Help my independent research for LED sourced projectors?

[Autom3tro]

I'm am very interested in dissecting Full-LED headlamps belonging to various models (new and wrecked)
I am an Industrial Design student focusing on transportation, as well as engineering and I really want to placed
in the automotive lighting design field. I love taking apart things!

Models may include:

Audi:
Newer a6/7/8
Bmw:
Newer 6,7
Mercedes:
Newer CLS class
Also, I wanna see the functions in the newer ML/GL class SUV's that use LED's in the cornering lights as well as (fog) lights?
Lexus:
Hs250h
Rx450h
CT200h
GS 450h Hybrid (newest)
Ls600h LED
Toyota
(newest gen LED headlamps that require only 2 projectors
Land Rover/Jaguar
Newest XJ cornering lamps
Newest XF, as well as XK cornering lamps that are mini-LED projectors also seen on the...
Land Rover Evoque


OTHER THAN THOSE SPECIFIC cars, i'd appreciate any projecotor. Thnak you so much if you could help me out a tone by having hands-on experience and striving to make the perect, i repeat: PERFECT projector.

[TRSMatt]

we have some of the OEM Prius LED projectors here (2x per side) , if it helps at all!

but they dont have the ballasts that go with them to light them up. The projectors themselves are in mint shape

[upashi]

I may have failed to reply to your PM long ago, I was on road so long.

Anyway, I don't have spare Prius LED module yet, but I can share some information
basic design analyze etc if possible by sharing pics.

Once I finish my custom work, I will have one spare unit open..but not sure how long it will take lol

I wish we live 380 more miles closer. I would love to research together!


BTW Koito LED module used same Nichia emitter, drive spec rate is 675mA drive.
In 2 projector + 1 reflector design module case, all 3 emitters are connected in series.
Total Vf is around 40V range.
It's hard to find driver for this in reasonable price, but you can substitute with step up converter and FlexBlock 700mA
Provide 24V to FlexBlock 700mA and use its boost only mode. Slight output control by resister or dimmer on its dimmer control line to keep it at around 675mA

[BoneJj]

Nissan Leaf reflective LED headlight

http://en.responsejp.com/article/img/2011/05/11/156101/4282.html
http://jpx.responsejp.com/jpx/images/2011/05/11/156101_12.jpg?fit=normal
http://jpx.responsejp.com/jpx/images...jpg?fit=normal

That's a pretty cool setup.

[Tatanko]

Autom3tro (and upashi), glad to see you guys posting on this topic again. I've been out of the retrofit game too long (mostly for financial reasons, but also because my current car has HIDs from the factory), but LEDs are going to be what gets me back into things I think. The more I see of LED headlights, the more I want to be a part of the up-and-coming technology. The Prius and Leaf in particular fascinate me. Any excuse I have to be at the Nissan dealer down the road from my house, I check out the Leaf's headlights The Prii with LED headlights are fewer and farther between because they only come on the top model.


I would love to be among the first that does a retrofit, but as you guys have already pointed out in other threads, it's easier said than done. HID projectors don't present nearly the engineering challenge that LED reflectors and projectors do when you're talking about a light housing not designed for such equipment. In the case of my specific car (an '03 Nissan Maxima, not to be confused with the Cefiro on which it's based, which has totally different, smaller light housings), I have lots of room to work with both in the housing itself and in the engine bay behind it, more so on the passenger's side where I don't have to worry about the battery being in the way. I don't think it would be that much of a stretch for me to do a retrofit of something like the Leaf's reflector setup.

Assuming I've got the space (a big assumption without taking the proper measurements), the next problem becomes cost. I simply can't afford to do it when even USED parts are super-expensive. You could spend a couple hundred dollars on a really nice HID projector setup, but you'll spend double that or more on parts for an LED retrofit unless you've got some serious connections or luck with a junkyard. Buying new really isn't even an option, as the only way you could get the equipment would be through a dealer who would certainly be asking a pretty penny for it. Not to mention, unless I want to have significant downtime, I would need a second set of headlights for my car. Due to the fact that my car has HID reflectors from the factory, replacement headlight housings (that aren't eBay junk) are in the neighborhood of $600/set without shipping! Part of this is because most of the headlights for my car (even aftermarket) come with ballasts and wiring harnesses.

Even tossing space concerns and expense aside, there are other issues. For example, how do I manage heat? My headlights (and the area behind them in the engine bay) are not designed for getting rid of the heat. I'm also mildly concerned with aesthetics. Even if I've got space inside the headlight to mount a Prius or Leaf LED module, is it going to look completely ridiculous? The Prius has the advantage of having its LED module designed around the headlight (or vice versa in the case of the Leaf) so that it doesn't look silly. If I go trying to cram two projectors and a reflector where I previously had only a small circular reflector, it's probably going to look pretty awful. The Leaf module might not look so bad, particularly if I paint certain parts of it to get rid of some of the blue chrome (I know some of it is on the reflective surfaces that I wouldn't want to paint), because it's small enough that it would fit in the space where my HID reflectors currently reside.



Can you tell I've given this some thought? At this point, it seems like it would be easier for me to go out and buy a Prius or Leaf if all I wanted to do was enjoy some LED headlights.

[sinnaever]

Here is the LS600H

[Autom3tro]

we have some of the OEM Prius LED projectors here (2x per side) , if it helps at all!

but they dont have the ballasts that go with them to light them up. The projectors themselves are in mint shape

Sorry It took me so long to respond regarding your post on my LED project. I have been busy with finals. These prius projectors, are they a donation for my college research or would you like me to pay for them?

[Autom3tro]

I may have failed to reply to your PM long ago, I was on road so long.

Anyway, I don't have spare Prius LED module yet, but I can share some information
basic design analyze etc if possible by sharing pics.

Once I finish my custom work, I will have one spare unit open..but not sure how long it will take lol

I wish we live 380 more miles closer. I would love to research together!


BTW Koito LED module used same Nichia emitter, drive spec rate is 675mA drive.
In 2 projector + 1 reflector design module case, all 3 emitters are connected in series.
Total Vf is around 40V range.
It's hard to find driver for this in reasonable price, but you can substitute with step up converter and FlexBlock 700mA
Provide 24V to FlexBlock 700mA and use its boost only mode. Slight output control by resister or dimmer on its dimmer control line to keep it at around 675mA

I do really wish we could research together! anyway, have you seen the new prius LED setups that now use just TWO projectors, instead of having the third top reflector? I'm very patient as I'm also studying for finals, keep in touch when they're available. I'd love to see all your research also. If you'd like to email them, my email is Autom3tro@gmail.com