LED's in OE Premium Projectors- what works?

[JPT]

I've watched reviews on several led bulbs all performed in the same manor, through the same housings (reflector and projector) that will prove that narrative false. As such, there can be tradeoffs and some bulbs are much better than others. However, the vast majority of decent led bulbs do provide an upgrade over a standard halogen bulb, and it is measurable and quantifiable.

The problem is that LEDs are not sending light 360 degrees like halogens and HIDs. Even if you get LEDs that can rotate for best output, the parts that block light affect the light output. LED bulbs are superior to halogen except for this problem. This is why you need projectors designed for LEDs. Without this, it will seem brighter (and it is), but will not be much, if any, improvement in important parts of the light pattern.

LEDs in LED projectors > HIDs in HID projectors > HIDs in halogen projectors > halogens in halogen projectors > LEDs in halogen projectors > halogens in reflectors > HIDs in reflectors > LEDs in reflectors.

 

[corneileous]

The problem is that LEDs are not sending light 360 degrees like halogens and HIDs. Even if you get LEDs that can rotate for best output, the parts that block light affect the light output. LED bulbs are superior to halogen except for this problem. This is why you need projectors designed for LEDs. Without this, it will seem brighter (and it is), but will not be much, if any, improvement in important parts of the light pattern.

LEDs in LED projectors > HIDs in HID projectors > HIDs in halogen projectors > halogens in halogen projectors > LEDs in halogen projectors > halogens in reflectors > HIDs in reflectors > LEDs in reflectors.

This is pretty much why I’m not interested in messing around with my low beams. That, and I’m pretty happy with the custom HR1 9011 halogen bulbs I got custom from Daniel Stern lighting for my lowbeam projectors.

I’ve heard this several times now that there’s LEDs supposedly designed for halogen projectors but from everything else I’ve read, the only thing that’s best for halogen projectors other than halogen bulbs is the HID bulbs.

 

[RedSRT4Me]

Every aftermarket LED bulb I've ever tried in any OEM housing was the worst output light experience. I've wasted countless dollars because I read people's positive reviews. I'm positive reviews are worthless.

 

[corneileous]

Every aftermarket LED bulb I've ever tried in any OEM housing was the worst output light experience. I've wasted countless dollars because I read people's positive reviews. I'm positive reviews are worthless.

So what bulbs do you use? And do you have the premium projectors or the regular quad reflectors? I have another thread going asking about LED’s in the highbeams only because I’d like to have another set of LEDs in my high beams because the ones I had before we’re actually pretty decent. I only removed them because the HIDs I bought for my low beams and the LEDs I bought for my fog lights from the same company as the highbeam LED’s went out rather shortly. So I thought these weren’t gonna be too far behind. I mean, I did get about three years out of the LED fog lights, highbeams and the HID low beams but the thing is, I only drove about 20,000 miles in that 3 year span.

I was pretty happy with all the lights except for that. Really didn’t care for the HIDs just because of the warmup, having to do all the extra stuff with the installation with the ballasts and the other box that ran them and having to modify my access cover but as far as the light output, they were great.

 

[RedSRT4Me]

So what bulbs do you use? And do you have the premium projectors or the regular quad reflectors? I have another thread going asking about LED’s in the highbeams only because I’d like to have another set of LEDs in my high beams because the ones I had before we’re actually pretty decent. I only removed them because the HIDs I bought for my low beams and the LEDs I bought for my fog lights from the same company as the highbeam LED’s went out rather shortly. So I thought these weren’t gonna be too far behind. I mean, I did get about three years out of the LED fog lights, highbeams and the HID low beams but the thing is, I only drove about 20,000 miles in that 3 year span.

I was pretty happy with all the lights except for that. Really didn’t care for the HIDs just because of the warmup, having to do all the extra stuff with the installation with the ballasts and the other box that ran them and having to modify my access cover but as far as the light output, they were great.

I use and will only use HID. OEM projectors. No extra in my install. Just bulbs, ballasts and ignitors. If you don't want to drill the dust cover you can get modified drilled version separately online now.

I do use LED in the high beams. No complaints there.

 

[chopperman1]

I just installed the "AUXITO 9005 LED Headlight Bulbs 12000LM Per Set 6500K Xenon White Mini Size HB3 Wireless Headlight Bulb, Pack of 2" in both my high and low, projectors. Haven't done anything with AlfaOBD yet, not sure I am going to keep them, but not getting any error messages. I cannot find any way to clock them and it's bugging the crap out of me. High beam is 90deg out and low is about 25deg out from 3&9.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WMG43QJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[corneileous]

I use and will only use HID. OEM projectors. No extra in my install. Just bulbs, ballasts and ignitors. If you don't want to drill the dust cover you can get modified drilled version separately online now.

I do use LED in the high beams. No complaints there.

So are these the bulbs do you have in your highbeams? I take it they fit OK in your stock projector headlights? I didn’t look closely at the link to see if these bulbs were able to be clocked or not but if they are, what do you have them clocked at?

 

[Cableman]

So are these the bulbs do you have in your highbeams? I take it they fit OK in your stock projector headlights? I didn’t look closely at the link to see if these bulbs were able to be clocked or not but if they are, what do you have them clocked at?

I run these in my fogs, they clock easy with allen head screw, run them 9/3.

Guys in order to clock hid bulbs in projectors you will have to loosen the 3 screws holding the metal plate down, twist bulb to clock and tighten back down. They may wiggle a little but some tape or something creative stops that easy.
I run led in my projectors, i have no issues but i live on longisland! Light pollution! I didnt like the ddm tunning hids, couldn't see crap with the 35w setup

 

[corneileous]

I run these in my fogs, they clock easy with allen head screw, run them 9/3.

You run those Morimotos in your fogs and is that 9/3 clock the same for the premium projector highbeam reflectors?

Guys in order to clock hid bulbs in projectors you will have to loosen the 3 screws holding the metal plate down, twist bulb to clock and tighten back down. They may wiggle a little but some tape or something creative stops that easy.

Hmm, I didn’t know you could clock HIDs and to be honest, why you need to being that they emit light all the way around the bulb the same as a regular halogen?

I run led in my projectors, i have no issues but i live on longisland! Light pollution! I didnt like the ddm tunning hids, couldn't see crap with the 35w setup

I’m about determined I’m just not gonna put anything other than halogen in my stock projectors because number one, I keep hearing that basically no LED out there was designed to go in a halogen projector in order for it to work right and two, if you’re gonna use anything other than halogen, you’re better off using HID and three, my custom made HR19011 halogen bulbs are plenty bright enough for low beams in my projectors and really only the highbeams is where my forward lighting really does lack.

Besides- unless they make HIDs with small enough ballasts and if you could find good enough aftermarket access covers to contain all that inside the headlight housings, I’d probably be more interested in them but then again, I think there really is something to be said about only making your highbeams super bright and not your low beams because if you think about it, if your low beams are so freakin’ bright, that’s gonna really screw with your night vision ability by making your pupils smaller and less able to bring in more light farther down the road where you need to see it most which is why it’s actually advised to only brighten your dash lights just enough so that you can see them without contracting your pupils to the point to where you’re limiting your night vision ability.

 

[Cableman]

You run those Morimotos in your fogs and is that 9/3 clock the same for the premium projector highbeam reflectors?

Hmm, I didn’t know you could clock HIDs and to be honest, why you need to being that they emit light all the way around the bulb the same as a regular halogen?

I’m about determined I’m just not gonna put anything other than halogen in my stock projectors because number one, I keep hearing that basically no LED out there was designed to go in a halogen projector in order for it to work right and two, if you’re gonna use anything other than halogen, you’re better off using HID and three, my custom made HR19011 halogen bulbs are plenty bright enough for low beams in my projectors and really only the highbeams is where my forward lighting really does lack.

Besides- unless they make HIDs with small enough ballasts and if you could find good enough aftermarket access covers to contain all that inside the headlight housings, I’d probably be more interested in them but then again, I think there really is something to be said about only making your highbeams super bright and not your low beams because if you think about it, if your low beams are so freakin’ bright, that’s gonna really screw with your night vision ability by making your pupils smaller and less able to bring in more light farther down the road where you need to see it most which is why it’s actually advised to only brighten your dash lights just enough so that you can see them without contracting your pupils to the point to where you’re limiting your night vision ability.

Yes you want the bar on the bottom or it will cast a shadow just like LEDs in projectors. Any led should be 9/3 or 3/9 what ever its called lol for optimal performance.
For me i tested 35w ddm hid, then hylux 45w balusters with ddm bulbs then 45w hylux/morimoto 5500k bulbs and then lumibright xt1gen2 leds and i like them the best so far. Seems bulbfacts recommends others now.
Your definitely right about them being too bright and messing your vision up but the stocks are pretty bad! I drive a 2014 e350, work van, the lights are so bad when i get called out at 3am to an outage I wish I was in the ram.
I run stock halogens in highs, i should upgrade but dont use them much, again im prolly not as dark over here as others, we have so much light pollution although im farther east on the island.

 

[corneileous]

Yes you want the bar on the bottom or it will cast a shadow just like LEDs in projectors.

Hmm. I guess those HID’s I had from Vanquish Auto were pre-set pretty good because they didn’t have that problem other than taking a little bit to reach full brightness on cold days.

Any led should be 9/3 or 3/9 what ever its called lol for optimal performance.

And that’s with the LEDs facing left and right, correct?

Your definitely right about them being too bright and messing your vision up but the stocks are pretty bad! I drive a 2014 e350, work van, the lights are so bad when i get called out at 3am to an outage I wish I was in the ram.
I run stock halogens in highs, i should upgrade but dont use them much, again im prolly not as dark over here as others, we have so much light pollution although im farther east on the island.

Yeah, the stock bulbs in my premium headlights were pretty bad and even though before I tried the other stuff, I liked the Silverstar Ultra’s better than the Silverstar ZxE’s but even those were one heck of an upgrade over the stock bulbs but yeah, I’m pretty pleased with the halogens I have in there now. They actually do pretty good for lowbeams.

 

[Cableman]

And that’s with the LEDs facing left and right, correct?

Yes.

Im always up for trying new, can always move my lumibrights over to the highs.
The new hikari 2023 they recommend seem way to high of a kv, wont ever try those. The ddm tuning saberpro 55w that were the last recommend ones from bulbfacts come in 4500kv, those i would like to try.

 

[hunterdan]

Every aftermarket LED bulb I've ever tried in any OEM housing was the worst output light experience. I've wasted countless dollars because I read people's positive reviews. I'm positive reviews are worthless.

I've got several pictures showing light pattern on a flat wall that will show that a decent bulb, clocked correctly will provide a stock beam pattern, especially in the OEM quad housings. I can't compare them to OEM projectors since I don't have an oem set.

 

[RedSRT4Me]

I've got several pictures showing light pattern on a flat wall that will show that a decent bulb, clocked correctly will provide a stock beam pattern, especially in the OEM quad housings. I can't compare them to OEM projectors since I don't have an oem set.

I'm not saying your wrong.

I'm saying in my vehicles no matter which way I clocked the LED bulb usable light was dogsh1t. Was it brighter? Sure! But so many dead spots and shadows.

 

[RedSRT4Me]

So are these the bulbs do you have in your highbeams? I take it they fit OK in your stock projector headlights? I didn’t look closely at the link to see if these bulbs were able to be clocked or not but if they are, what do you have them clocked at?

No issues with Fitment in high beams. 3/9

 

[Cableman]

I run these https://brisource.com/products/lumibright-xt1-gen2-led-headlight-bulbs?variant=36412220113046
Have been great and no issues, i did a comparison with these and 45w hid ballasts/bulbs.
Ddm tuning has another led out which supposedly outperforms all of them.
Check bulbfacts.com

BulbFacts | Best Recommended LED Headlight Kits

Bulb Facts, Lab testing on automotive headlight & foglight bulbs, comparison chart before you buy.

www.bulbfacts.com

Figured id update my lumibright leds ive had in my projectors for about 27 months since im seeing so many led/hid headlight threads.
Well they are sucking now lol going south in the last couple of months, drivers side has lost a chip and both just dont light up the road like they did new.
Im now thinking about 55w innovited hid's, cheap and 2 year warranty.

 

[corneileous]

Figured id update my lumibright leds ive had in my projectors for about 27 months since im seeing so many led/hid headlight threads.
Well they are sucking now lol going south in the last couple of months, drivers side has lost a chip and both just dont light up the road like they did new.
Im now thinking about 55w innovited hid's, cheap and 2 year warranty.

Dang, you’re only getting about 2 years out of a $160-a-pair LED’s? That’s terrible. How often have you drove at night in that 2 years?

I’m surprised those LED 9005’s I bought from SparkSmith came with a five year warranty.

Do those lumibrights have electric cooling fans on them?

 

[Cableman]

Dang, you’re only getting about 2 years out of a $160-a-pair LED’s? That’s terrible. How often have you drove at night in that 2 years?

I’m surprised those LED 9005’s I bought from SparkSmith came with a five year warranty.

Do those lumibrights have electric cooling fans on them?

I have a work van so my truck sits most of the time and only goes to homedepot, food shopping and the gym! So any night driving is mostly to the gym. I do not have them set as daytime running either.
They do have cooling fans. Yup turned into a waste of cash.

I would really like to find a cheap set of factory black projectors and open them up to add the true hid projectors and switchbacks.
I keep following all these threads to see how these alpharex and others make out also, hate to penny up on those and they die in 2 years.

Which leds did you buy?

 

[corneileous]

I have a work van so my truck sits most of the time and only goes to homedepot, food shopping and the gym! So any night driving is mostly to the gym. I do not have them set as daytime running either.
They do have cooling fans. Yup turned into a waste of cash.

I would really like to find a cheap set of factory black projectors and open them up to add the true hid projectors and switchbacks.
I keep following all these threads to see how these alpharex and others make out also, hate to penny up on those and they die in 2 years.

Which leds did you buy?

These.

Sparksmith S9 LED Bulbs

What's Included: LED Bulbs: 2x Sparksmith S9 LED Bulbs LED Drivers: 2x Built-In Regulators Warranty: 5 Year Manufacturer Warranty Compatibility: APPLICATION: HID and LED bulbs are street legal in the USA for Fog Light use only. Not compliant with DOT / FMVSS108 and not street legal in the USA...

sparksmith.com

 

[Mb7640]

I have been using auxbeam with no issues. I have the gx for the high beams and the q20 for low beams.