amm203 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Okay so I purchased these last week and they arrived on Thursday. Was out of town so I haven't had a chance to install them. It's a slow day at work so I figured I'll post my first impressions and pictures of these bulbs for now. They were purchased from Amazon for 99$ and will replace the low-beam H7 halogens in the projector housing. *edit* Here are some details for the bulb: Brand & Product Code: OPT7 FluxBeam 3500 - H7-HDOPT7-6 Rated Output: 3500 lumens per bulb using Cree MK-R LED with "Arc-Glass" technology - 60 Watts Color: 6000K Warranty: 2 year warranty with lifetime support. They claim a 50,000 hour life. CanBUS Ready These truly were Plug-N-Play [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNBEUMO?keywords=opt7%20H7&qid=1433782130&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNBEUMO?keywords=opt7%20H7&qid=1433782130&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1[/ame] I know someone attempted this a few years ago for a group buy but even in the past couple years LEDs have come a long way. Attached are the photos. Build quality is pretty damn good. The aluminum looks great and they feel really solid. I'm hopeful that the small size of the controller (little red rectangle) will allow me to put everything inside the gray dust cap without any issues. I'll be installing them tonight and posting some comparisons between them and the halogens. These have great reviews and supposedly work wonderfully with projector lenses. Any questions feel free to ask! http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07390_zpsokxscf3l.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07393_zps0v97rtjl.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07395_zpsksyhufgr.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07400_zps6mkbmkvt.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07396_zpspzoasisc.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07398_zpsaoyvxuep.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07397_zpsozjn8lmx.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Got around to installing both the LED H7s and also replaced the fog-lights with the PIAA Ion Yellows right before it started pouring. Some install notes and first impressions: So I'm not going to do a step by step installation - it's pretty straight forward for our 4th gens. The connections are polarized so it's always good to test light the bulb before installing. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07404_zpss8uxivd4.jpg Nice bright white light being emitted! http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07403_zpsmuxqcevj.jpg Getting the retaining wire around the red heat-sink is a bit of a pain in the ass but it's possible. Believe it or not - the entire LED bulb and controller are inside the dust cap. It sealed up perfectly. However, it seemed like a tight fit so I checked the status of the bulb and wire the next day... http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07412_zpsqw0a794j.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07414_zpshn2r17qa.jpg Wish the wire came out the side. It looks like the dust cap is pretty damn close to the back-end of the bulb. The small 1/8th grommet around the wire looks like it adds the tiniest gap between the rear and dust cap. Also, the side of the aluminum heat-sink is open to the air so hopefully that gives it enough air-flow. Time will tell as to how long these bulbs last. But for now the look is awesome. Some examples: http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07410_zpso2fk3iwr.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/IMG_4700_zpshpdxqiuk.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/IMG_4702_zpsqpnzphjy.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/IMG_4703_zpsi1bvkgb5.jpg Slight blue tinge straight on but the throw is practically all pure white. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/IMG_4704_zpszaw9ipm3.jpg I stayed in the city last night but I took a couple photos against my garage with the halogens up north - tonight I'll post comparison shots between them. I'll also post a couple more photos of the throw down a back-road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalsleeper Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 That don't look half bad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Ya not bad - I'll really know the output when I'm on a dark back-road. I'll get some good overhead shots so you get an idea of the length and width of the throw. I'm gonna guess it'll fall in-between HID's and Halogens, probably leaning closer to halogen output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm interested in these, but I'm a little worried about extra light going through the squirrel finders blinding people. It's hard to tell with the picture up against the garage how much more light goes through them, but those lights look really nice and have great reviews on Amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Did some driving and got some pretty good shots! Signs illuminate brighter and at further distances. The beams have a uniform cut-off with the exception of the dim "eyebrows" above. I don't think those cause any blinding effect. No high-beam flashes yet driving about 40 miles in these. The beam-spread to the right is WIDE which I like. This doesn't appear to be an issue to the left as much. These lights are outstanding. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. First a couple of the halogens against the garage. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07382_zps1qlm9jzq.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07389_zpsotav1tb8.jpg Now the LED's http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07420_zpswka6kpot.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07423_zpsyv9a9nhb.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07433_zpselxll1ot.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07457_zps1u7vayau.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07466_zpsvq4f4ms2.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07469_zps8ahqlfva.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07473_zpsyy3pjp1b.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07478_zpsaamcex4d.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07486_zpsijvygpus.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07482_zpsxfex1wkn.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07505_zpsglt8ynfm.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07508_zpseo1rpkmt.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07509_zpshhqp732c.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 I'm interested in these, but I'm a little worried about extra light going through the squirrel finders blinding people. It's hard to tell with the picture up against the garage how much more light goes through them, but those lights look really nice and have great reviews on Amazon. I hear you. I don't think the dim eyebrows above do anything except throw enough scattered light down-road to brighten road signs. And it is crazy how bright those road signs get. I'm gonna have a friend drive the opposite way a few times and see if they're blinded at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RooTBeeR Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 They are definitely nice and bright, but they are lacking a clean cut off line. "Build" Thread <--Link (OLD) '05 EJ255 now a '13 EJ257 Bottom End w/D25 heads (NEW) Forever Slow [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 They are definitely nice and bright, but they are lacking a clean cut off line. Definitely agree that it's not the cleanest - nowhere near HID. I think it has a bit to do with the orientation of the LED's. Ideally they'd be at an East-West orientation but the way the little tab for the H7 is they are forced into a more Northwest-Southeast orientation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RooTBeeR Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 yeah, I figured that was the case. otherwise, i like them. surprised they run hotter than hids though, a heatsink and fan is surprising to see on a light haha "Build" Thread <--Link (OLD) '05 EJ255 now a '13 EJ257 Bottom End w/D25 heads (NEW) Forever Slow [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 It is definitely weird to hear a little fan whirrling around. It was actually kind of crazy - I put my finger on the heat sink while they were on and could hold my finger there. Then I turned the lights off and put my finger on it expecting the aluminum to be cooling down but it was even hotter and burned like hell. The residual heat built up very quickly. Having them enclosed in the dust cap is a bit concerning. Here's hoping they last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun506 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 It's too bad they don't make these for H3 foglight bulbs - I'd be all over that.I have HIDs but it would be nice to have LED fogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dispatch20 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I look forward to seeing an LED in one projector and halogen in the other in a real world situation. I think the key factor will be how far down the road the light focuses and projects. Last Fall I put in a cheaper ($60) Cree LED (fanless, giant heat sink). Initially, I got excited when it looked really bright on my garage wall 6 feet away. However, the projector failed to focus light down the road in any useful way. I had a lot less total visibility and it was less safe. But technology marches on, and I hope this new style LED does a better job of dispersing light. Please keep posting back with new impressions after living with them for a while. We definitely appreciate you giving a new product a chance and sharing the details with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I didn't get around to it last night but I definitely will post a direct side by side. I think you're right for the most part. These are really really bright out to about 30 feet and then the light quickly starts to fade out. There is a defined line off in the distance but the brightness is not uniform throughout. There is almost too much light being sent to the right I almost wish more of it was focused towards the front of the road. However, I definitely can see into the woods if anything's coming out into the road. It's hard to remember what the halogen looked like in comparison so I'm going to take a drive with one halogen and one LED. The hardest part with shooting with a camera at night is shutter speed letting too much light in and portraying the lights as being brighter than they are. At least with a different bulb in each lamp you'll see the difference no matter the exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legwag Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I am intrigued to see what you think after a little while. To see if they are worth it. I am curious as to why the light out put fades off after about 30 feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Moved to interior and exterior upgrade walkthroughs sub-forum - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 New development when I went to check the bulb out this morning. I wanted to see if I could rotate the retaining ring - I guess in my haste of putting them on I missed the fact that the ring can rotate. The bulb seems to stay in place as-is now and the orientation is now a perfect East-West as I originally wanted. I'm gonna post a couple pictures tonight along with the halogen comparison to see if the beam pattern changes at all! http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/image1_zpsvdtthxmg.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/image2_zpsfto4kiik.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 More free-time at work... Drilled the holes per OPT7's recommendation. They should really help get some fresh air into the enclosure to keep heat down. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/image3_zpsz5wedjhv.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Wow what a difference 45 degrees makes. The best way to describe the bulbs before re-orienting them was that way too much of the light was being thrown about 15 feet in front and unfocused and the rest was being thrown 50 feet to the right. After orienting the LEDs properly the result is much much better. I took these photos late because of the NBA game so driving with one halogen and one LED will have to wait until tomorrow or sometime this weekend but I can say that the intensity is much more uniform and the cut-off is well-defined. These are not quite HID brightness but they easily trump the halogens in color and output. Heat-dissipation will be the only concern moving forward. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07527_zps9wvtjpj3.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07532_zpslkwngkhh.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07535_zpsrmtbwepd.jpg One halogen one LED http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07539_zpst1mcewii.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07540_zps0uifof7z.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07545_zpstgg3rvk3.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07548_zpsnfgxrsm9.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07549_zps7dd0ruh1.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/DSC07551_zpsvnkmzcvq.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 More free-time at work... Drilled the holes per OPT7's recommendation. They should really help get some fresh air into the enclosure to keep heat down. http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn164/amm203/image3_zpsz5wedjhv.jpg What about moisture control, or did I miss that? - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 I asked a user if they had any moisture issues and they said they have an HID setup with no cap whatsoever on one of their enclosures. He lives in Maine and very rarely gets any moisture in the headlight assembly and when it does happen it is only after a 2 straight days of raining. I'm hoping that with the minimal amount of holes and the occasional night driving evaporating any humidity in the enclosure that moisture will be a non-issue. I'll keep the thread updated if moisture becomes an issue. Luckily the caps are dirt-cheap online so if it is an issue I can put new ones on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyGT Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Looks pretty damn good after the rotation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legwag Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 What is your opinion on the usable light output down the road? Is it brighter in front of the car then fades out, or is it overall better than the halogen bulbs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 What is your opinion on the usable light output down the road? Is it brighter in front of the car then fades out, or is it overall better than the halogen bulbs? It might just be that I'm partial to the LED output or I'm used to them but I think the LEDs are brighter. After rotating the LEDs the output is much more uniform out to the cut-off but there is definitely a small drop in lumens as it goes out. Purely a subjective observation, though. I still haven't been able to do a driving test/photo-shoot with one LED and one halogen but that would be the best comparison. I'm going to try to this weekend! Like one member pointed out the higher temp definitely takes away some of the lumens - a 5k temp would be better but OPT7 only offers 6K, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legwag Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thanks for the input. LEDs are something I have been considering. Right now I have Osram Night Breaker Unlimiteds in the lows and fogs on my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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