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15-17 Headlight Housings - Non-HID vs HID


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Can someone please confirm if the headlight housing is a different stock part from Ford if you choose a non-HID Edge vs one that comes with factory HID's? Or do they use the same projector headlight housing assembly regardless of the bulb type they install for you?

 

I have ordered a '17 Titanium with 301A and Cold Weather Package, so I'm getting factory dull projector Halogen bulbs. I will start by simply upgrading the stock H11 Halogens to the brightest (and whitest) H9 Halogens I can find (please recommend the brightest whitest H9 on the market), but I'm worried I still won't be satisfied with the color discrepancy between the low beam halogen and the LED Signature DRL's in the lower fascia. If my presumption is correct and I'm not satisfied with the H9's, I will likely then upgrade with a high quality conversion to HID, but I'm still unsure if that upgrade will be best achieved with the stock projector headlight housing assembly that comes on my new car, or if that conversion will require a different housing assembly that comes on HID-equipped models for optimum results with my upgraded HID lights?

 

I've been reading, re-reading, and otherwise researching Halogen / HID / LED at length from multiple sources - my head is spinning like a top from all of the varied opinions and information out there! My top priority is quality of light, and my second priority is a headlight that is of a similar color as the LED DRL's. I'd ultimately prefer pure White light over Yellow or Blue for everything. I don't want to "upgrade" to overly-bright flashy blue blinding LED headlights just because they "look cool" and appear to be super bright. My personal belief through all of my research is that LED's will simply scatter too much and therefore HID's will be a superior upgrade since the beam pattern and hot spot characteristics are better replicated with an HID set-up vs. LED, and that HID's will throw the light further down the road in a more focused and less objectionable manner than LED. But then again, from my research, my belief has already changed multiple times based on "new to me" information as I come across it, I haven't even taken delivery of my Edge yet.

 

Thanks in advance for your knowledge of the Ford stock parts and understanding of automotive lighting.

Revitus

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Sample pics of an HID assembly here

FT4Z-13008-N

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USED-FORD-EDGE-OEM-HEAD-LIGHT-HEADLIGHT-LAMP-HEADLAMP-XENON-damaged-15-16-RH-/252686653134

 

Halogen headlamp here

FT4Z-13008-F

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-2016-Ford-Edge-LH-Driver-Side-Halogen-Headlamp-Light-Assembly-new-OEM-/272485862492

 

Yes different part numbers, HID is 50% higher in pricing than halogen.

 

Even on gen 1.5, the halogen/HID headlamps are different.

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Fascinating. Thanks for the quick response to that.

 

So how would the performance of an HID upgrade in the factory halogen headlight assembly be affected if I don't switch out the headlight assembly? Night and day, or only a marginal difference? Just trying to weigh the cost versus the outcome...

 

Of course, my hope is that an upgraded halogen bulb will suffice, but I'm not so much holding my breath for that.

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The difference should still be significant, but the cutoffs and the HID "look" may not be there. I am speaking based on the 2011-14 halogen to HID upgrades that I have seen. I cannot speak for the optics of the 2015+ headlamps, as I have yet to see any detailed comparisons.

 

An upgraded halogen bulb may suffice depending on the output of the original bulb. If you have a 1350 lumen bulb, then yeah, going to a 1900 lumen bulb makes a big difference. But if you really want that bluishwhite look of HID, note that the OEM HID is typically around 4300K in color temp, but most aftermarket kits will be 5000K or 6000K. Of course recommend the 5000K for best combination of color and usable light.

 

Here is macbwt's video on the results of his HID upgrade in projector headlamps (2011 Edge) with a drivebright kit

 

Maybe he can get you some updated night shots of the HIDs in action :) They did enable him to save some wildlife!

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Typing on my phone here. Basic phillips H9 is best bulb ($10) your gonna get. There are 3 types of projectors and internally all are optically different, halogen, hid, led. Just how it works. Yes a rebased hid will fit into a halogen projector but it will not have more usable light. Yes it will blond oncoming traffic with glare. No aiming your lights down cannot solve this problem. That just creates less usable light for the driver. Only way to truly get the best of HID is a true HID retrofit.

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Typing on my phone here. Basic phillips H9 is best bulb ($10) your gonna get. There are 3 types of projectors and internally all are optically different, halogen, hid, led. Just how it works. Yes a rebased hid will fit into a halogen projector but it will not have more usable light. Yes it will blond oncoming traffic with glare. No aiming your lights down cannot solve this problem. That just creates less usable light for the driver. Only way to truly get the best of HID is a true HID retrofit.

I was under the impression that putting a HID in a Halogen PROJECTOR did not actually have the glare issue of blinding traffic, but you did loose view distance.

 

In my own personal experience I have also noticed that when you throw an HID in a Halogen projector the glare and issue of blinding other drivers is non-existent (This is a different case completely for a reflector housing). Now if you compared the light on the road with a halogen projector to a proper retro kit with a HID reflector you will notice that close to the vehicle there is little to no different.. but the farther from the vehicle (both in front and to the sides) you get the less light you get from the halogen projector.. so your range and width of light from a halogen projector will be less than from a true HID projector.

 

That is because of how and where the hotspots are on a halogen bulb vs that of the hid.

 

That being said depending on where you drive a HID can still be a much better option than the stock halogen bulb in a halogen projector. For most the extra light at close to medium range is more important than the extra distance... you have hi-beams for that.

 

Just my .2

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I was looking into doing this swap also. Problem is people keep changing the hid to a led topic. Then I get all confused. Best research I found is it should be fine to use an hid bulb kit in a halogen projector housing. A true hid housing uses a different glass lens then the halogen housing lens. Needless to say I haven't done the conversion because I want to make sure it's right.

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I was under the impression that putting a HID in a Halogen PROJECTOR did not actually have the glare issue of blinding traffic, but you did loose view distance.

---------yes it still throws glare into oncoming traffic

 

In my own personal experience I have also noticed that when you throw an HID in a Halogen projector the glare and issue of blinding other drivers is non-existent (This is a different case completely for a reflector housing). Now if you compared the light on the road with a halogen projector to a proper retro kit with a HID reflector you will notice that close to the vehicle there is little to no different.. but the farther from the vehicle (both in front and to the sides) you get the less light you get from the halogen projector.. so your range and width of light from a halogen projector will be less than from a true HID projector.

 

That is because of how and where the hotspots are on a halogen bulb vs that of the hid.

 

----------yes and no. you can have a HID projector that lacks width of a halogen projector. Width has zero to do wit hotspot. That is solely a trait that varies from projector to projector with the LS460 projector being king of width. Most wide projectors trade off hot spot for width, and vice versa.

 

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I was looking into doing this swap also. Problem is people keep changing the hid to a led topic. Then I get all confused. Best research I found is it should be fine to use an hid bulb kit in a halogen projector housing. A true hid housing uses a different glass lens then the halogen housing lens. Needless to say I haven't done the conversion because I want to make sure it's right.

Dont ever go LED, manufacturers dont even use led headlight bulbs. They use complete units built around a led diode

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I hate to be picky but why on earth would a core deposit be charged with NEW headlights?

Ford now charges for cores in headlights, bumper covers, wheels etc., for two reason:first, for environmental concerns (if you believe that) Second, so they can eliminate damaged parts that are refurbished and resold in the aftermarket......the guy on eBay probably wants the core so he can do exactly what Ford is trying to eliminate-refurbish it and sell it on eBay.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just wanted to say thanks again to you all for taking the time to reply on this topic. Ultimately, since it's July and the days are still so long, I haven't done too much night driving at all. I have received the H9 and 9011 upgraded Philips bulbs, but I'm going to wait until closer to fall to switch them out so I can truly tell if the difference in that upgrade is remarkably better or not. I think regardless, I will probably just stick with halogen's (meaning the H9 and 9011 upgraded halogens) since upgrading the housings and purchasing an HID kit would be a pricey mod. Overall, I sent back a bunch of LED's I ordered since I am shockingly happy with almost all of the interior and exterior lighting on the car. I will change out the license plate bulbs and puddle lights under the side mirror housings for LED's for sure, but everything else I am satisfied with as it came from the factory.

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