Sealed beams

Russell Reay

Russell Reay

Well-known member
I am not ready to tackle headlights yet, but I have been following the discussions about original vs halogen vs LEDs. Why are sealed beams not included in the discussions ?
 
They just don't look right compared to the original lights. I'm sure they work fine, but they ruin the original look of the car IMO
 
With sealed beams you have to go with the old kit that replaces the lenses,and you get the bug eyed look,or the behind the lens conversion.That one has an aluminum ring that holds the sealed beam bulb in place.Then the light is being tossed through two sets of prisms, and comes out kind of soft.And,you are still using lots of juice.The new LED's use hardly any,and are plug and play.You twist them in,set the beams level with the allen wrench provided,replace the lenses,and aim them.The aim is very important.The halogen conversions just draw way too much.The low draw halogen substitutes from the Little British Car Company work well,but after using the new LED's you will throw rocks at them.
 
Russell, you will have opened up that argument again!!! I would not touch LEDs - you can't focus them properly and I don't like the idea of a dazzled driver coming towards me. Sure, they are bright - too bright.
 
The original reflectors were polished and sliver plated. By the time the cars were 25 years old the silver was tarnished and not reflective. New reflectors were expensive. The goto solution at that time was the sealed beam kits. Now good reflectors are available at a reasonable price (compared to the value of the car). Halogen, high power incandescent, and LED bulbs are available and the sealed beam has gone out of fashion, mostly because of the funny way they look.
 
My A came to me with sealed beams in chevy buckets, they were ok driving around town but not very bright, sketchy out of town. The buckets look horrible and for my 17th birthday I received a pair of original buckets that needed some work ( best ever present) I used the 50/32 bulbs and then could see much better when driving out of town. Now I have the pre- focused LED bulbs and never will go back ! I should ad that the pre-focused bulbs have a cut off line so too not blind oncoming drivers, adjusted properly no worries !!!!!
 
I think people are not aware of how the new LED's work.The focus is in the bulb,or globe.They do NOT get focused like an incandescent bulb.With incandescent bulbs the light particles bounce off the reflectors and get tossed out the front.The shape of the reflector and position of the filament is important.With the new LED's the reflector is just a bracket to hold the bulb,it does NOT get used to reflect the light,or to focus the beam.Aiming is VERY important.I have a wall with a marked grid to aim truck headlights.Aiming against the wall using normal methods will not cut it.I aimed the A headlights with the new LED's using that wall I've used for over 35 years.Then I went to a friends garage who does inspections,they all have to have headlight aimers for LED's now.I was WAY off.After I tipped the lights down to set them to the machine specs,I went to my shop and aimed them at my old wall markings.They looked the same as they did before,against the wall,but were no longer blinding.That machine reads different spectrums of light,and is pretty simple to use,and accurate.
 
Note there are two types of LED headlamps. One has an array of LEDs with no optical system. This kind uses the reflector / focus / lens of the original system. Therefore any defects (tarnished reflector, for example) will compromise its performance. Because there is no standard quantity nor arrangement of the LEDs this kind also may or may not replicate the original light pattern within the bucket. This is critical to performance. The original incandescent lamp’s output was more or less omnidirectional, and the system of reflector, focusing mechanism, and lens were designed as part of that system.
The other type, manufactured by LogoLite and available from the usual distributors, is a complete, self-contained optical system. The condition of the reflector and focus system have no effect on its performance. If installed correctly it should not dazzle oncoming traffic. These cost about $50 each.
My experience with them has been positive with no drawbacks. I like not having to worry if a side trip means driving the Wretched Roadster home through the Texas Hill Country when it’s very dark. I also appreciate the very low current draw; when switched on, the ammeter barely moves. One man’s opinion.
 
I will have to agree with 'Bandit' gives your 'A' a bug-eyed look and doesn't look right. I am in the process of 'de-converting' from sealed beam back to the old style with new lenses and headlight bucket/reflectors.
 
This has all been good feedback--just what I was hoping for. Just to be clear, I do not want the bug-eyed look of a sealed beam conversion, and was concerned about the two lens factor as described by Keith. As long as I can get a light that truly lowers its aim on low beam, I will be happy with LEDs. Keith and David have described a system that seems to be adequate for night driving and considerate of oncoming traffic.
 
Have had sealed beams with both six volt generator and alternator. Sealed beams when I bought the car — I liked the look because it was reminiscent of what a Model A would have looked like during the 40’s and 50’s.

But I did revert to the old style and have to admit that they actually put out better light. No complaints!
 
My 30 A had sealed beams installed by the former owner. They sit inside the stock buckets with the stock glass over the front. You can not tell they are not stock headlights till you get within 2 feet of them and they are bright enough to see an elk at 1/4 mile.

I have no clue as to the brand of the conversion kit.
 
This video came out this morning showing and comparing the stock headlight bulbs, the LED bulbs, and the new "pre focused" LED bulbs- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvbNY2s3Egs

The Newton Wells color correct LED bulbs are still my favorites as far as the Model A looking proper. But you can see the difference in the video between all 3 while driving at night.
 
katy said:
Does anyone make 6 volt LED sealed beams?
Click to expand...


Katy,

If your Model A has already been converted to 7" sealed beams, then these may work for you:

H4 High/Low Beam Conversion Headlamp (Housing Only)

I installed a pair of these (along with LED bulbs) just about four years ago.
Note that the bulbs come in two color choicess, 3000K and 6000K.

When I got mine four years ago, I don't remember having a choice (I'm pretty sure I've got 6000K - they have that bluish-white look that most LED lights have). The LEDs are definitely brighter than the incandescent sealed beams they replaced, and the current draw went from around 12A to 3A.


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P.S. said:
To my knowledge, no. But these new LEDs are dang close since no external reflector is needed.
Click to expand...

I have been using the "new" LED's for ~ 2 years now. Not exactly new... I especially like that they don't use the reflector because I use the original parking light with amber bulbs for my front turn indicators and they really show up on the reflector.

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David in San Antonio said:
Note there are two types of LED headlamps. One has an array of LEDs with no optical system. This kind uses the reflector / focus / lens of the original system. Therefore any defects (tarnished reflector, for example) will compromise its performance. Because there is no standard quantity nor arrangement of the LEDs this kind also may or may not replicate the original light pattern within the bucket. This is critical to performance. The original incandescent lamp’s output was more or less omnidirectional, and the system of reflector, focusing mechanism, and lens were designed as part of that system.
The other type, manufactured by LogoLite and available from the usual distributors, is a complete, self-contained optical system. The condition of the reflector and focus system have no effect on its performance. If installed correctly it should not dazzle oncoming traffic. These cost about $50 each.
My experience with them has been positive with no drawbacks. I like not having to worry if a side trip means driving the Wretched Roadster home through the Texas Hill Country when it’s very dark. I also appreciate the very low current draw; when switched on, the ammeter barely moves. One man’s opinion.
Click to expand...

I like mine too. Well worth the $102, and less than 1 hour to install and aim.
 
Blockhead, Just to clarify what you mean: Since the self focusing LED headlight are not using the reflector, the amber turn indicator light is not washed out by the light coming from the reflector as it would be with the normal lamps. Of course, this would only be true when the head lights are on.
 
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