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I would agree with the LED’s I’m running they also are on the dimmer side like a strong halogen but the glare is minimal.
HID vs. LED vs.??
- Thread starter LavaRand
- Start date
I just checked my order history and the ones I got are 20000 lumens, which is the lowest intensity at least from this brand.
So yes, if one doesn’t go overboard with the intensity, these aftermarket LEDs are a good improvement over the halogens and they won’t blind others on the road.
Also, I just realized I do care a little, dang my compassionate heart
I understand the sentiment, but these OEM systems pale in comparison to an improperly aimed HID in an old reflector housing. In reality most OEMs that are blinding are either improperly aimed or your eye line is below the lights mounting location when it comes to the curve of the road with hills. When driving a small car that's nearly every other car with HIDs or LEDs on the road.
I have noticed many new cars are mounting their headlights lower in almost a fog light like location while the upper is a dummy for the daytime running light. I wonder if this is a new regulation or if manufacturers are realizing this is a better way to not blind people and actually making the changes on their own.
OP, I use this website for benchmark between different bulbs.
https://www.bulbfacts.com/
https://www.bulbfacts.com/
Oh, the HID retrofit kits were simply terrible, even if the headlamps were aimed properly. That’s because they could not match the light source of the halogen bulbs. The aftermarket LEDs replacements can match the halogen filament placement and are a lot better than the HID kits.
My main criticism of the OEMs is that they can definitely do much, much better. I don’t recall people complaining about being blinded by the OEM hid lights. I certainly never noticed it on the roads as much as I notice it now.
Government regulation has kind of hosed modern lighting systems because of the metrics they use. I think that has very recently changed. We were way behind the the EU in the US with matrix type lighting systems.
They only measure lighting output at specific points, so car companies have been cutting the light output in those spots and overpowering the other areas almost as a middle finger to the regulators for making them develop a different headlight for the US.
Just look how high up the trees and poles the cutoff is! It's like landing lights.If you choose to get an LED replacement, Beamtech's higher end offerings are epic good and will provide the exact same beam pattern.
This is a combo of Beamtech LED's, PIAA driving lights and Rigid LED fog lights for up close illumination.
It was very well configured to NOT produce any glare for oncoming drivers, and I never got flashed. I wish I had a low beam pic, as the cutoff was epic good.
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Go on Daniel Stern Lighting and contact him, he will quickly respond with the best bulb available, and whether or not your headlight housings can deal with either HID or LED effectively.
Light quantity is not the only important criteria, you must also consider beam pattern and light quality. Then also, can the vehicle’s headlight wiring support any increased wattage bulbs, or even the stock bulbs properly? IIRC, Daniel says there is not a single reflector beam headlight housing that can properly or effectively deal with HID bulbs. Not sure what your vehicle has, but Daniel will give you solid advice.
Light quantity is not the only important criteria, you must also consider beam pattern and light quality. Then also, can the vehicle’s headlight wiring support any increased wattage bulbs, or even the stock bulbs properly? IIRC, Daniel says there is not a single reflector beam headlight housing that can properly or effectively deal with HID bulbs. Not sure what your vehicle has, but Daniel will give you solid advice.
Here’s a radical one. You heard it here first.
Keep the halogens. Go with a robust, long life, non-coated bulb. Add one of these inline and dial it up to 15-16V.
https://a.co/d/b3YxClT
Keep the halogens. Go with a robust, long life, non-coated bulb. Add one of these inline and dial it up to 15-16V.
https://a.co/d/b3YxClT
Not that I'm aware of. The Luxeon units on the 5/7 series BMW'S have very hefty hear sinks. I'm still a little peaved that BMW already abandoned their laser headlight technology. It had a 1.5 mile beam throw, tight cut-off and very long life. BMW claims that "Led technology is just as good" but I don't see anything that shows that's true. A good hid setup outputs 3200 lumens. The limited use GE hid that was found in some Cadillacs were 3400 lumens and were 4400k If I removed correctly. I dislike led headlights as if any diodes go bad or heatsinks the entire headlamp has to be replaced vs just a bulb or ballast if it's hid.
Upgrading depends on your vehicle, and your situation
I've upgraded lighting on my 2018 Avalon with higher wattage halogens.
From the stock 55 watts to Toshiba 65 watts. I did not go LED because the Avalon has projector headlamps that don't do well with LED's
On my 2001 Blazer I went with GTR CSP Mini LED's for a couple reasons.
First, they draw a lot less power than the halogens, and the electrical system in that truck is weak to say the least. Second, they have no fans to go bad. Most LED's have fans for cooling. To me that means failure down the road.
When installing LED's, indexing them and aiming your headlights is critical
I've upgraded lighting on my 2018 Avalon with higher wattage halogens.
From the stock 55 watts to Toshiba 65 watts. I did not go LED because the Avalon has projector headlamps that don't do well with LED's
On my 2001 Blazer I went with GTR CSP Mini LED's for a couple reasons.
First, they draw a lot less power than the halogens, and the electrical system in that truck is weak to say the least. Second, they have no fans to go bad. Most LED's have fans for cooling. To me that means failure down the road.
When installing LED's, indexing them and aiming your headlights is critical
https://ddmtuning.com/index.php
They make a great product and actually care about things like filament vs led placement for proper reflection etc. You can actually talk to someone too with questions. I have had the HID kit for 10+ years with 1 lamp change, original ballast. I have the Saber led on my f150. Less blinding to others than OEM GM trucks.
They make a great product and actually care about things like filament vs led placement for proper reflection etc. You can actually talk to someone too with questions. I have had the HID kit for 10+ years with 1 lamp change, original ballast. I have the Saber led on my f150. Less blinding to others than OEM GM trucks.
LEDs have come a long way. I retrofitted my 2020 RAM due to brown headlight beams, it should be illegal to sell a truck with headlights that bad. I baselined my Halogens on a flat wall from 50 foot away, marked with tape. The LEDs oriented correctly per the manufacturer (This is critical) were a great match with no observed hot spots. I don't get flashed and I'm not lighting people up. I had my son drive the truck and met him head on at night (in my mini cooper) just to make sure. Definitely not as bad as some of these newer vehicles with OEM LEDs. Best thing I have done with that truck. Buy your LED's from a reputable company. Depending on the design of the reflector, they may not work well in all applications.
