3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

Interesting for sure and a unique solution that would seem to kill two birds with one stone. Do LED heat exchangers create enough heat to warm an entire headlight assembly enough through convection? Rather than radiant heat from infrared halogen light.

 

Hard to say without testing and it would certainly depend on the size of the assembly. The back of the fan cooled Tungsram LEDs for example were 101 degrees, exhausting that into the headlight is going to offer some benefit. It certainly isn't going to have the heat output of a halogen, but it would offer improved performance vs other LEDs on the market. I don't think it will work quite as well in a projector, as the projector will get warm but there is still the cavity between the projector and the outer lens.

 

The little shields help form the cutoff for lowbeam in 9003/H4/HB2/ and H19 bulbs. The lowbeam filament is offset from the highbeam filament which shifts the hotspot, and the metal shield blocks light from reaching the lower portions of the reflector that would cause glare for oncoming traffic. Highbeam filament is placed "optimally" for focus.


Edit- Crash, do you think the design is also trying to provide additional cooling for the LED chipset due to such a thin pcb/heatsink?

 

The other advantage to venting through the bulb into the headlight housing might be to help force the evaporation of any moisture that may get into the housing.

 

If it's a closed loop (sealed by the bulb collar) then it won't really get rid of any moisture present. You'd still want a dry assembly before installing.

 

Agreed, but remember, most housings have a vent.

 

Ah, I was not aware. There's a truck parked on my block that has the blacked out headlights and they're always sweaty on the inside. Maybe just poorly sealed.

 

That thought on the cooling configuration definitely crossed my mind.

 

Just yesterday, as I lazed on the couch contemplating life, I daydreamed "wouldn't it be cool if LED bulbs had the fan inside of the headlight assembly".

Maybe if I become lazier and dream harder, my next thoughts will become reality too!

 

I've had many of these thoughts for vehicles that later become a reality, somehow I need to monetize that better.

 

Hikari has an H4 bulb for motorcycles with the fan inside the reflector:

https://www.amazon.com/HIKARI-Motorcycle-Headlight-Conversion-Warranty-1/dp/B07SRS9MJN

 

Strange and poor design. I’m guessing on the intended motorcycle there is a reason the fan cannot be mounted externally on the rear.

 

Most bikes I've owned or worked on have zero room behind the headlight for anything. Even attempting to put a cooling fan back there would be pointless because there's no air flow.

 

i just replaced my oem halogens with the tungsram +130s. is it necessary to readjust my headlights because of the increased output? seems like they’re shining much higher than oem

 

Theoretically, you should not have to. Many cheap aftermarket replacement bulbs do require re-aiming due to poor process control as to where the filament is located. You should not have that problem with those particular bulbs.

 

I stuck the Hikari ultras in my low and high beams. Low beams are better than silverstars, high beams I’ll probably go back to the h9 bulb.

 

I disagree...installed the Nova today, different light output from oem 2021 halogens to alpharex led

 

Did you read the post crash linked to?

If so, could you clarify exactly what you are disagreeing with?

Your photos, to my untrained eye, appear to back up the “excessive foreground light” problem with AlphaRex. This is easiest to observe on the far right side where your other vehicle blocks much of the light but you see more spill lower down than near the cutoff.

For reference, this is what my OEM LED’s look like.

 

Your photos are too washed out to draw a conclusive conclusion but do appear to reinforce exactly what I was saying as to why those are not a legitimate headlight. Peak beam intensity is supposed to be right up at the cut off, and reduced down through the beam just like your stock lights. High output intensity low in the beam pattern leads to a flood light effect, increasing foreground light and reducing distance vision. This appears to be exactly what your photo shows and as @daveeasa points out with the shadows cast by the adjacent vehicle. What is often difficult to get past is brighter isn't better unless it is brighter in the right spot. The right spot is concentrated hot spots at the cut off, with a smooth blend reducing intensity down thought the pattern to minimize foreground light. Unfortunately humans naturally favor foreground light, so people instinctively favor 'the wrong light' because it makes them feel like they can see better, but what you want is a focused distance light to project further. Which means focused hot spots at the cut off and a smooth blended beam reducing in intensity lower in the pattern. If you have crazy high foreground light low in the pattern as appears to be shown in your photo, that is exactly what makes an illegitimate poor performing headlight.

 

The LED fogs are on as well. In the coming weeks, as I move cars around, I’ll compare this photo to the light output from the Supra, which are factory LED, the light dispersion top to bottom is nearly identical.

of note, fogs were on with halogen picture as well.

I just disagree with your claim that they are illegitimate. I find them of high quality, excellent visibility for driving, and saw clearly at night just now. And I live in the sticks out of town. I’ve had Benz LED, BMW LED, the Supra LED, and even Jeep LED, all those were OEM. These Alpharex out perform the Benz and Jeep by far, and are comparable to the M2 and Supra for night visibility.

So, I’ll continue to disagree with your hard lined protests against them, my review is that they are an excellent option. I’m thrilled with them, as I’m sure you’re thrilled with what you have.