Deutz-Fahr collaborated with Hella to develop an industry-first LED light package for its line of 7 Series tractors. The Deutz-Fahr 7250 Warrior is equipped with 14 new Hella Module 70 LED Generation IV worklights, which in addition to close- and long-range illumination also offer a special extra-wide illumination, allowing for homogeneous light distribution across the work area. The tractor is the first in the market to incorporate this latest-generation LED light package. 

For the first time, LED output is on par with that of xenon in this compact design, according to Stefan Maierhofer, the Worklights Program Manager at Hella Fahrzeugteile Austria GmbH, where the company develops and produces its worklights. Equipped with three high-performance multichip LEDs, the Module 70 LED is rated to 2470 lumen and consumes just 30 W of energy.

“By comparison, the Module 70 LED Generation 3 only generated 800 lumen and the halogen version just 1100 lumen. With the xenon version it is possible to achieve the same light output as with the fourth generation, but due to its power supply unit it is not possible to offer the same compact housing,” Maierhofer shared with Off-Highway Engineering.

With a diameter of 80 mm (3.15 in), the Module 70 LED is particularly suitable for installation in tight spaces, said Maierhofer.

The 7 Series of Deutz-Fahr is already equipped with the previous version of the Module 70 LED; for the special-edition Warrior, the company decided to equip the tractor with the latest version.

Hella launched the first version of the Module 70 LED in 2005 with 170 lumen.

The Module 70 Generation IV is a standard worklight—not a customized specific solution, Maierhofer pointed out. A multifaceted reflector ensures homogenous lighting of the work area. Available for special applications, the extra-wide illumination uses a highly-diffusing cover lens. All illumination variants have a symmetrical configuration, allowing the headlamp to be upright or pendant mounted.

The black lamp housings are made of aluminum and incorporate cooling fins to dissipate heat from the high-power LEDs. The electronics of the Module 70 LED are “multi-volt compatible,” capable of operation with a 12- or 24-V power supply. The module’s integrated electronics protect it in case of a polarity inversion and ensures constant brightness, even when operating voltage fluctuates between 9 and 33 V. Temperature sensors protect the lamps from overheating.

“LED lighting is very similar to daylight,” Carl Brown, President of Hella Inc. in Peachtree City, GA, said in a statement. “It helps to combat fatigue by allowing equipment operators to distinguish colors more easily after dark.”

LEDs offer high color temperatures of around 6500 Kelvin. The LED worklights have a design life of up to 60,000 h with constant lighting performance, according to Maierhofer, and thus are maintenance-free.

Other manufacturers also have specified the fourth-generation of Module 70 worklight, but the tractors have not had start of production yet, he shared. The Module 70 is already available for the aftermarket.

Other applications for Generation IV include agriculture and construction machines, municipal vehicles, vehicles for commercial use, and transport vehicles. It is also available in a marine version, one that can be used as a “rear driving lamp,” and another one as a high beam (used for agricultural or special-purpose vehicles).