LED Lighting Conversion

Steve,
The pleasure was all mine. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity and a chance to help the community here. I am very pleased with these LED Bulbs, I've already changed my signature as proof. As I stated in my PM I will continue to provide updates on the durability and some temperature tests. It's getting ready to get really hot here in Maryland really fast. I'll also continue to promote them. I don't have a reason not to.

If I had to list one thing about the whole experience that is above all else I think it would have to be the fact that your dedication to the customer service end of this experience has been top notch! As I've said, I am older and worked many types of jobs first hand with the customer, and no matter what, they always appreciated great customer service. I feel that is what we are getting with Xenon Depot. When we talked I never got the impression I was a bother, or that there was any other agenda. I think that's what I will promote the most.

Again, thank you for poking your head in here and (pardon the pun) enlightening us.
Rob

 

Cool, can't wait to hear back. Yea, I know my limits for sure. Drilling holes in that little collar is one of them. And if I said I was happy with them the way they were, I was being honest but I would be lying if I said, "still, it didn't bug me". I was just willing to grin and bear it. But now I, and others like me, don't have to.

 

So now everyone is ditching Harki's?

 

Not everyone. Just me. Others that are new to the party are just liking the Xenon Depot LEDs more.

 

I should have access to a thermometer and can get some temp readings after mine show up and I get them installed. It is nice and hot in Texas already. We hit 102 the other day.

 

Yea that would be cool to be able to compare them to my readings here. As luck would have it, it is actually going to be a little cooler than usual here this week. Also, I am measuring the main assembly, the base of the heat sink fin where it meets the main assembly, and the tip of the fin. I am also going to measure the drivers. It will be cool to see if we experience much difference in two different climates.

 

Nope, I will be using both (Hikari's and Xenon Depot LEDs)

 

I just switched from Hikari to xenon Depot 6000k HID. maybe I need to readjust the head lights but I feel like the HID isn’t as bright or maybe it doesn’t spread eveningly enough.

 

what headlight kit does everyone recommend or have good experience with from xenon depot? LED? HID? and the bulbs are H11 right?

 

Are HIDs adjustable like that?

 

Most if not all the contributors of this thread are in favor of LEDs. With that said, the H11 kit from Xenon Depot is a favorite of mine because it is adjustable and has no fans. The light output is excellent and so far in my limited testing, flawless.

Here's a link

http://www.xenondepot.com/H11-Xtreme-LED-kit-pro-p/xt-led-h11-pro.htm

There is a coupon code for 20% off $200, and free shipping. You can do the low beams, high beams and fog lights for $88.00 a kit. That's a great price for this type of bulb.

All three, low, high and fog, on the 3rd gen Tacoma are H11.

My detailed review is just a couple posts back.

Rob

 

So what's the consensus on hi/low beams as far as light output goes? Still the products pinned on the first page?

 

The bulbs themselves aren’t. But the headlight you can adjust the beam up and down. Mine may be too far up.

 

I personally liked the Hikari LED more than the XD HID, I feel like the beam was even with less dark spots. But with that said I have only used my HIDs once so far so it’s stil early to say.

 

The consensus currently is that the Hikari Philips LED kits are a sure winner. Just a couple days ago, I did a in-depth review of the new Xenon Depot Xtreme Pro LEDs. I used to run the Hikari. I like the Hikari, a lot. I like the Xenon Depot more. I am happier with a fanless and adjustable design more. The light output and color seems about the same but I am giving the edge to the Extreme Pros because of the "boxes" of light above the cutoff described in my review. Ultimately I planned on off roading with some Maryland members and they like water, and water crossings. I was actually a little concerned about a bulb with a fan being submerged.

Others like me have been proponents of the Hikari but recently purchased the Xenon Depot bulbs so slowly but surely we will see more comparisons by others. Some have bypassed the Hikari's all together and bought both low/high beam Xenon Depot kits.

Right now the Xenon Depot kits when you buy both low and high beam are cheaper than the Hikari Philips. They are running a sale.

Xenon Depot also sells a H11 Fog Light Kit but essentially these are the same as the Low/High beam kits on the 3rd Gen so I can only assume these would be an excellent choice. I personally have not tried them and do not have the OEM housing anymore to be able to.

If you really wanted to pick up where the thread was jacked start about mid way. From there on there are a lot of great reviews about almost every bulb conversion on our trucks. There are also reviews about supplemental installations such as the rear bumper reverse light additions @Parker315 did to his truck which is my To Do list one of these days.

Hope this helps without being too vague.

 

Oh, gothcha. Yeah, I think I am at the very limit myself. Any more and I am sure I would be obnoxious and would be getting flashed. Because the Xenon Depot bulbs produce those "boxes" of light above the cut off I honestly thought I was going to have to lower them back down after having to adjust them up with the Hikari's but I am waiting to do a lot more in-town night test first. People up in my neck of the woods let you know quick.

 

I personally don't have any experience with HID. I was leary from the get go when I learned that they were not so quick to power up. I knew that would keep me from putting them in the high beams. A lot of guys complain about "bounce" too. I have not researched that to understand it.

I am happy using LEDs.

 

Has anyone gotten side by side picture comparisons of light throw of stock vs hikari vs xenon? That would be great if someone does

 

Sorry, no stock but I have these:

Here are the Hikari Philips.



Here are the Xenon Depot Extreme Pro's:



It's hard to judge because of the time of year and color differences of the trees, lack of foliage and full foliage but to me it looks like the Hikari may be a little more intense up close and the Xenon Depot make the end of this pitch black lane a little more illuminated. So from a "throw" standpoint the winner is the Xenon Depot kit.

To me it just looks like more light in the more of the right places and I am going to have to attribute that to the fact that I have the diodes on both sets of bulbs (low/high) adjusted so they are at 3 o'clock & 9 o'clock.

 

Just chiming in here after reading the past few pages from the Xenon review.

I've been running Hikaris since I got my truck and have loved them. I've done hundreds of miles of dirt roads with them and the fans have had zero issues so far. I did have one light that had a wire short so it would flicker when it got bumped but Hikari took care of me ASAP and sent a code to order a new one from Amazon. I'm very satisfied with their customer service. Looking at the comparison pictures, I don't think it is currently worth it to switch to the Xenon LEDs if you already have the latest gen. of Hikaris in your low beams.

For those of you that have corrected the Hikari HIGH beams so they are oriented right, has it made a different in light output? I haven't touched mine since I put them in and haven't noticed any issues with the output but I'm curious to see what moving them does.