3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

Did not want this to get lost!

can I assume that would be $10 shipped?

 

Yes, exactly. That hopefully allows me to get out of the red on the deal within a year which seems reasonable. First class in a padded envelope with tracking. I’ll post a link to the BST thread once I receive them.

 

Added a few more notes to the Philips LED review. Also of interest, those units had integrated drivers like the latest Hikaris. Driver technology must have significantly improved recently or substantially benefitted from being fan cooled to offset the performance penalty of being mounted on the LED. Might have to go back and give the latest Hikaris another look.

 

I assume led bulbs as turn signals are as bad as any other led in reflectors?

 

Depends on the bulb design and the design of the signal assembly, so there isn’t a one size fits all answer. Scatter isn’t an issue like a low beam or fog, since signals are more flood like. But visibility can be a concern, LEDs do not provide uniform output like an incandescent, so visibility might be good from one angle but possibly not others. And in direct daylight sometimes they can appear dimmer than stock since the assembly isn’t fully uniformly lit to the same level. Some companies will try to compensate by boosting output to extreme levels, but then just end up with blinding signals at night, so that isn’t good either.

Signals are also difficult with the hyper flash issues. Sometimes you can replace the flasher module with one designed for lower power draw LEDs, but often the solution is to add resisters. Resisters waste energy by turning it into heat by getting hot, and effectively will often burn themselves out. So you don’t end up reducing power usage and introduce failure prone resisters. You’ve then lost the LED advantage of both lower power draw and improved reliability. Which then begs the question, why? The OEM signals should last 8+ years easy, so there isn’t a good longevity argument either. IMO LED retrofit bulbs in the signals are more trouble than they are worth, with no advantage. Compared to a brake light application for example where faster LED illumination response might buy that extra critical split second savings in communication to the vehicle behind you without having to deal with resisters and hyper flash, though the earlier comments on light uniformity still apply.

 

That will be nice.
About the philips test. Where does the hotspot locate? Is it near the cut off like the halogen? If lower, how much lower than the halogen?

 

It is lower than a halogen. I should have taken a pic of the peak intensity location. What I really need to do for better quantitative data is setup the 42’ test and try the 3 leading replacement LEDs and note the hot spot drop distance from the cut off line.

 

I can think of one other fun thing to test at 42'

 

Just one?

What are, the latest 2nd Gen Morimoto LED assemblies? For $900.

Arriving tomorrow.

But! You likely meant those other assemblies in the boxes in my garage.

 

Yep, you got me. The 2nd gen is far more interesting to Tacoma owners. I'm curious on that one too, will they pull a Phillips out of their hat or fall on their face like the bartender when she crushed a pint glass all over my wife tonight? You just gotta wonder, there's no sure bet these days...

 

going to check on my Amazon adapters and pop off my plastic covers this morning!

 

well that was stupid easy.

Amazon adapters looked ok, the green plastic caps pop right off, including across the garage.

 

Thinking about this, it makes perfect sense.
Mass production of a single connector for multiple bulb types.
Insert specific cap for specified bulb type.

 

The theory on melted plastic is a loose connection due to poor socket quality/fit. Leading to increased resistance over time as wires jiggle. Creating an increase in heat due to increased resistance which then causes melting. I don’t believe the 55w to 65w difference between H9 and H11 plays any role.

My initial focus was on securing small quantities of high quality H9 connectors. I found some I like very much which are affordable but the terminal is special order and 4000 minimum quantity.

This plan is better if indeed the connectors I sourced are a clean match. That’s the lone remaining question. I will test figment on my truck to know for sure, both a center swap and a de-pin / re-pin.

 

4000 seems excessive

 

so if the connectors don’t pan out, it doesn’t seem to difficult to modify the green connector to work with the H9.

 

You should be 100% a-ok with no inner plastic part. I suppose you could cut it with a knife but I don't think that has a ton of purpose.

 

I have no comment about the front turn signals, but I have the @MESO total tail stage 2 kit for the rear blinkers and brake lights, and it has worked great. Super bright, and as an added bonus, it relocates the turn signal to where the reverse lights are, and uses amber LEDs. Check out the video at the link if that doesn't make sense. It shows stock and modified blinkers.

No clue why Toyota switched to having red blinkers on the third gen after using amber for the first and second gen.

 

That is confusing. Most typically it is American brands that use red signals. Amber is the more appropriate and safer color choice for a signal.

 

It honestly drives me bonkers. I chucked out the cash for the Meso Total Tails to convert mine to yellow.