LED Headlight problem

[okashira]

Tested out some LED headlights from ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111352932312?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

The LED's work fine and seem to put out good light.

 

Installed one to one side..

When I turn on the ignition, it lights for about two seconds, then turns off. The halogen side stays on.

 

I am guessing it is CANBUS problem, related to the current draw:

The car detects lower current then expected, then shuts off the light.

 

Strange thing is there are no errors on the instrument cluster showing bad headlight... Even if I remove the light and drive.

 

What is the best way to fix this without a parallel load resistor, which would defeat the purpose of installing an LED...

[okashira]

I will find a separate ignition switched 12v source if I need to. Not putting in a giant load resistor just to waste energy.

When I get time I will add resistors in parallel to see what it takes to get the computer to cooperate.

[obob]

I am not that great at electrical stuff but could you wire both headlights on the same circuit as one headlight and kind of double the draw.

 

By the way, how many watts are your saving ?

 

When you say it puts out good light, is it better than the standard bulbs ?

 

Since you may still have one of each it would be great chance to test it out.

 

Thanks.

Edited August 23, 2015 by obob

[okashira]

I am not that great at electrical stuff but could you wire both headlights on the same circuit as one headlight and kind of double the draw.

 

By the way, how many watts are your saving ?

 

When you say it puts out good light, is it better than the standard bulbs ?

 

Since you may still have one of each it would be great chance to test it out.

 

Thanks.

Yes that is an excellent idea, and exactly what I thought of last night. I will try two bulbs off one side, leaving the other side unplugged

May not be today, other stuff to do, as I will need to do some cutting stripping and soldering...

[okashira]

went ahead and tried two in parallel on one side. didn't work.

 

With only one LED connected:

1. with DRL on, igniton on, LED flashes for about 0.5 seconds then off

2. with HL on,ignition on, LED flashes for about 2 seconds then off

 

with two in parallel

1. both DRL and HL, LED's flash for about 0.5 seconds then off

 

Very strange

 

If someone has a service manual wiring diagram, any hints as to headlight sensor location ?

[notquitesane]

Do you have any updates on this Okashira?  If possible, could you post a comparison picture with the led bulb on one side and a halogen bulb on the other pointed at a flat wall?  The initial picture I saw you post looked promising.

[okashira]

Do you have any updates on this Okashira?  If possible, could you post a comparison picture with the led bulb on one side and a halogen bulb on the other pointed at a flat wall?  The initial picture I saw you post looked promising.

I will try soon, I have not worked on it, but I received a 25W Rheostat (parallel resistor testing) and another chinese canbus error canceler thing to try this week

Edited September 4, 2015 by okashira

[okashira]

Good news..

First, the ebay canbus thing didnt work.

 

But I tried the rheostat. It's a 50 ohm, so I set it to max first... 50 ohm in parallel.

Worked perfect!!

Going to order some 50 ohm resistors and run with it.

 

MUCH better then the typcial 6ohm people use. Less power, less heat.

 

14.4^2 V^2/50 Ohm = 4.15W

compared to 14.4^2/6 = 35W

 

They worked perfect, came on instantly in DRL mode and in HL on mode. Even dimmed properly in DRL mode.

[Taz]

Great news. I am not only interested in saving some watts but also much better headlights. How well do the new likes work in this respect? What is their color temperature? I am looking for something more around 4500k and not over 5000k if possible.

[okashira]

Great news. I am not only interested in saving some watts but also much better headlights. How well do the new likes work in this respect? What is their color temperature? I am looking for something more around 4500k and not over 5000k if possible.

There are literally hundreds of variations of LED headlights available from china. Look around and you'll find something that fits what you're looking for. I'll take pics of mine after the resistors come in and I have time to wire and mount them properly.

 

I think mine are around 5500K ... they don't fit right because the connector comes out at 90° and interferes with the housing. I had to trim the key tabs and rotate them, and Ill use silicone RTV to hold them in the socket.

Ill be using these resistors:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=280-CR15-50-RCvirtualkey21980000virtualkey280-CR15-50-RC

58 cents each

[Taz]

Thanks for the info. I have been looking around for LEDs and most are 5500k or higher. I really can't believe how crappy the stock lights are. 

[okashira]

Thanks for the info. I have been looking around for LEDs and most are 5500k or higher. I really can't believe how crappy the stock lights are. 

Mine uses two Cree XML-2 LED's per light.

XML-2's are available in all sort of bins with varying light quality (CRI) and color.

It would actually be really trivial to de-solder these and solder on some with the color desired.

 

http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML2.pdf

http://www.mouser.com/Cree-Inc/Optoelectronics/LED-Lighting/LED-Emitters/High-Power-LEDs-White/_/N-8usfj?P=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

 

 

Actually, I think I will have to do this. Something like 4500K would draw less attention. I can also cherry pick the highest binned emitters for best output.

 

Choose your CRI and color here:

http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXMBL.pdf

Edited September 9, 2015 by okashira

[okashira]

Finally found a perfect one: good bin, 4500k, decent CRI (75 min)

 

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=XMLBWT-00-0000-000LT60E4virtualkey57280000virtualkey941-XMLBWT000LT60E4

 

You can get more lumens if you can go to 5000K:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cree-Inc/XMLBWT-00-0000-000LT60E3/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu4Prknbu83yyq8B%2fDa%2fkIg7QCUgzDoJXc%3d

 

They also have 90 CRI and 85 CRI models, which would look real nice.

Edited September 9, 2015 by okashira

[Taz]

Good find. I had stumbled across some nice drop in replacements for the Cmax a few weeks ago but I forgot to bookmark them. They were 4500k and 5000k and good reviews. I hate to do my search over but I may have to as I should have bookmarked them. I am traveling almost every day for work and have no place/time to build anything. I really can't stand the lights any more.