Hella blackout headlights are junk
11-21-2016, 02:17 PM
#11
Senior Member
For those saying you won't blind others with HID's in Halogen housings, you're incorrect. Not getting flashed doesn't mean you're not blinding people.
I ran them in my truck when I first got them for a few months before I had a set of retrofits built, I would even blind myself with them.
They scatter the light everywhere so even adjusting them to point at the ground won't do others any good. Retrofits are your best option for good output, they'll put any bulb in a halogen housing to shame without issue as they will actually project the light out where it needs to go and won't blind other drivers.
As for the headlights, as some have said, reseal any aftermarket lights when you get them. 3M them As well and they'll hold up a lot better. Mine still look brand new after a year and a half of using them
I ran them in my truck when I first got them for a few months before I had a set of retrofits built, I would even blind myself with them.
They scatter the light everywhere so even adjusting them to point at the ground won't do others any good. Retrofits are your best option for good output, they'll put any bulb in a halogen housing to shame without issue as they will actually project the light out where it needs to go and won't blind other drivers.
As for the headlights, as some have said, reseal any aftermarket lights when you get them. 3M them As well and they'll hold up a lot better. Mine still look brand new after a year and a half of using them
Last edited by PyramidsRs; 11-21-2016 at 02:20 PM.
11-21-2016, 02:18 PM
#12
I would think light output from a projector and a decent quality HID kit would far outperform anything from a reflector housing. Without trying to get into a debate over lumens, the Morimoto XB kits are rated at 3400 lumens. The LED chips in the LED bulbs are rated at about 1500 lumens (per chip, 4 chips in a H13 bulb = the advertised 6000 lumens per bulb)
My stock headlights were 8 years old when I removed them, and besides some small rash from rocks over the years, the lenses were in good shape. Do you see similar failure on the ebay headlights as I've shown here with the Hella's?
11-21-2016, 02:28 PM
#13
Senior Member
For those saying you won't blind others with HID's in Halogen housings, you're incorrect. Not getting flashed doesn't mean you're not blinding people.
I ran them in my truck when I first got them for a few months before I had a set of retrofits built, I would even blind myself with them.
They scatter the light everywhere so even adjusting them to point at the ground won't do others any good. Retrofits are your best option for good output, they'll put any bulb in a halogen housing to shame without issue as they will actually project the light out where it needs to go and won't blind other drivers.
As for the headlights, as some have said, reseal any aftermarket lights when you get them. 3M them As well and they'll hold up a lot better. Mine still look brand new after a year and a half of using them
I ran them in my truck when I first got them for a few months before I had a set of retrofits built, I would even blind myself with them.
They scatter the light everywhere so even adjusting them to point at the ground won't do others any good. Retrofits are your best option for good output, they'll put any bulb in a halogen housing to shame without issue as they will actually project the light out where it needs to go and won't blind other drivers.
As for the headlights, as some have said, reseal any aftermarket lights when you get them. 3M them As well and they'll hold up a lot better. Mine still look brand new after a year and a half of using them
My HIDs were in an aftermarket headlight housing using projector lamps, my LED'S are using the stock style housing but with black save for the reflector dish.
I'm assuming the point being made here is using HID in a stock housing whether black or chrome (doesn't matter actually) will blind most drivers because HID's are meant to be used with projectors not reflective dishes.
If so, I understand the argument now.
11-21-2016, 06:45 PM
#15
Correct, HID's in a reflector housing are not an acceptable option, the light source on a HID bulb is not in the same location as the halogen bulbs, so the output isn't right.
A projector retrofit seems to make the most sense to me at this stage, since, so far, I am not overly impressed with the LED bulbs in the hella headlights. Admittedly, its possible the performance of the LED bulbs will improve if I replace the hella headlights with something of OEM quality.
A projector retrofit seems to make the most sense to me at this stage, since, so far, I am not overly impressed with the LED bulbs in the hella headlights. Admittedly, its possible the performance of the LED bulbs will improve if I replace the hella headlights with something of OEM quality.
11-21-2016, 09:17 PM
#17
So you've done the projector retrofit, and based on your experience you'd just recommend everyone use LED bulbs in the stock-style reflector housings?
I would think light output from a projector and a decent quality HID kit would far outperform anything from a reflector housing. Without trying to get into a debate over lumens, the Morimoto XB kits are rated at 3400 lumens. The LED chips in the LED bulbs are rated at about 1500 lumens (per chip, 4 chips in a H13 bulb = the advertised 6000 lumens per bulb)
My stock headlights were 8 years old when I removed them, and besides some small rash from rocks over the years, the lenses were in good shape. Do you see similar failure on the ebay headlights as I've shown here with the Hella's?
I would think light output from a projector and a decent quality HID kit would far outperform anything from a reflector housing. Without trying to get into a debate over lumens, the Morimoto XB kits are rated at 3400 lumens. The LED chips in the LED bulbs are rated at about 1500 lumens (per chip, 4 chips in a H13 bulb = the advertised 6000 lumens per bulb)
My stock headlights were 8 years old when I removed them, and besides some small rash from rocks over the years, the lenses were in good shape. Do you see similar failure on the ebay headlights as I've shown here with the Hella's?
I have much more usable light down the road using LED bulbs in my reflector housing. Plus there is no hassle with buying a spare set of headlights, hid projectors, hid bulbs, ballasts, shrouds, hid harness, butyl, etc. Not to mention baking, painting, aiming, sealing.........never again
See post #6 about ebay headlights and what I use to protect them.
11-22-2016, 12:27 AM
#19
Lost in Time
Join Date: May 2011
Location: North Dallas Forty, OC California
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Sorry for the slight detour, but this statement is so much crap. Unless you view your tools as disposable. Sometimes this works, like for a metal chop saw when you're building an exhaust and you only need to tool to last as long as the job. A set of sockets should last a lifetime, HF sockets will not. You really do get what you pay for.
11-22-2016, 02:57 AM
#20
Senior Member
Yes, I have: https://www.f150forum.com/f4/2004-20...it-how-333339/
I have much more usable light down the road using LED bulbs in my reflector housing. Plus there is no hassle with buying a spare set of headlights, hid projectors, hid bulbs, ballasts, shrouds, hid harness, butyl, etc. Not to mention baking, painting, aiming, sealing.........never again
See post #6 about ebay headlights and what I use to protect them.
I have much more usable light down the road using LED bulbs in my reflector housing. Plus there is no hassle with buying a spare set of headlights, hid projectors, hid bulbs, ballasts, shrouds, hid harness, butyl, etc. Not to mention baking, painting, aiming, sealing.........never again
See post #6 about ebay headlights and what I use to protect them.
