MTFCA Forum

I need to buy new headlights for a 6v system, and I'm leaning toward LEDs. There are plenty of testimonies and photos of Model Ts demonstrating LEDs when on, but how does the Model T look with the lights off? How noticeable are LED lights when turned off? I like the benefits of LED, but I don't want the LEDs to stand out when off. Thanks!

Depends.... my '17 has headlights with clear glass lenses so when the lights are off you can tell the bulbs are modern. In cars with other than clear glass I would think it would be really hard to tell.

The only thing I would say that they throw a strange pattern if you have the later lenses with the vertical fluting. I assume they would throw a more consistent pattern with clear glass.

This is the type of lens I own.

The fluted lenses don’t hide much...

Here is a good string on them;
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=257456
Or;
https://www.ledlight.com/6-volt-negativ ... ights.aspx

Yes, that is the standard Ford H lens. When I went to Hershey last year I went to the vendor selling the LED lenses and mentioned the odd pattern they threw. He said that yes, the vertical ribbing on those lenses was the reason and there was nothing one could do to improve the light. Now .. they do shed a lot more light than anything else, but it is an odd pattern. The street signs really flash back. Yes, you can see that they are not the typical bulb.

There is a good article about this in the new Horseless Carriage Gazette. Apparently there are inconspicuous LEDs that have the right brightness (?) and color for pre-1916 cars and fit in place of acetylene burners. I imagine they would work in later cars as well. If you don't get that publication, perhaps I can get and post photos. Let me know.

Cheers, Bill

I am working on a set of headlights now myself,so please do post those bulbs.

Good to know the vertical Ford H lenses cast an odd light. I have a spare set of plain clear lenses, but wouldn't want to install them since the LEDs will be even more obvious when not in use. All good insight. Below is an image I shot last summer when driving home late from work using a standard 6v lightbulb - not bad.

These are from Gaslight down in Urbana, Ohio got them from Bob at Hershey last fall. After getting hit because some woman didn't see me two years ago I wanted to be seen and these sure do the job. They are not that noticeable with the H lens. Also when I turn the lights on now my amp meter doesn't peg to the negative side so I can run with them on all the time. They also have a high and low beam. Jim

I am not worried about how they look behind the lens, I want to be seen. Between now and tour season I plan on installing some, but not the high $ ones. I will be trying the ones sold by LEDlite's. I like the idea of daytime running lights and with lower draw I can drop the output of the generator. I call it a win win. Suggestion, a little off topic, if you get the lights from them, go with the made for 6 volts ones not the ones that can be used 6-24V type.

Thanks Tfan for sharing the photos! As Mark mentioned in the post above, others LEDs are far less expensive, but yours are less noticeable and I hear cast a better light with the Model T reflectors.

Chad, I got a pair of the bulbs that Tfan discusses. Fantastic lights. You won’t be disappointed

I agree with Mark... if I want to show the car and not drive it, I'd find a set of GE Mazdas, but if I'm driving it, I want all the light out there I can get.

Unfortuantely, I have yet to see an LED bulb that runs well on variable voltage AC...

Here in SW Florida the roads are flat and almost all are straight (the road that I live on is totally straight for seven miles). Most through roads are posted at 45 or 50 MPH. Most drivers go 50 or 55 MPH; out of fear of being rear-ended by a car or truck traveling 20 MPH faster then I am, I have made the decision to not drive after dark here. The original incandescent bulbs are staying.

how about some numbers for the led bulbs you are using for the headlights

The ones from Gaslight are marked "Logo Lites LED Headlight Bulb 236-100 " on the box. I could not find them in the 2019 catalog but at Hershey I think they were calling them a new item so not in the catalog yet? Jim

Just installed the set of those logo lights LED headlight bulbs...... We'll have to wait till this evening to set aim and focus according to the Ford manual..... And then we'll enjoy ride and may have to adjust aim

I bought both types for My 26. The round ones like kevin has seem to work the best. I have knock off logo lights from a different Co which were less than half price of the logo lights which are pricey. The problem I found with the wedge shaped lights was two fold. the lights put out a funny pattern C or a U shaped depend on weather Your sockets are original or reproductions which are mostly vertical. in My case I have a org Horiz socket one the left and vertical retro on the right which produced a C pattern on one and a U on pattern the other. Lights in My estimation are too bright and with the funny pattern oncoming drivers may flash their lights at You. With The round ones it doesn't matter which sockets You have vert or Horiz position. There is a question about how the rounds ones hold up to the vibration of a model t. Mine are doing just fine but have not been on any endurance drives. The Round Ba15D is 6 volt and very bright especially with the motor running on a generator car. The 74475 / Logo lite is 6 to 18 volts and even brighter. a little too bright except for boon dock roads with no traffic. "Your car Your choice"
"My 2 cents worth maybe less"

Hi Novice..... With your experience in the round LED headlight bulb, did you have any difficulty in aiming and focusing the headlight beam as per the Ford manual? Tonight I finally had time to focus the logo lights I have in my car, installed two days ago or so, and found that aiming is a more important factor instead of focus

Robert, a standard filament type emits light in all directions, front side ways even behind. The parabolic reflector in the headlight is responsible for reflecting that light forward in a concentrated beam. The focus screw lets you adjust that beam. When you dip the lights, the different orientation of the second filament results in the beam being reflected down somewhat.

LED's emit light in one direction only. That is why there is a cluster of LED's facing forward and rings of them around the bulb to direct light onto the reflector. It is the arrangement of these LED's which is most important in tyring to get a suitable light pattern. I have yet to find a set-up with which I am satisfied in this department. Besides which, as others have pointed out, they can be most annoying to on coming drivers, often way too glary, producing an unnaturally blue light, and are poorly focussed to produce a big blotch of light rather than a well directed beam.

Allan from down under.

You could also try a 6 volt motorcycle Halogen bulb, gives good results.

Just Sayin',

Hank

The 6-V halogens and the 50 cp. Bulbs are the one that eat up a lot of amperage and puts a strain on a generator. The reason for the LEDs is a that they take mobile one maybe two amps of energy to produce the same amount of light... ..... The light pattern in a model T is from side to side, not the same vertical pattern of low and high beams we have in cars today.