 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Nolden LED headlights - dark area on high beam |
 
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| doublea Member Since: 12 Jul 2011 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 495   
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These LEDs are fitted to Mrs Doublea's Adventure.
On low beam, they are fantastic. On high beam, the low beam remains illuminated and an extra band of light comes on. Where the two beams meet, there is a dark area, just at the range of where one needs to see on high beam! These photos highlight the issue at a slight dip before an incline.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I find it quite distracting, we live in a rural area and drive about a fair bit on unlit roads. It's more obvious with a moving image, but I'm not sure how to upload video from the dashcam. Are they all like this? Current Steeds: 2015 110 UW in Grasmere Green 2003 BMW F650 the Hack 2000 Elise 1992 Ducati 888 (no longer in bits, yahoo) 1990 TDR 250 (in bits again) 1988 TDR 250 (no longer in bits) and for sale |
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19th Apr 2017 12:22am |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060  
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To be honest, this has always been my gripe about LED headlamps.
I can´t speak about Noldens, but my EVO II´s, while being LED-white and bright, also display one or two "characteristic" areas in the beam pattern. And as you say, they really show up when driving on undulating curvy country roads, as the headlamp beam dances before you. The previously fitted Crystal and Nightbreaker combination wasn´t as bright, but shon (pun) with a much smoother beam pattern. To be fair, it is partially because the LED beams have a far longer range, that their beam pattern weaknesses become so apparent. Having got used to the LED´s, that the light colour matches the LED side lights and because I absolutely love the dark eyed visuals   , I´m happy to look beyond the dark spots.
But, as I´ve said previously, bang for the buck, it is hard to top the Crystal/Nightbreakers on a Defender. Stephen 1998 Tdi 90 SW, 2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons Last edited by Wild Card 90 on 19th Apr 2017 1:58pm. Edited 2 times in total |
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19th Apr 2017 7:35am |
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| nosnibod Member Since: 15 Aug 2007 Location: West Midlands Posts: 370  
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I've had Evo IIs and currently have Noldens. Both exhibit these characteristics of having light and "less light" areas.
I must admit I'd forgotten about it after fitting a pair of Lazer Triple-R 750s on top of the bumper. They are astonishing and completely transform driving on main beam. Expensive though... Dave Green Goddess - 1998 Defender 110 300tdi |
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19th Apr 2017 8:37am |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20730
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Yes, that is the nature of them.
I don't really notice to be honest. But what ever headlight you go for, on main beam you will not beat spotlights. It's part and partial I would imagine to keep the beam pattern correct for regs. WeWillWin🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⛽ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°ðŸ’ª |
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19th Apr 2017 1:10pm |
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| Riverboy Member Since: 16 May 2016 Location: French sector, Earth Posts: 1288 
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 Instant daylight and worth every centime. |
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19th Apr 2017 3:17pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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I had EVOs myself for many years until I reverted to my standard Wipac Cristals. They were also very good, but also had their particularities in light pattern. Question is, I have now driven quite a few mid and premium segment cars with factory LED headlights, so why do all of those are just perfect and do not have the imperfections of the Nolden, Speaker, Trucklites, and undoubtedly of all other after market LEDs? All of those factory LED headlights, be it Merc, Audi, or even a Peugeot 308 have a perfect light pattern without dark spot, highlight spot, or halos.... Why can't after market producers not get to same quality?
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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19th Apr 2017 5:37pm |
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| doublea Member Since: 12 Jul 2011 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 495
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Thanks for the replies.
The dealer said it's because of the chrome strip in the middle, it's just the way they are - sounds like bull**** to me. I suppose the answer is some decent led spot lights. Would need to be something discreet, I'm not keen on massive spotlights all along the roof rack. Yes, I've had cars with superb beam pattern on xenon lights, seems to be par for the course with a defender though... Laser triple r 750s then. Current Steeds: 2015 110 UW in Grasmere Green 2003 BMW F650 the Hack 2000 Elise 1992 Ducati 888 (no longer in bits, yahoo) 1990 TDR 250 (in bits again) 1988 TDR 250 (no longer in bits) and for sale |
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19th Apr 2017 11:11pm |
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| Riverboy Member Since: 16 May 2016 Location: French sector, Earth Posts: 1288
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Welcome to the light.
The Triple-R range is insane, but the RS and ST ranges are also crazy and give more light than you'll need. I have all three ranges on the front of mine and can be seen from the space station  |
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20th Apr 2017 1:46am |
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| nosnibod Member Since: 15 Aug 2007 Location: West Midlands Posts: 370
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Although I noticed the 'less light' areas in the beam pattern of the EVO IIs and the Noldens, it didn't bother me much and I certainly didn't think of it as a problem.
However I was spoilt on my old Defender because I had a couple of cheap chinese 55W HID driving lamps on the front, which were very bright and supplemented the EVO IIs I had on that Defender. On the new Defender I spent ages looking at the options and in the end selected the Lazer Triple-R 750s Elite2 because they are E11 certified and so completely road-legal, whist at the same time being brighter the the ST-4s or the RS-4s. An alternative would have been the Competition version of the Triple-R 750s in E-mark compliant mode but the Elite2 was brighter. The downside of the Triple-R 750s is that they are physically larger than the ST-4s or RS-4s and so far no-one makes a bumper that can contain the Triple-Rs. So I just mounted them on top of the bumper, under the headlights. As luck would have it they fit there really well, like the space was made for them. The Lazer-supplied loom was also exactly the right length for a Defender as well, like it was made for the vehicle. The Triple-Rs can have filters fitted to turn them from 'spot' beams to a wider beam, however the spread of light in standard mode is very good indeed and not the narrow pencil beam Lazers diagrams infer. It's much more of a driving light and ideal for my purposes. Overall, I'm delighted with the setup - it's the best lighting I've had on any vehicle and completely road-legal and reasonably discreet. Dave Green Goddess - 1998 Defender 110 300tdi |
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20th Apr 2017 9:45am |
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| Naks Member Since: 27 Jan 2009 Location: Stellenbosch, ZA Posts: 2669  
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my TruckLites also have a dark spot in the middle, but it's way worse than the Noldens --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged
Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9 Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ |
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20th Apr 2017 10:48am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Naks, are yours the still fairly recent Truck Lite Gen2 or the original version?
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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20th Apr 2017 10:54am |
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| Naks Member Since: 27 Jan 2009 Location: Stellenbosch, ZA Posts: 2669
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Err, I bought them in June 2014, so probably the original version?
this is what I got: http://www.levineautoparts.com/trucklite-2...p-led.html -- 2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged
Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9 Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ |
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20th Apr 2017 10:58am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Correct, the gen2 appeared only mid 2015.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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20th Apr 2017 4:14pm |
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