LED headlights dust cover?

[Envoy99]

After almost $1500 in repairs, I finally have my envoy back and I want to put some led headlights in. My main goal isn’t to make them significantly brighter (although that would be an added bonus), I just want a white light instead of the ugly stock lights.

I’ve searched for awhile and haven’t found a definitive answer on what the best bulbs are and whether or not to remove the dust covers. I see some of the mini leds fit with the dust cover but a lot say it will melt the cover... I’ve also read that they make aftermarket dust covers for LEDs, however I couldn’t find them. I’m not sure what route to go, I’d like to replace the low beams and high beams with LEDs

 

[Mounce]

Any led will need the dust cover removed if it has a fan and heatsink design. Some have a metal mesh that seem to be hard to find now but I think I've heard of someone reinstalling the factory cover over that style. Not sure how that will work in the long run though since there will be no active cooling so to say.

 

[TequilaWarrior]

I have an '02 Bravada and didn't install dustcovers when I installed my LED headlights and had no ill-effects from it.
2 things I will point out, however: If you don't do something about the DRL (not sure how an Envoy does there DRL, but most others use PWM to make high beams be your DRL), you will kill the LEDs.
Also, if you live in an area that gets snow do not run LED headlights during the winter months. LEDs generate heat, but it comes out the back. That means there's no heat to melt the snow on the headlight lens. If there were LEDs that blew the heat into the headlight this wouldn't be a problem, but I haven't found any.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I dont use dust covers

 

[Blckshdw]

Due to the size of my HID projectors, they poke out the back and I can't use my dust covers either. Performance wise, there hasn't been any issues, but on close up look, I can see that some dust has gotten inside the headlights over the last 5 years. Not enough to make me feel like doing anything about it though.

 

[Envoy99]

I have an '02 Bravada and didn't install dustcovers when I installed my LED headlights and had no ill-effects from it.
2 things I will point out, however: If you don't do something about the DRL (not sure how an Envoy does there DRL, but most others use PWM to make high beams be your DRL), you will kill the LEDs.
Also, if you live in an area that gets snow do not run LED headlights during the winter months. LEDs generate heat, but it comes out the back. That means there's no heat to melt the snow on the headlight lens. If there were LEDs that blew the heat into the headlight this wouldn't be a problem, but I haven't found any.

Ah ok, I’ve heard of DRL killers but thought they only were for HIDs. So to be clear, the LEDs are not just “plug them in”, you also have to do something with the DRL? I’ve tried searching and all of it seems to be related to HID installs, not LEDs. I’m planning on doing high and low beams so if I make the high beams my DRL won’t that kill the high beam LEDs? I feel like I’m missing something

 

[Blckshdw]

Ah ok, I’ve heard of DRL killers but thought they only were for HIDs. So to be clear, the LEDs are not just “plug them in”, you also have to do something with the DRL? I’ve tried searching and all of it seems to be related to HID installs, not LEDs. I’m planning on doing high and low beams so if I make the high beams my DRL won’t that kill the high beam LEDs? I feel like I’m missing something

The issue is the method the bulbs use to create light. Incandescent filament bulbs run a current through them, get hot, to the point the filament glows. The DRLs on our trucks isn't a reduced voltage, but a pulsed, full power, signal. The rapid on-off-on-off doesn't allow the filament to get to reach it's maximum temp, which results in a dimmer light output.

HID ballasts and LED drivers, need a constant signal since there are electronics involved converting the DC current to an AC current. With some HID ballasts, if you don't address the DRLs, they will still work (for a while) but you may hear a loud buzzing (or from the relay harness if you use one) Think of it like flicking a light switch. Sure it will work, but eventually you're going to wear it out much faster than it should.

So your options are to kill the DRLs, or do the capacitor mod, to make the DRLs run as full power, like your normal low beams when being used. Then you'll be good

 

[TequilaWarrior]

When I had my LED headlights in, I did both high and low and did them without the DRL killer mod. My low beams lasted 3 months - just barely through summer. They were on only as DRL 95% of the time as my daily commuter vehicle. I was clued in to an issue when cars would very quickly move out of the way on my commute. Turns out the LED drivers had been damaged by the PWM signal and they started strobing whenever they were on (DRL or "on").
I've since gone to the "six high" mod and run incandescents in the low beams (my DRLs are the lows now that I think about it) and LEDs in high and fog. The low beam incandescents keep the ice/snow off the lenses in the winter and when I need high beams I've got GOBS of light.

 

[Envoy99]

When I had my LED headlights in, I did both high and low and did them without the DRL killer mod. My low beams lasted 3 months - just barely through summer. They were on only as DRL 95% of the time as my daily commuter vehicle. I was clued in to an issue when cars would very quickly move out of the way on my commute. Turns out the LED drivers had been damaged by the PWM signal and they started strobing whenever they were on (DRL or "on").
I've since gone to the "six high" mod and run incandescents in the low beams (my DRLs are the lows now that I think about it) and LEDs in high and fog. The low beam incandescents keep the ice/snow off the lenses in the winter and when I need high beams I've got GOBS of light.

Thank you for the information,
So I would be able to go with Sylvania xtravisions in the lows (they are halogens) and then do LEDs in the fog and high beams without any problems or mods? I think that would give me enough light as well as the white look I want.

 

[TequilaWarrior]

Thank you for the information,
So I would be able to go with Sylvania xtravisions in the lows (they are halogens) and then do LEDs in the fog and high beams without any problems or mods? I think that would give me enough light as well as the white look I want.

I can't speak for the color match, but that sounds like what I would do. I've heard that the xtravisions have a shorter lifespan for various reasons, but I do know that Sylvania makes good bulbs. Honestly, I don't worry about getting years out of a bulb, months - yes, years - no. The only other thing I'll mention is that with LEDs in the fogs my fogs don't have a clearly defined pattern any more. I have the projector style fogs, but with the LEDs in them it just brightens up everything in front of me instead of a nice clean pattern on the road ahead. I do highly recommend the six high mod, however. It practically turns night into day.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

All those upgraded sylvania I tried over the years have left me disappointed. If they do put out decent light, which is never a 5k or higher match, then they do not last long. best halogen I had were Nightbreakers and they are not the white look. I never found a decent lasting halogen that did have the white output.

 

[Mektek]

The back of headlights really should be covered. I found insects and dirt in mine when I got it with a missing cover. It was very difficult to clean the insides of the headlight housings.

 

[Envoy99]

I can't speak for the color match, but that sounds like what I would do. I've heard that the xtravisions have a shorter lifespan for various reasons, but I do know that Sylvania makes good bulbs. Honestly, I don't worry about getting years out of a bulb, months - yes, years - no. The only other thing I'll mention is that with LEDs in the fogs my fogs don't have a clearly defined pattern any more. I have the projector style fogs, but with the LEDs in them it just brightens up everything in front of me instead of a nice clean pattern on the road ahead. I do highly recommend the six high mod, however. It practically turns night into day.

Can you send a link to info on the six high mod? What does it involve?

 

[Blckshdw]

Can you send a link to info on the six high mod? What does it involve?

Look in the Article Submissions section, under Forums. There's a lot of good how-to write ups in there.

 

[TequilaWarrior]

Can you send a link to info on the six high mod? What does it involve?

This should be what I followed:

Quad Beam Headlights W/ or W/O Fog lights (Diode Edition)

Okay so there is already a write up for this, but most of the pictures are gone for it. So I will do one and include my own pictures. Quad Beam Headlights W/ or W/O Fog Lights (Diode Edition) This article will walk you through the steps to install a diode (Quad w/o fog lights) or 2 diodes...

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