3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights

Those look really bad!!

 

Man, people really love when their lights "do something" on startup but perform below stock levels.

I can't see shit!
"But look...they 'dance'"

 

Installed Phillips H9's from the 1st page's Amazon link (received ones made in Germany), and did some snip and Dremel work to make them work with the stock harness/clips. Noticeable difference right out of the gate comparing just against the back wall of an open garage in broad daylight. Keeping the original H11's as spare/emergency use bulbs in the glove box.

My thanks to CB80 for his extensive testing that led me to such an improvement for very little $'s.

 

LOL! If you watch the video closely, they are using a Toyota 4runner for the halogen test in the Ford Ranger video. 4runners have horrible low beams, if you find a vehicle to set the bar low enough anything can look like an upgrade. A bunch of 4runner info in post #5041 here. Even in the terrible 4runner lights a bulb upgrade gets you more than 38%, and OEM LED upgrade gets you 270%. But the 4runner has good high beams so it is really unclear. The halogens used in that video are clearly a projector, and the Ranger upper end models appear to come with projector headlights while the lower end use reflectors.

The same guys that claimed the Morimoto 2nd Gen LED headlights were 500% brighter, but they were really only 60% brighter on low beam as shown here:
The Morimoto XB Hybrid 12-15 LED headlight review

38% certainly sounds far more realistic than 500%, but they don't exactly have a history of providing unbiased credible data.

https://youtu.be/2qmjEhmmVI0

 

Some output shots with the tungsram platinum h11’s. These are replacing last years h9’s in my lows and nokya 75w h11’s in my fogs. The tungrams are noticeably whiter and the focus in both the lows and fogs is better.

Lows only



fogs and lows


Hella 700ff’s with Osram 100w h3 bulbs and new Phillips h9’s in the high beams

 

Off Toyota topic but I've been running Phillips 9012s in my 99 Miata for years. They are true HIR bulbs as they have the IR coating. However, they are starting to get just a little slightly cloudy. Replacements from Amazon run $25 each. I can get GM Voslas for about $14 each.
Can I assume performance is similar? I run the GM 9012s in my 2001 Silverado.
Btw, every since going down the lighting rabbit hole of this thread, I've been recommending to everyone at work that can run these upgrades to do so. Even convinced a friend who swore by LEDs to switch.

Also for 9011s, I know the only true HIR is the older style GM/Toshiba bulb. I can get those directly from a GM dealer for about $20 each. However, I've been running Wagner 9011s in my GX (before I realized they weren't HIRs) and they seem plenty bright. And they're cheap. How does standard 9011s compare to the HIR version?

Edit: Found Hella 9012LL on Amazon for $8. The box says HIR. However I can't finda clear enough picture to see if they have the IR coating.

 

Long Life bulbs don't perform as well as standard bulbs. Their output is reduced to extend their life.

 

I found on a lighting forum that modern 9011s aren't true HIRs but meet the same specifications?

 

This is what @crashnburn80 says about them.

 

I've read that and I get that. But shouldn't even standard 9011s be better than standard 9005s? When replacing them for high beams?
In my case, it's a matter of how often do I really use high beams (not often) versus cost. I also get that $20 ish a bulb isn't really that expensive in the big picture. More of just being curious as to the actual lumen output difference.

Edit: Combined with the fact that if I do order the GM 9011s that I'll receive the Toshiba true HIRs. Versus the newer Voslas.

 

My understanding is yes, it should be better. "Better" might depend on the manufacturer. @crashnburn80 can give you a much better explanation though.

 

I feel like it's really getting in the my minutia at this point. But I do find this stuff very interesting.

 

I got a set of Hikari ultras for a really good price brand new. Anyone have issues with the bulb h11 connecter "clicking" into the oem socket?

The only time I can get the Hikaris to click into the socket is if the (hopefully im using the right terminology) polarity is reversed. Obviously meaning the bulbs don't power on.

I may just have to zip ties the connector together so it doesn't come loose.

 

Mine was the same way. I just forced it and so far, after six months, it's been fine.

 

RX350 Projector Retros

(somehow I didn't take a picture of the actual assembly. Seriously. )

These retro assemblies were provided by @Bertw192 for testing. The setup includes:

• RX350 projectors tuned with STI glass
• Hylux 35w ballasts*
• Morimoto D2S bulbs*

*These are not components I'd recommend. I would recommend OEM grade on the ballasts and the most advanced D2S bulbs such as the +150 Philips or +200 Osrams.

Output


I know the headlight isn't perfectly level here. This photo has lower aim so you can see the uplight more.

OEM Halogen with Tungsram Platinum H11 vs RX350 HID


RX350 retros are nearly 2x the best H11 halogen


The RX350 HIDs throw down impressive numbers. But peak output intensity is an overly simplistic metric of a good headlight, what is really crucial is how close to the cut off is that peak output, as you want to maximize the distance projection and minimize the foreground light, and that means putting that peak intensity right at the cut off. I've not yet measured a headlight that had such precisely placed peak intensity as the RX350. Maximum beam intensity was laser focused right at the cut off in a way that OEM halogens or OEM LED have not replicated, much less anything aftermarket.

The Morimotos D2S bulbs and Hylux ballast pulled 42.8w. (Amps x Volts). That is the highest HID draw I have tested, higher than Xenon Depots units, and higher than the XD rebased Philips capsules. That is not a good thing. Low quality aftermarket HIDs boost power to overdrive the HID capsules to cheaply increase output, often to make up for low performing capsules. But increasing power does not scale linearly to increased output in HID. There is a rapid diminishing rate of return where bulb life is reduced, color temp shifts to being warmer and the extra power will just go to generating significantly more heat.


RX350 high beam shutter is about 4w to keep open


Stock vs RX350 peak intensity, nearly 4x the output compared to stock.


The obvious question is how do these compare to the highest output Morimoto XB 2.0?


The Morimotos full LED assemblies are just barely higher. The RX350s come in with mildly better color temp and CRI (using Morimoto bulbs) and do have a very slight uplight in the pattern vs the Morimoto LED, which lacks it entirely (not good). You can also see the RX350s do a significantly better job of vertical light pattern distribution vs the Morimotos LED assemblies. However, it is very impressive Morimoto has a plug and play unit that performs to this level to rival HID.

RX350 projector only high beam. On these assemblies the OEM high beam was painted black and disabled (not advised). This is using only the high beam of the RX350 projector. Tape cut off marks the low beam cut off horizon. As with a dual purpose projector, the high beam enabled by the drop shield leaves a lot to be desired. There is great focus down road for extended distance projection, but not the soft floor you typically find in other applications. This 'high beam' is very down road focused. Of course maintaining the OEM high beam in the retro would have significantly better results, rather than blacking it out.


Stock high beam output intensity vs RX350 projector only high beam. Stock is almost as good, and actually provides a better pattern. So why not combine both?



The Morimoto high beam pattern isn't nearly as good as OEM RX350, but the output intensity is higher.


OEM LED high beam only


OEM halogen high beam OEM LED high beam


Morimoto v2.0 high beam


Comparing to OEM LED


The RX350s easily beat out OEM LED on low beam for peak intensity, again having advantages in color temp and CRI, but the OEM LED are very close on high beam. And here is where numbers don't tell the whole story. The projector based high beams don't illuminate much more than very narrow directly down road, whereas the OEM LED provide a high beam punch down road while also providing a great flood that the Morimotos and RX350 projector lack. However, had one not blacked out the OEM halogen high beam in the 3rd Gen assembly, they could of had that flood as well with the OEM high beam halogens.

With an ambient temp of 71 degrees, the RX350s with Morimoto D2S ran +21.6 degrees F over ambient. Better than LED for snow use but not warm enough for bad snow conditions.


My take aways.
Unfortunate on the ballast and bulbs used in this setup, most specifically the bulbs. I'd much prefer OEM grade components and HID capsules provided by the worlds best automotive lighting manufactures. Morimoto is just relabeled product out of Asia, people give the brand far more credit than it is worth. Osram and Philips continue to push the envelope on what is possible with HID, with Osram bringing the first +200 D2S bulbs to market. If you've seen how these products perform in halogens, you can imagine how well they will boost performance in HIDs.

While the RX350 projectors are amazing, it is hard to justify the complication of HID when a relatively equivalent LED exists as a plug and play option. Sure the HID has several small advantages, but none conclusively enough to justify the additional headache.

@Bertw192 seemed to imply he would try real performance D2S bulbs instead of the generic Morimotos. This may get an update with the upgraded HID bulbs, which I'd expect to outperform the Morimoto LEDs with the latest Philips/Osram HID bulbs.

 

Yes, a standard 9011 will be significantly better than a standard 9005. 2350 lumens vs 1700 lumen spec IIRC. However, within that spec there is a +/- 15% variance allowed, so a good bulb maybe closer to 2700 lumens and a lesser bulb could be down to 2000 lumens, yet both would qualify as a legal 9011. It is unlikely a quality brand bulb would be at the minimum, but just providing an example. I haven’t done comparison testing between 9011s personally but based on other lighting enthusiasts it seems the Toshibas come out on top. Though supposedly the new Sylvania 9011s out of Asia are said to be even better, and they have the IR coating. However when buying a Sylvania 9011 they are typically a German Osram 9011 in a Sylvania package, so just getting a Sylvania 9011 is insufficient, you must verify the bulb inside the package and where it was manufactured.

In short, a Volsa 9011 will be a good upgrade from a 9005. Myself as an extreme lighting enthusiast and many of us here always chase what is the very best performance possible. If you don't fall into this group of wanting to push for the pinnacle of performance, a basic 9011 upgrade will get you huge gains over stock without breaking the bank.

 

Very cool test of the rx350 projectors. I know the tuning and lens swap is supposed to increase the performance, but I wonder if it actually is much of an increase at all.

 

Here are the headlight assemblies you tested

 

they sure do look good.

 

Yeah, @no vtec 4me did a great job on the assembly and finish.