[what's new in:] LED lighting

May 13, 2014
Improved visibility, longer life are just some of the benefits

The return on investment in LED vehicle lighting has been well known since the late 1980s.  LEDs lower lighting maintenance costs and downtime because they have a rated life of as much as 20 times that of incandescent bulb lamps and help reduce replacement costs because they are nearly impervious to shock and vibration.

There are also safety benefits, says Tim Walker, executive vice president-sales at Truck-Lite.  “LED lamps have a faster ‘rise’ time compared to incandescent lamps,” he explains, “and a brighter, whiter, broader beam pattern that enhances visibility.  LED headlamps can also reduce driver fatigue because the light they produce is rich in a spectral wavelength that research shows can inhibit the production of melatonin, a naturally produced hormone that signals the body to prepare for sleep.”

Jennifer Bontomasi, product manager at Wagner Lighting Products, a brand of the Federal-Mogul Vehicle Components business segment, adds that LED headlamps produce a pure white light that is the closest to daylight among current lighting technologies.  LEDs also have a beam pattern that is 25% wider and can project light 150 ft. further down the road.

“Upgrading to LED headlamps is a smart investment,” Bontomasi says. “Although the initial cost is higher, an LED sealed beam has an estimated service life equivalent to 35 or 40 standard halogen lamps, so the total investment is about half that of a halogen lamp.”

The latest LED vehicle lighting technologies from suppliers reduce inventory and carrying costs, notes Tom Draper, press manager at Grote Industries.  “A stop/tail/turn design is available for systems with separate turn lamps,” he says, “and there are 4- or 6-in. combination stop/tail/turn and backup lamps that eliminate the need for two lamps per side and dispense with extra wiring.”

Grote’s latest 6-in. oval combination stop/tail/turn and backup lamp features an element with a symmetrical design that meets all legal requirements at any mounting angle.  Draper also points out that its industry standard size saves time and money on installation as it fits existing mounting grommets, brackets and flanges, and no modification to harnesses is required.  A 4-in. round version of the lamp will be available in the third quarter of this year.

Phillips Industries has joined the exterior trailer lighting market through a newly announced partnership with Innotec that packages the manufacturer’s BoardFree LED lights with Phillips Sta-Dry trailer harnesses.  The product package from Phillips is initially available for OEM installations, and an aftermarket launch is planned by June.

“Innotec’s BoardFree in-mold technology,” explains Rob Phillips, president, “eliminates the need for a traditional printed circuit board.  Other features of the lights are sealed components for protection, and diodes directly mounted to the circuitry to more efficiently dissipate heat that can cause LED diodes to fail when the air gap is overheated.”

Peterson Manufacturing has expanded its LumenX LED line with 4-in. round and 6-in. oval stop/tail/turn designs featuring an integrated backup lamp.  The 2-in-1 lights embed a small white lens within the main red LumenX lens, allowing one of the seven diodes to provide DOT-legal backup functionality.

“Integrating a white back-up light into a red lamp was a feasible extension of the LumenX architecture,” says John Hansen, project engineer.  “The challenge was to have a consistent look from reds to ambers to backups.  White diodes offer superior thermal management, and when paired with new lens optics enhance brightness and eliminate dead spots.”

While currently available LED lamps provide fleets with a positive return on investment, suppliers are also focusing on the next generation of products.  Brad Van Riper, Truck-Lite’s senior vice president and chief technology officer, says a primary focus is on the enhancement of LED forward lighting using emerging technologies.

“We’re pursuing the use of Adaptive Main Beam headlamps for commercial vehicles, Matrix Beam Headlights, and Laser Activated Remote Phosphor headlamps,” Van Riper says.  “We believe these new technologies have the potential to generate more light from smaller packages.”

“We’re working on new-concept LED lighting solutions that do away with complex housings, reflectors, and the now-standard apparatus that accompanies vehicle lamps,” says John Grote, global vice president-sales and marketing at Grote Industries.  “These new concepts will dramatically simplify lighting installations, reduce costs, and increase the life expectancy of vehicle lighting in most applications.”

Optronics International has released a low-cost, single-diode alternative to incandescent lamps. The One Series LED lamps feature 4-in. round and 6-in. oval stop, tail and turn lamps.  The company also offers the STL68 combo lamp.  It mounts to the surface of a vehicle and has the low profile of a through-hole-mounted lamp.

For more information, visit these websites:

Federal Mogul
www.federalmogul.com

Grote Industries
www.grote.com

Peterson Manufacturing
www.pmlights.com

Optronics International
www.optronicsinc.com

Phillips Industries
www.phillipsind.com

Truck-Lite
www.truck-lite.com
 

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