Halogen & LED Headlight Bulb Upgrades

[Plumber101010]

So here is the complete scoop.

 

Got the following from another forum I am on. I think it explains everything and the LED lights may not be reversed after all. Sounds like more of a GM issue as to how they wire everything.

 

"No this is very important you need to know about hid install on our GM trucks

your wiring is "reverse polarity" to the light from what the hid standard plug and play this means if you plug it in and it snaps in the hid's will either blow the ballast or just not work if you plug them in the factory harness backwards where it dosn't snap they will work correctly"

 

Update: They both came back on so that must've been a relay that temporarily shut down and reset itself after so much time and came back on. Now I'm going to try to reinstall them backwards and see the problem is solved.

 

THe H 11s do install backwards as the 9005. There's a red and black wire from the OEM and a positive and negative clearly marked on the LED light itself. So it's really simple to lineup the red and black with the positive and negative which means backwards.

 

The H 11's are a little harder because they don't stay in place like the 9005 and want to push back out so you have to tape them extremely well. I don't think that anything is actually wired backwards to be honest, as the LED light assembly shows a positive and negative mark on the plug and the wires do line up accordingly. And the OEM is red and black. It's not wired backwards as much as the locking mechanism and is backwards. As long as you stay positive to positive and negative you won't have a problem. I'm sure these multiple type vehicles and it's not their fault the Chevy designed it the way they did. I'm sure they are plug-and-play on many vehicles the correct way.

 

I'm a little concerned about leaving the ballast inside of the assemblies. They do get hot. There's a mounting lug on the ballast and I believe it's best not to stuff them into the assembly as the nice gentleman did above but to mount them in the engine bay.

 

In order to accomplish this though, you have to cut out the back of the dustcover. I took a Dremel tool and cut a hole out of the dustcovers, so I can pull the ballast back out. This accomplished 3 things.

 

1) Much better circulation for the fans to keep lights cooler. Enclosed inside the dustcover is not a whole lot of circulation for it. Some HID companies tell you not to even put it back on but theres speculation that's not the right way and that you should ignore it.

2) Allows you to mount the ballast and wiring externally so it will be no issues pertaining to heat.

3) Allows you to much easier check the fans on the light to make sure they're working rather than find out via a melted assembly or blown out light.

 

I will try to get a hold of the manufacturer Tuesday through Amazon and see if they have a tech-support number. I've already written that email. I get a number I will post it here. And I will ask them about ballast temperature and circulation for the fan cramped up inside of a dustcover.

 

I do not know and have yet ascertained is just how important dustcovers are and if they are vital to prevent moisture or just an extra help assist keeping debris out. Going consensus is you absolutely need them, but I have to be honest, I owned plenty of four-wheel-drive vehicles in the past and never even had such a thing as a dustcover so why they would all of a sudden be vital I do not know.

 

All four of my LED light fan motors are whisper quiet and you cannot even hear them. Only way to check is really to put your hand around it and feel it.

 

As far as the lights are concerned, look no further and shop nowhere else. They are absolutely awesome. Everything I have ever wanted in a headlight. Didn't have to readjust and the three LEDs having the 360 circumference was exactly what was needed for any style assembly, projection or no projection.

 

They are not overkill so I don't think you're going to be blinding anybody and getting tickets that's for sure. But they are three times better than stock. A crisp 6000 K white light. Visibility increased times three. It just doesn't get any better for $80 bucks. Highly recommend. I am absolutely thrilled and smiling.

 

I would say the following statement to absolutely everybody and not turn back. I would never bother with HIDs or deciding which LEDs to ever get again. These are absolutely superior to anything out there in my humble opinion and you will be extremely pleased with the results.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Plumber101010

[Asells]

Guys with the xenon depot leds. Did you have to flip the connector around or does it snap on like the stock ones.

[2Speed]

...

As far as the lights are concerned, look no further and shop nowhere else. They are absolutely awesome. Everything I have ever wanted in a headlight. Didn't have to readjust and the three LEDs having the 360 circumference was exactly what was needed for any style assembly, projection or no projection.

 

They are not overkill so I don't think you're going to be blinding anybody and getting tickets that's for sure. But they are three times better than stock. A crisp 6000 K white light. Visibility increased times three. It just doesn't get any better for $80 bucks. Highly recommend. I am absolutely thrilled and smiling.

 

I would say the following statement to absolutely everybody and not turn back. I would never bother with HIDs or deciding which LEDs to ever get again. These are absolutely superior to anything out there in my humble opinion and you will be extremely pleased with the results.

 

...

^^^ I have to agree 100% at this point. ^^^

 

These are the lights from Amazon I installed yesterday (same as Plumber101010 above): http://amzn.com/B00WUG1A8I

 

I drove home last night and I have to say I was completely blown away with how bright these things are. They aren't blue at all, just a bright white like an HID. Very similar to my wife's '14 Acura MDX (which has the best stock HID's I've ever seen) . Excellent cutoff. High beams are actually HIGH! I could see street signs lit up brightly a half mile away! I definitely believe the 3400 lumens per bulb that's advertised.

 

I think I am going to mount the ballasts outside the headlight housing as well. There's just too much heat inside those housings with the bulbs and the ballasts both. I'll drill a small hole in the dust cap and seal it with a rubber grommet and some silicone.

 

The dust caps go back in place with no problem. There is plenty of clearance for the fans. I wouldn't run without the dust caps because moisture will get inside and fog the lens. With the ballast on the outside, the fan should keep the bulb cool enough.

 

My biggest concern is longevity because of how hot the bulbs get. The PCB under the fan will most likely fail pretty quick if (when) the cooling fan fails. The fan itself looks like one you would see on a low-end PC video card. But who knows. For $80 shipped, there's nothing that will come close.

 

[Plumber101010]

I did receive an email from the customer service department via my Amazon email. They are located in China and that's that. Amazon receives the lights from China. The technical support number is in China and no sense posting it, I don't think anyone's going to be calling China. There is no USA distributor. Just Amazon.

 

She said I could write questions and she would get them answered. So I asked two questions. What is the temperature of the ballast and is it safe to leave in the headlight assembly. And do they recommend the fan motor being enclosed within the dustcovers. I have yet receive a response.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Plumber101010

[Plumber101010]

This is their reply. It's in broken English and of course I cannot understand a couple of things so I will re-ask.

 

 

Hello

Thank you very much for your question, I now do the following reply:

1.For our car led headlight , we use it on less car to be turned opposite.Pls don’t worry about this question . Thank you very much for your advice .We will consider to add this point on our manual.

2.Our driver all are made of good heated dissipation aluminum. Because this kind of aluminum is good heated dissipation ,we feel the temperation is so high .Pls don’t worry . Our driver can stand this temperation.Pls don’t enclosed the driver on the engine bay.That is not good ,friend.

3 .For fan , small voice is good . If you want to know whether it work well , pls open the car cover ,look the fan working.

4.Fan’s work don’t effect bulb and driver work and lifespan ,pls don’t worry ,friend.Thank you very much .We will hard work to let our product better .

 

Obviously because of his bad writing, I'm confused about the "we feel the temperature is so high". Sounds to me like he thought I was asking if the ballast can stand the heat did not answer the question probably. I will rewrite and see if I can make him understand better.

[Jordan18]

The downside to trans pacific communication... The brand I am trying in my previous post is 360 LED, which is also a Chinese sourced brand. But the guy I have been talking to who distributes them hasn't had issues related to heating and they are covered for 1 year if they do fail.

[2Speed]

One thing to add - On the install, be careful with the cages over the fans. They are like cheese graters! I woke up today and it felt like I had calluses all over my left thumb and forefinger. Upon closer inspection, i realized my skin had been chewed up as if by tiny razor blades. Not deep enough to bleed, just enough to grind up the surface of my fingers. Wierd!

 

Just a heads up

[Plumber101010]

Got my next response to my FOUR questions. One of which is how hot does the ballast get, hot enough to burn your fingers and or melt plastic and wires if they were touching?

 

Here goes, don't hold your breath...

 

 

Hello

Thank you very much for your reminding, I'll your suggestion to communicate with the technology of our company

[Aaron1085]

So....what's our plug and play option?! Nothing yet....?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[Plumber101010]

Huh? You're ready to go bro! Get them and fire em up! Work well just turn plugs opposite so it does not lock in.

[Plumber101010]

Got an answer Partial least ways... An answer without an answer. Seems he just does not want to say how hot it gets but I am assuming by the answer it gets hot enough!

 

Hello, , Im so sorry for that .

About your problem,My meaning is that you feel it so hot .Pls dont worry .Our material can stand high temperature.

 

When installing it on car ,you are better not to install the dust cover .That is good for bulb in heated dissipation.If you still need dust cover , pls make one 3-4 cm hole on that dust cover for heated dissipation.

 

For that the ballast , pls dont place it in the headlight,and install it on car frame

 

Thanks

 

Notice the original answer was please do not install it in the engine bay this is not good. New answer is DO install in engine bay. Looks like we have a new individual doing the answering maybe, with same guy doing the writing. Course....not a whole lot extra wire here to mount it farther than a few inches...

Edited September 8, 2015 by Plumber101010

[Plumber101010]

The downside to trans pacific communication... The brand I am trying in my previous post is 360 LED, which is also a Chinese sourced brand. But the guy I have been talking to who distributes them hasn't had issues related to heating and they are covered for 1 year if they do fail.

Any idea if this is the same product? Have you looked at the link I posted to Amazon to see if they match up by any weird chance? So your guy is saying it's OK to leave the ballast tucked up inside of the headlight assembly touching other things, more or less?

[JimmyVal]

Guys with the xenon depot leds. Did you have to flip the connector around or does it snap on like the stock ones.

I just connected it like stock. The connector locked in place as you would expect.

[Jordan18]

Any idea if this is the same product? Have you looked at the link I posted to Amazon to see if they match up by any weird chance? So your guy is saying it's OK to leave the ballast tucked up inside of the headlight assembly touching other things, more or less?

They are sourced from the ones on this website. http://www.cn360led.com/

 

I'll take a closer look in the housing to see how much space is in there,and if there is even a vent or hole where it could be placed where there is air entering the housing. My xenon depot lights I have the ballast in there and they have no fans, just the aluminum fins. While it's warm in there it's not horribly hot to the point the plastic could be melting.

[WLC]

One thing to add - On the install, be careful with the cages over the fans. They are like cheese graters! I woke up today and it felt like I had calluses all over my left thumb and forefinger. Upon closer inspection, i realized my skin had been chewed up as if by tiny razor blades. Not deep enough to bleed, just enough to grind up the surface of my fingers. Wierd!

 

Just a heads up

Did you put ballast in or outside of headlight housing? If outside how did you run wires? Are you still happy with the product?