My LED headlights are on order but it was not until after I placed my order I heard of a potential concern - they do not heat up so do not melt snow and ice. I live in Michigan and with all this global warming we seem to be getting more cold and snow than ever.
I've read 1 account during a thick wet heavy snow where snow build-up was a real issue, but for anyone in a snowy environment who had LED lights through last winter is it a big problem?
I have found that when the snow is heavy and wet no headlight will keep the snow from building up. We only get heavy wet snow where I live when we get it at all and I always have to get out and clean the headlights every now and them if I am out it it long enough.
The issue is as much with our design as anything, Flat front with deep recessed troughs around the lights. Traps and seats anything/everything that will pack in there and then it spreads across the lamp from there.
The Cool nature of the LED doesn't help matters but the times I had build up in Bad storms I had stock lights. If the windshield wipers muck up so will the lights. Clean both when you dismount.
Thanks for your order! Here in PA we get a lot of wet, heavy snow. It sticks to all headlights, whether it's an LED, HID, stock halogen, or 140 watt halogen. Ask me how I know! As Rubicon said, regular cleaning (on longer trips) is not a bad idea. I tend to get out and check on them every 20-30 minutes depending on my driving and the rate/type of snow.
We run a JW speaker version of LED headlights on our Kenworth T800's and have not had any issues with the lack of heat produced. The ODD time they will get covered as your windshield wipers do in wet heavy snow, but it's a quick trip of wiping it off just like your windsheild. It doesn't seem any more frequent with the LED's verses the stock headlights
I do not have the Truklites or the JWSpeakers replacement headlights but I do have the 6.7" VisionX LED Light Cannons mounted above the bumper and have not had any more snow build-up on them than there is on the stock headlights. And both receive the same amount of slushy spray from oncoming vehicles (which is often more of an issue than what mother nature dumps in our path). Fortunately, these lamps have removable polycarbonate lenses and I purchased an extra set to keep in the Jeep just in case I ever needed to swap them out during a trip due to any accumulation of slush, ice, or dirty water and road grime reducing their output; I have not needed to do so.
I would be hesitant to use the rainX on a polycarbonate headlamp (I have heard some negatives about this product in this regard) but I have found that the Turtle Wax ICE that I regularly use on the black plastic, windshield bumpers, etc. works wonders on the headlights and windshield to reduce the resistance to removal that desiccated insect carcasses are wont to have; so maybe it also helps the ice and slush to slough off as well.
I wouldn't worry as much about headlights as I would tail lights. There is a vortex behind a car that causes all that slush to stick to the back, more than the front. With halogens there is some heat to melt the snow but with LED's there is none which is why the German auto makers started using rear "fog lights" that were halogen lights inside the LED tail lights to heat up the housing as well as make it brighter. For the headlight you're probably ok. You'll just have to clear it every once in a while in a blizzard
I believe Rain-X isn't supposed to be used on plastic. I'm pretty sure it states that right on the container. You might want to remove it and read the Rain-X container before it causes permanent damage to the headlight. Just a heads-up, not trying to be critical. :thumb:
As a kid living in northern Ohio and working at then a full service gas station road salt also was a problem on headlamps. The salt would dry on them preventing the light from shining through very well. Part of my service was to give the head lamps a wipe with a rag when a car was filling up after doing the windshield.
That's a game changer. I haven't seen anything like that on the way from any of the LED headlight manufacturers. I was surprised the new JW Speakers didn't have anything.
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