The ultimate headlight upgrade H4 (not LED or HID)

I THINK someone else posted a similar experience but, FWIW, I ran 70/65 bulbs on stock harnesses with NO problems. Light output was better than stock, but not much better. I recommend upgrading your harnesses if you want to go with 85/80 bulbs.

The biggest issue I see with DRLs is shorter bulb lifespan.

 

Thanks! I saw some pictures in this thread of the 70/65, and it looked decent, but for the same price I would rather the brighter ones for our long winters here.

Our dtrl's are actually the Amber turn signal/parking lights not the actual headlights. I was mostly wondering if the harness would affect those or if they are part of a different circuit (probably are now that I think about it)

 

Most of the folks here asking about the Daytime running light, are first gen Tacoma folks. Your 2006 is a 2nd gen, and does not use the headlights as its daytime running light, therefore there is no impact on the DTRL operation by using these bulbs / harness. Do treat your headlight receptacle connections with an antioxidant. (NO-OX) This will prevent corrosion, keeping voltage drops at the headlight connector to a minimum, and keep the connector from overheating.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the info! That's exactly what I wanted to know. Should have figured, but thought I'd ask to make sure!

 

My 2015 runs the high beams as DTRL... And as stated above, with the SMS harness I've got no DTRL's any more.

 

True they are the best led upgrade overstock, but per their spec page has 1000 lumen low and 1250 lumen high beam, which is no comparison for the nuclear option of 1750 lumens low and 2400 lumens high beam.

 

Correct, but the reduction in voltage drop plays just as much a part of this upgrade as the increased power by the upgraded bulbs do. You can do one or the other, but the full extent of the upgrade will not be realized till you do both.

 

Apologies for the super delayed response. Vacation during a product release equates to no life when getting back from vacation in order to make up.

Another member ran into a similar issue and we suspect there may be a connection to lack of DRLs. All my trucks w/o DRLs were actually conventionally switched. Did you test yours? My truck with DRL work as expected. I was not previously aware second gens were available without.

 

Where did you get those numbers? They appear a lot brighter than 1000 lumens for the low.

 

I got them off the tech specs in your link, follow the link and go to the tech spec tab.

http://www.xenondepot.com/h4-philips-12953BWX2-LED-Bulb-p/12953bwx2.htm

 

Notice the specs indicate + or -15% additional lumens. There is no way these things are 1000 lumens on the lows, as they are easily twice the brightness of every other LED bulb claiming higher than that (lumens) on their CREE chips.

 

I did notice. Even at 1150 lumens low, does not compare to 1750 lumens. I think Philips is a respectable brand and would not shall we say embellish lumen output as other questionable brands may do.

Would be interesting to have a side-by-side comparison. To bad I was staying about 30 minutes away from you week before last, in Livermore CA. Drove down in the Taco.

Edit: Will probably repeat the trip next year. Could be an interesting experiment.

 

Damn. I stay not too far away from there. That would had been an interesting light off.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't more halogen lumens required in order to compare itself to the same lumens that LED throws out?

 

I think what me and others are trying to say when we say "no DTRL's" is that we lost our DTRL's when going to this harness. Yes, I'm conventionally switched. And when I plug my stock harness back into my headlight bulbs it does use the headlight as a DTRL...

 

Ohhh, ok, so you are saying your truck uses the actual headlight as the DTRL? Now that makes so much more sense. I realized something didn't make sense after my last reply and was hoping to beat you back here, but have been swamped. My truck uses the amber indicators as the DTRL which is why I was so confused. I was unaware of 2nd gens that use the headlight for the DTRL, I could see where this would cause an issue. If so, is your truck by chance from Canada?

 

Maybe later this year I'll be down again and we can have a light-off.

No, your LEDs will be noticeably higher in kelvin temp, and the whiter color will make them seem brighter but in fact lumen is the true measure of light output.

 

Canadian 2nd Gens use the Indicator lights as the Daytime running light. We do not get a switch position on the stalk to turn off the DTRL; they are on when the engine is running, and the headlights are not on. With the headlights On, the DTRLs are off.

 

I worry these high wattage bulbs will melt the plastic headlight lens.

 

No he has specifically stated it is on a 2015.

This has already been disproven not only through myself running these bulbs on several toyota pickups over many many years, but also using infrared temp gun readings to measure the lens temp.

 

2nd gen (2015) US spec (Texas built)

SMS tells me the second gens (at least the later ones) burn the high beams at reduced voltage for the DTRL's. My Amber marker lights also come on, but are way off on the side, not in the center anywhere. Like I said, if I plug in the standard harness they work. It doesn't bother me enough to do anything about it… At least now – it's 10 below zero with the wind-chill today. Another double pole relay could solve the issue if anyone is interested in doing it.