I love your vids! BUT, please emphasize how important it is to have your headlights aimed accordingly when swapping. Or in cases where you may offer kits for trucks. Here in texas so many people think it's OK to lift their trucks and throw the brightest mini sun inside their housing without aiming. I seriously have to stop in the middle of the road until they pass.
"Yeeehaw y'all!! Git'er dun! I'ms gonna raise ma truck n drive 'round like a douchebag blinding people on purpose" those people deserve to have their headlights smashed!!
I appreciate the video and the time you guys at TRS are putting into this and the fact that you're showing people objective data on the different options out there. However, I don't see how the HID in a reflector housing is acceptable at all when you consider the effect they have on oncoming traffic. Sure, it has the highest output at the hotspot (900 lux) and the second highest value on the edge (75 lux) but the glare is substantial (34 lux). You mention that it really isn't a lot compared to the HID hotspot (~4%), which is true, but you shouldn't take that as a reference since that's not really the metric people will see in oncoming traffic. If you look at the glare values for the other options you get 9.5 lux for stock, 11 lux for the projector, 15 lux for the LED and then a whopping 34 lux for the HID. That's almost 4 times the stock output, and nearly 30% of the hotspot value for the stock halogens. Compare that to 13% from the LED, 9.5% from the projectors and 8.2% from the stock halogens. When you compare them like that you quickly see how much more light the HID throws into the oncoming driver's line of sight. Add to that, the scenario you tested is with adjusted headlights after the switch which 90% of people don't bother doing. After considering this, can you still recommend people switch over their bulbs to HIDs in reflector housings? PS: What I'd like to see next is this same test performed on a housing adjusted to have a good cutoff with stock bulbs and then kept fixed at that position for the other options. This would allow us to get an idea of how the hotpots and cutoff lines move.
good comments - my thoughts also. The fact that TRS did not reply to your well presented comment raises concerns that the HID in a reflector is not appropriate, and certainly not safe nor legal.
I run LED bulbs in my old 93 F150 that has large reflector headlights and they work well. I had to re-adjust the beams down a little because they are so much brighter, but they work a lot better than the old Halogen bulbs for sure. I seldom use the high beams now. The high beams are like airplane landing lights!!!
You are right but may not be 100% in my opinion. They both are good to install if we note and do the followings 1) HID works better in projectors and LED in reflectors. However, they may work interchangeably. The crux of matter is LED bulb dimensions should almost be same of halogens or HID depending upon factory installed halogen/HID. 2) Proper orientation of LED/HID bulb according to default orientation in reflector/projector is necessary to avoid dispursion of light in unwanted angles 3) Proper alignment of lights after installation is necessary to get besf results
Hi! I used to run LEDs in reflector headlights for quite a long time and I should know better I should not be using them due to light scatter everywhere and dazzling oncoming traffic! I didn’t ever get flashed by anyone😂 I got yelled at before because I put LEDs headlights in reflectors. I now replaced my headlights for projectors so I can legally run them so they will be nice and bright so they won’t be any glare!😊 great video!
I bought my first retrofit bi-xenon projector kit (...for my dinky little Sentra Spec V...) way back in 2009 or 2010-- it was THE BEST headlight upgrade I've ever done. At that time I did alot of driving at night so I really did need the best LEGAL lighting I could buy. After my install, which was surprisingly easy, I was shocked at how much better & further down the road I could see. And I never once was flashed by oncoming drivers for blinding them. ...just a FANTASTIC upgrade... Fixing to order my 4th kit in a week or two: Going to the LED side this time.
We're excited to hear that! thank you so much for your support over the years. We appreciate your business and are stoked to hear how impressed you are with the results. Thats what its all about!
Thanks for the two videos that you've done comparing the different lighting upgrade options from standard Halogen bulbs, very interesting and informative.
Great video Matt! I agree with everything you covered in this test. Nothing beats doing it right. I also agree that the numbers are somewhat misleading when it comes to the practical use of the light that is cast down-road. An intense and tiny hotspot is not very desirable from the driver’s seat. I’m curious how far apart the marks are on the wall? It looks like 12” steps? Keep up the great work at TRS.
I really like your vids. They are informative and you compare multiple options fairly. I have a question about one of your older vids that I watched but can't seem to find anymore. It was comparing retrofitting the different types of bulbs into stock headlights; led, halogen, xenon. It was a long vid like this one and I think the last part was installing a projector unit into a sock reflector housing; Dodge I think. Looking to do some upgrades to my 04 Bugeye Impreza.
Thank *FUCKING* god for you making this video. - Sick and tired of others bitching about HID/LED lights put in reflector type housings. - There is *NOTHING* wrong with doing this unless it’s set up properly, adjust them properly to where you can see and you’re not blinding oncoming traffic and cars infront of you. - I even slapped in a 55w HID lights 10000k and I didn’t give two shits because I know you have to set them up properly. - Lastly, if you’re offended by my swearing, I apologize. - _LAST WORDS:_ - To the people that are about to come here into my comment section and argue this shit with me, go ahead. I cannot give two shits.
Awsesome comparison...Great job and video! Loved the retrofit projector cut off demo, great up sale. Although with my previous experience, dealing with possible condensation of poor reassemble of the headlight is not worth the trouble. At the end of the day, LED is still obviously lagging behind in hot spot brightness comparatively with HID in both headlight technologies.
Yeah, I should’ve just retrofitted some projectors in my 4Runner.. would’ve been way worth my time and way worth the money. It’s difficult to see in the rain and fog at night with the LED style bulbs in a halogen housing. Yes they’re adjusted correctly for the ride height, yes they’re decent, but absolutely useless in the rain at night or at night driving under street lights in general. If you’re gonna do anything, save your money for that projector retrofit. Way worth the money, and I personally shoulda just went with my gut and retrofitted some projectors.
To make the test results compare correctly you need to test with a '00-'10 vehicle reflector with seperate low beam/high beam to see how it affects both beam patterns. And to secure the headlight so it's mounted in a fixed location to really compare the low beam hotspots. Plus test the older style LED bulbs w/o CSP Led Lumiled technology since most people go buy old led bulbs from amazon and eBay. They don't know what's best, they just look for brightness in lux and cheap price.
Nice job on both comparisons. I look forward to other comparisons. I noticed the HID bulb had a shield over the tip, which takes care of the glare issues caused by a 9004 bi-xenon HID. I would like to suggest a similar comparison using a headlamp housing with a fluted lens, such as one that uses a 9004 bulb. I would expect such a test would show that there is considerable glare when replacing the halogen bulb with an HID bi-xenon bulb (not certain how the LED bulb would perform). While you may have debunked the glare complaints with a reflector housing that uses a clear lens and a cut-off line designed into the reflector, a reflector housing with a fluted lens does not have a cut-off line...at least mine didn't (1992 Toyota Corolla). The beams were just oval hot spots. I also suggest you demonstrate how poor the high beam is with a bi-xenon bulb, since the bulb changes position for high beam and you lose the low beam (can see further, but can no longer see the road well). I learned all of these lessons with my 9004 housings until I found replacement housings with clear glass lenses, and retrofitted them with H1 HID projectors.
Agreed! the results can definitely vary depending on the housings the setup is put in, so viewers should take this for what its worth - the results what we had, not what we guarantee applies to everything else out there. Cheers T5!
It should be noted that the standard halogen they used is a Sylvania basic but you can get halogen bulbs "twice" as bright by going up to Sylvania silverstar ultra halogens with no conversion. Much whiter cast from silverstar as well
allegedly....... but I bet if they tested them they wouldn't be that much brighter (from my experience). Never buying Silverstar or Silverstar Ultra again.
Premium bulbs cast more light that's true, but it's never 2x more than a standard one, it's more like a percentage gain over the standards. The best premium 55W bulb is probably only 30-40% brighter than an average bulb (use video for reference, 117lux was the halogens hotspot, so premium would cast about 140-160lux which is still 100lux less than the LED). But those premium bulbs have a big downside, their lifespan is extremely short like 400 hours. The only way to get 2x more light from a halogen bulb is to rise the wattage (installing a bulb with 65-75W) but by doing so standard connectors will most likley melt from the immense heat being generated
DarwinBlame I’ve had multiple sets of Silverstars in two different vehicles and also tried some 65W Osram bulbs, they all had a very short lifespan. The Silverstars were only marginally brighter than OE replacement halogen bulbs like you said.
the only problem I see with this test is you're using a newer reflector housing, using a reflector from a 90s or 80s halogen reflector housing that doesn't have a defined cutoff would have been a better comparison, because most of the people running around with PNP systems are in their 90s civics, or cars with 7" round reflector housings with "hid kits" in them
Very very informative, appreciate the efforts, Thanks. This one and the other comparison video have helped me in deciding the right type of headlight for my Car. 👍
best video I have seen. One question i have is do you think different car model housings perform differently? Will a 2006 Tundra perform differently with this same test. Is this Tundra housing a better design than others for the LED cut off?
I have a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Comfortline that has a 2 bulb light reflector, one bulb for high beam , and of course one for low beam If I put in the MORIMOTO ELITE HID for the plug n play for my low beams What would I use for high beams, as these would probably overpower the LED high beams As people use LED's for high beams , as they come on instantly, no warm up time Would I even notice the brights were even on whether they're Halogen or LED? LOL What do other people do? Thanks Great video I subscribed with all notifications on, maybe I will just email you
I would recommend going with a pair of the 2Stroke LED bulbs, as they will get you the best upgrade for that high beam with that instant on off functionality!
I have a question. I have a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria LX with 9006 low beam and 9005 high beam. I switched to the HID bulbs and everytime I turn on my High beams all of my light shut off. The HID's do have the ballists with them and still have problems. Please let me know what to do?
justin smith would love to see the housing fixed to something, then change bulbs to see where the hotspot moves. Who adjusts there headlights these days? No one.
justin smith I flash anyone with anyone with led lights that blind the fuck out of me even if it’s a factory problem. Enough people do it they’ll go to the dealer to complain
i assume you guys did use both a morimoto 55k bulb for the h4 and d2s bulb. the d2s just look more yellowish in the video. good comparise though. i have a 2011 tundra which is an h11 bulb but i almost maybe considering your HID kit instead of a retrofit since its not as easy with the H4
@@RetrofitSource I know this is out of left field but I plan on buying the osram CBIs for my retrofit in the near future and will be using hylux 45w ballast and am curious what the color shift would be on a 5500k bulb
I think it's important to note that with a simple drop-in kit, the extremely bright hotspot may affect night vision at the edge of the light beam; therefore, seeing bicyclists may be difficult. The subtler light output of projector headlights tend to preserve night vision better. This is extremely important when traveling after midnight.
The distribution of light within the beam pattern most definitely plays a part in your overall ability to see while driving in the dark. Typically, you want a very bright hot spot, with a gradient of reduced intensity further out to the bottom (foreground) of the beam.
There seems to be a balance though. While driving through dark country-sides, I've noticed that an extremely bright hotspot prevents my peripheral vision to detect movements on the far reaches of the wilderness -- deer and coyote comes to mind. Bright lights heavily affect my night vision and cause severe eye fatigue; which is why I often prefer to drive after 2am.
@@ttango504 might have more to do with color range. If i had to guess you are running 5000k to 6000k. A 4300k and run a 55w ballast and it works amazing well. Will mimic the color of a halogen bulb, easy on the eyes and you pick up more detail.
@@SofaKingTouge -- My current vehicle lacks an OEM fog light, so I decided on Osram D1S 35W 4150K bulbs for my OEM HID housing; I'd prefer 4000K had it exist. Previously, I used TRS' H7 Morimoto 35W 5000K HID bulbs as a drop-in for OEM projector lens; cheap H3 halogen bulbs went inside the OEM [projector] fog light housings. My old combination was a solid choice. On clear nights with few vehicles on the road, I'd attempt to drive with only fog lights at 70-80 mph on dark country highways.
You could definitely go that route, like the Morimoto H11B HID system here - would give you plenty of extra light, still well controlled through your OEM projectors. www.theretrofitsource.com/hid-systems-20/hid-systems-universal/h11-morimoto-elite.html
I have purchased and installed the EvoX-R 2.0 bi-xenon. They are adjusted a bit down, but people still flashes the lights at me some times... Does it exist some sort of retrofit auto leveling system? I dont have washers on my headlight, but people flash even when the headlight are cleane....
M Myrvold You will always be blinding people momentarily on large bumps and hills with a fixed mount. I have searched for an auto level retrofit kit as well but haven't found anything. It would be really nice. Until something hits the market we should just expect to be flashed on hills and bumpy roads due to the intensity. I feel a little bad blasting people but it's usually only a few seconds. The stock lighting does the same thing it's just much less noticeable since the output is so weak. I guess you can't have everything.
Yea, I feel bad aswell. I live in Norway, and here it is illegal to do any retrofiting.. There is alot of hils and bumps where I live, so i will always be blinding people in front of me. The good part is that they let me pass :D
If you have the Durango with reflector housings, you'll need an H11 for the low beam and 9005 for the high beam. We'd recommend something like the Morimoto 2stroke LEDs, or the GTR Ultras H11 options: www.theretrofitsource.com/led-bulbs/head-fog-light-bulbs/custitem_cat_facet_bulb_size/H11?order=commercecategory:asc 9005 options: www.theretrofitsource.com/led-bulbs/head-fog-light-bulbs/custitem_cat_facet_bulb_size/9005?order=commercecategory:asc
Unfortunately the DOT frowns upon any / all modifications to your headlights. However, if you install and properly aim the projectors through a retrofit, chances are you could still pass without any issues at a local inspection
i bought a CSP chip led rated at 9000lumens and also bought a Lux Meter. Now when i check the lux at point blank range it truly measures around 9000lux but like 14 feet away its only measuring upto 300 lux at best while the Night Breaker Unlimited is about 460lux in reflector housing, and in a projector the Halogens put upto 300lux and Led just 120lux at same distance.
The Mini H1 7.0 is a great projector, but thet D2S 4.0 is definitely king. Beyond it's performance, being a D2S projector, it opens up a lot of options for bulbs/ballasts when compared to H1.
TheRetrofitSource Inc Actually yes, Im running CBI in my 09 Escalade & haven't done a retro in years. Im thinking of going projectors in the fogs but struggle to find a smallish projector & hopefully a matching color temp bulb. Any suggestions? I have a new set of CBIs to toss in the headlights as my current 1s are 4 years old if that'll make suggestions easier
Yeah you got that right. How can sick a big vehicle that needs time to brake have such poor light output. Our tundra was the same way. When you drive around in the city you have to check to see if your lights are even on it unfortunately it isnt just toyota. My dad has a newer F250 that is the same way. Though I did see the new F250s and 350s received LED lights with the upper trim packages.
Isn't that reflector made for low beams? Thats a big difference than say a reflector like mine that uses one bulb for hi/low beams. That HID PnP kit would have ridiculous glare. If you go HID then do it right and get the projectors. You won't regret it. Having more even lighting in front of you is so much better than an itty bitty hotspot that's super intense.
Yes, indeed this reflector is designed for low beams. Well, actually its designed for low and high since its an H4, but we only demo the low beam optics
A good video and very informative. I bought my kit from you guys and I love it mine. only thing is the swearing. It can really do without and makes you guys unprofessional.
So what this video shows me is just as I figured Toyota drivers don't know how to adjust their lights cause every one has aggressive obnoxious lights that blind you on coming and behind you!!! I drive for a living and you can always tell a Toyota coming
Super video and very educational with regard to retrofitting reflector headlights but as I commented on the related video, the foul language degrades the professionalism of the individual and TheRetrofitSource Inc. Maybe its a millennial thing but it just shows how our society has gone downhill over the years.
Hey Keith, we are sorry if you feel offended in anyway. It's truly not our intention, but we like to be true to ourselves and not put on a fake personality. This is just who we are. If you can't watch our content because of this, we understand. Thanks for your feedback.
Wow, HID Pnp kit blows everything else away. 900 LUX at the hot spot sure beats ~300 LUX from the projector retrofit. Sure the Pnp kit doesn't have the spread as a projector retrofit, but I can make up for that with a set of HID/LED fogs. Plus the PnP HID kit has better color than the Mini D2S in the video IMO. I can't even imagine how many more LUX I can get with a 50W HID PnP kit with that reflector... LOL You should've used a halogon reflector housing off a early model VW Jetta instead. Those cars have the worst lighting from the factory.
Don’t let the numbers fool you..in reality, that tiny intense hit spot from the PnP bulb will not work that well on the road, in fact it may be too bright and focused creating a blinding effect( like looking at the sun )on your eyes. I’ve tried all the options in my FJ Cruiser, the nothing is better than a proper HID bixenon retrofit. It’s like having your own street lamp attached to the front of your vehicle, but with a sharp cutoff line. And when properly aimed, they cast a wide, clear and sharp light very far down the road, yet the cutoff is below the top of the trunk of most low cars. This low cutoff is even achievable even though my FJ is lifted. The bixenon HID retrofit kits are WORTH EVERY PENNY. LED headlights bulbs are not reliable enough yet, even the companies that offer lifetime warranties..you’ll get sick of changing them out, even if they’re free.
@Nathan Snow @Charles Ball @nitrofreakmanho @popwarhomie If you look at the beam pattern, there isn't much light scatter/glare above the cutoff. I've seen a PNP HID kit in the same reflector housing in person, and it's not bad if you aim it properly. Cut-off doesn't mean much if the lights are aimed towards my fucking eyes. Take any Cadillac for example, especially the Escalade... I'm sure the cut-off is nicer than a PNP kit in a Tundra reflector housing, but Cadillac aimed their headlights all fucked up. I get more glare than a fucking glare from their OEM projector HID's (same shit with their newer LED's) than a fucking Civic EK with a PNP kit that has an old school casper shield. Same shit goes to the late model Corolla's with the factory LED. I swear I'm going fucking strangle those motherfuckers who aimed those headlights from the assembly plant... But at the end of the day, Lux is Lux. If the headlight produced a lot of hotspot and not enough spread, then make it up with a good set of LED/HID fogs. But if you don't have enough Lux, then I can't even see shit even if your projector retrofit have a nice "spread" anyway. And it also depends how you far you look when you're driving. From my observation after over 20 years on the road, 99% of the drivers don't even look past their shit farther than 10-15 cars ahead. So obviously, having a nice long-range hotspot does jack shit for those dumbasses, and would love to opt for a nice dim spread on a set of projector retrofit. The Mini D2S 4.0 is a disappointment in this test. It lost way too much light output for the sake of having more spread. Light is crazy yellow compared to the PNP kit, which made me go "what the fuck...".
HID bulbs can come in many temps. You can still get the white color with a retrofit. Also the retrofit is three times brighter than halogens(which provide plenty of light). The spread of the retrofit and everything else is superior. The 900 lux bright spot is likely going to be an annoyance for other drivers much more than a benefit to your vision.
I love your vids! BUT, please emphasize how important it is to have your headlights aimed accordingly when swapping. Or in cases where you may offer kits for trucks. Here in texas so many people think it's OK to lift their trucks and throw the brightest mini sun inside their housing without aiming. I seriously have to stop in the middle of the road until they pass.
I totally agree with this! Stupid ass people that level or lift their trucks and don't adjust their headlights accordingly.
animefreak3939 you shouldn't stop in the middle of the road. At least pull over to the shoulder! :)
same here in india they literally blind oncoming people
More worst here in Philippines
"Yeeehaw y'all!! Git'er dun! I'ms gonna raise ma truck n drive 'round like a douchebag blinding people on purpose" those people deserve to have their headlights smashed!!
Tundra has good optics, u need to test a vw jetta or like a dodge ram, or fluted headlights
I appreciate the video and the time you guys at TRS are putting into this and the fact that you're showing people objective data on the different options out there. However, I don't see how the HID in a reflector housing is acceptable at all when you consider the effect they have on oncoming traffic. Sure, it has the highest output at the hotspot (900 lux) and the second highest value on the edge (75 lux) but the glare is substantial (34 lux). You mention that it really isn't a lot compared to the HID hotspot (~4%), which is true, but you shouldn't take that as a reference since that's not really the metric people will see in oncoming traffic. If you look at the glare values for the other options you get 9.5 lux for stock, 11 lux for the projector, 15 lux for the LED and then a whopping 34 lux for the HID. That's almost 4 times the stock output, and nearly 30% of the hotspot value for the stock halogens. Compare that to 13% from the LED, 9.5% from the projectors and 8.2% from the stock halogens. When you compare them like that you quickly see how much more light the HID throws into the oncoming driver's line of sight. Add to that, the scenario you tested is with adjusted headlights after the switch which 90% of people don't bother doing. After considering this, can you still recommend people switch over their bulbs to HIDs in reflector housings?
PS: What I'd like to see next is this same test performed on a housing adjusted to have a good cutoff with stock bulbs and then kept fixed at that position for the other options. This would allow us to get an idea of how the hotpots and cutoff lines move.
@Jonathan A. That's interesting. But yea, 34 lux glare is a lot. Glare is all the other driver sees at night.
@Jonathan A. Hi Bro, your once with Projector so cut off of cause be controlled/nice/solid. Here he mentioned HIDs work in Reflector :)
good comments - my thoughts also. The fact that TRS did not reply to your well presented comment raises concerns that the HID in a reflector is not appropriate, and certainly not safe nor legal.
I run LED bulbs in my old 93 F150 that has large reflector headlights and they work well. I had to re-adjust the beams down a little because they are so much brighter, but they work a lot better than the old Halogen bulbs for sure. I seldom use the high beams now. The high beams are like airplane landing lights!!!
Dick
No, his user name is Painter D
You are right but may not be 100% in my opinion. They both are good to install if we note and do the followings
1) HID works better in projectors and LED in reflectors. However, they may work interchangeably. The crux of matter is LED bulb dimensions should almost be same of halogens or HID depending upon factory installed halogen/HID.
2) Proper orientation of LED/HID bulb according to default orientation in reflector/projector is necessary to avoid dispursion of light in unwanted angles
3) Proper alignment of lights after installation is necessary to get besf results
Can you repeat this test with a high-beam reflector housing? Perhaps issues with glare/cutoff won't matter then? Nice work btw!
Hi! I used to run LEDs in reflector headlights for quite a long time and I should know better I should not be using them due to light scatter everywhere and dazzling oncoming traffic! I didn’t ever get flashed by anyone😂 I got yelled at before because I put LEDs headlights in reflectors. I now replaced my headlights for projectors so I can legally run them so they will be nice and bright so they won’t be any glare!😊 great video!
Thank you! :D
I bought my first retrofit bi-xenon projector kit (...for my dinky little Sentra Spec V...) way back in 2009 or 2010-- it was THE BEST headlight upgrade I've ever done.
At that time I did alot of driving at night so I really did need the best LEGAL lighting I could buy.
After my install, which was surprisingly easy, I was shocked at how much better & further down the road I could see. And I never once was flashed by oncoming drivers for blinding them.
...just a FANTASTIC upgrade...
Fixing to order my 4th kit in a week or two: Going to the LED side this time.
We're excited to hear that! thank you so much for your support over the years. We appreciate your business and are stoked to hear how impressed you are with the results. Thats what its all about!
Thanks for the two videos that you've done comparing the different lighting upgrade options from standard Halogen bulbs, very interesting and informative.
great review.. but seeing as its a yr later.. can u do an update adding the Morimoto H4 2Stroke 2.0 led as well as the Bi-led M Led
Great video Matt! I agree with everything you covered in this test. Nothing beats doing it right. I also agree that the numbers are somewhat misleading when it comes to the practical use of the light that is cast down-road. An intense and tiny hotspot is not very desirable from the driver’s seat.
I’m curious how far apart the marks are on the wall? It looks like 12” steps? Keep up the great work at TRS.
I really like your vids. They are informative and you compare multiple options fairly. I have a question about one of your older vids that I watched but can't seem to find anymore. It was comparing retrofitting the different types of bulbs into stock headlights; led, halogen, xenon. It was a long vid like this one and I think the last part was installing a projector unit into a sock reflector housing; Dodge I think. Looking to do some upgrades to my 04 Bugeye Impreza.
Hey there! I don't believe we have taken down any of our videos. If you think of your question let us know and we can hopefully answer it.
Thank *FUCKING* god for you making this video.
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Sick and tired of others bitching about HID/LED lights put in reflector type housings.
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There is *NOTHING* wrong with doing this unless it’s set up properly, adjust them properly to where you can see and you’re not blinding oncoming traffic and cars infront of you.
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I even slapped in a 55w HID lights 10000k and I didn’t give two shits because I know you have to set them up properly.
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Lastly, if you’re offended by my swearing, I apologize.
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_LAST WORDS:_
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To the people that are about to come here into my comment section and argue this shit with me, go ahead. I cannot give two shits.
Your swearing doesn't offend us, you're fuckin right James! Thank you for watching & for your 2 cents. We agree man.
About how much would it cost to have your stock reflector halogen lamps modified to be projector LED bulbs?
Great video! Thanks a lot. Keep up the good work, please.
Thank you very much!!!
Awsesome comparison...Great job and video! Loved the retrofit projector cut off demo, great up sale. Although with my previous experience, dealing with possible condensation of poor reassemble of the headlight is not worth the trouble. At the end of the day, LED is still obviously lagging behind in hot spot brightness comparatively with HID in both headlight technologies.
Agreed on all fronts Galen!
Yeah, I should’ve just retrofitted some projectors in my 4Runner.. would’ve been way worth my time and way worth the money. It’s difficult to see in the rain and fog at night with the LED style bulbs in a halogen housing. Yes they’re adjusted correctly for the ride height, yes they’re decent, but absolutely useless in the rain at night or at night driving under street lights in general. If you’re gonna do anything, save your money for that projector retrofit. Way worth the money, and I personally shoulda just went with my gut and retrofitted some projectors.
To make the test results compare correctly you need to test with a '00-'10 vehicle reflector with seperate low beam/high beam to see how it affects both beam patterns. And to secure the headlight so it's mounted in a fixed location to really compare the low beam hotspots. Plus test the older style LED bulbs w/o CSP Led Lumiled technology since most people go buy old led bulbs from amazon and eBay. They don't know what's best, they just look for brightness in lux and cheap price.
The F*** bomb at 4:20 😂 .. good video man!
Nice job on both comparisons. I look forward to other comparisons.
I noticed the HID bulb had a shield over the tip, which takes care of the glare issues caused by a 9004 bi-xenon HID. I would like to suggest a similar comparison using a headlamp housing with a fluted lens, such as one that uses a 9004 bulb. I would expect such a test would show that there is considerable glare when replacing the halogen bulb with an HID bi-xenon bulb (not certain how the LED bulb would perform). While you may have debunked the glare complaints with a reflector housing that uses a clear lens and a cut-off line designed into the reflector, a reflector housing with a fluted lens does not have a cut-off line...at least mine didn't (1992 Toyota Corolla). The beams were just oval hot spots.
I also suggest you demonstrate how poor the high beam is with a bi-xenon bulb, since the bulb changes position for high beam and you lose the low beam (can see further, but can no longer see the road well).
I learned all of these lessons with my 9004 housings until I found replacement housings with clear glass lenses, and retrofitted them with H1 HID projectors.
Agreed! the results can definitely vary depending on the housings the setup is put in, so viewers should take this for what its worth - the results what we had, not what we guarantee applies to everything else out there. Cheers T5!
It should be noted that the standard halogen they used is a Sylvania basic but you can get halogen bulbs "twice" as bright by going up to Sylvania silverstar ultra halogens with no conversion. Much whiter cast from silverstar as well
allegedly....... but I bet if they tested them they wouldn't be that much brighter (from my experience). Never buying Silverstar or Silverstar Ultra again.
Premium bulbs cast more light that's true, but it's never 2x more than a standard one, it's more like a percentage gain over the standards. The best premium 55W bulb is probably only 30-40% brighter than an average bulb (use video for reference, 117lux was the halogens hotspot, so premium would cast about 140-160lux which is still 100lux less than the LED). But those premium bulbs have a big downside, their lifespan is extremely short like 400 hours. The only way to get 2x more light from a halogen bulb is to rise the wattage (installing a bulb with 65-75W) but by doing so standard connectors will most likley melt from the immense heat being generated
make sure you are getting 12v at the plug. if not run some relays.
DarwinBlame I’ve had multiple sets of Silverstars in two different vehicles and also tried some 65W Osram bulbs, they all had a very short lifespan. The Silverstars were only marginally brighter than OE replacement halogen bulbs like you said.
the only problem I see with this test is you're using a newer reflector housing, using a reflector from a 90s or 80s halogen reflector housing that doesn't have a defined cutoff would have been a better comparison, because most of the people running around with PNP systems are in their 90s civics, or cars with 7" round reflector housings with "hid kits" in them
Or like my 96 f150... I feel guilty sometimes, but the LED's look so cool
Very very informative, appreciate the efforts, Thanks. This one and the other comparison video have helped me in deciding the right type of headlight for my Car. 👍
best video I have seen. One question i have is do you think different car model housings perform differently? Will a 2006 Tundra perform differently with this same test. Is this Tundra housing a better design than others for the LED cut off?
I would recommend LED for a Tundra like yours.
But absolutely, every vehicle will perform differently!
Im a trfs fan but im scared of dedtroying my headllights while trying to install the projectors. Do you have any installation video?
I have a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Comfortline that has a 2 bulb light reflector, one bulb for high beam , and of course one for low beam
If I put in the MORIMOTO ELITE HID for the plug n play for my low beams
What would I use for high beams, as these would probably overpower the LED high beams
As people use LED's for high beams , as they come on instantly, no warm up time
Would I even notice the brights were even on whether they're Halogen or LED? LOL
What do other people do?
Thanks
Great video
I subscribed with all notifications on, maybe I will just email you
I would recommend going with a pair of the 2Stroke LED bulbs, as they will get you the best upgrade for that high beam with that instant on off functionality!
How do you cover the back side?? Of a h11 retrofit? Regards
I have a question. I have a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria LX with 9006 low beam and 9005 high beam. I switched to the HID bulbs and everytime I turn on my High beams all of my light shut off. The HID's do have the ballists with them and still have problems. Please let me know what to do?
thew biggest problem is that people who use PNP lights dont even try to aim them correctly, good cut-off or not, they blind the fuck out of people
justin smith would love to see the housing fixed to something, then change bulbs to see where the hotspot moves. Who adjusts there headlights these days? No one.
DaJokrz yep exactly. Do the test to a fixed reflector so you can see if the Hotspot changes vertically or greater area/bigger, which it probably will.
Abe S. Pretty much my prediction. All my projector retrofits I always aim a little on the low side when I’m finished.
justin smith I flash anyone with anyone with led lights that blind the fuck out of me even if it’s a factory problem. Enough people do it they’ll go to the dealer to complain
guys great video i ve learned a lot thanks
Glad to hear it!
Great vid Matt! Could have used a condensed version though like heres the results bam.
I like to talk, what can I say! lol
Would be great to see the throw of the beams on distance too.
Question...is the retro fit projection better than the factory projectors on vehicles...like f150, '09
i assume you guys did use both a morimoto 55k bulb for the h4 and d2s bulb. the d2s just look more yellowish in the video. good comparise though. i have a 2011 tundra which is an h11 bulb but i almost maybe considering your HID kit instead of a retrofit since its not as easy with the H4
A retrofit is easier with an H4. Larger hole for the projector to seat into = little to no trimming :)
Is it me or do modern reflector headlights have pretty good beam patterns and cut off lines
It really comes down to the particular housing you are using.
@@RetrofitSource I know this is out of left field but I plan on buying the osram CBIs for my retrofit in the near future and will be using hylux 45w ballast and am curious what the color shift would be on a 5500k bulb
My man Matt making a come back good shit brotatoe
I think it's important to note that with a simple drop-in kit, the extremely bright hotspot may affect night vision at the edge of the light beam; therefore, seeing bicyclists may be difficult.
The subtler light output of projector headlights tend to preserve night vision better. This is extremely important when traveling after midnight.
The distribution of light within the beam pattern most definitely plays a part in your overall ability to see while driving in the dark. Typically, you want a very bright hot spot, with a gradient of reduced intensity further out to the bottom (foreground) of the beam.
There seems to be a balance though. While driving through dark country-sides, I've noticed that an extremely bright hotspot prevents my peripheral vision to detect movements on the far reaches of the wilderness -- deer and coyote comes to mind. Bright lights heavily affect my night vision and cause severe eye fatigue; which is why I often prefer to drive after 2am.
@@ttango504 might have more to do with color range. If i had to guess you are running 5000k to 6000k. A 4300k and run a 55w ballast and it works amazing well. Will mimic the color of a halogen bulb, easy on the eyes and you pick up more detail.
@@SofaKingTouge -- My current vehicle lacks an OEM fog light, so I decided on Osram D1S 35W 4150K bulbs for my OEM HID housing; I'd prefer 4000K had it exist. Previously, I used TRS' H7 Morimoto 35W 5000K HID bulbs as a drop-in for OEM projector lens; cheap H3 halogen bulbs went inside the OEM [projector] fog light housings.
My old combination was a solid choice. On clear nights with few vehicles on the road, I'd attempt to drive with only fog lights at 70-80 mph on dark country highways.
How about the color temperature of hid's in reflector and projector, I notice an important color change?
Really no difference there if its the same kind of bulb, though the color flicker may be misleading as far as the Kelvin rating goes.
What is the purpose of the slant on the projector beam?
Hey I have a 10th civic sedan and it comes with halogen bulbs with projectors attached to them So should I just get a set of HID ballasters and bulbs?
You could definitely go that route, like the Morimoto H11B HID system here - would give you plenty of extra light, still well controlled through your OEM projectors. www.theretrofitsource.com/hid-systems-20/hid-systems-universal/h11-morimoto-elite.html
Id love to see this done with osram night breaker and osram rallye.
The Nightbreaker would make the HID results even better!
Why don't you test the highbeam mode?
This is what I am looking for. Subscribing
Thanks for your interest!
Quiero unos h1 7.0 para mi corsa chevrolet mi pregunta es si hablan español en su tienda??? Saludos desde México
I have purchased and installed the EvoX-R 2.0 bi-xenon. They are adjusted a bit down, but people still flashes the lights at me some times... Does it exist some sort of retrofit auto leveling system? I dont have washers on my headlight, but people flash even when the headlight are cleane....
M Myrvold You will always be blinding people momentarily on large bumps and hills with a fixed mount. I have searched for an auto level retrofit kit as well but haven't found anything. It would be really nice. Until something hits the market we should just expect to be flashed on hills and bumpy roads due to the intensity. I feel a little bad blasting people but it's usually only a few seconds. The stock lighting does the same thing it's just much less noticeable since the output is so weak. I guess you can't have everything.
Yea, I feel bad aswell. I live in Norway, and here it is illegal to do any retrofiting.. There is alot of hils and bumps where I live, so i will always be blinding people in front of me. The good part is that they let me pass :D
m.ua-cam.com/video/hyAxnRKT5FQ/v-deo.html
do you have car lights for 08 impala
What’s the best way to face the bar on the god bulb
Can you re state the question?
what kit would fit a 2011 duango stock reflectors?
If you have the Durango with reflector housings, you'll need an H11 for the low beam and 9005 for the high beam. We'd recommend something like the Morimoto 2stroke LEDs, or the GTR Ultras
H11 options: www.theretrofitsource.com/led-bulbs/head-fog-light-bulbs/custitem_cat_facet_bulb_size/H11?order=commercecategory:asc
9005 options: www.theretrofitsource.com/led-bulbs/head-fog-light-bulbs/custitem_cat_facet_bulb_size/9005?order=commercecategory:asc
Are any of these retrofits DOT certified?
Unfortunately the DOT frowns upon any / all modifications to your headlights. However, if you install and properly aim the projectors through a retrofit, chances are you could still pass without any issues at a local inspection
Now all we need is which one is the most reliable video
Mugen RR halogen is most reliable currently. LED in theory will last forever but the drivers tend to let go before the bulb does
how much lumens rated for the LED bulb? like they usually rate 8000lm, 10000lm &12000lm
It depends on the bulb, but in our experience, almost ALL LED bulbs are over-rated for lumenosity
i bought a CSP chip led rated at 9000lumens and also bought a Lux Meter. Now when i check the lux at point blank range it truly measures around 9000lux but like 14 feet away its only measuring upto 300 lux at best while the Night Breaker Unlimited is about 460lux in reflector housing, and in a projector the Halogens put upto 300lux and Led just 120lux at same distance.
What bulb and color temp is that D2s bulb?
Morimoto XB35 at 5500K
So what hids you using?
If we're using HIDs, its always a fresh pair of Morimotos!
How does the mh1v7 compare to those d2sv4.0?
Quang Nguyen if you can fit the 4.0, go that route. I just did a quad build with the 4.0 and 7.0, the 7.0 was pointless when paired with the 4.0.
The Mini H1 7.0 is a great projector, but thet D2S 4.0 is definitely king. Beyond it's performance, being a D2S projector, it opens up a lot of options for bulbs/ballasts when compared to H1.
I am surprised of the HID on the reflector headlights.
🤔
Does retrofit laser lowbeam has weak width?
Lasers have a super tight beam pattern, so yes.
@@RetrofitSource ow thats why i am having difficulty when driving with tinted winsdshield because it has lack of width
Is it available in India
Yes of course, we can ship to India - you can find them online here: www.theretrofitsource.com/projector-kits/hid-led-projectors.html
Good and usefull video, keep going. Subscribe from this moment ;)
Thanks for this video!!!
You're welcome! please let us know if you have any questions.
TheRetrofitSource Inc Actually yes, Im running CBI in my 09 Escalade & haven't done a retro in years. Im thinking of going projectors in the fogs but struggle to find a smallish projector & hopefully a matching color temp bulb. Any suggestions? I have a new set of CBIs to toss in the headlights as my current 1s are 4 years old if that'll make suggestions easier
The 14-17 Tundra headlight performance is very sad. Glad I retrofitted my 16 Platinum headlights. It’s how Tundra should have came from the factory.
Yeah you got that right. How can sick a big vehicle that needs time to brake have such poor light output. Our tundra was the same way. When you drive around in the city you have to check to see if your lights are even on it unfortunately it isnt just toyota. My dad has a newer F250 that is the same way. Though I did see the new F250s and 350s received LED lights with the upper trim packages.
How are these LED vs HID vs Retrofit legal in any way? The LED and HID Bulbs are made for off roads and not street legal
Brah! Where the heck do you live...
Edward Rosenberg Omg, bro you made my day.
Tell us what North Korea is like
Isn't that reflector made for low beams? Thats a big difference than say a reflector like mine that uses one bulb for hi/low beams. That HID PnP kit would have ridiculous glare. If you go HID then do it right and get the projectors. You won't regret it. Having more even lighting in front of you is so much better than an itty bitty hotspot that's super intense.
Yes, indeed this reflector is designed for low beams. Well, actually its designed for low and high since its an H4, but we only demo the low beam optics
TheRetrofitSource Inc Oh ok, I wasn't sure if it was or not. Thank you for the clarification. Love your products and customer service.
A good video and very informative. I bought my kit from you guys and I love it mine.
only thing is the swearing. It can really do without and makes you guys unprofessional.
Sorry, it's hard not to being so enthusiastic about what we're doing. But we understand!
So what this video shows me is just as I figured Toyota drivers don't know how to adjust their lights cause every one has aggressive obnoxious lights that blind you on coming and behind you!!! I drive for a living and you can always tell a Toyota coming
Super video and very educational with regard to retrofitting reflector headlights but as I commented on the related video, the foul language degrades the professionalism of the individual and TheRetrofitSource Inc. Maybe its a millennial thing but it just shows how our society has gone downhill over the years.
Hey Keith, we are sorry if you feel offended in anyway. It's truly not our intention, but we like to be true to ourselves and not put on a fake personality. This is just who we are. If you can't watch our content because of this, we understand. Thanks for your feedback.
Got to admit the hid only looked pretty good.
HID FTW!
"Plug and play HID for the win"
lol
he went blind at 12:29.
RIP eyes
He is so fckn fine
Wow, HID Pnp kit blows everything else away. 900 LUX at the hot spot sure beats ~300 LUX from the projector retrofit. Sure the Pnp kit doesn't have the spread as a projector retrofit, but I can make up for that with a set of HID/LED fogs. Plus the PnP HID kit has better color than the Mini D2S in the video IMO.
I can't even imagine how many more LUX I can get with a 50W HID PnP kit with that reflector... LOL
You should've used a halogon reflector housing off a early model VW Jetta instead. Those cars have the worst lighting from the factory.
Please don't do that in a reflector housing. I'll flip you off like all do with all the other pnp hid kits in reflector housings.
Don’t let the numbers fool you..in reality, that tiny intense hit spot from the PnP bulb will not work that well on the road, in fact it may be too bright and focused creating a blinding effect( like looking at the sun )on your eyes.
I’ve tried all the options in my FJ Cruiser, the nothing is better than a proper HID bixenon retrofit. It’s like having your own street lamp attached to the front of your vehicle, but with a sharp cutoff line. And when properly aimed, they cast a wide, clear and sharp light very far down the road, yet the cutoff is below the top of the trunk of most low cars. This low cutoff is even achievable even though my FJ is lifted. The bixenon HID retrofit kits are WORTH EVERY PENNY.
LED headlights bulbs are not reliable enough yet, even the companies that offer lifetime warranties..you’ll get sick of changing them out, even if they’re free.
That tiny hotspot would have been terrible in real life driving.
@Nathan Snow @Charles Ball @nitrofreakmanho @popwarhomie
If you look at the beam pattern, there isn't much light scatter/glare above the cutoff. I've seen a PNP HID kit in the same reflector housing in person, and it's not bad if you aim it properly. Cut-off doesn't mean much if the lights are aimed towards my fucking eyes. Take any Cadillac for example, especially the Escalade... I'm sure the cut-off is nicer than a PNP kit in a Tundra reflector housing, but Cadillac aimed their headlights all fucked up. I get more glare than a fucking glare from their OEM projector HID's (same shit with their newer LED's) than a fucking Civic EK with a PNP kit that has an old school casper shield. Same shit goes to the late model Corolla's with the factory LED. I swear I'm going fucking strangle those motherfuckers who aimed those headlights from the assembly plant...
But at the end of the day, Lux is Lux. If the headlight produced a lot of hotspot and not enough spread, then make it up with a good set of LED/HID fogs. But if you don't have enough Lux, then I can't even see shit even if your projector retrofit have a nice "spread" anyway.
And it also depends how you far you look when you're driving. From my observation after over 20 years on the road, 99% of the drivers don't even look past their shit farther than 10-15 cars ahead. So obviously, having a nice long-range hotspot does jack shit for those dumbasses, and would love to opt for a nice dim spread on a set of projector retrofit.
The Mini D2S 4.0 is a disappointment in this test. It lost way too much light output for the sake of having more spread. Light is crazy yellow compared to the PNP kit, which made me go "what the fuck...".
HID bulbs can come in many temps. You can still get the white color with a retrofit.
Also the retrofit is three times brighter than halogens(which provide plenty of light). The spread of the retrofit and everything else is superior. The 900 lux bright spot is likely going to be an annoyance for other drivers much more than a benefit to your vision.
Wow such harsh language!
We apologies, we like to keep thing a lax here at TRS.
How stupid is this demo as soon as you are on hilly roads you will blind the on coming traffic
That's with any headlight though, that isn't exclusive to anything shown in this video.