2024 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss Headlamp Upgrade.

[jzchen]

Thanks both of you for the input.

He just purchased it, AND the LEDs are already ordered. I am hoping that offering these bulbs free will convince him to at least try them.

This is a truck and was pretty darn tall. The headlamps are high.

One question that has lingered in my mind: The photometric limits were set up, say the F150 example given. This defines "legal limits". Do you agree that these limits are excellent, very good, good, reasonable, could be improved, poor,...?

 

[alpg88]

To the OP.
The daytime running lamps on the truck, are they using high beams, or it is a separate led light? Cuz if it's high beams, not a good idea to put leds, depending on specific led, they will either run full power, or flicker/strobe or not run at all as DRL.

 

[alpg88]

One question that has lingered in my mind: The photometric limits were set up, say the F150 example given. This defines "legal limits". Do you agree that these limits are excellent, very good, good, reasonable, could be improved, poor,...?

All we can tell from the data is they are higher than with stock. that is all. what is the allowable limit, we do not know. We asked someone who claimed he was in the industry, but he outright refused to answer, basically telling us, you are not allowed to know.
As someone who is involved with a body/repair shop, I can tell you, vast majority of led/hid kits blind the crap out of oncoming traffic, and cars that are in front of you. (not that some kits are better or worse, some headlights are more forgiving than others) you can tell which car has a retrofit. but when we installed higher wattage bulbs, the result is not nearly as bad, often not even noticeable. We don't take any measurements, not collecting any data. just what we can visually see, and that is what people who instal those lights care, and what other drivers see.

 

[EJR]

One question that has lingered in my mind: The photometric limits were set up, say the F150 example given. This defines "legal limits". Do you agree that these limits are excellent, very good, good, reasonable, could be improved, poor,...?

I have no opinion honestly. It's sort of moot anyways because it doesn't matter what I, you or anybody else thinks. These figures are part of US regulations and lamps must comply to be road legal.

There are dozens and dozens of papers written over the years on the research and evaluation of vehicle headlight glare. And despite all the good information and data, the requirements have not changed. So I can't really say what really constitutes as excellent, very good, good or reasonable. Apparently US regulators are not compelled to make any changes anytime in the near future.

 

[jzchen]

To the OP.
The daytime running lamps on the truck, are they using high beams, or it is a separate led light? Cuz if it's high beams, not a good idea to put leds, depending on specific led, they will either run full power, or flicker/strobe or not run at all as DRL.

It took me a little bit to verify this by finding it in the owner's manual, but it is the low beam bulbs that are run as DRLs. I was originally trying to buy a single 9011 and a single OSRAM 220, but since the OSRAM 220 seems to come as a two-pack only, I just got a pair. Let him live with the high beams they aren't used much in our Southern California environment.

 

[jzchen]

I have no opinion honestly. It's sort of moot anyways because it doesn't matter what I, you or anybody else thinks. These figures are part of US regulations and lamps must comply to be road legal.

There are dozens and dozens of papers written over the years on the research and evaluation of vehicle headlight glare. And despite all the good information and data, the requirements have not changed. So I can't really say what really constitutes as excellent, very good, good or reasonable. Apparently US regulators are not compelled to make any changes anytime in the near future.

It's nice of you to share the info on the F150 headlamp specification. Thank you. The 811.99 seems quite high, numerically speaking.

This truck was really tall...

I'll also offer him free installation and see if he bites....

 

[jzchen]

I had a car that came stock with h11, I replaced them with h9, had to trim a tab so it fit the socket. It gave the light noticeable improvement.

If you "automotive"" professor thinks putting a different light source into optic that was not designed for it, is ok. he is no professor, he has no business teaching anyone. send him over here so he can learn something, if he is not too arrogant.

Virgil recommended H9 bulbs for my '14 Scion iQ. At first I was hesitant and even questioned the extra wattage, whether the wiring could handle it. Once I saw the gauge of the wiring, I wasn't worried at all. Interestingly one side fit without any modification. The other side I tried for a long time and failed. I needed to trim the base a little bit to get it to fit....

 

[EJR]

Virgil recommended H9 bulbs for my '14 Scion iQ.

Yep, and this was the correct advice because your vehicle has halogen projectors. And any vehicle using H11 projectors is compatible with the H9 upgrade

 

[EJR]

It's nice of you to share the info on the F150 headlamp specification. Thank you. The 811.99 seems quite high, numerically speaking.

In the context of the maximum allowable intensity for that specific test point, that H9 measurement is +16% over the legal limit and +20% more than what the Osram H11 NB200 measured at.

 

[jzchen]

Yep, and this was the correct advice because your vehicle has halogen projectors. And any vehicle using H11 projectors is compatible with the H9 upgrade

Thank you.

(Have you come across any that the wiring would be too thin/inadequate?)

BTW- The OSRAMs are arriving today and I have my next class tomorrow night...

 

[Monocrom]

Thank you.

(Have you come across any that the wiring would be too thin/inadequate?)

BTW- The OSRAMs are arriving today and I have my next class tomorrow night...

How did the install go for you? Working well?

 

[jzchen]

He didn't bring it back. Waiting for his comparison test results...