LED vs Halogen

Most of the pics I see have LED light bars, led fog lights, etc. I'm familiar with the advantages of led, but is anyone out there nostalgic for halogen? Big, round halogen lights? I'm planning KC Slim lights on the hood (can't really do roof or bumper as I have very little clearance on my garage).

Anyone mind sharing their pics? There's something about that round light look that I really like.

I had 4 piaa 520 on the roof and it was great for the trails here in northern mi where you don't need to see a mile down the road. And they spread pretty far.
they complemented the hid headlights.



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---------- Post added at 08:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 AM ----------

Oh forgot to add, my truck cleared a 7 foot tall garage with the lights folded down.

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Me. But I wouldn't call it nostalgia.
I would call it practicality.
I like to use my lights when they're needed, and I don't like to worry about whether I'll get a ticket for doing so.
As of now there are NO (zero, nada, zilch) automotive LED products that are DOT street legal.

Good point. I'm planning on doing a combo. Halogen fogs and spot lights on the hood, two led light bars on/below the grill. I like the look of the halogens better, even when off.

You gotta look good while lighting it up...

Honestly, for the relative price ranges I think a lot more people are comparing LED to HID which is a much more fair comparison than LED to incandescent halogen. I believe HID typically has higher lighting efficiency (lumens/watt) and is a much more pointable source with a more easily manipulated beam pattern, but LED provides overall lower power draw and more options for packaging/sizing. The default round pattern of LED's can cause issues by wasting light reflected off of surfaces like hoods or roofs rather than throwing that light down range. Also, you'll notice that many more LED emitters need to be summed to compare to the throw of HID's.

Wait. Good old halogen lighting is priced too low for a fair comparison with LED and HID? Naaa, I couldn't have read that right! Halogen lighting, being very effective for both fog and driving applications as well as very affordable, ought to be the Standard of Comparison for all other lighting options. Oh yeah, and halogens are LEGAL. (That matters.)

I think that some halogens are worth it. I have 4 Piaa ATP on the roof and 2 6in rigid combos on hood mounts and the Piaa go farther. All lights are combo pattern.

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The only standard the halogen filament bulbs provides is a lower one. Comparing around 30 lumens/watt to about 90 lumens/watt. I'm not saying halogens are useless. I'm just saying that on a performance basis they are not in the same league. Also, if your concerns are DOT approval and legality to use on the road then you start there and not at comparing light technologies. If your top priority is raw performance, then halogens probably aren't under considerations for most people based on that priority. Power constraints and packaging are the other considerations. The OP's focus seemed to be mainly on aesthetics. For that there's just as many big round HID's as there are halogens. The only difference being DOT approval which would be your first consideration anyway if that was important. Last, if you want cheaper than that's obviously going to override any other consideration other than maybe DOT approval. And if you mount any light up high regardless of tech and LE see's you rolling around looking like a UFO then all bets are off in that case as well.

Great write up here on the combinations

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f211/does-size-matter-29703/

I have been working with KC on setting up HID / LED combinations on a couple rally cars I help support.

My primary concern is aesthetics, but I want functional lights also. I realize LEDs are newer technology and probably better, but not long ago I was perfectly happy with halogens. I just don't like test squared look. And being legal, at least for the fogs, is important. That's why I'm planning on mixing a few halogens with a could of led bars. Best of both worlds,

And, it has to look good....