Adjure Diamond Cut Headlights
| Adjure Diamond Cut Headlights |  |
Sometimes you upgrade a component because it increases performance. And sometimes you upgrade just because it looks “trick” and you have to have it whether it works better or not! When you try a new component that does both, now that’s something to write about! Adjure’s Diamond Cut™ headlights are something different. They look something like the latest clear lens automobile headlights, with the focusing and beam pattern creation done in the multi-faceted reflector instead of the lens.
In a normal QI headlight, light produced by the glowing filament is thrown in a 360 deg. radial path outward. This light is concentrated by the smooth mirrored conical reflector and directed into the lens where it is refracted into a beam pattern that emerges from the lens and is projected forward. Some of this light is lost due to the flutes built into the lens. In a Diamond Cut™ headlight, the light that reaches the mirrored reflector is reflected from the multi-faceted surface into the final beam pattern that is projected forward, through the crystal clear glass pane. Because the light is only being reflected, not refracted, there is much less light loss. That means more light is exiting the lens, concentrated into a beam pattern, instead of being lost into the trees!
A BULB FAILURE LEADS TO IMPROVED HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE
We started the test of the Adjure Diamond Cut™ headlight unit with their factory supplied 60/55W H-4 bulb with warnings not to use anything hotter or the reflector would overheat. See, the Adjure Diamond Cut™ headlight is constructed of a molded nylon/plastic material called DMC. Higher wattages not only produce more heat but use far more electricity and, as our past headlight bulb tests have shown, don’t produce that much more light, given the large increase in electrical draw. Our first test of any headlight is to hold the reflector and shine it against a white wall to gage its beam pattern. But within 20 seconds of being first turned on, blue smoke began to pour off the bulb as it heated up for the first time. We abruptly shut it down and yanked the bulb out before the smoke could contaminate the reflector. The bulb obviously had some kind of manufacturing contamination on it. Normally there is a the manufacturer’s name stamped on the bulbs base. However, this bulb had nothing to indicate a manufacturer. So, we decided to finish the test with a Candlepower HB3 Blue Boosted Zenon H-4 in the same 60/55W rating. With this bulb/reflector combination, the light output is outstanding. We believe it is the best combination that can be purchased this side of an HID (High Intensity Discharge) system.
| You bet! We were especially taken with the ultra-wide low-beam pattern. It is noticeably wider than a conventional refracted lens light at about 60ft. wide. In fact, it is better than some purpose built fog lights that are used as auxiliary lights on ATVs. |  |
| The low beam, being a DOT (Dept. of Transportation) approved street bike headlight has a flat cut-off on top that works great when you’re in fog. The dazzle is markedly reduced over a conventional off-road beam pattern without the flat cut-off. However the trade-off is you can’t see much above and beyond the low beam. |  |
| The high beam reaches exceptionally deep down the trail, measured at over 200yds. There is a center “hot spot” where most of the light is focused. However the “W” arms of light eminating from the center hot spot tend to brighten the sides at a 45 deg angle to widen the beam to at least 45ft @ 200 yards. |  |
For anybody that is approaching you at night, it is quite obvious that you have something special. On high beam, the multi-faceted reflector just dazzles! And the slight blue tint of the Candlepower HB3 Blue Boosted Zenon H-4 bulb is definitely an eye catcher.
This takes some eye-ball engineering because they are only available in 5-3/4in. or 7in. round. The easiest install is to use a salvage motorcycle 7in. headlight nacelle and chrome ring with an Adjure Diamond Cut™ headlight inside and construct a custom bracket. We intend to experiment further with a pair of 5-3/4in. Diamond Cut™ lights on our next Skunk Works project.
CONCLUSIONS
The Adjure Diamond Cut™ headlight reflector unit is highly recommended. The bulbs, we are not so sure of. We contacted the factory and they admitted to having a very small return of lights with a fogging problem. Is this caused by the bulb’s smoke? They would look into it, because they had been concentrating their search in the area of construction of the lens, the glues used or the reflector assembly that were outgassing when heated for the first time creating the fogging problem. Even if the problem is solved, we still recommend the use of the Candlepower HB3 Blue Boosted Zenon H-4 bulb with the Diamond Cut™ headlights for the most bang for the buck!