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3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by crashnburn80, Jan 25, 2019.

  1. Apr 23, 2020 at 12:18 AM
    #2721
    NMTrailRider

    NMTrailRider Well-Known Member

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    If you want to see better... Plug and play LED’s are not the answer you’re looking for. Period. That’s the short and simple.
     
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  2. Apr 26, 2020 at 2:18 PM
    #2722
    Jarhead 69

    Jarhead 69 New Member

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    jnjoiwings... where did you order your GE+130 bulbs from for $40?
     
  3. Apr 26, 2020 at 4:29 PM
    #2723
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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  4. Apr 27, 2020 at 6:09 PM
    #2724
    Lindenmeyer

    Lindenmeyer Active Member

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    Crash - so I had purchased the Philips H9 to put in my low beams (with the H11/H8 adapter). Also bought the GE Nighthawk Xexon H11 bulbs to put in the stock OEM foglights. I have a TRDOR 2020.

    The H9 low beams with adapters went in EASY. However, the housing and bulbs in my foglights are H16 - for the life of me I couldn't get the bulb into the housing without likely breaking it.

    Did something change on the 2020's? Or is a H11 supposed to be a simple swap on a H16 housing?

    If not - do you have a recommendation on an H16 suitable replacement / upgrade over stock bulb?
     
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  5. Apr 27, 2020 at 6:15 PM
    #2725
    Tullie D

    Tullie D Well-Known Member

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    See my response in your other post . . .
     
  6. Apr 27, 2020 at 8:55 PM
    #2726
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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    As likely already mentioned, 2020 switched exclusively to H16 fogs, meaning the GE H11s will not work. There are no performance H16s, an H16 is a very low output bulb.

    Options are to swap OEM 2016-2019 H11 TRD fogs and run the GEs. Or better yet, look at an SAE LED fog assembly swap from this thread below. I’d highly recommend looking at the selective yellow SS3s from Diode Dynamics linked at the top of the thread.
    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/
     
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  7. Apr 28, 2020 at 3:25 PM
    #2727
    1996tacoma2019

    1996tacoma2019 Member

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    I did the same. Took a couple weeks to get to CA from the UK. Going to try to install them this weekend. Finger's crossed. This is my first modification!
     
  8. Apr 29, 2020 at 10:11 AM
    #2728
    Lindenmeyer

    Lindenmeyer Active Member

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    Thanks - turns out the vendor I bought from on Amazon for the GE's is out of Montreal and shipping back (on me) is half the price I paid. So I'm just going to look for a 2016-2019 TRD fog reflector/housing. The existing cable should be fine correct? No adapter needed is there?
     
  9. Apr 29, 2020 at 10:22 AM
    #2729
    Lindenmeyer

    Lindenmeyer Active Member

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    Then again - I'm happy to sell the H11 GE bulbs to someone here if there is interest. After checking price on "new" housings from a 2016-2019 I'd just assume replace them.

    If anyone is interested in GE Nighthawk Xexon bulbs (pair) - DM me. Never used :)
     
  10. Apr 29, 2020 at 10:24 AM
    #2730
    Lindenmeyer

    Lindenmeyer Active Member

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  11. Apr 29, 2020 at 11:19 AM
    #2731
    CaliTaco718

    CaliTaco718 Instagram: socalmike9000

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    LED's so far :-/
    Is there a thread for the rear lights? I'm looking to go LED with my turn signals and reading that the rears in particular need a resistor...I'm really trying to stay away from wiring mods right now..
     
  12. Apr 29, 2020 at 2:37 PM
    #2732
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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    I certainly wouldn't buy new. You can regularly find good condition OEM takeoffs in the 3rd Gen market place at a much more reasonable cost. Just make sure they are off a 16-19 TRD truck to take H11s. No association: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-foglights-and-bezels.663312/

    No wiring mod is necessary, the H11 bulbs will plug into the existing connector.
     
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  13. Apr 29, 2020 at 2:47 PM
    #2733
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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    There is not. Why do you want to swap to LED turn signals? If trying to make it super bright, crazy blinding communication lights are not ideal. Using a resister basically uses electricity and converts it to heat to waste electricity in-order to prevent hyper flash, so the LED swap isn't actually more efficient. And the resister is likely to fail before an OEM incandescent. Many resisters are plug and play though, you plug one end into your wiring plug and the other end into the LED 'bulb'. Trickiest part is finding somewhere to mount the resister.
     
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  14. Apr 29, 2020 at 4:37 PM
    #2734
    CaliTaco718

    CaliTaco718 Instagram: socalmike9000

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    LED's so far :-/
    I just like the clean and modern on / off look.. ...With that said about resistors, do ballasts perform the same function?
     
  15. Apr 29, 2020 at 5:39 PM
    #2735
    travadol

    travadol Well-Known Member

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    From my understanding, a ballast provides a "boost" of voltage to ignite the lamp (florescent or HID) and then regulates the voltage there after.

    Someone with more knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong.
     
  16. Apr 29, 2020 at 11:27 PM
    #2736
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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    Correct, a ballast steps up voltage to supply a bulb with a higher operating voltage than the 12v system provides. In automotive applications this is required for HID.

    A resister does not change voltage or provide any other function other than wasting power by turning it into heat. In the case of turn signals, this is done so the truck does not see reduced power draw when using an LED, to prevent hyper flash. So the resister plus the LED draw similar power to what the OEM incandescent bulb drew, so the truck doesn't notice the difference.
     
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  17. Apr 30, 2020 at 1:44 AM
    #2737
    Tullie D

    Tullie D Well-Known Member

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    Crash what I'm about to say is not news to you. I'm putting it out there for others to consider.

    Hyperflash is a safety feature that lets the driver know that something is not normal. In most instances the hyperflash occurs when a bulb is blown. So when someone replaces the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs which draw much less current, hyperflash occurs because the truck "thinks" it has a blown bulb.

    So load resistors are added parallel to the LED bulbs to fool the truck, and stop the hyperflash. Guess what? Now when the LED bulb fails there is not hyperflash to notify the driver.

    For this reason, changing to LED bulbs and adding load resistors is a bad idea.
     
  18. Apr 30, 2020 at 5:54 AM
    #2738
    xxTacocaTxx

    xxTacocaTxx Well Unknown Member

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    Personally, I have LED tail lights to get an amber turn indicator. I'm running the MESO Customs Stage 2 taillight kit. AFAICT, they are brighter than stock, but not to an obnoxious level. I don't have resisters installed, or any hyperflashing issues.
     
  19. Apr 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM
    #2739
    dingel5

    dingel5 Mocphus

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    WOW!!! What a fantastic write-up. Thanks @crashnburn80 for your testing and reporting. Was looking at getting LEDs, but now am educated. The question I have is has anyone tried the Sylvania Silverstar Ultra, Silverstar & Xtravision lights? I can get them at the local O'Reileys as opposed to ordering on Amazon and helping Jeff Bezos to get even richer. Thoughts anyone?
     
  20. Apr 30, 2020 at 3:40 PM
    #2740
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 [OP] Vehicle Design Engineer

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    If you look at Silverstar's "best" bulb, the Ultras, they spec a 4100k color temp. The only way to get a halogen to such a high color temp is by filtering out yellow light. The more light you filter out to raise the color temperature, the lower the overall output will be and to get to 4100k you are going to be removing more light than any other bulb in this thread. It is a shame that Sylvania has such a monopoly with the auto parts stores.

    If wanting to buy locally, Fred Meyer of all places stocks GE Xenon bulbs, meaning Kroger might as well. Other non-Amazon options, you can order the GE +130s off of Powerbulbs.com out of the UK (use the 20% off coupon code). The Hella 2.0 H9s are available at Rallylights.com and the Philips H9s at TopBulb.com.
     

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