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LED Headlight too bright


Richard10002

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A while ago I replaced my headlight with one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/54W-Spot-LED-Flood-Beam-Work-Lights-ATV-Offroad-Driving-Bar-Jeep-Truck-Car-VAT/222730168065?epid=2115703069&hash=item33dbc0a701:g:YEYAAOSwzXxaFpVA

It has 18 LED bulbs and lights the canal like it's daylight, so quite amazing.

However, when moving from mooring to club, where there are other boaters around, and pedestrians and cyclists on the towpath, it is blinding for them. I didn't realise this until a couple of days ago when a boater commented on it, and tonight when I had a look myself.

So It's either got to go to be replaced with something not blinding for oncomers, or I'm wondering whether I could get something to shade it, or to stick over it to dim it.

Any suggestions for a replacement, or a stick on dimmer, welcomed. I like the idea of LED, although it is rarely on without the engine running, so not a deal breaker.

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56 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

A while ago I replaced my headlight with one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/54W-Spot-LED-Flood-Beam-Work-Lights-ATV-Offroad-Driving-Bar-Jeep-Truck-Car-VAT/222730168065?epid=2115703069&hash=item33dbc0a701:g:YEYAAOSwzXxaFpVA

It has 18 LED bulbs and lights the canal like it's daylight, so quite amazing.

However, when moving from mooring to club, where there are other boaters around, and pedestrians and cyclists on the towpath, it is blinding for them. I didn't realise this until a couple of days ago when a boater commented on it, and tonight when I had a look myself.

So It's either got to go to be replaced with something not blinding for oncomers, or I'm wondering whether I could get something to shade it, or to stick over it to dim it.

Any suggestions for a replacement, or a stick on dimmer, welcomed. I like the idea of LED, although it is rarely on without the engine running, so not a deal breaker.

A 54 Watt led Is the equivalent of a 500 Watt incandescent light bulb. A car headlight bulb is about  65Watts.  I thought my tunnel light was too bright and found it had a 100 watt bulb, changed it to 50 watts and is fine now.  You need to get rid of your led asap in my opinion.

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I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that the disadvantages of led 'tunnel' lights are being recognised by a user of one. I quite understand why they are attractive as it sounds like a great idea to be able to really light up the tunnel ahead with such a powerful lamp - until you meet one coming the other way!

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I was given a 40x3W LED lamp unit that was broken. When working this could blister paint a mile away! It was free, so I cut it down to just six LED's and made a tunnel lamp for Standedge. Worked very well, but I only use it for one way working tunnels. If there is a risk of dazzling someone else, then I fit the old unfocussed 55W halgen bulb lamp. More than adequate. The old working boats just had a smokey oil lamp with only the most modern ones given an electric lamp. These would have been similar to the dim car headlights of the time. You only need to see the shape of the tunnel to keep the boat centred.

Jen

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10 hours ago, MJG said:

Tilt it down? But given the intended use I would say bin it and buy a bog std. Fog light.

Fully agree that's what I did.

The light from a led spotlight is blinding for oncoming boats, as you already know, and even when tilted down can still be a nuisance. 

In terms of energy saving there is no practical  benefit in switching to an led for a tunnel lamp as it will only be used when the engine is running. 

I do have a smaller led spot light mounted near the rear doors which can be used in an emergency. 

 

Edited by reg
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6 minutes ago, BWM said:

These appear to be Chinese security lights being offered for sale as something they are not, awful to encounter when boating. 

I doubt it given the operating voltage (9-32V). They are as per the description I would say i.e. for use off roading - on road use would be illegal I would think due to the dazzle caused, but yes not something you would want to encounter coming the other way in a tunnel.

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11 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

 

So It's either got to go to be replaced with something not blinding for oncomers.............

Any suggestions for a replacement.....................

I agree with everything everyone has said about this not being fit for purpose. I've done a bit of a google for fog lights, and had a look at Midland Chandlers Headlamp section, but am wary of buying something that wont be right. (If Midland Chandlers have something, it can usually be bought for much less elsewhere).

Has anybody got a link to something that they use, or have experience of, that does a good job?

Many Thanks.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I was given a 40x3W LED lamp unit that was broken. When working this could blister paint a mile away! It was free, so I cut it down to just six LED's and made a tunnel lamp for Standedge. Worked very well, but I only use it for one way working tunnels. If there is a risk of dazzling someone else, then I fit the old unfocussed 55W halgen bulb lamp. More than adequate. The old working boats just had a smokey oil lamp with only the most modern ones given an electric lamp. These would have been similar to the dim car headlights of the time. You only need to see the shape of the tunnel to keep the boat centred.

Jen

Some of them just used a candle!

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7 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

Has anybody got a link to something that they use, or have experience of, that does a good job?

I bought a pair of these. Fitted one and kept the other as a spare. 

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-NEW-Ring-RL023-Rectangular-Fog-Lights/260578257691?epid=1788255070&hash=item3cabacab1b:m:mcsv9wJ9XsMrn5V8K2dOclA

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21 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

I agree with everything everyone has said about this not being fit for purpose. I've done a bit of a google for fog lights, and had a look at Midland Chandlers Headlamp section, but am wary of buying something that wont be right. (If Midland Chandlers have something, it can usually be bought for much less elsewhere).

Has anybody got a link to something that they use, or have experience of, that does a good job?

Many Thanks.

 

 

I bought my replacement at Midland but in store. They just split a pair for me and charged me half. Make sure you get an actual fog light though rather than a rectangular spot/driving light. The flat beam pattern of a proper rectangular fog light is better in tunnels.

 

ed . mine were the same make as WotEver's above but I paid more in Midland Chandlers (as expected!) 

Edited by MJG
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14 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Many thanks.... ordered with delivery expected Tuesday/Wednesday. Should be fitted by next weekend!

Tempted to fit both.... any reasons for or against?

Any suggestions for the redundant 5000 lumen spotlight.... I'm thinking the skip, but it might have a use?

11 minutes ago, monkeyhanger said:

Don't tilt it down, because the reflection off the water is also dazzling. Tilt it upwards to illuminate the tunnel "roof".

I've already tilted it as far down as it goes, such that the spot is about 8ft in front of the boat... the dazzle from the light itself is still blinding, never mind anything reflected. It would be a great light if you could be sure nothing would be coming the other way, or if it it had a dip/main beam facility, with 2 different sets of bulbs.

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2 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

Many thanks.... ordered with delivery expected Tuesday/Wednesday. Should be fitted by next weekend!

Tempted to fit both.... any reasons for or against?

Any suggestions for the redundant 5000 lumen spotlight.... I'm thinking the skip, but it might have a use?

Could fit both, but no point. I find it a bit confusing initially seeing two lights coming at me in a canal tunnel as it's unexpected. Back on ebay with the other lamp and redundant boat vaporiser?

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I use a 9 led light at the back (positioned so the cratch blocks it from blinding oncoming boaters) and the more normal dim halogen at the front.

in a tunnel with nothing approaching me it's a pleasant experience having good illumination along the length of the boat.

as soon as I am aware of anything coming towards me the led lamp goes off.

never had any comments or complaints for oncoming boaters so I must be judging it right for when to kill the lamp

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9 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Could fit both, but no point. I find it a bit confusing initially seeing two lights coming at me in a canal tunnel as it's unexpected. Back on ebay with the other lamp 

Or stick the other one in 'for sale' on here where you are more likely to get it seen by another boater??

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1 minute ago, WotEver said:

I think Jen meant the ‘blinder’ when saying ‘the other one’. 

Not how I read it.

But then neither is it that important and the suggestion to sell the spare one on here would still stand anyway. Or do as you have done and keep it as a spare in case you strike it on something like a protruding lock gate walkway (which of course will never happen if you have a spare one!)

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We converted our headlight LED .  After a bit of experimentation we settled on  12 LEDs, at two watts each, wired up as four groups of three, each group driven in series by a separate 12 Volt driver module. So the unit as a whole draws 2 Amps at 12 volts. This arrangement was pretty well the power of when it contained a Tungsten bulb.

Tim

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17 hours ago, Flyboy said:

A 54 Watt led Is the equivalent of a 500 Watt incandescent light bulb. A car headlight bulb is about  65Watts.  I thought my tunnel light was too bright and found it had a 100 watt bulb, changed it to 50 watts and is fine now.  You need to get rid of your led asap in my opinion.

The bulb in our tunnel light was 40watts, and more than bright enough to see with. I never could ubderstand why some boateers wanted to illuminate the entire length of the tunnel, and blind the steerers of oncoming boats in the process.

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