Headlight LED -- F2 vs F3 vs NB35

[paulcb]

Has anyone else ordered the red F3 linked in post #41 above and seen red when the blubs are on? Is this seen by the rider, or only from the front of the bike? If so, is this really a problem, or just a small red glare? Thanks!

 

[mjc506]

The section inside the housing looks to be anodised aluminium, right? A bit of lye will strip the anodising off (and it could be re-done in black or whatever if required)

 

[Obo]

Has anyone else ordered the red F3 linked in post #41 above and seen red when the blubs are on? Is this seen by the rider, or only from the front of the bike? If so, is this really a problem, or just a small red glare? Thanks!

Someone here ordered one and didn't like the appearance and gave the bulbs away for free.
My understanding it is just shows red in the housing (as the reflector is a mirror) when the bulb is off, but does very little when the bulb is on.
Any visible red would be when looking at the headlight when it's on and negligible on the light it projects outward to the road.

 

[paulcb]

Someone here ordered one and didn't like the appearance and gave the bulbs away for free.
My understanding it is just shows red in the housing (as the reflector is a mirror) when the bulb is off, but does very little when the bulb is on.
Any visible red would be when looking at the headlight when it's on and negligible on the light it projects outward to the road.

Yes, Mike gave them to Larry (whom I've pm'd). That's my understanding as well, but wanted to get some other opinions before pulling the trigger.

I've got some F2 LEDs in there now that are about 3 years and 75k miles old, but wanted to get a new set, and keep the old set as a spare to carry with me.

 

[Larry Fine]

Yes, Mike gave them to Larry (whom I've pm'd).

My response:

I haven't put them or the F2s I bought in the bike yet, so I can't say.

They do resemble my bike's color, so I wouldn't let that stop me.

 

[Obo]

Yes, Mike gave them to Larry (whom I've pm'd). That's my understanding as well, but wanted to get some other opinions before pulling the trigger.

I've got some F2 LEDs in there now that are about 3 years and 75k miles old, but wanted to get a new set, and keep the old set as a spare to carry with me.

Here's the newer F3 in an F2 body (link per @spiderman302 )

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082MDGVDC/?coliid=I1WNU99JWF56DI&colid=1QWSALXAOR7XK&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[paulcb]

Here's the newer F3 in an F2 body (link per @spiderman302 )

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082MDGVDC/?coliid=I1WNU99JWF56DI&colid=1QWSALXAOR7XK&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I had that one in my Amazon wish list, but wasn't sure of the source. Your post pointed me in the right direction, thanks very much for that Obo. That seems to be "the one", or at least the one for now?

 

[spiderman302]

I am currently still using the red F3 in a number of vehicles. The red plating is a non issue. You can see it with the lights off if you look for it. With the lights on you only see white light.
I just ordered that Cougar motor flagship bulb for my ST to try it out. I do have it in my sons van and they work very well. Either way you will be very happy.

 

[paulcb]

I am currently still using the red F3 in a number of vehicles. The red plating is a non issue. You can see it with the lights off if you look for it. With the lights on you only see white light.
I just ordered that Cougar motor flagship bulb for my ST to try it out. I do have it in my sons van and they work very well. Either way you will be very happy.

Thank you sir. Plan to order today and install this weekend. Will report out. To clarify, I ordered this one...

 

[Sidekick]

Thank you for the link!
Just ordered a set to replace my 5 years old Evitek, one bulb is starting to blink.
I am a little anxious about installing and aligning them.
You can't do that with the bike on the center stand I guess?

 

[Obo]

Thank you for the link!
Just ordered a set to replace my 5 years old Evitek, one bulb is starting to blink.
I am a little anxious about installing and aligning them.
You can't do that with the bike on the center stand I guess?

Installation is straight forward and relatively easy* and the bike can certainly be on the center stand. Alignment is also not difficult.

*The hardest part of the installation is the same for an OEM bulb or the LED, getting access to the rear of the headlight.
Many have said they were able to reach in thru the handlebars, or up from below in front of the radiator but that was impossible for my meaty hands and forearms.
I took the route of removing the windshield and some of the fairing. That took more time, but it was not difficult and I found it easier to both see what I was doing and to access the area. Saved scraped knuckles and aggravation for me.

There are 2 tabs to snap off the new LED bulb (for most folks) so it will fit in the non H4 headlight housing our bikes have but that's easy to do.

As for alignment it's just twisting the bulb body in the mounting ring to make sure it's in there vertical if needed. Looking end on the bulb should look like this "I" and not like "/" "\" or "-"

That's really it. You're changing a light bulb. The fact you're putting in an LED vs incandescent is a moot point.

 

[Larry Fine]

That's really it. You're changing a light bulb. The fact you're putting in an LED vs incandescent is a moot point.

And is it still universal that 1100s need the spacer rings or the 18ga wire for all of these, and 1300s don't?

 

[Obo]

And is it still universal that 1100s need the spacer rings or the 18ga wire for all of these, and 1300s don't?

I don't have a spacer ring or wire in my 1300. I'm unsure of what the 1100's require for certain.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

And is it still universal that 1100s need the spacer rings or the 18ga wire for all of these, and 1300s don't?

Yes, if it is a North American market ST1100 that has not been modified and an H4/9003 bulb is being installed in to it.

 

[Sidekick]

Installation is straight forward and relatively easy* and the bike can certainly be on the center stand. Alignment is also not difficult.
/QUOTE]

Installing my old Evitek was not strait forward at all, especially aligning them. I never got a clean beam even after using the left/right horizontal plane adjusters.
Doing that on the center stand didn't work because of the inducted vertical offset.
The only way was to get a friend seating on the bike.
And now I will have to reset the adjusters I think, that's what I am worrying about.
I suppose that these new generation of LED bulbs are less tricky, I hope!

 

[Obo]

Installing my old Evitek was not strait forward at all, especially aligning them. I never got a clean beam even after using the left/right horizontal plane adjusters.
Doing that on the center stand didn't work because of the inducted vertical offset.
The only way was to get a friend seating on the bike.
And now I will have to reset the adjusters I think, that's what I am worrying about.
I suppose that these new generation of LED bulbs are less tricky, I hope!

If the old Evitek LED bulbs have emitters in about the same location as the new bulbs I'd think there wouldn't be that much (if any) adjustment required.
I think the main/major difference in the newer recommended bulbs is increased power / light output.

I think any problem had with alignment may be related more to the challenges of properly aligning the headlight when out of whack, regardless of the bulb in it?

 

[SMSW]

I wanted to order a full set of LED lamps for my Highlander, and was utterly confused by Amazon, which does not give you all of the specs (one of my pet peeves of Amazon). After consulting with @spiderman302, this is what I learned.

The lumens posted by Amazon are sometimes suspect. Like the watts published years ago for Hi Fi Stereo amps, more are better so the copy writer guys play fast and loose with the numbers. He told me to go mostly by wattage. Some of the recommended lamps (by Spidey) on Amazon were very pricey, up in the $75 and north of there range. He also suggested a website of a guy who compares LED headlamps (I think this was given early in this thread). Prices for some of those took my breath away, well over $100 for a pair of headlight lamps. Additionally, the F2 and F3 designations appear to be a configuration used by Evitek, in China (remember Cindy?). This designation does not appear in Amazon descriptions and my guess it's a proprietary design or proprietary nomenclature by Evitek. F2/F3 is not an industry standard, but if you have an educated eye you can look at the pictures of the various lamps early in this thread and compare what you have just purchased and figure out yourself what you have. I find this buy first and figure out later unsatisfying, so I emailed Cindy: Cindy Zhou, cindy@evitekhid.com. They are only running the F3 design now (she told me this a few months ago). A pair of F3 H4's cost me $33 + $10 shipping + $2 Paypal fee two days ago. Shipping a few months ago was amazingly fast. If this thread is still active in a week or two, I'll post when I receive my latest purchase of H4's. Bottom line, if you have been without LED headlights this long, waiting another week or two is no big deal, unless you prefer Amazon's instant gratification.

 

[spiderman302]

The middle man markup is rather high. That's why mom says to shop around for a better deal. I think Evitek is an assembly house. They buy components and put them together. This is why you will see other brands with similar components. They all copy one another. This is why there are more different bulbs that are now built like the F2/F3.
again it is more about the design and not the designator. I too find it very frustrating not getting all the important facts about a part.

Just remember that you can take the ring off the bulb. Then mount it first, clip it in, put on the boot, then insert the bulb with the wire hanging down.

 

[Obo]

I found this size comparison between the Evitech models of the F2 and the F3.
Note the photo is NOT the H4 model bulb (as it only has a single emitter per side), but it seems the body size is still the same as per below, so the F3 is a bit smaller in overall size.

 

[Larry Fine]

Note the photo is NOT the H4 model bulb (as it only has a single emitter per side), but it seems the body size is still the same as per below, so the F3 is a bit smaller in overall size.

It seems to me that the important dimension is from the mounting flange to the elements.