Why is it generally not recommended to modify high beams with LED?
2 Answers
The reasons why high beams are generally not recommended to be modified with LED: The light emission point of LED is different from that of halogen lamps, so the reflector bowl of halogen lamps is not suitable for LED lamps. The light emitted by LED will diverge, so it is necessary to install a lens. However, integrated LED headlights, because they come with their own lens and do not rely on the original reflector bowl, have better light pattern and brightness, and can perfectly solve the problem of light focusing. Extended information: 1. If the original high and low beams of the vehicle can be replaced, but neither can be done without a lens. Because the disadvantage of LED bulbs is that they do not focus light, a lens is needed to focus the light. If you replace the LED headlights without adding a lens, it is useless. LED headlights are divided into two types: one is a single-bulb LED headlight; the other is an integrated LED headlight with a lens. Single-bulb LED headlights need a lens, while integrated LED headlights do not. 2. The light is focused through the lens, which allows it to shine farther. If a lens is not installed, it not only fails to fully utilize the light intensity but also causes dazzling problems for oncoming vehicles.
As a long-haul truck driver with decades of experience, I've found that converting to LED high beams is quite unreliable. LED high beams are too prone to blinding oncoming traffic, causing glare that can easily lead to accidents. After trying the modification myself, I noticed that on highways at night, oncoming vehicles would flash their lights at me as a warning, and I even got fined by traffic police for non-compliant light patterns—all that effort for nothing. The original halogen lights are meticulously designed to focus the beam precisely on the road without scattering, whereas LED light sources are too bright and disperse widely, failing to illuminate far while dazzling others. Additionally, LED heat dissipation is an issue—original lamp housings lack sufficient vents, causing the bulbs to overheat and burn out faster than halogens. Safety comes first; it's better not to chase that extra brightness. Just inspect your original lights or replace them with OEM assemblies for peace of mind.
