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LED vs HID headlights


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I've had the itch for a while now to install HIDs in my 2013 and since I noticed my drivers side was out this morning on my way home from work, I figure now is the time to do so. Been searching around trying to see pros and cons about doing so in the factory housing since I purchased an SE and dont have factory HIDs. But after digging around on here and seeing some sites, I went and checked out ddmtuning and saw that now they have LED as well. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions about installing these in the factory setup over HID and any suggestions on the good, bad and all that fun stuff. I had installed an HID setup in my last vehicle and had no issues with them after install. Hoping I can repeat that and upgrade without any issues again. Thanks in advance.

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year of vehicle will better allow others to help. I for one don't agree with installing HIDs into Halogen Projectors but people are gonna do what they want regardless my only advice to you is, STAY AWAY FROM DDMTUNING and buy from a company with good customer service like diode dynamics or the retrofit source and don't install LED bulbs. There is a reason no OEM LED headlight uses a bulb.

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I have the year of the vehicle in the post, 2013. Is there a reason why you dont agree with installing them in halogen projectors or just personal preference? Ive never ordered before from ddm, I just continue to see them thrown out there, something always seemed off and I never brought myself to order anything. I know on drivebright.com they have their hid setup for $100 right now minus shipping and all that, I just cant justify spending that much on silverstars when I know the performance is significantly better from HID but I didnt have the concern of being in a projector housing before.

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Every lighting unit is built with the specific light source in mind. Each type of light source has its own unique beam characteristics. So by mixing light source and headlight you are compromising the intended, engineered design.

 

That said, at least halogen projectors work better than reflectors where HID is concerned. Still not perfect, but better. There is unintended light scatter and beam focus is not as sharp.

 

LED is a whole nother issue. It tends to provide more foreground than distance lighting. So it may be better for fogs rather than headlights. The PIAA offerings may be an exception, per Dingo.

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Not sure if DDM still sells the same products but I'm still sporting the set I purchased from them about 4 years ago for my 2011. I think mine came with a lifetime warranty and they did replace a ballast for me the first year I had them. They do work well in the Edge's halogen projectors and, to my old eyes, are a big improvement. I actually purchased two sets thinking I might have a few bulb and ballast failures but they've proven really durable. I still carry the spare set just in case. I should add that mine are 35/5000 and I'm using an overbuilt waterproof harness I made.

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  • 6 months later...

OEM LEDs work, LED bulbs have a lot of complaints, as not being a nearly as bright.

 

Seen some new LED bulbs that feature several LED elements to get around the hot/cold reflector problem. Haven't read any unbiased customer descriptions about actual experiences yet. I don't believe alot of bs out there concerning LEDs. When it comes to this stuff, I'm from Missouri.

 

Best light is HID conversions, but they do project more glare to oncoming drivers. Phillips are the most cost effective conversion.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried leds, they sucked, the factory halogens had much more usable light down the road. Currently I am running a morimoto pnp set from The Retrofit Source and it is day and night difference. I am slowly collecting all the parts to do a proper hid retro. I just can't decide if i want to only swap the projectors, or go all out with a quad bixenon setup.

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I tried leds, they sucked, the factory halogens had much more usable light down the road. Currently I am running a morimoto pnp set from The Retrofit Source and it is day and night difference. I am slowly collecting all the parts to do a proper hid retro. I just can't decide if i want to only swap the projectors, or go all out with a quad bixenon setup.

Just make sure you run 2 different projectors if u go quad. Does no good to run 4 of same projectors. The new g5x and g5r is a good combo

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Very good advice in this thread. I've looked at HID installations in my other vehicle (non-projector). I have attached an image to help those that may not completely understand the terminology/headlight design.

 

http://www.oznium.com/images/projector_headlight_explain.jpg

 

Projectors may accommodate standard halogen lights, HID (Hight intensity Distcharge), or LEDs. However, the new for explorers come standard with LEDs and if you notice their reflector housing (if you look closely) is vastly different than it say those in the previous generation expedition.

 

LED lights typically cannot "throw" light as far as HIDs or higher quality halogens. This means further down the road will be darker but the light immediately in front of the car will be bright.

 

This is fixed with HIDs but you will give all of the oncoming traffic horrible glare and essentially blind oncoming traffic which does no one any good. That is why to do this properly either by a new headlight set with projectors or retrofit projectors into your head lights by opening them up.

 

In short, the quickest and cheapest is a high performance set of halogen bulbs ($40 ish).

 

Next would probably be a toss up between a retrofit (buy from retrofit source) and maybe a set of Chinese headlights from eBay.

 

I would not install LEDs or HIDs in the stock housing.

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LED lights typically cannot "throw" light as far as HIDs or higher quality halogens. This means further down the road will be darker but the light immediately in front of the car will be bright.

Actually, LEDs can be thrown extremely far, with the proper projectors/optics.

 

I believe the issue is quite the opposite. When retrofitting LEDs into the halogen projectors you get more distance light and less usable light immediately on the foreground. You lose that illumination right in front of the car, where you want it most.

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Actually, LEDs can be thrown extremely far, with the proper projectors/optics.

I believe the issue is quite the opposite. When retrofitting LEDs into the halogen projectors you get more distance light and less usable light immediately on the foreground. You lose that illumination right in front of the car, where you want it most.

LEDs lack hotspot, hotspot equals distance. LEDs do not throw light as far as halogen or HID. Nobody retrofits LEDs into halogen anything. When you put LEDs into Halogens you get nothing but Foreground lighting

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LEDs lack hotspot, hotspot equals distance. LEDs do not throw light as far as halogen or HID. Nobody retrofits LEDs into halogen anything. When you put LEDs into Halogens you get nothing but Foreground lighting

Sorry, Nick. Wording was poor on my part.

 

I wasn't trying to insinuate that it should be done.

 

I guess I read incorrectly, I thought the issue was the other way around.

 

I have some LED flashlights (quite a few actually, it's becoming an issue) that can throw really damn far. So, clearly it's a poor projector design. I have some that I use for flood effect and others I use for throw.

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  • 5 months later...

Just installed Putco Silver Lux Pro in my 2018 Titanium and the results were worse than the factory H11's that came with the car. I am going to take them out and find the best HID conversion kit they make. Does anyone know if there's a differs ce between the 17's and 18's?

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Just installed Putco Silver Lux Pro in my 2018 Titanium and the results were worse than the factory H11's that came with the car. I am going to take them out and find the best HID conversion kit they make. Does anyone know if there's a differs ce between the 17's and 18's?

I literally just posted about this. I had great results.

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/24271-how-to-hid-headlight-installation-from-drive-bright/

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I am going to take them out and find the best HID conversion kit they make. Does anyone know if there's a differs ce between the 17's and 18's?

no difference between the two.

 

To get the best HID conversion kit, you would have to do a HID projector retrofit. Take a real HID projector and open your headlights and install it. Results will be amazing and It's the only true way to eliminate glare into oncoming traffic.

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