Which style LED to try in Headlights?

HARDTRAILZ

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I hate the halogen color in my projectors that hate HID, so going to at least try a cheap set of LED bulbs in the H1 variety and see how they act in the projector. Not wanting to tie up too much money cause they could easily end up like the half dozen full HID kits in my toolbox.

Basically looking at this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KZA949W/?tag=gmtnation-20
51qIVvlyb8L._SL1000_.jpg


Or this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IBJH8RO/?tag=gmtnation-20
61RXxatcRVL._SL1000_.jpg


I do not want a cooling fan since the truck may get dunked in muddy water occasionally. But i am not sure which style is better.

Anyone tried both or had good/bad experience with one or other?

Thanks
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
Bigger heatsink = better quality right? I'd get the bigger one but that's me.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927

HARDTRAILZ

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Dont care about warranty or brand honestly. I will buy good ones later if it pans out, but Not willing to spend $50 on a trial when I could buy both these for that.

Do you consider the braided as bigger? I am not sure size matters as much as actual cooling. A small 3 core radiator can out cool a huge single core.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I think it would depend on how they're put in there. Mash the braids all together in a clump - not too good. Spread them out - mucho better.

The big solid heat sink with the wire straight out the back could require some space behind the light and I don't recall how much is back there.
But the all metal one may be more stable and cool better than the plastic clad one.

Hmm.
 
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HARDTRAILZ

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I think there is plenty of room for either. I did wonder about spreading the braid out and having issues with what it actually comes in contact with then
 
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AWD V8

Member
Jan 12, 2015
463
These are the ones I bought 2 years ago off Amazon, cost about $90 then.
main.php


They work very well, and are as bright as 55W HID. No issues at all.

However, they were tight to fit, I had to trim the headlight assembly to fit them, and leave off the covers, no issues with that so far.
main.php


Before
main.php


After
main.php


If I had it to do again, I would buy the ones with the braided heat sink, you could stuff that inside and put the covers back on.
 

dmanns67

Member
Apr 3, 2013
32,979
Ohio
These are the ones I bought 2 years ago off Amazon, cost about $90 then.
main.php


They work very well, and are as bright as 55W HID. No issues at all.

However, they were tight to fit, I had to trim the headlight assembly to fit them, and leave off the covers, no issues with that so far.
main.php


Before
main.php


After
main.php


If I had it to do again, I would buy the ones with the braided heat sink, you could stuff that inside and put the covers back on.

Hopefully you took that pic with a poor quality camera or you wasted $90 as that output is horrible.

I think there is plenty of room for either. I did wonder about spreading the braid out and having issues with what it actually comes in contact with then

For testing purposes, I would go with the cheaper LED kit if you do not think the larger heat sink will be an issue. Hopefully you do not end up with similar output results as you seen with the HID kit. You will have to see where the best output is, whether having the chips at the 12 and 6 o'clock position or 3 and 9 o'clock position when installed in the projector.

If they do work out and you want to upgrade, I would recommend going with Kevin Hanson's new Cree LED headlights. Each headlight uses (2) Cree XHP50 chips. Each Cree XHP50 chip is 2500 lumens. TRS is using the same chip in their new line of 2Stroke LED headlights. Surprisingly, they even have a LED headlight for the D2H and D2S HID projectors that has very good output.

I just received a set of the new Cree headlights from him on Monday for my high beams and the light produced easily shines 1/8 mile down the road. Huge improvement over his old style Cree and Philips LED headlights that he was selling. No trimming needed and the heat sink has its own cooling fan.
 
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AWD V8

Member
Jan 12, 2015
463
Hopefully you took that pic with a poor quality camera or you wasted $90 as that output is horrible.

This was the only place that was dark enough to not have any artificial light, it had a slight uphill to it, so the distance is not a true representation of the output.

The camera was my phone, not the greatest for low light shots.

I posted before and after as it IS a true comparison as to the brightness/whiteness of the LED compared to the HID that was in before.

It was a very dark and rainy night but that was the time I had available and I wanted to show accurate before/after pics on the same day and conditions.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I was told by a couple vendor at the 4x4 jamboree that the fans were not desirable for offroad rigs. The dirt and water n such would kill them. Surprising since they were actually advising us to use the cheaper ones then. Guess it is easier to sell people what works than deal with issues later on.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I would agree with that, if you're running through water a bunch it could kill those fans. I honestly don't like little DC cooling fans on stuff out there as they typically aren't sealed all that well.

If the passive sinks do the job I'd rather stick with that. One less thing to go wrong.
 

Mirage

Member
Feb 23, 2014
60
The braided stuff is nice because you can stuff it however it fits.

Never heard of either of those brands. What kind of warranty do they have?

Saw these posted somewhere a while back at one point, more expensive but at least one I recognize.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-tinned-copper-braid/2216/5005/#/tab/Overview

I have a set like those braided ones and they have been in for a year now (stock headlight housing) and have given no issues whatsoever. The flexibility of the braid definitely helps with placement in the stock housing but im not sure if you would have the same clearance issues with the cooling fan style. I went with the braided ones also because no moving parts (passive cooling)
 

hayes

Member
Oct 6, 2013
101
I had problems with my HID burning out because of the low power with the DRLs. Do LEDs have the same issue? I just ordered a set of LEDs from XKGlow and don't want to have the same problems I had with the HIDs.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Cap mod or DRL delete are your two options for HID or LED.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
s-l1600.jpg

Supposedly

Specification:
Model: H1
Power: 60W (30W Per Lamp)
Voltage: 10V-30V
Color Temperature: 6000K White
Material: Aircraft grade Aluminium
Lumen: 6000Lumen (3000Lumen Per Lamp)

Under $15 shipped so if they suck...I can pitch them, but will let me see if they have a dark spot like HID in the headlights I have.
 

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