Safe aftermarket LED headlight bulb info, finds and discussion

[Remi]

Not that I was doubting @danbfree , but after installing the TechMax GEN 2 LEDs, I'm blown away. I definitely should have done it sooner. Great light output for being the reflector housing. The color temperature is awesome too.

 

[danbfree]

Not that I was doubting @danbfree , but after installing the TechMax GEN 2 LEDs, I'm blown away. I definitely should have done it sooner. Great light output for being the reflector housing. The color temperature is awesome too.

Very glad to hear! They just have to be kinda carefully angled in to install and then sit entirely inside the housing right?

 

[Remi]

Very glad to hear! They just have to be kinda carefully angled in to install and then sit entirely inside the housing right?

Yeah, it took some convincing to get in there. I actually had to trim a little in the passenger side to get the bulb in there. But no issues since. I'm super happy... For now.

 

[danbfree]

So these are the way to go now for stock reflector housings? Or are TechMax still king?

See the posts right before this... Yes, TechMax is still king but it's their Gen 2 now that has even less glare...

 

[ChinoCochino]

First NEVER just go on Amazon and rely on the customer reviews and/or marketing claims by the manufacturer as your only source of research and to buy whatever just looks good.has good reviews. Brightness ratings (lumen/lux) and watt ratings are widely exaggerated to score buy clicks from people who don't know any better when in fact these claims are meaningless other than to compare models from the same brand, kind of like tire tread ratings, right?

Very interesting--don't believe manufacturer lux ratings, but believe Bulbfacts?

Look for: Again, IGNORE manufacturer claims on watts and lumens, only use those to compare general brightness levels on different models from the same exact brand to tell which is a more low, mid, high end model. The easiest way is to know for sure is to look for 3800-5000 tested low beam lux for low beam on BulbFacts.com charts, but they have far from everything on there.

So look for 5000 tested low beam lux on Bulbfacts?

You do realize that not even a BMW i8's laser high beams would hit 5000 lux?

Are we really supposed to believe that some halogen low beam lamp plus a LED kit is going to outperform a BMW i8's laser high beam units ?

 

[averyislost]

Very interesting--don't believe manufacturer lux ratings, but believe Bulbfacts?



So look for 5000 tested low beam lux on Bulbfacts?

You do realize that not even a BMW i8's laser high beams would hit 5000 lux?

Are we really supposed to believe that some halogen low beam lamp plus a LED kit is going to outperform a BMW i8's laser high beam units ?

Welcome to the forum!
Yes I would believe it, to the extent that the measurement BulbFacts is using is probably taken at the hotspot of the beam pattern. So in that specific hotspot, it could very well be brighter than the i8’s headlights with the exception that the i8 will most likely have a much more uniform lux output across its high beam pattern whereas the halogen reflector with LED bulb will fall off drastically outside of the hotspot.

 

[danbfree]

Very interesting--don't believe manufacturer lux ratings, but believe Bulbfacts?



So look for 5000 tested low beam lux on Bulbfacts?

You do realize that not even a BMW i8's laser high beams would hit 5000 lux?

Are we really supposed to believe that some halogen low beam lamp plus a LED kit is going to outperform a BMW i8's laser high beam units ?

It's just for comparison/choosing for a stock reflector FiST headlight among the data provided, I didn't intend to imply that Blaise's results are scientific/meets industry standard test methods. The numbers are just what he got in his too close to the wall testing and I discuss how to interpret them in regards to how they relate to the FiST stock headlight housing. I'll be there first one to admit that his numbers are not scientifically/industry standard controlled.

I'm glad you brought this up as the time since I posted originally I have been trying to update the main post while at the same time learning more about his test methods and how they are not exactly industry standard accurate. I'm going to clarify this in an edit soon.

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[stealthfist]

I'm thinking for you guys who want yellow fogs but just want to throw some bulbs into the factory fog housings... Don't want too, too bright and these are exact halogen type bulb connection design, no heat sink, so they can't be too bright/ran a ttoo many actual watts without a heatsink, these only use 8.5 actual watts each side while most H11 for headlights use 24-30w actual each side, some even more... So even if room is not an issue, you want to keep them a good color and just the right brightness, so these look good for stock fog housing for sure! If you click the link and check out the pics, they look pretty damn bright for only 8.5w so they will stay cool for sure.. If you can afford $72 and can handle removing headlights to go down from there to remove stock fog housings then I still recommend that route for sure, they are prob 95% as good as the $160+ options at least...

https://www.amazon.com/Alla-Lighting-H11-Illumination-Replacement/dp/B07GTC42CL/

View attachment 27415

https://www.ebay.com/itm/183409421276 auto accepted my $15 offer for anyone looking at this

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[danbfree]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/183409421276 auto accepted my $15 offer for anyone looking at this

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Not a bad way to go if you just want some yellow fogs for sure, thanks for sharing!

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[amataloni]

Has anyone replaced their OEM turn signal bulbs with LED bulbs? I hear that in order to fix hyper flash you have to either attach a resistor to the circuit or change out the flasher relay. I'm hesitant to use resistors since they get very hot and there isn't a suitable place to mount them in the headlight and taillight housings. Also from my research 2019 FiSTs don't use a flasher relay, am I correct in this? Any help on this topic would be appreciated!

 

[LoboST]

Ok I just installed the tech max gen 2's. Is there a left and right side? I know they should sit vertical. The bronze side facing out or in? I have them facing out right now.
Passenger side

Driver side

The symmetry is off has me feeling I did something wrong.

 

[KKaWing]

The wider part of the V should face upwards.

Ok I just installed the tech max gen 2's. Is there a left and right side? I know they should sit vertical. The bronze side facing out or in? I have them facing out right now.
Passenger side

Driver side

The symmetry is off has me feeling I did something wrong.

 

[Geebs]

I am not very original so I followed danbfree's advice...I bought the Techmax Gen II, and the Car Rover hi beams. I am very happy I did, the white light is just more clean and clear to me if that makes sense and it really brightens up the whole area. Thanks for all the research and for sharing with us! Also, I had a shipping issue with the hi beam bulb adapters and after all was said and done I ended up with 3 sets. I have an extra set if anyone wants them, just PM me and I'll send them out to you my treat. Here is the link to what I am talking about, you need them in order to hold your upgraded hi beam (H1) bulbs in place.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N838269/

 

[Geebs]

I am not very original so I followed danbfree's advice...I bought the Techmax Gen II, and the Car Rover hi beams. I am very happy I did, the white light is just more clean and clear to me if that makes sense and it really brightens up the whole area. Thanks for all the research and for sharing with us! Also, I had a shipping issue with the hi beam bulb adapters and after all was said and done I ended up with 3 sets. I have an extra set if anyone wants them, just PM me and I'll send them out to you my treat. Here is the link to what I am talking about, you need them in order to hold your upgraded hi beam (H1) bulbs in place.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N838269/

The bulb adapters are gone.

 

[powermatt]

Ok I just installed the tech max gen 2's. Is there a left and right side? I know they should sit vertical. The bronze side facing out or in? I have them facing out right now.
Passenger side
View attachment 30800
Driver side
View attachment 30799
The symmetry is off has me feeling I did something wrong.

How hard was it to get them in? I'm having a lot of difficulty getting the heatsink to clear the opening at the back.

-edit- Even adjusted as far in as I can get it, they don't fit. Looks like some cutting is going to be required.

-edit 2- Trimming was required. Cut and filed down the lip for the cover on the corner it wasn't clearing. Still tight, but there's just enough clearance now. Comparison shots attached. Taken with an RX100 on the same manual settings for each shot. I'm impressed with how the beam pattern appears to be completely identical.

 

[danbfree]

Has anyone replaced their OEM turn signal bulbs with LED bulbs? I hear that in order to fix hyper flash you have to either attach a resistor to the circuit or change out the flasher relay. I'm hesitant to use resistors since they get very hot and there isn't a suitable place to mount them in the headlight and taillight housings. Also from my research 2019 FiSTs don't use a flasher relay, am I correct in this? Any help on this topic would be appreciated!

You would have to use hyper flash free ones that start around $40 or do cheapies with resistors. I did the research but then decided I couldn't care less about LED for blinkers or license plate lights anyway, lol.

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[RainboChaser]

We need a new thread for 2019 st cause I’m looking online and apparently the housing is slightly changed and the Max’s don’t fit and neither do the fog h11s. Please help me with this issue!

 

[powermatt]

We need a new thread for 2019 st cause I’m looking online and apparently the housing is slightly changed and the Max’s don’t fit and neither do the fog h11s. Please help me with this issue!

2019 USDM? I'm pretty sure nothing changed. And how do they not fit? Do note that trimming the edge of the opening is needed for many of the LED bulb options to clear the heatsink/fan assembly.

 

[firestang70]

We need a new thread for 2019 st cause I’m looking online and apparently the housing is slightly changed and the Max’s don’t fit and neither do the fog h11s. Please help me with this issue!

They fit in my 19 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[RainboChaser]

Best yellow fog option on a budget?