Sponsored

LED headlights in winter?

YOW_JLU

New Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Location
Ottawa
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLU Punk N
So the DP6 put off a lot of heat even though they are LED? I am going to add lights to my bumper bar . I actually have a set of PIAA someone gave me, but they are LED and I wanted halogen for heat, as a backup to my LED headlights.

About to do the same, but looking to go yellow/amber.

Had OEM LED’s installed last week on my JLU. Light is awesome, but under normal conditions and suspect the 5000K “crisp white” range will wreak havoc in snow or heavy fog, especially at night.

Still have the stock halogen fog bulbs. Anyone got recommendations for 2500K halogen fog bulbs using stock housings and wiring?
Sponsored

 

Mad Hatter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2018
Threads
11
Messages
295
Reaction score
290
Location
SW PA
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR, 2011 MDX Advance
LED's do produce heat. A 1000-lumen LED flashlight will get very hot on its highest setting. Some higher-performance LED flashlights run on turbo/highest setting for only a few minutes before ramping down to a lower output--due to heat. The LED emitters in the JL LED headlights are obviously high-output LED's. If there is little heat on the front lens of the JL Wrangler, it is because the lamp emitters are well heat-sinked and isolated from the front lens.

As noted, the inset design of JL headlights doesn't help, especially if the snow buildup is creating a wall across the inset, igloo-style.

I would hesitate to put solvent-containing WD-40 on the plastic lens. (I think it's plastic, anybody broken one yet?) I just went out o my garage looking for my large can of WD-40 to look at the ingredients and warnings, but of course I couldn't find it. (The only thing harder to find than WD-40 when you need it is the little red straw that never seems to stay in the nozzle.)

I wonder if Rain-X would help with snow buildup on the headlight lens. Rain-X is apparently silicone-based, so maybe it's just a trade name for the generic silicone spray mentioned above, but at least Rain-X is designed for application to automobiles. Pump spray would be preferable to aerosol spray, due to aerosol propellants often being a hydrocarbon that might have a solvent effect. Putting Rain-X windshield cleaner in a spray bottle might be an easy solution (no pun intended). I use low-temp Rain-X windshield cleaner year-round, I'll have to try it, practice what I preach... :)

Good thread, with the change of seasons and ol' man Winter headed our various ways.
 

YOW_JLU

New Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Location
Ottawa
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLU Punk N
LED's do produce heat. A 1000-lumen LED flashlight will get very hot on its highest setting. Some higher-performance LED flashlights run on turbo/highest setting for only a few minutes before ramping down to a lower output--due to heat. The LED emitters in the JL LED headlights are obviously high-output LED's. If there is little heat on the front lens of the JL Wrangler, it is because the lamp emitters are well heat-sinked and isolated from the front lens.

As noted, the inset design of JL headlights doesn't help, especially if the snow buildup is creating a wall across the inset, igloo-style.

I would hesitate to put solvent-containing WD-40 on the plastic lens. (I think it's plastic, anybody broken one yet?) I just went out o my garage looking for my large can of WD-40 to look at the ingredients and warnings, but of course I couldn't find it. (The only thing harder to find than WD-40 when you need it is the little red straw that never seems to stay in the nozzle.)

I wonder if Rain-X would help with snow buildup on the headlight lens. Rain-X is apparently silicone-based, so maybe it's just a trade name for the generic silicone spray mentioned above, but at least Rain-X is designed for application to automobiles. Pump spray would be preferable to aerosol spray, due to aerosol propellants often being a hydrocarbon that might have a solvent effect. Putting Rain-X windshield cleaner in a spray bottle might be an easy solution (no pun intended). I use low-temp Rain-X windshield cleaner year-round, I'll have to try it, practice what I preach... :)

Good thread, with the change of seasons and ol' man Winter headed our various ways.
They produce heat, but the heat sync is outside the housing so the inside/lens doesn’t benefit.

Saw aftermarket bulbs with a copper housing for the diodes, thereby returning heat into the housing no idea if it’ll work or burn out the unit prematurely.

RainX may work, until you clean the salt off your headlight. Will find out shortly, snowing here today and put RainX on last week.

My thought is you might encounter the right conditions 6 times a winter unless you’re a highway warrior or a masochist. I could get heated LED headlights like JW’s but then you’ll still have to deal with the glare and igloo effect of recessed lights. Or add yellow halogen aux lights to your bumper...no igloo, heat melts snow, yellow reduces glare and will benefit you in fog as well (plus looks retro).

Doesn’t mean I’m right and to each their own, just sharing my logic.
 

shekmark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
584
Reaction score
443
Location
Manasquan, NJ
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
Occupation
Yes
Vehicle Showcase
1
KC says none of their aux lights produce heat. I find that odd. They still make anhalogen "Daylighter" I think it's called. I would imagine it heating up some. I hate to spend more though because I have a nice set of PIAA LED aux lights I could mount.
 

cjaama

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2018
Threads
17
Messages
398
Reaction score
332
Location
Albany, NY
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
Ok let’s put this to bed once and for all. No headlight, halogen, LED, xenon, etc, produces enough heat to actually melt snow and ice in winter conditions. Want proof? Drove around with halogen headlights on for a few hours and then touch them. Barely warm.
I was curious whether this was true and I can confirm I drove my wife's CRV with halogen headlights for 30 minutes last night, put my hand on the lens and it was just as cold as any other part of the car.
 

Sponsored

Soli

Active Member
First Name
Erik
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
43
Reaction score
72
Location
Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2019 Jeep JLU Moab
Do the LED headlights get covered in ice and snow in the winter? Or do they somehow melt the ice and snow in the extreme cold?

LED headlights don't produce enough heat. I've had numerous problems with mine icing over in the winter.
 

cjaama

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2018
Threads
17
Messages
398
Reaction score
332
Location
Albany, NY
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLUR
LED headlights don't produce enough heat. I've had numerous problems with mine icing over in the winter.
I've posted this, probably in this thread, but the halogens on the two late model vehicles I've tested do not produce heat either. It's the concave shape.
 

Black Jeep Convertible

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
1,182
Reaction score
1,276
Location
NYC
Website
www.amazon.com
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLU Sport S 2.0T eTorque
Occupation
Amazon Influencer 😂
Just glue gun the cone part of these clear bras over the headlights for the snow season and take it off when it’s over
t-plastic-layering-statement-accessory-2_1024x1024.jpg
Sponsored

 
 



Top