Better bulbs for Anzo Projectors - 35w HIDs? Or LED?

[ExpeditionAndy]

This is what I got from Amazon. They are coming from China and are taking for freakin' ever to be delivered. There are many choices for the replacement bulbs. These have projector ends and are ideal for back-up lighting.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009J3L4RM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had LED tail lights on my 09 Mercedes ML350 I'm still on the fence whether or not I'd see any benefit to changing to LEDs. The one that is cool is the one that is white for parking/driving lights but flashes yellow when you put on the turn signals. I am just confused as to what to look for in LED Bulbs to insure that I get the same level of brightness as the standard filiment bulbs.

 

[NevadaGeo]

These LED back-up lights are supposed to be much brighter and more focused than the OEMs. We will see. If they ever clear customs...

 

[powerboatr]

we need some stealthy back up lights that are BRIGHT . our stock set up is less than great imo

i had thought about a set of wide bar led off road lights that would drop down from under the rear valance when reverse and lights are on.

or sliding the roof rack bar all the way back and hanging a slim set on the bar between the roof and the bar.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

These LED back-up lights are supposed to be much brighter and more focused than the OEMs. We will see. If they ever clear customs...

That's weird because the link shows them as Amazon Prime and says I can have them by Thursday if I order in the next 19 hours.

 

[NevadaGeo]

I don't have Amazon Prime. Maybe I should? Sure would pay for itself in waiting time! Go figure...

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I don't have Amazon Prime. Maybe I should? Sure would pay for itself in waiting time! Go figure...

I think it's up to $99 a year now but I save that many times over by not having to pay for shipping. It comes with free two-day shipping, movie rentals and some free ebooks each month.

 

[powerboatr]

I think it's up to $99 a year now but I save that many times over by not having to pay for shipping. It comes with free two-day shipping, movie rentals and some free ebooks each month.

ME TO
we use the crap out of free shipping

 

[Adieu]

I had LED tail lights on my 09 Mercedes ML350 I'm still on the fence whether or not I'd see any benefit to changing to LEDs. The one that is cool is the one that is white for parking/driving lights but flashes yellow when you put on the turn signals. I am just confused as to what to look for in LED Bulbs to insure that I get the same level of brightness as the standard filiment bulbs.

Same level = undesirable

Much much muuuuch higher level of brightness is the aim.

My '11 bmw 3 series led taillights pretty much cast red onto the entire street's white garage doors and mailboxes if you hit the unlock key on the fob... that sort of thing is what you want from LED.

Come to think of it, I should probably research what's in there.... then again, that's a big, widely spaced array of like 5x5 or 6x6 diodes, not sure if the same bright chips can be densely populated into any old random lightbar-type thingie....

 

[Adieu]

I don't have Amazon Prime. Maybe I should? Sure would pay for itself in waiting time! Go figure...

It sucks you in... you end up spending tons of money. And still often having to pay for upgrade shipping.

Also, they use independent contractors for the deliveries sometimes, and those guys will JACK you...I had a two day parcel "take" 30 days, then get marked delivered --- yet, strangely, no parcel.... and no clear mechanism to get my **** or my 35 bucks back

Should've thought long and hard before ordering a premium car charger, pack of USB cords, and car phone mount thru a service that hires pizza boys and Uber drivers to deliver....lol.

 

[Adieu]

1. That's weird because the link shows them as Amazon Prime and says I can have them by Thursday if I order in the next 19 hours.

You can order the same item (same-same or, sometimes, "same") from multiple sources all thru Amazon... like I needed the wheel center circle thingies with the logos for my bimmer, and that came with like 5 options all listed as same item --- $65 rush from dealership, $18 shipped from Canada 3-5 weeks, $4.50 shipped from China 2-3 months....reviews said China ones were fake and hella dodgy

Went with Canada, took several weeks, but no issues looks convincing enough... marked made in Italy or some weird off the wall place like that, though

 

[Adieu]

This is what I got from Amazon. They are coming from China and are taking for freakin' ever to be delivered. There are many choices for the replacement bulbs. These have projector ends and are ideal for back-up lighting.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009J3L4RM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Glad you did the right thing and finding the driver... Some people feel entitled to extort others for more money. You say "******* Balls". I see it as him having NO balls what so ever. Balls=Honor in my book. You hold the honor, now he holds YOUR balls...

Finally clicked the link....

Dude those are just led tail bulbs....expect some effect for people seeing you, but zero for you seeing stuff...our taillights are way high off the ground and not even pointed in that direction

Also you COULD have spent 5 bucks more at any Autozone or Walmart and got Sylvania LEDs...

 

[Adieu]

Projector here just means they won't shine on ground or have much side visibility at all, while hitting people driving behind you somewhat well in the eyes

Nah, what we need is some sort of under-bumper lightbar-type or strobe-sized supplementary tails/turnsignals

 

[NevadaGeo]

Projector here just means they won't shine on ground or have much side visibility at all, while hitting people driving behind you somewhat well in the eyes

Nah, what we need is some sort of under-bumper lightbar-type or strobe-sized supplementary tails/turnsignals

When I get them installed (once they clear stinkin' customs...) I will let you know how they work. In the meantime, lets withhold all prejudice or comment.

 

[NevadaGeo]

For your Expedition, all you have to do is buy the Xenon (HID) bulb kit and install it in your projectors. The difference is between night and day.

Two 10mm screws hold each headlight assembly in place along with a couple of spring clips that fit into holes in the radiator support. you just unscrew the two screws and wiggle the assembly out. You disconnect two plugs and the whole thing comes out. In this picture you can see one of the lower pins the other one is a spring clip.

The large opening is for the low beam bulb the smaller one is for the high beam. I had to cut a 1" diameter hole in the low beam rubber dust cover to accept the rubber grommet for the wiring harness that comes with the kit. I cut out that grey-ish rectangle with my dremel to make room for some other connectors that had to pass into the the housing and then I sealed the opening with high quality electrical tape and layered it like shingles to shed water. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures and its snowing right now.

This is the kit that I bought and that I recommend. https://www.xenonhids.com/9005-single-beam-full-xenon-hid-conversion-kit.html

I bought their 55w Galaxy ballast which produce 4200 lumens. I also went for the 5000k color temp which is the pure white. When you start going up in color temp (like 6000k still white but bluer) you start getting into the blues and you lose some brightness.

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I mounted my ballast to the side of the low beam projector housing (the one that extends toward the back of the vehicle and you can see the nice flat surface so that was ideal.
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Hey ExpeditionAndy, I did purchase these and have been researching them to understand (new to HID here...). Most units come with ignitors to "start" them up. The conversion kit I ordered with the Galaxy ballast does not come with ignitors. Is this contained within the ballast or am I missing something?

Thanks man.

 

[Adieu]

Nah, LED is nice and crisp, but a projector will just focus it more, and not exactly in any direction you much need

Don't expect too much help for backing out in the dark and avoiding low dark obstacles like curbs, dogs, and the odd toyota....

 

[NevadaGeo]

Nah, LED is nice and crisp, but a projector will just focus it more, and not exactly in any direction you much need

Don't expect too much help for backing out in the dark and avoiding low dark obstacles like curbs, dogs, and the odd toyota....

If you look at the LED bulb purchased, they have diodes on the sides mostly for side lighting, with only one diode for the projector. But you have already made up your mind Adieu and there is probably no way of changing it. Just don't buy a Toyota!!!

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

It sucks you in... you end up spending tons of money. And still often having to pay for upgrade shipping.

Also, they use independent contractors for the deliveries sometimes, and those guys will JACK you...I had a two day parcel "take" 30 days, then get marked delivered --- yet, strangely, no parcel.... and no clear mechanism to get my **** or my 35 bucks back

Should've thought long and hard before ordering a premium car charger, pack of USB cords, and car phone mount thru a service that hires pizza boys and Uber drivers to deliver....lol.

I've never had that experience, but I have paid for faster shipping on occasion when I needed it. One time it didn't arrive within the specified time frame. I contacted Amazon and they refunded the shipping charges with apologies. The item arrived the next day. They must do things differently in southern California than they do here - oh never mind it is southern California after all.

 

[NevadaGeo]

ExpeditionAndy, did you receive ignitors with you HID package? Reading about the HID systems, it states that ignitors are needed for "starting" or initiating the xenon bulbs. There was no mention of them in the order I have tried to contact XenonHIDs.com but their communication and support is somewhat lacking.

Did you receive the ignitors or is this all within the Galaxy ballast units? Thanks man.

 

[Adieu]

@ExpeditionAndy , believe you me, SoCal people seem even weirder from close by

 

[NevadaGeo]

Projector here just means they won't shine on ground or have much side visibility at all, while hitting people driving behind you somewhat well in the eyes

Nah, what we need is some sort of under-bumper lightbar-type or strobe-sized supplementary tails/turnsignals

Please remember Adieu, these LEDs are intended only for the back-up lights which only turn on when in reverse. There should not be anyone there to blind, unless they are about to get run over or slammed into... These lights do not replace the red tail light, just for backing up.