New LED Lights
10-22-2013, 09:23 AM
#11
JK Junkie
Kojack,
I'm planning on using the hella housings, actually. How many driving beams do you have? Of all the things on my Jeep I plan on overdoing, lights are the big one. I'm preparing to do 4-5 overhead lights (spot and flood combo (yes, I know a lot of light will be thrown on the hood)) and when I finish my bumper, I'm going to replace the fogs as well. Should I run a combo of led and hid for adverse weather? I'm in Kentucky, and it tends to rain and snow a decent amount every year. But the nights are very very dark, and it's hard to see deer and coyotes when you're driving, which is why I want so many lights. I understand the laws regarding lights, there really aren't many people on the roads I'm driving, so it won't pose an issue. I think there's one person per square mile where I live or something like that lol
I'm planning on using the hella housings, actually. How many driving beams do you have? Of all the things on my Jeep I plan on overdoing, lights are the big one. I'm preparing to do 4-5 overhead lights (spot and flood combo (yes, I know a lot of light will be thrown on the hood)) and when I finish my bumper, I'm going to replace the fogs as well. Should I run a combo of led and hid for adverse weather? I'm in Kentucky, and it tends to rain and snow a decent amount every year. But the nights are very very dark, and it's hard to see deer and coyotes when you're driving, which is why I want so many lights. I understand the laws regarding lights, there really aren't many people on the roads I'm driving, so it won't pose an issue. I think there's one person per square mile where I live or something like that lol
I have 2 hella 500 driving beams and they LIGHT UP GOOD! 1000m down the road by my visual calculations. I have mine hooked to my high beams. works great. I am not in need of more light in front of me. put it that way. My hellas put loads of light down the road and will kill any led in distance. Led lights up 100-200m down the road at best. If I was spending money on headlights I would not bother with the mess of trying to convert to a HID retrofit, and just put truck lights in. less than 500 bucks a set and plenty bright for headlights.
Last edited by Kojack; 10-22-2013 at 09:25 AM.
10-22-2013, 01:33 PM
#12
JK Enthusiast
If you can afford it definitely look into a full bi-xenon HID retrofit. I purchased a custom set from Tom @ HIDProjectors.com and they're fantastic. I also picked up a set of Inspired Engineering's cube LED fog lights and with those two paired together it gives off an insane amount of usable light on the road. I have some pretty dark roads where I live but now it's like the sun is shining down when I turn on all my lights.... and I'm not even done with my lighting setup yet. 
I have 2 hella 500 driving beams and they LIGHT UP GOOD! 1000m down the road by my visual calculations. I have mine hooked to my high beams. works great. I am not in need of more light in front of me. put it that way. My hellas put loads of light down the road and will kill any led in distance. Led lights up 100-200m down the road at best. If I was spending money on headlights I would not bother with the mess of trying to convert to a HID retrofit, and just put truck lights in. less than 500 bucks a set and plenty bright for headlights.
For some decent yet affordable HID lighting, check out Eagle Eye HIDs. Their old style 35w diving beams put useable light out to 350+ years (that I could see), and costs ~130 a light. Not sure about their new design yet (shallower housing), but I plan on putting a pair of 6" 55w ones on the window, with a pair of 11" 55w LF lights on the bumper (if they'll fit - otherwise I'll use the 7" ones). While I'll have a 10" Rigid SR combo bar... I don't really have any expectations for it, and will likely just tie it straight into the high beams for use when I want more than the headlights, but don't need the HIDs.
10-23-2013, 01:05 AM
#13
JK Junkie
Had those. Not bad, and better than stock. But let me put it this way... I'm now running Trucklites.
I've avoided LEDs for years. Both for headlights and aux lighting. I still stand by using HIDs for aux lighting. It throws better (for distance), and still provides a very usable light for up close (a driving beam will light up both sides of the trail, yet also throw light farther than an LED). For headlights, I've used Hella H4s (which I only replaced after cracking both lens when wheeling - hot glass and cold mud do not mix), then Toms HIDs, wasn't happy with those, so I went to a pair of Cibies with 55w HIDs. Those were alright. Cracked the lens on those (again mud and hot glass), so replaced them with a pair of Hellas. Those lasted 6 weeks before I put the TLs in. I wasn't completely convinced, so I took my buddies jeep out for a drive one night (he has the TLs). I ordered my TLs the next day. I know I could have lived with the Hellas and 55w HIDs in them... but with the amount of night driving I do up here (and that our winters are dark for 6-7 months), I'm very anal about my lighting.
For some decent yet affordable HID lighting, check out Eagle Eye HIDs. Their old style 35w diving beams put useable light out to 350+ years (that I could see), and costs ~130 a light. Not sure about their new design yet (shallower housing), but I plan on putting a pair of 6" 55w ones on the window, with a pair of 11" 55w LF lights on the bumper (if they'll fit - otherwise I'll use the 7" ones). While I'll have a 10" Rigid SR combo bar... I don't really have any expectations for it, and will likely just tie it straight into the high beams for use when I want more than the headlights, but don't need the HIDs.
I've avoided LEDs for years. Both for headlights and aux lighting. I still stand by using HIDs for aux lighting. It throws better (for distance), and still provides a very usable light for up close (a driving beam will light up both sides of the trail, yet also throw light farther than an LED). For headlights, I've used Hella H4s (which I only replaced after cracking both lens when wheeling - hot glass and cold mud do not mix), then Toms HIDs, wasn't happy with those, so I went to a pair of Cibies with 55w HIDs. Those were alright. Cracked the lens on those (again mud and hot glass), so replaced them with a pair of Hellas. Those lasted 6 weeks before I put the TLs in. I wasn't completely convinced, so I took my buddies jeep out for a drive one night (he has the TLs). I ordered my TLs the next day. I know I could have lived with the Hellas and 55w HIDs in them... but with the amount of night driving I do up here (and that our winters are dark for 6-7 months), I'm very anal about my lighting.
For some decent yet affordable HID lighting, check out Eagle Eye HIDs. Their old style 35w diving beams put useable light out to 350+ years (that I could see), and costs ~130 a light. Not sure about their new design yet (shallower housing), but I plan on putting a pair of 6" 55w ones on the window, with a pair of 11" 55w LF lights on the bumper (if they'll fit - otherwise I'll use the 7" ones). While I'll have a 10" Rigid SR combo bar... I don't really have any expectations for it, and will likely just tie it straight into the high beams for use when I want more than the headlights, but don't need the HIDs.
10-23-2013, 05:13 AM
#14
JK Freak
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So, are HID's ever a problem in the snow? If they're gonna crack in mud and water, why wouldn't they crack if rain or snow hit them? Just the volume of water?
10-23-2013, 08:42 AM
#15
JK Enthusiast
It was my headlights that cracked in the deeper mud holes. I live in the Yukon, where its winter for 6 months (almost always below zero). In fact just received our first snowfall of the year today (in town), and it's late this year. I've run HIDs (both with glass and plastic lens) lots of times in the winter (I've had a set of one kind or another every year for the last 5 yrs) - including -40F and heavy snow falls with no issues. Although HIDs in heavy snow sucks. Blinds me as much as it helps. But I had shitty headlights at the time, so I didn't have a lot of options.
10-23-2013, 08:55 AM
#16
JK Freak
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Man, that's crazy. It's snowing today in Kentucky, and that's abnormal. What about the HID's makes them so bad in the snow? Is it better to run a combination of lights?
10-23-2013, 10:51 AM
#17
JK Freak
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Hey Kojack, do you have a link to that $64 55w HID kit you are referring to here? I'd like to check them out.
10-23-2013, 11:29 AM
#18
DDM Tuning 35W and 55W HID Kits
10-23-2013, 01:45 PM
#19
JK Enthusiast
It's not just HIDs. Run any aux light when it's snowing. They will all reflect off the snow, and back at the driver. HIDs because they're so damn bright just reflect back more than a crappy halogen light would. The heavier it's snowing, the worse it is. I'm guessing that a LED light will do the same.
Your highbeams will do this as well. And it's not only snow. Heavy rain, or fog and it'll do the same (to an extent).
Usually I find that even with it reflecting off the snow, I still see more around me and down the road than I would with them off... so I use them. There's really no way around it. A light that you can put a filter on (or a yellow/blue cover) helps a tiny bit... but it's just the nature of light and snow.
When I say it's reflecting off of snow, I mean specifically when it's snowing. A light snowfall isn't a big deal, but anything heavier and you'll notice it.
Last edited by Septu; 10-23-2013 at 01:49 PM.
10-23-2013, 05:12 PM
#20
JK Junkie
EDIT: got em. vvme.com. 36 bucks plus shipping...I have about 30 kits in use now in various vehicles. work great! remember get 4300K.