Best H11 low beam

Read the first post in this: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-hid-vs-led-vs-halogen-h11-projector-headlights.589465/.

He explains how halogen assemblies are designed to focus halogen bulb full-spread beams. LED bulbs in halogen assemblies direct light in stranger and more-limited beams. Net result ... buy H9s.

But you can do as you want.

 

I currently have a set of H9 pia's in my low beam and it has been the best set up overall after running HID's various LEDs. Skip the H11 and just make the change to H9 its where you'll end up eventually.

 

I already know the difference between halogen and LED bulbs in a projector assembly.
I am also always fine "doing as I want" through my own foundation as a Journeyman HET. And considering I made the change already, it's quite easy to see the actual difference from the halogen to LED bulb replacement that I did in not only temperature (6000k) but beam distance.

 

H9 ordered.

 

It's cheap enough to try...
I have it and there was a noticeable difference. All pro, no con in my case; I'll replace with the same.

IMO, cost/benefit-wise, the next step up is oem led.

 

others are very hard to get where i live or have ridiculous shipping costs. i more or less bought these out of boredom when i seen in canadiantire. waiting on the gen 3 morimotos to be released

 

I have never had anyone flash lights like when I have high beams on. I don't have any issutwith heat either.

 

I've been able to get good H11 from Amazon.ca with free shipping.

 

Put the Phillips H9 in tonight, man they really are excellent.
Thanks everyone, and especially @crashnburn80 for all the light info.

I did however drop one of the green pieces, and its MIA.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that the envelope of the lamps (H9 and H11) are the same. The only difference is wattage pull. The halogen style headlamps are tested all with the same type of lamp of rated lumens and raw intensity distribution in a laboratory and it’s the intensity at certain angles that allow it to pass FMVSS108 for DOT regulation (full headlamp assembly). (Edit/Addition: So nothing is going to be pointing in the wrong direction if you go from H11 to H9/the distribution pattern itself will not change)

Going to a “cooler” color temperature, within a MacAdams Ellipse, even at the same wattage will be brighter based on the human eye response and seeing more greenish/blue better at night (scotopic response). This is also dependent really on HOW MUCH of that blue filter the manufacturer is putting on the envelopes, because obviously if you add too much of a filter you will lose intensity. Again, referring to MacAdams and ANSI CCTs. These cooler CCTs do have a lower lifetime hour rating though.

Trying to go to a “better” halogen can be a double edge sword.

Also, LED bulbs are ILLEGAL in high beam and low beam halogen headlamp assemblies as a retrofit in the USA under the Code of Federal Regulations no matter what anyone tells you.

 

In what regards?
Changing them more often, cost?

 

Actually ya both of those. You got it. You’ll have better results visually, but they may last 25% as long and they actually are about 2-3x the price

 

The Philips H9s are like $9 a piece… Considerably cheaper than h11s. They do have a greatly reduced lifespan though. Crash runs through all of this and talks about the other points you’ve made ad nauseam in the stickied lighting thread

 

H9 is really only a wattage and a fitting call-out. The difference between many halogens in design are with gasses, filament type, etc. So yea, you can get cheap H9s, but you can also get more expensive. It just doesn't mean the more expensive are worth it or "better."

Thanks, I'll have to take a look at the sticky thread. I've been in the lighting industry as a test engineer dealing with optical radiation for over 10 years now. All I do is test and analyze data in every part of the lighting industry (Airfield, Automotive, Horticulture, Res/Commercial, etc). I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone has to say about their products they are using or if they need insight on what they are planning to add/retrofit.

 

Oh that makes sense. The Philips h9 are the recommended “best” by the resident lighting expert. I think you’ll really enjoy the thread. It’s well composed, updated and maintained, hyperlinked and includes testing data. It’s quite long and there’s lots of repetitive questions. Crashnburn80 has the patience of a saint…
Welcome to the forum!

 

I live in VA and am an automotive State Inspector. It clearly stated in our inspection manual to REJECT LED or HID lighting in a halogen housing.

If you look at the lens of your lights, it tells you what bulb is to be used in it. As well as the DOT approval.

 

Correct. However, the DOT approval is on the lamp housing. This is because housings are tested for DOT approval, not the bulbs themselves. It's the entire assembly. The DOT label would still be there if someone puts an LED in a DOT approved Halogen housing. The luminous intensity and distribution will be entirely different as those reflectors are made for halogen lamp envelopes and raw distribution.

Nice to meet you. I test for the data to meet DOT specs and the CFR

 

Buying some H9s now. Might as well I suppose

 

I remember people on here used to talk about the Hella H9’s…. any reason to go Hella? Im bout to buy some Phillips H9’s thanks to this thread

 

Hella is very good, but the lifetime hours really aren't there. If you want to have to change every 3 months (based on 3 hours of use a day) then go for it! Hella is top of the line when it comes to automotive lighting.