DIY LED headlights - did not work out.

[icsrow]

I'have tried couple of LED headlight set up. They were good but I ran into a problem with using LEDs in the rain.

In the rain, the beam got absorbed and really could not see much. So, I am going back to the stock halogen lights.

 

[SoulEV2016]

 

[Gamercore]

I've never heard of this being a downside to LEDs. Are you sure this is actually a thing? Aren't the LED headlight bulbs actually BRIGHTER? I don't understand how rain would adversely affect them more than regular halogen bulbs?

 

[FLKiaEV]

I wonder if switching to LEDs would even be worth the effort. Do they really use THAT much less power than the stock ones? If it's only going to increase my range by a few percent then I would say it's not really worth it, especially if these other claims are true (not good in the rain, etc).

 

[IanL]

I'd say they will make too little difference to power consumption to notice. Let's say you are driving at an average speed of 50mph and a consumption of 4 miles/kWh. In one hour you will use 50/4 =15 kWh. Lets say your headlamps use 100W, so in an hour 0.1 kWh, and the LEDs can cut that to 20W, so you save 0.08 kWh. The saving in battery energy would be 0.08/15x100= 0.53%.

The thing about the rain could be an effect caused by diffusion characteristics of the tiny beam from each emitter, which might be a feature of a poorly designed bulb, or, more likely, a mismatch between the optical characteristics of the bulb and the lamp housing. If the latter, maybe that would not be the case if the bulb and lamp housing were matched in design by the original manufacturer.

 

[FLKiaEV]

Came across this article recently on LED headlights or, more specifically, LED replacement bulbs for existing headlight enclosures. It seems that the way LED bulbs are aimed (in comparison to halogen bulbs) is part of the problem and why factory LED headlights do so much better:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/150-reminder-led-headlight-bulbs-110030359.html?guccounter=1

 

[Squiter]

I think you bought low quality light bulbs. I also experienced this when changing and modifying my bulbs on my 2021 Kia Soul. You can browse quality light bulb brands on https://modupgrades.com/kia/soul/2021/ or ask your local mechanic for advice, which is also a good idea.