Stock OEM vs HID vs LED headlights

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

I've always liked the look of the nice white light coming from HID headlights. You can definitely notice them in the oncoming traffic. So one of the first things I did was to buy a HID headlight conversion for the hi and lo beams.

To cut a long story short, I have now gone back to the Stock OEM headlights. I'm not going to get into the legalities of using HID conversions, I just want to share my experience and what I have learnt.

So, I like to tinker and also like a bargain, so I couldn't pass upgrading to HID for about $25 posted for a pair. Its cheaper than standard bulbs. After driving around with HID's for a few months on an impulse I bought a set of LED headlights to try. These were a bit more expensive at $90 a pair. They were claiming 2200 lumens per light and instant on with a warmer color temperature which I decided I'd prefer.

Here are the basic details of the lights I bought

HID 55w
5000k
$25 posted from ebay

LED CREE CXA1512
48w (22w each)
2200 lumen per bulb (4400 total for pair)
5000k
built in fan and external LED driver.
$90 posted on Ebay

Picture of the LED next to a standard bulb (H11). It actually has 2 LEDs, one showing and one underneath. It is quite big and chunky. The shape of the reflector on the LED is supposed to improve light pattern/output.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

LED vs HID

I originally converted to HID under the impression that white light is better for driving at night. What I have found is that the blue white light is actually worse for night driving. The road is harder to see and it is harder to spot details on the side of the road. I was aware of the fact that our eyes aren't too good at seeing blue light so that is why I ordered 5000k HIDs instead of the more common 6000k ones. Car manufactures use 4300k bulbs which supports my experience.

I also didn't like the warm up delay and the blue tinge around the edges of the light pattern. LED's have come a long way and I found some that seemed to be designed specifically for headlight use and not fog or park lights. Instant on, 5000k and proper LED driver. I wanted to try one.

I didn't buy the cheapest one. I got the one with pretty good specs designed to be used as a headlight.

I left one side HID and installed the LED on the other side.

LED was dimmer and warmer than the HID. Makes me suspect that the HID are probably 6000k not 5000k
LED had softer more even light distribution and did not reach as far as the HID
Sideways spread was poor

Left LED, Right HID. Both are supposed to be 5000k but the LED is warmer.



I prefer the color temperature of the LED which is on the right of the image. LED is dimmer with less spread.



Warmer LED light on the right lights up road well even though it is much dimmer. LED does not project as far and spread as wide.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

OEM vs LED

I was disappointed with the performance of the LEDs so I decided to see if they were better than the stock bulbs.

Stock bulb on the right of the picture is much warmer.



Stock bulb is easily brighter than the LED and has a better side spread.



Stock bulb lights up road and sides better.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

OEM vs HID

Bugger, my stock standard bulbs are better than these hi-tech LEDs that cost me $90! Now I wanted to know if I wasted my money with the HID kits.

HID is on the left and OEM on the right of this picture. Light output was surprisingly similar. OEM bulb has a more even spread.



HID on the left. Picture is not the best but the OEM is better. OEM lights up sides better and road is more visible with slightly more distance. It would have been better if I parked in the middle of the road.



This is HID hi and lo on the left, OEM hi and lo on the right. OEM bulbs put out same, if not slightly more light with a better spread.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

Conclusion - back to stock bulbs!

So I've cut my losses and gone back to the original bulbs.

They put out just as much light as the HID with a better spread and color more suited to seeing the road and your surroundings. I don't have to worry about warm up and blue fringes or dazzaling oncoming traffic. Also I'm more confident that they will still work after a water crossing or long dirt tracks.

If anything, I'll look into getting some high output standard bulbs in a slightly cooler than OEM color temperature.

[krypto Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close krypto]

Interesting review. That is why I bought a top of the range Phillips 4300k HID, which is definitely better than the OEM'S bulbs. Only downside is the slight delay. The high beam is like a set of spoties, great for night country driving.

[halfpastfour Member Find all posts View Profile Close halfpastfour]

Great write up.

I also upgraded both the high and low beam lights. The low beam to Osram Night Breaker and the hi beam to HID's (no-name ones from fleabay). After only about 18 months the Night Breakers died, on checking the specs, they only last about 200 hours. I've now gone back to the originals, they are not as good, but I'll look around for something else that is better, but lasts longer than the Orams. The HID high beam are great, the only annoying thing being the warm up time. Still can't make up my mind on spotties or LED light bar. If work got a bit slower I might have some time to do something about it.

Mark

[VegieMite Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close VegieMite]

Thanks Tin for the write up.
Was looking into these options and may stay with OEM.
Nice bow tie

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

I've ordered some 4300K Phillips standard bulbs (crystal vision). I had them in my previous car and they were great. Will do a comparison with OEM bulbs when they arrive.

I feel that because the standard bulbs are a warm yellow they must put out less energy and hence light than the blue HIDs. This was not the case. I suppose there is a very good reason why street lights are yellow.

[Chalkie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chalkie]

Excellent Review there mate...Glad some-one else did it before I did and wasted money on "Better" lighting..I have upgraded with a pair of HID driving lights and for me they work great...I tried "LED" Lightbar and was dis appointed with it not because of the light output but the range of the lights..LED's to me are great short range but Hid's reach out further..Personnel opinion noted here..so not going to get into black dog arguments..

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

I've ordered some 4300K Phillips standard bulbs (crystal vision). I had them in my previous car and they were great. Will do a comparison with OEM bulbs when they arrive.

I feel that because the standard bulbs are a warm yellow they must put out less energy and hence light than the blue HIDs. This was not the case. I suppose there is a very good reason why street lights are yellow.

Great write up wish I had the patience to go to the trouble of all the swapping and photos. As an ex electrician that worked in supply authorities, the reason for the yellow street lights (Sodium Vapour if I remember correctly) is that the colour and light distortion at night is less and therefore safer.

See ya on tracks, Richo.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

I have no doubt that high quality HID with purpose built reflector would work better than old halogen technology. Just want to show that cheap HID is probably a waste of time and that you shouldn't assume that new technology is always better. Also if you do go HID, go for the warmer colors as they will work better and put less strain on your eyes. No more than 5000k. People driving around with 8000k bulbs are crazy.

I also have a LED light bar and agree that they do not penetrate very far even with spot style reflectors. Awesome as a flood light though.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

Great write up wish I had the patience to go to the trouble of all the swapping and photos. As an ex electrician that worked in supply authorities, the reason for the yellow street lights (Sodium Vapour if I remember correctly) is that the colour and light distortion at night is less and therefore safer.

See ya on tracks, Richo.

Took me a few hours to do but happy to share. Spent lots of time trawling though ebay listings and reading up so was pretty pissed when I convinced myself that the standard bulbs are not that bad.

I found I was straining a bit to see the texture and undulations in the road with the HID's. I was never really happy with the light quality.

I fly RC flying models when I can, and wear yellow lenses on overcast days. Makes a huge difference, better contrast and just easier on the eyes.

[Australian Member Find all posts View Profile Close Australian]

Thanks Tin175, or should we call you Tin-nee (I'm sure that name is regarded with some affection in these parts!).

I'm curious about 2 things;

The first is how the right headlamps are usually set lower than the left for oncoming traffic. Do you think that was a factor in your appraisal of light output?

Second, were you able to measure how much power draw the different globes took?


Thanks for the write-up. IMHO I reakon the default headlamps are pretty good for most purposes. Obviously when you are tearing up the outback at night you can never have too much light.

[Tin175 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tin175]

Thanks Tin175, or should we call you Tin-nee (I'm sure that name is regarded with some affection in these parts!).

I'm curious about 2 things;

The first is how the right headlamps are usually set lower than the left for oncoming traffic. Do you think that was a factor in your appraisal of light output?

Second, were you able to measure how much power draw the different globes took?


Thanks for the write-up. IMHO I reakon the default headlamps are pretty good for most purposes. Obviously when you are tearing up the outback at night you can never have too much light.

Didn't measure current draw but the stock bulbs were definitely the hottest out of the bunch. Got a few little burns to prove it. LED were coolest but it did have an inbuilt fan with huge heatsink.

I haven't really noticed the right light (light closest to oncoming traffic) being lower than the left. I have driven upto my closed garage many times and didn't really notice a difference in heights. If there is, it must be very subtle. Also, if the right light were set slightly lower it would mean that the standard bulb performed even better in this comparison with the HID on the Left.