LED head lights

[Brent]

I am considering replacing my old headlights with LEDs. My thinking is they will be much brighter and use less amperage.  Has anyone done this with a positive ground system.  

[Rustbin]

I haven't done it but LEDs only have one direction of flow. I would think you would have to run a separate circuit off the battery with a fuse and relay including isolating the switch (which I imagine it is a separate unit on the dash). That may lead to needing LEDs for the brake running lights as well. Now I'm wondering how hard it would be to convert it to positive ground, it may be already covered on a British car site? Good luck, I hope you can make it work.

[datzenmike]

Just switch the LEDs wiring.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Are LEDs actually brighter? Not in my experience. Yes, aftermarket LED off road lights are intensely bright, but the ones you see that fit into a stock headlight bucket are almost never made by the same companies that make the super bright off road lights. They are all brand names I've never heard of.

 

Also, I can't get past the looks of a cheap round LED. To many things drawing attention. Nothing classy about that.

 

Now there is a worthwhile upgrade if you want to do a bit of wiring. Convert to H4 halogen bulbs. H4s are not brighter than regular old halogens, but Hella and other brands make bulbs that fit into the H4 reflectors that run up to 150-180 watts. I would stick to around 80-100 watts for the street so you don't get shot at.

 

And on top of this, there is a blowout on Toyota H4 Koito conversions right now. The set normally sells for around $200 (2 lights, 2 bulbs, a complete plug and play wiring kit with 2 relays and 2 fuses, all factory Toyota), but I just bought 11 sets of them at $17 each. Yes, that's 17 dollars a set. Google around and you'll find them.

 

EDIT -  I need to buy more sets before they are gone...

Edited Thursday at 03:36 PM by Stoffregen Motorsports

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

You know what? I totally forgot about the new Holley Retro-brite LED. They are really nice looking.

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-lfrb135

[Dguy210]

5 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Are LEDs actually brighter? Not in my experience. Yes, aftermarket LED off road lights are intensely bright, but the ones you see that fit into a stock headlight bucket are almost never made by the same companies that make the super bright off road lights. They are all brand names I've never heard of.

 

Also, I can't get past the looks of a cheap round LED. To many things drawing attention. Nothing classy about that.

 

Now there is a worthwhile upgrade if you want to do a bit of wiring. Convert to H4 halogen bulbs. H4s are not brighter than regular old halogens, but Hella and other brands make bulbs that fit into the H4 reflectors that run up to 150-180 watts. I would stick to around 80-100 watts for the street so you don't get shot at.

 

And on top of this, there is a blowout on Toyota H4 Koito conversions right now. The set normally sells for around $200 (2 lights, 2 bulbs, a complete plug and play wiring kit with 2 relays and 2 fuses, all factory Toyota), but I just bought 11 sets of them at $17 each. Yes, that's 17 dollars a set. Google around and you'll find them.

 

EDIT -  I need to buy more sets before they are gone...

 

I did the swap back in 2012 to H4s. The Hella bulbs are damn good too and inexpensive. I bought the 100/80s and the 130/90s in 2012. The 100/80s are quite bright enough and still going strong 12 years later.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COBLKW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VUB4CW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Rustbin]

I think Halogens should work with a positive ground but their amperage would probably require a relay, assuming you still have the stock setup. There are new LEDs that are brighter but any way you go I would recommend upgrading the wiring.