Customizing headlights

[Lefty_Kubota]

just finished mine this evening.. had to borrow the wifes hot glue gun

I'll post up the installed photos tomorrow, after i finish wiring them up

 

[MJPetersen]

I did a google search and here is the first one i came up with an MR16 50 watt 12 volt bulb is 7.50 per 5 pack

Outdoor Lighting, Garden Lighting, Landscape Lighting | Yardbright Landscape Lighting

Yes but what you have in the above link are halogen bulbs and they are NOT low amperage. they put out alot of light and heat and use lots of power--that is not bad when you are running off a transformer in your home, but for your tractor they are not acceptable.

This is more what you are looking for "MR16-W32 White LED bulb GX5.3 base MR16 bulb with 32 Super White LEDs Operates from 3.1~14.2 Volts AC or DC, 128ma current draw @ 12VDC Available with Narrow 15 Degree or Wide 100 Degree Beam Pattern $ 18.95" I found that at this site. Also check out their BA 15 which are replacements for 1156 and 1157 standard automotive bulbs. This is one that I found particularly interesting for our application, " BA15 24-LED bulb 24-LED 12VDC bulb 15mm 1156 Single or 1157 Dual Intensity Bayonet Base Unique Design has 18 LEDs aiming out the end and 6 radially mounted LEDs aiming 90 degrees from the base Select Base and LED type $ 7.49." They even had a replacement that directed the light fore and aft like for turn signals that signal both ways. Interesting browsing through here. Another place specializes in marine applications and have the MR 11s and 16s.

Mike

 

[MJPetersen]

just finished mine this evening.. had to borrow the wifes hot glue gun

I'll post up the installed photos tomorrow, after i finish wiring them up

Lefty, It has been several "tomorrows" and I have not seen the pics. Did it work out alright for you? I really am curious. I received my BA-15 S LEDs and want to put one in today to compare with the MR-11 that I have now.

Mike

 

[MJPetersen]

Frankly, I am a little disappointed in the result of installing the 1156 equivalent (BA 15s for single contact and BA 15d for double). I expected a significant improvement in light output because I am using the reflector and not just the straight bulb power with the BA 15s.

I put one BA 15s in so that I could compare it with the MR 11 that I have installed in the other one. It is really hard to tell the difference from the pics, but the left light is the BA 15 and the right is the MR 11 (from the perspective of the pic not the tractor.) To the eye the MR 11 is a small cluster of lights and nothing is coming from the reflector, the BA 15 has the 3 bulbs on the end and then coming off the reflector in several stripes. That sort of makes sense as the bulb has 3 on the end and 3 each in 5 strips radiating around the bulb. (I wonder if this would work better in a round housing?) The MR 11 appears brighter to the eye, but then it has 30 LEDs pointing straight ahead. The MR 11 is also more yellow in color. These differences do not appear on the pics and I do not know why--maybe if I had a better camera the difference would be visible. It is getting dark now so I am going to see if there is a difference in light output.

Conclusion: It seems that the BA 15 has a bit wider pattern--it shows things off to the side more so than the MR 11, but it is not as much as I would have expected. The BA 15s is not brighter overall therefore, I think that I will stay with the MR 11's for the head lights and look for a round aux light to use with the BA 15s's.

Experimenting.

Mike

 

[Lefty_Kubota]

Lefty, It has been several "tomorrows" and I have not seen the pics. Did it work out alright for you? I really am curious. I received my BA-15 S LEDs and want to put one in today to compare with the MR-11 that I have now.

Mike

i ended up using 12 volt light 20 watt xenon lights i found at home depot.. I did take some photos, and ill post em" i have find where i put em on my computer".. These suckers put off more light then ill ever need.. I tried to install the 50 watt bulbs but they were way too big for my housings

 

[Lefty_Kubota]

here is the bulbs i used

 

[MJPetersen]

i ended up using 12 volt light 20 watt xenon lights i found at home depot..

Those xenon bulbs do put out the light--The only thing that I have heard bad about them is that they have a relatively short life in a vibration environment. Do post some pics of what you did. That way it can show alternative ways to accomplish this objective.

Mike

 

[PILOON]

Those xenon bulbs do put out the light--The only thing that I have heard bad about them is that they have a relatively short life in a vibration environment. Do post some pics of what you did. That way it can show alternative ways to accomplish this objective.

Mike

I have used them to upgrade a rotating yellow beacon light as well as other applications on my snow plow truck.

I found they last a very long time when used in a DC application, probably more so than when operated via 110 conversion.
Also on the truck they operated from -40 to +40 in a vibratory environment.

I believe that their 'killer' is oily fingerprints.

 

[Ductape]

How many amps do they draw? I wouldn't doubt they are much brighter, but i'm wondering how much they tax the charging system / wiring.

 

[Lefty_Kubota]

How many amps do they draw? I wouldn't doubt they are much brighter, but i'm wondering how much they tax the charging system / wiring.

they are ALOT brighter then the 1157 bulbs.. I didn't check the amp draw, but with the lights on my and the tractor running the battery volts were reading 13.8 volts.. so its good to go...