Changed LED headlight bulbs and added Sequential LED Light Strip

[RANDAL CHAO]

Got my new 2020 Expedition Limited, can't believe it still uses old halogen light bulbs. Can't see well at all at night. Changed to LED headlight bulbs $40 for a pair lo beam (9005, 16000lumens total), $20 for a pair hi beam (H11, 8000 lumens total).

Also added a pair of sequential LED light strips. Bring life to the blocky front head. Here is a video clip.

 

[ysgi]

Now you probably blind the crap out of oncoming traffic. LEDs weren't meant for reflector style headlights. They seem to concentrate the light too much.
Don't be surprised if you tick.off other drivers.

 

[Uturn]

Low beams on these models are projectors with a cutoff, so LED's work great. High beams are what they are, I am just surprised that the H9/H11's that he got were a low lumen number. There are brighter LED's available for the high beams.

 

[RANDAL CHAO]

Thanks for your comment. I did compare the pattern of low beam oem halogen vs led. Led is just brighter, and whiter. The cutoff pattern is the same, so I don’t think it blinds the oncoming traffic.

For the high beam, I just didn’t see the need to get a higher lm output because of my driving scenario (mostly urban/suburban) It is already a much better improvement over OEM ones. If for off-road case, yeah I would get brighter bulbs.

 

[Apollo]

Any chance u can share a close up of the led strip?

When not on....curious how it looks

 

[Alex Taylor]

Question for you all I have a 2020 Expedition platinum MAX do I halogen or led headlights? They’re nice and bright jut wondering.

Thanks.

Alex

 

[wakeboarder]

Question for you all I have a 2020 Expedition platinum MAX do I halogen or led headlights? They’re nice and bright jut wondering.

Thanks.

Alex

All platinums have factory LED headlights.

 

[RANDAL CHAO]

Here are the pictures showing how the strip sticks to the grill and light housing, the wiring through grill, the wire tapping to the signal bulbs.

 

[NyackRob79]

Halogen bulbs have a small, concentrated filament, and the reflector/projector housing mirrors are designed to focus that beam. LEDs can't output omnidirectional light in a small concentrated area the way halogen filaments do. LEDs are very directional, and require considerable heat dissipation. All retrofit LED bulbs designed for halogen housings use a broad array of LEDs. I can't imagine the reflector/projector housings to properly focus that. Like others have said, you're probably blinding the hell out of everyone on the road at night. If you ask me, these "off-road use only" retrofit bulbs should be outlawed, because they're definitely not enforced. At the very least, they should be part of the annual inspection.

My favorite are the degenerates who drive their Wranglers with massive LED light bars on full blast on the highway. These imbeciles need to have their vehicles impounded.

The sequential turn is pretty neat though. Thanks for sharing.

 

[RANDAL CHAO]

I understand your rational. Most LED diodes usually face sideways. With reflector bowl, this theoretically may cause horizontal beam to be more intense. Therefore, the perceived blinding effect for oncoming traffic.

But the practical result still stands itself. When I first installed the LED lights, I only put on left side (both low beam and high beam), then I compared the beam patterns of both lo beam and high beam with those of OEM halogen bulbs on the right side, side by side. I do not see significant beam pattern changes (The light coverage area is NEITHER WIDER NOR TALLER). The cutoff of lo beam is clean. High beam throw pattern also very similar. Sure LEDs are brighter and whiter, beam patterns are still evenly lit, comparable to that of halogen bulbs in my case. Anyway this is just my data point, not necessarily representative for all LED bulbs retrofitting all halogen light housing.

Heat dissipation could be an issue. The LED bulb came with heat fan, which will probably fail first. Only time will tell.

Light bar is for off-road use only. I believe it is illegal for most public road anyway.

Regards,

-R