Technology has made great strides in improving lighting for vehicles over the years, but the most significant advancement may have come in the form of LED lighting. The transition from incandescent to halogen and HID seemed dramatic at the time, but now even bigger technological advancements have occurred. The emergence of LED lighting has set new standards for performance. While older lighting technologies like incandescent, halogen and HID each have some shortfalls, LED lights excel in virtually all ways.
Here are 5 ways that LED lights outperform older technologies
#1 Brightness: On an equivalent watt to watt comparison, LED lights produce more lumens than either halogen or HID lights. The brightness of LED lights lets you see farther in the darkness of night, which is especially important when operating farming, industrial and off-road vehicles.
#2 Instant brightness: HID bulbs, and to a lesser extent halogen, often start dim and need time to reach full brightness. LED lights instantly reach full brightness. You’ll never have to start driving with compromised illumination to start your trip.
#3 Lifetime brightness: Halogen and HID bulbs tend to dim as they age, but that’s not the same for LED lights, which maintain the same intense brightness from beginning to end. When bulbs dim, it may make you wonder whether you need to replace them even before they fully burn out. You won’t have the same worries with LED lights.
#4 Long-lasting service life: LED really excels when it comes to service life. As an example, look at these typical life expectancies: Halogen 1,000 to 2,500 hours, HID 6,000 to 20,000 hours and LED 30,000 to 50,000 hours. Actual service life of individual bulbs will vary depending on usage and environment.
#5 Low stress on electrical system:: LED lights draw less electrical power to operate. Requiring less electrical power puts less strain on your battery and alternator, which is a positive for the vehicle overall. For agricultural vehicles in the field, industrial machinery at job sites or off-road vehicles in the wilderness, the importance of not weakening your electrical system by drawing too much power is essential.
LED is the better choice in lights
Halogen has been the standard lighting option on vehicles in recent years, but the advantages offered by LED lights are sure to change that standard over time. If it’s time to replace a bulb, or even do a lighting upgrade, swapping out your lights with LED replacements pays off in many ways.
