! I wondered if it was something like that. Cheers Smile
Post #466129 24th Oct 2015 2:22pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
Lost for Words wrote:
No one, to my knowledge, has even been able to manufacture an LED spot lamp, let alone retro fit them... Thumbs Up


LED spots definitely exist, they're just not identical to incandescent spots.
Post #466133 24th Oct 2015 2:38pm
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Lost for Words



Member Since: 18 Jun 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 200

Wangers wrote:
Light waves fro the diode reflect differently to those froma fillament bulb, hance the pattern is all wrong and from what we say "it looks Censored .


To clarify further on this matter, light waves of any given wavelength are exactly the same however produced. The problem with LEDs, is that they produce light from a much larger area than a filament, and so will not focus into a spot beam. With a retro fit, this is even worse, as the reflector is not even designed for it, and the LED is unlikely to even be centred at the intended focal point. Even with enough power to counteract the loss of beam, any light scattered away from the intended area will reflect back and reduce visibility into the distance. Thumbs Up Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Post #466134 24th Oct 2015 2:38pm
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Lost for Words



Member Since: 18 Jun 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 200

Cupboard wrote:
Lost for Words wrote:
No one, to my knowledge, has even been able to manufacture an LED spot lamp, let alone retro fit them... Thumbs Up


LED spots definitely exist, they're just not identical to incandescent spots.


They aren't spots though. None of them produces a spot beam, only driving at best. Thumbs Up Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Post #466135 24th Oct 2015 2:39pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20347

United Kingdom 
As mentioned LED spots do exist and are designed for purpose not retro fitted to incandescent units.

However, they are extemely good but you need an obese wallet to purchase at the cost they are.
Your talking £300 - £600 and then there is theft to consider as always.

Myself - I would but the cost is just not justify-able.
Post #466138 24th Oct 2015 2:41pm
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Lost for Words



Member Since: 18 Jun 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 200

LED "spot" lights are common, but not LED spot lights (i.e. beam angle of say 10 degrees or less). There are loads of lamps and bars so named around, particularly on Ebay, but when you look into it you find they then say "30 degree spot" or similar, which is actually a wide driving beam, and knowhere near a spot/pencil. No LED light that I can find makes any testifiable claim to produce a beam of 10 degrees or less (preferably less) without any overspill. Thumbs Up Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Post #466144 24th Oct 2015 3:05pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
Vision X claim to. And Brendan can bit quite, erm, probing when it comes to lights so there's a reasonable chance of it being believable.

http://www.4x4overlander.com/product/visionx-led-lights-spot-3/

Intriguingly they (Vision X) claim to have an E marked LED headlight unit on their site, I wonder if it's any good.
Post #466157 24th Oct 2015 4:06pm
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Lost for Words



Member Since: 18 Jun 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 200

Interesting indeed (though not the 5 degrees I'd like to see). Thumbs Up

A normal LED headlight is no problem. Wink Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Post #466167 24th Oct 2015 4:35pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8581

United Kingdom 
Cupboard wrote:


Intriguingly they (Vision X) claim to have an E marked LED headlight unit on their site, I wonder if it's any good.

We have visionx led headlights fitted to the new 110 - the 90 will be having noldens, but I haven't driven it in the dark as yet so I will have to wait till I get home and drive it now the dark nights are upon us. We will see if I like them as much as noldens.
Regards
Barbara
Post #466169 24th Oct 2015 4:45pm
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Screbble



Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2098

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver
Please do let us know how they perform Barbara Very Happy

You've got an 'extra hour' to to try them during the evening from tonight Laughing
Post #466197 24th Oct 2015 6:18pm
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