LED headlamps, is this a good product (on Ebay)?

[lucky 1985]

Fit Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 1980-1988 4PCS 4x6" inch LED Headlights Hi-Lo Beam | eBay

THIS SET INCLUDES 2 HIGH BEAM & 2 HIGH / LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THESE HAVE THE ORIGINAL SHAPED PRONGS ON THE BACK SO THEY WILL PLUG RIGHT INTO YOUR ORIGINAL WIRING HARNESS PLUGS. IN RARE CIRCUMSTANCES, WIRING MODIFICATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

www.ebay.com

I've been researching LED headlamps and found most of them are too expensive for my budget.

So I came across these on Ebay and they are comparitively inexpensive. The wording in the ad was a little contadictory (is it all 4 or just 2?) so I messaged the seller, who quickly replied that all four headlights and bulbs are included.

Anybody try these yet? I'd like to get a little objective feedback before I pull the trigger.

Thanks.

 

[UC645]

Imo, I’d pass.

They’ll be as bright as a small star, but the beam pattern will be more like a floodlight than an actual headlight. Halogen bulbs have a much smaller area where they emit light, and the most LED bulbs have well over 10x the area so they throw light all over the housing instead of a small area for focusing.

Those are probably a cheap copy of some other company’s light and the photos of the light pattern look like some handheld flashlight.


I run 2 of these for high beam only since I switched my outboard lights to projectors, but the high beam pattern is really focused:

United Pacific 31388 United Pacific Conversion Headlights | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - United Pacific Conversion Headlights with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Sealed Beam Headlight Conversions at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

If you’re still looking around on eBay, there’s some LED projector lights that are worth the money, they do look a little funky though.

 

[lucky 1985]

Imo, I’d pass.

They’ll be as bright as a small star, but the beam pattern will be more like a floodlight than an actual headlight. Halogen bulbs have a much smaller area where they emit light, and the most LED bulbs have well over 10x the area so they throw light all over the housing instead of a small area for focusing.

Those are probably a cheap copy of some other company’s light and the photos of the light pattern look like some handheld flashlight.


I run 2 of these for high beam only since I switched my outboard lights to projectors, but the high beam pattern is really focused:

United Pacific 31388 United Pacific Conversion Headlights | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - United Pacific Conversion Headlights with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Sealed Beam Headlight Conversions at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

If you’re still looking around on eBay, there’s some LED projector lights that are worth the money, they do look a little funky though.

Thanks for your informed input. I am unclear if you meant the headlights in my link were Halogen, but they are LED. Does this change your answer?

And thanks for the link you provided. United Pacific makes some good parts.

 

[565bbchevy]

Initially I was trying to save money and tried a couple brands of Ebay LED head lights for my 86' Regal.
The first set I tried were bright with basically no beam pattern and while the second set I bought had an OK beam pattern it wasn't as distinct as I would have liked so I ended up spending the money on Holley Retrobright head lights just for my low beams and couldn't be happier, they have a perfect cut off for the beam pattern and are very bright (5700K) and they look very close to factory which was also something I was looking for.

 

[UC645]

Thanks for your informed input. I am unclear if you meant the headlights in my link were Halogen, but they are LED. Does this change your answer?

And thanks for the link you provided. United Pacific makes some good parts.

No my answer is still the same, I’ll try to be clearer. (I tend to get too muddled in technical details)

The LED “chips” on the bulbs used in your eBay link are massive compared to a halogen filament. Reflector type housings are designed around that tiny halogen filament for proper beam focusing. Since LED bulbs have those light emitting “chips” that are on average a 1/4” long, they throw light over 10x the area in length compared to a halogen bulb. The result is more of a floodlight than a tight, focused beam.

A good example is a Maglight with a LED bulb, how many turns you have to put into the cone on the light changes compared to a halogen bulb.


Besides blinding other motorists, the unfocused beam pattern and increased brightness will light up any weather such as fog and rain and that will in turn, blind you.

 

[lucky 1985]

Initially I was trying to save money and tried a couple brands of Ebay LED head lights for my 86' Regal.
The first set I tried were bright with basically no beam pattern and while the second set I bought had an OK beam pattern it wasn't as distinct as I would have liked so I ended up spending the money on Holley Retrobright head lights just for my low beams and couldn't be happier, they have a perfect cut off for the beam pattern and are very bright (5700K) and they look very close to factory which was also something I was looking for.
View attachment 252052

OK, I'll look up the Holley lights later today.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

UC465 is right on the money. If you're open to an H1 or H4 style bulb the good GLASS housings are available on Amazon for about $40 a pair- plastic housings turn yellow, crack, etc.. The wiring will need upgraded to be activated by relay and some high temp vinyl or even ceramic plugs are recommended. They're available on Rock or at AutoZone.

LED lights are excellent for looking at and use less energy while creating less heat. But when used for illumination they're really only good for flood, brake, or signal lights due to the wavelength of light produced. LED headlights can have you seeing vapor in the air even when there's NO fog. You'll see every little dust particle floating by. Every single bug. And while they're super bright, they don't "throw" light worth a damn so things up close are lit too much and stuff 50 feet away isn't lit well enough. So called "projector" LED headlights do have the projector aperture inside but as has been stated the light beam often isn't focused or concentrated at all. Cheap housings do nothing to focus or scatter the light correctly and are dangerous for everyone. It's just my opinion but even good LED headlights aren't suited for headlamps, though they look great in photographs.

It might make a difference where you live, as city lights/ light pollution will definitely affect visibility, but I'd hit a deer a week with LEDs. I missed one by centimeters recently with Silver Star headlights and a skid mark.

 

[565bbchevy]

It's just my opinion but even good LED headlights aren't suited for headlamps, though they look great in photographs.

Even though you seem pretty set in your opinion, when the weather gets nice again I will see if I can make video of the Retrobrights and possibly sway you a little bit towards at least higher end LED headlights. I should have made one right after I took that picture after installing them in the garage and then aiming them but instead I jumped in the Regal and went for a cruise to test them out.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Even though you seem pretty set in your opinion, when the weather gets nice again I will see if I can make video of the Retrobrights and possibly sway you a little bit towards at least higher end LED headlights. I should have made one right after I took that picture after installing them in the garage and then aiming them but instead I jumped in the Regal and went for a cruise to test them out.

That's fair, I appreciate you trying to educate me. I should admit that I've got no firsthand experience with the good stuff so my opinion isn't fully informed.

I've made the mistake of talking and not asking questions: What negatives would you say that the Retrobrights have, if any?

 

[565bbchevy]

What negatives would you say that the Retrobrights have, if any?

So far only the price.