when will led lamps go mainstream for auto's

[jinman]

The efficiency of an LED on the use side is only part of the equation. What's the energy use to produce LEDs and CFLs? I don't know the answer to this, but as more CFLs get used we have special requirements for disposal. There is just more to the equation than the amount of electricity they use while lighting our homes and cars. I don't know the answer, but in a bet my money would be on much higher cost for production of CFLs and LEDs as well as more energy required in the manufacturing process.:confused3:

 

[houstonscott]

Ok.. we know LED lamps save power vs incandescent jobs.

we also know that with the exception of actual headlamps.. that LED's are fine, day or night for just about any other illumination needed on an auto.

IE.. marker lamps, turn signals and brake lamps, even 'parking' / daytime running lamps should be fine for hi brite leds.

the power savings having all car interior and exterior illumnination, with the exception, for now, of headlamps being LEd's would = lower electrical demand.. thus better fuel economy.

dome and map lamps could even be led..e tc.

soundguy

LED lamps are already old news on the latest most modern vehicles which are now using lasers already to replace LED's. Check out a new BMW 7 series, its always whats to come in American cars in 10-15 years.

HS

 

[BobRip]

The efficiency of an LED on the use side is only part of the equation. What's the energy use to produce LEDs and CFLs? I don't know the answer to this, but as more CFLs get used we have special requirements for disposal. There is just more to the equation than the amount of electricity they use while lighting our homes and cars. I don't know the answer, but in a bet my money would be on much higher cost for production of CFLs and LEDs as well as more energy required in the manufacturing process.:confused3:

The energy cost is reflected into the purchase price. The trouble with incandescent bulbs is that most purchasers see that first cost of purchase and the cost of operation is hidden in an all encompassing electric bill. Also much of the cost of the electricity is hidden in taxes since the cost of energy wars is not passed to electricity. Using CFL bulbs is right now the most cost effective way of saving energy. It is much cheaper than building more power plants.

 

[tallyho8]

I would like to see a true cost comparison showing how much energy it takes to make an incandescent bulb and how much it takes to make a CFL bulb.

If it takes 10 times as much energy to produce the CFL we certainly aren't saving anything.

 

[BobRip]

I would like to see a true cost comparison showing how much energy it takes to make an incandescent bulb and how much it takes to make a CFL bulb.

If it takes 10 times as much energy to produce the CFL we certainly aren't saving anything.

This is called life cycle cost. In a free unmanipulated economy where all cost (including environmental, loss of future use, etc,) of what you pay for the item over the life would be the way to decide. Since there is no way to know this you just figure what you pay over the life of the items. By the way since the cfl last 4 times as long as the incandescent and operates at 1/3 of the power it may make sense anyway. GE guarantees their bulbs for 5 years at 4 hours per day. That is 7300 hours.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Why we all don't use LED's for everything I don't know. I just purchased a 60 W Led outdoor area light that puts out as much light as a 1000 W area light.

I bought one as a sample and am sure to but a dozen more.

This thing is only using 60 watts instead of 1000 watts and giving the same amount of light.

Furthermore you can lay your hand on the light whereas on the 1000 watt typical area light you can cook a hot dog. Now I can burn it all night long and not worry about the power bill.

I switched out all the bulbs in my RV to led ans the same thing, they were brighter and cool to the touch. In RV's some have caught fire because the bulb was left on and those plastic covers melted.

 

[Scooby074]

LED in autos is already here. When will they be mainstream? Id say they already are.. As old models are replaced, the new design has many more LED than the previous model. Its just a matter of time before old models phased out.

It started with the 3rd brake light, now lots of newer cars have LED rears. Audi and Mercedes have really ran with LEDs for DRL's and driving lights.

LED headlights are coming, but its going to be a couple years until LED headlights will be worked into a compact enough housing to replace HID's.

There are LED headlights now available that have the equivalent output to a Halogen headlight however.

The ICON 4wd's are coming from the factory with LED headlights. And i believe the military is buying them as well. Trucklite is the manufacturer. These LED headlights are DOT approved. 3/23/2009 - World’s First 7” Round LED Headlamp Shows Bright Possibilities for Commercial Applications

 

[grsthegreat]

Why we all don't use LED's for everything I don't know. I just purchased a 60 W Led outdoor area light that puts out as much light as a 1000 W area light.

I bought one as a sample and am sure to but a dozen more.

This thing is only using 60 watts instead of 1000 watts and giving the same amount of light.

Furthermore you can lay your hand on the light whereas on the 1000 watt typical area light you can cook a hot dog. Now I can burn it all night long and not worry about the power bill.

I switched out all the bulbs in my RV to led ans the same thing, they were brighter and cool to the touch. In RV's some have caught fire because the bulb was left on and those plastic covers melted.

what is the manufacture of that light. I asked at my wholesale house fo an LED to replace 400 watt and 1000 watt metal halide lights and they checked with their manufacturers and I was told that there isnt anything close available... yet.

id like to know what your using... any pics??

i have seen led's equic to 250 watt metal halides is all.

 

[doelake]

While I agree with most comments and sympathies towards energy efficiencies, all factors should be considered....LED technology has many benefits and some hard to deal with drawbacks. In northern climates, the incandescent lights would often maintain visibility melting snow by heat transfer. Leds cannot do that, imagine traffic on snowy roads with the lights dimmed or obscured because they are snow covered... the costs in accidents or fatalities far outweighs the cost benefit. In Canada, our government has mandated a ban on household incandescent production in favour of alternative lighting, LED or compact flourescent by 2014... the problem is the high purchase price of each with the knowledge that compact flourescents carry small amounts of mercury rendering them hazardous waste and the reality that they do not, in fact, last nearly as long as the manufacturers predict....factors such as base up or down, inside or outside, affect the claim of longevity vs. cost. LEDs are very expensive to purchase and if anyone has experienced the frustration of christmas lights, they don't last any longer than conventional, and you have to throw the whole works out.

Merry Christmas!!!

 

[BobRip]

I think head lights would need a heater that would come on when it was cold or have a snow sensor.

The mercury in florescents is blown out of proportion. Get rid of your old mercury thermometers first. They have 100 times the mercury of a light.