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MG TD TF 1500 - LED Headlights

OK, I got sidetracked. I've been working on LED taillights and sidelamps for the MG, but my bike was having electrical problems. Turned out the HID headlamp system I'd installed wasn't working out well. My bike which runs on biodiesel, has a tiny alternator which doesn't put out enough power for a regular headlamp so I'd installed a HID system which used less power at 35W; but it was still causing constant problems.

I took out the HID system and wondered if I could rig up a high power LED much like the ones I'd used for the tail lamps.

So, using 3 Luxeon 3-up LEDs neutral white LEDs (5000k range) and powering them with larger 700ma drivers which give over 600 lumen per LED, I built a light that fits inside a standard H4 7" round headlamp assy which fits on my bike without alteration - and which should fit, without much alternation, into a standard MG headlamp housing, too.

The 3 LEDs generate (on high, with all 3 functioning) 1800 lumen - nearly twice that of the average H4 headlamp. On low, they generate about 33% more light than the halogen. On low, two 3-up LEDs are firing and the third one comes on for hi beams.

They use around 18W on low and 27W on high.

They consist of 3 LEDs epoxied onto a quarter-inch thick aluminum heatsink, which is mounted via a 1/4 bolt onto a H4 lamp base. The LED wires pass through holes drilled through the bulb base and wire up via bullet connectors to the bike wiring.

So far they work perfectly, and have solved all my electric problems... at anything over low idle, the bike is now able to maintain charge to the battery with 13+v, with lights fully on, something not possible with any other lights I'd worked with.

I'm considering building some for the MG, which would - once again - lower the total drain on the electrical system, increase lighting and safety, and last many times longer than a standard bulb.

If anyone's interested, I'll post some pictures.

And yes - I'm still working on the MG round lamps... I've just got materials in to supply my first order.

Geoff Baker

Geoff,

Thanks for your additional efforts and reporting. One question not yet addressed is what constitutes "street legal." For tail lights it may only be a question of brightness. For headlights I suspect there's more. Field of vision (left to right), elevation, and brightness are likely all regulated. Perhaps there is more. This is important to consider to make sure any development work can pass motor vehicle inspection and insurance requirements.

Does anyone have any familiarity with these requirements?

Larry
Larry Shoer

Yep

Here is the Federal regulation section that covers various accessories, including lighting.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_01/49cfr571_01.html
Bruce Cunha (1950 TD 4139)

Very true, Larry. I make no claim that what I'm doing is "street legal". In fact, I believe most HID systems which are currently in millions of cars are not DOT legal; so my LEDs certainly aren't.

I'm not making any claims for them (apart from being a fun project and making a brighter lamp) nor do I intend to sell them as there is no way I could set up to satisfy DOT regulations.

All I will say is that I'm installing LED lamps into DOT legal headlamp shells, which are designed to reflect light and concentrate it according to DOT specs.

The LED lamps by necessity are somewhat different than either halogen or HID lamps and spread their light differently. Their lambertian pattern in fact reflects more light directly forward than either a HID or a halogen, but the shell I am using includes a reflective disc in the center that offsets the forward spread of the lights.
I'll report more when I get around to installing them in the MG.



Geoff Baker

Here is a link to DOT approved 7" round LED Headlight.
http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=64057&langId=-1

jim

p.s. copy the above in to the address bar of your browers or look up 7" LED Headlight in Google.
JP Jim

This thread was discussed between 16/06/2010 and 17/06/2010

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