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Old 11-16-2017, 11:40 AM   #1
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1982 31' Airstream 310
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Led headlamps

Has anyone found and installed plug n play LED headlamps on their Classic. It looks like there are several options on Amazon but I've not read of anyone here making that switch.

https://www.amazon.com/Headlights-Re...X001V2SY8X9FKJ

Do we have the standard H4 connector on our P30s? Any wisdom out there before I give these a try? The shallowest ones Ive found are 3" deep. These look like plug and play headlamps, no conversion kit. What's the skinny on these as far as you know? Thanks for any information.

Mike
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Old 11-16-2017, 03:23 PM   #2
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I bought a couple of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They fit and plugged in fine, but just flickered rapidly when I turned them on. Will be giving them and maybe some relays another try when I am where the coach is next week.
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Old 11-16-2017, 03:33 PM   #3
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One gets what one pays for. At the least they should be DOT/FHMVSS rated.

JW Speaker would be my choice. A Mil-Spec supplier with a great reputation in R & D. Their offerings stand up to oilfield use.

Otherwise I'd do what I did for more than twenty years. Hella E-Code housings and Phillips lamps with a relay-driven harness (dash control switches relay). Daniel Stern lighting for info and diagrams. I used ANCOR wiring and terminations exclusively.
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Old 11-16-2017, 10:38 PM   #4
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I’ve been looking at this too.

Search on YouTube for 4 x 6 headlamps. I watched a bunch of videos on whats hot and not, but as the market is moving so rapidly I’m not sure when the videos were made. JW speaker got amazing scores but were beyond my budget at the moment.

The primary concern is to remove the electrical load from the headlamp switch, and incorporate relays to provide most of the power. This is important. Voltage drops and headlamp switch heating and resistance is a big issue.
Remember, and understand that the headlamp setup on our Airstream Motorhomes is the same as a late 80s early 90s C or K pickup, Blazer, and Suburban with 4 headlamps. There are numerous kits to add relays to these common vehicles.

I like the idea of LED headlamps, but might go with 55w HID projector headlamps. I have seen the difference between a 55w Halogen projector and a 35w HID, and it was literally night and day. The 55w units are even better.
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Old 11-16-2017, 10:42 PM   #5
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This group of videos.
https://youtu.be/mgeiVscCGHc
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Old 11-17-2017, 04:39 AM   #6
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Thanks Steve. I was a bit confused because I don't think I'd ever seen these type of LED headlights. Ive seen the systems using relays but not the plug and play without relays. Since they are LEDS, I was thinking the amp draw would be greatly reduced compared to the stock lamps.
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Old 11-17-2017, 07:37 AM   #7
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In my electrical book, Tony Candela very cleverly describes a bulb as nothing more that a “short circuit in a vacuum”. I thought that was so true.

There are lots of 4x6 headlamps out there, from simple Halogen upgrades to full on LED units.
It is my understanding that hid units use less power than halogen, and led much less, but I don’t remember the figures.
Having had my headlamp casting out and apart, one concern would be clearance for some of those led units as they have a big cast heat sink on the back. I am reading in reviews that people either couldn’t fit them or had to modify the retainers or mountings on pickups etc.
A HID units is basically a replacement bulb setup that goes inside a non sealed beam 4x6 headlamp unit. There are lots of styles of 4x6 headlamp units with replaceable bulbs. Normal reflector thru projector style. I like the look of the units that have a halo or ring of led lights too. I am thinking a pair with Amber leds and a pair with white, and use them as Daytime running lights and direction indicators.
These HIDs have a ballast as part of the setup, and this is remote to the bulb, allowing you to mount this somewhere close. Some of these units come with separate power wires and relays, and so replicate a relay setup that I described earlier.
My son just converted his Mercedes E350 from stock H7 halogen to 55w HID bulbs, he described the conversion as easy, and stunning change in visibility. I will be doing the same conversion on my Girlfreids ML320 soon. The conversion kit was under $100, for the bulbbalast and a CANBUS adaptor, so they don’t trigger a lamp out warning.
He said to stay away from color temperatures higher than 6000k, as they shift to blue and purple, and are not perceived by our eyes as well, and therefore not usable light as well as probably being illegal.
More later when I’m properly awake, and in front of my computer!
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Old 11-17-2017, 07:44 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keyair View Post
He said to stay away from color temperatures higher than 6000k, as they shift to blue and purple, and are not perceived by our eyes as well, and therefore not usable light as well as probably being illegal.
More later when I’m properly awake, and in front of my computer!
I see way too many 'blue" headlights here in NY and they are beyond annoying!
When your eyes get old they start to develop cataracts in the outer edges and the blue glare makes it hard to see anything else in front of you.
Wish they would ban them!
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Old 11-17-2017, 08:49 AM   #9
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Agreed Wayne and they are not DOT approved so therefore illegal.
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Old 11-17-2017, 09:03 AM   #10
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Question Well......

......I prefer to be 'illegal' and able to see>>> than legal & NOT

Been using these for 3yrs now.......Hi & low plus all exterior lamps and HID fog lamps.

Keep 'em adjusted and use your Hi-beams correctly....never been stopped.

Bob
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Old 11-17-2017, 11:41 AM   #11
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Good Post Robert.
More options is what I like.
Where I grew up(UK), they inspected everything(Annual roadworthiness test or MOT) from your brakes, to your lights and even wiper blades! Anything that was not DOT approved, was a fail, so you couldn't get your tags.

Still need to buy a 4x6 housing with a replaceable bulb to use those LED bulbs.
What are you using?

In my previous post I mentioned the ones with a white or amber LED Halo.
This is the "Type" I was talking about.
Not ready to buy, I am just looking, so done know if these are any good...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6000K-Bi-Xe....c100506.m3226

Or these LED units....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-4x6-He...RZ8DF9&vxp=mtr

This is an example of the other type of LED light, but I personally dont like the way they look...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4X-LED-Head...RYXRh9&vxp=mtr
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Old 11-17-2017, 11:49 AM   #12
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Ooooh, nice description and informational piece on HID light colors....

Their punchline...
Basically, if you want the brightest light possible, get the 4300k or 6000k kit

http://www.hidlightreviews.com/hid-color-chart/
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Old 11-17-2017, 12:19 PM   #13
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Bucket clearance with those LEDs I am looking at is definitely an issue. I tried to find the shallowest dims that I could. I guess I'm attracted to the simplicity of the plug n play LEDs. I don't think I'd ever seen them or paid attention, one or the other. Seems like the tech has changed rapidly over the past couple years. Ive got some ordered and will take a look. Ill report back when I've got them on hand. Ya get what you pay for no doubt, but it's pretty difficult to decifer all the information for me. Overload. Those videos you linked up were good Steve. Thanks. Some good info.
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Old 11-17-2017, 12:30 PM   #14
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Thumbs up

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keyair View Post
Good Post Robert.
More options is what I like.
Where I grew up(UK), they inspected everything(Annual roadworthiness test or MOT) from your brakes, to your lights and even wiper blades! Anything that was not DOT approved, was a fail, so you couldn't get your tags.

Still need to buy a 4x6 housing with a replaceable bulb to use those LED bulbs.
What are you using?

In my previous post I mentioned the ones with a white or amber LED Halo.
This is the "Type" I was talking about.
Not ready to buy, I am just looking, so done know if these are any good...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6000K-Bi-Xe....c100506.m3226

Or these LED units....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-4x6-He...RZ8DF9&vxp=mtr

This is an example of the other type of LED light, but I personally dont like the way they look...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4X-LED-Head...RYXRh9&vxp=mtr

I got all my Suburban LED's from SuperBright....I can vouch for them.

They have pretty much everything covered

Bob
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Old 11-17-2017, 01:54 PM   #15
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No doubt that Superbright is a good place to shop.
I’m just throwing the options out there that I am looking at.
Glad it helps but I too got a little buried in the details. I can’t afford to buy $700 headlamps, even if they are better, but I can justiy under $100 for brighter lights, especially, the kit takes the load/resistance/voltage loss off the headlamp switch too!
Just so happens there is a perfect place to plug the headlamp feed in, right on the bulkhead!
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Old 11-18-2017, 04:57 PM   #16
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Got the lights delivered today. The weather turned to total crap this morning so didn't get to work on them. I did go out and slip one into place to see if it would physically fit into the headlight bucket without any mods. Indeed it did, that was my biggest concern with installation. So that's cool. If the weather lightens up tomorrow I'll try and get one set installed. While I'm at it I'm going to trace down the grounds for each light and clean those up.

Any of you able to point me in the right direction to find where the grounds terminate on the headlights? I think they are usually fairly near the lights, I'll poke around and see what I can find. I'd like to do that first before proceeding with installing the lights.

Mike
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Old 11-18-2017, 05:38 PM   #17
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Sweet!
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Old 11-19-2017, 04:44 PM   #18
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So I installed the low and high beam headlamps on the drivers side today and HOLY CRAP! It was hard to get pics because the low beams were so bright. I didn't even try to take any pics with the high beams on. I guess the pictures speak for themselves, I should have taken some from inside the cab, maybe later. But man, what a difference. The install wasn't bad though it is a tight fit with the connectors on the back. They are DOT approved and stamped.

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This one from across the street up into the neighbors driveway, rig is parked about 40' up in my driveway.
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Wow, from inside the cab it's an unbelievable difference.
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Old 11-19-2017, 05:04 PM   #19
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Wow, Those pictures don't lie!
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Old 11-19-2017, 05:53 PM   #20
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Thumbs up

Don't forget the B/U lights, they were a big improvement on our Burb AND AS.

Bob
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