slowurroll Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I think this will be one of the first things I do to my newly purchased '05. Is there any kind of life expectancy out of these? Have you bought the high beams as well or just stuck with lows for now? I could see how highs may not be necessary but when winter hits and I am going up for some night snowboarding, it helps to have my highs on when coming home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick4dr Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I have not installed yet my legacy is off the road waiting for new turbo. should have them in early next week when my turbo install goes down I HAVE THE unionlux kits not amazon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I placed my order today. Hopefully will get them installed by next weekend once received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Alright guys. Got mine installed. Loving the lights so far. But need some input from those who have installed these. http://i58.tinypic.com/2ahzldw.jpg As you can tell, the cut off isn't the best. I tried rotating them a bit but when doing so it seemed like the bulb would pull out of the plastic base that locks it into the socket. OP, did you notice this when you rotated yours? Any ideas what to do so they stay snug but keeps a straighter cut off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LegacyDan Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Dunno if it was the same for you - but it felt like I kind of had to MacGyver the ring to rotate the bulbs to the proper alignment. Once they were aligned properly the output was much better and cut off was very clean. Definitely! I installed them just before you did your write up and originally they went in with a decent aim, then saw your write up and drilled the holes to let it vent and removed the bulbs to rotate and wouldn't move at all.. Installed them and twisted and finally were free to rotate and the cut off is incredible now! Thank you so much for the write up and doing the leg work of contacting OPT7 about the potential heat issue! I think this will be one of the first things I do to my newly purchased '05. Is there any kind of life expectancy out of these? Have you bought the high beams as well or just stuck with lows for now? I could see how highs may not be necessary but when winter hits and I am going up for some night snowboarding, it helps to have my highs on when coming home. Don't know if it is too late or not since I've seen that you at least ordered the low beams, but I'm personally going to install HID high beams instead of LED high beams. I'd probably be doing the the same if I were you and going into the unlit mountain roads for snowboarding, plus you don't have to worry about the light scatter as much assuming you shut down the high beams when you're following someone down the mountain or shut them down when someone is coming at you. I think we're all in the experiment stage of the life expectancy of this, but if they are anything like the LEDs I'm used to, then I'll probably be selling my Legacy with them in a few years.. Alright guys. Got mine installed. Loving the lights so far. But need some input from those who have installed these. http://i58.tinypic.com/2ahzldw.jpg As you can tell, the cut off isn't the best. I tried rotating them a bit but when doing so it seemed like the bulb would pull out of the plastic base that locks it into the socket. OP, did you notice this when you rotated yours? Any ideas what to do so they stay snug but keeps a straighter cut off? Not the OP but when I installed my bulbs it was a pain in the ass to clip in retaining metal wire, but just make sure it is still clipped in if it doesn't seem snug. I tried to rotate the bulb outside of the car and couldn't but once I had the bulb re-assembled in there and pushed it in and rotated the fan assembly it broke free and was able to aim for the proper cut off again my garage. I wouldn't say my cut off is perfect but definitely less scattered than yours is right now. Hopefully it helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Not the OP but when I installed my bulbs it was a pain in the ass to clip in retaining metal wire, but just make sure it is still clipped in if it doesn't seem snug. I tried to rotate the bulb outside of the car and couldn't but once I had the bulb re-assembled in there and pushed it in and rotated the fan assembly it broke free and was able to aim for the proper cut off again my garage. I wouldn't say my cut off is perfect but definitely less scattered than yours is right now. Hopefully it helps! That does help. Thanks! I was actually able to rotate them a bit yesterday after I posted this. Seems like the cut off is a lot cleaner now and not as scattered. They seem pretty snug. I'll see if I can get an updated pic tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Alright guys. Got mine installed. Loving the lights so far. But need some input from those who have installed these. http://i58.tinypic.com/2ahzldw.jpg As you can tell, the cut off isn't the best. I tried rotating them a bit but when doing so it seemed like the bulb would pull out of the plastic base that locks it into the socket. OP, did you notice this when you rotated yours? Any ideas what to do so they stay snug but keeps a straighter cut off? Here was my trick - The plastic ring has a small notch on one side and a large notch on the other with matching pegs. I removed the ring and turned it until the small notch was lined up on the large peg and shoved it down. After that the ring felt pretty snug. This also allowed the perfect East-West mounting resulting in an identical cut-off to halogen. This explains the MacGyver method I talked about. It sounds like 05LegacyDan got the same results with the bulbs already installed. If you need a pic explaining that let me know! Even though it seemed a little weird of a way to get them to aim right the lights have stayed put. So far no problems with moisture or light degradation from heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I definitely will. I adjusted it again yesterday the cut off is better. I'll snap a pic tonight and see if you guys think it could be adjusted any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Here they are after rotating yesterday. Cut off looks much better to me. http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/801tC/20150720_211250.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 What color temp bulbs did you get - 5000k? Here they are after rotating yesterday. Cut off looks much better to me. http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/801tC/20150720_211250.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 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 I'm probably going to be getting these LED's soon.. I was thinking of going another route instead. Using a set of spare dust caps - cutting a 3" diameter (or however big to clear the heatsink) hole into the cap, then attaching (plastic weld/ flexi adhesive?) an accordion boot/grommet - similar to a CV boot, so that the heat sink sits in fresh air, but the collar of the boot will attach to the base of the bulb to retain the moisture sealing function of the dust caps. Is there anything with these bulbs that'll make that fail miserably? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 What color temp bulbs did you get - 5000k? I ordered the H7's from the link in the first post. These ones: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNBEUMO/?tag=viglink20901-20]Amazon.com: OPT7 LED Headlight Bulbs w/ Arc-Glass Clear Beam Kit - H7 - 60w 7,000Lm 6K Cool White CREE - 2 Yr Warranty: Automotive[/ame] They are 6000k cool white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I ordered the H7's from the link in the first post. These ones: Amazon.com: OPT7 LED Headlight Bulbs w/ Arc-Glass Clear Beam Kit - H7 - 60w 7,000Lm 6K Cool White CREE - 2 Yr Warranty: Automotive They are 6000k cool white. Must be your camera auto white-balancing then... I was thinking they look more warm white than the first few sets of pics. Warmer is what i want - (4200-4500k optimal for me). *edit - thank you for the link. It led me to the color temp I want lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowurroll Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Nope they are definitely a cool white. Pic was with my phone and right before I snapped the pic the auto garage lights came on so there is some light wash from that I'm sure. The first pic was earlier in the evening so it wasn't exactly the same conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 I'm probably going to be getting these LED's soon.. I was thinking of going another route instead. Using a set of spare dust caps - cutting a 3" diameter (or however big to clear the heatsink) hole into the cap, then attaching (plastic weld/ flexi adhesive?) an accordion boot/grommet - similar to a CV boot, so that the heat sink sits in fresh air, but the collar of the boot will attach to the base of the bulb to retain the moisture sealing function of the dust caps. Is there anything with these bulbs that'll make that fail miserably? lol The one thing the OPT7 support guy stressed was that heat will kill these LEDs quickly. I know that it is an enclosed space inside the headlight assembly so I figured fresh air would be needed to circulate out. The fans blow the air out the back through the holes I drilled. Then again there is a fair amount of space inside the headlight assembly so your method may work. The biggest issue was the heat sink butted up against the inside of the cap allowing for very little air movement. Your accordion method would probably allow more air to move. Obviously, the issue with any bulbs is that time will only tell how long they last. For 100$ I'm hoping twice as long as halogens. I can say that we had rain for practically 3 weeks straight here in Pittsburgh and not one bit of moisture was inside the headlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I can say that we had rain for practically 3 weeks straight here in Pittsburgh and not one bit of moisture was inside the headlight. Good to know - if my thoughts turn out to be too much trouble to be worth it, at least it isn't a deal breaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 So - about to finally pull the trigger. How2 has longer term usage been, for those who have gone this route? Also - will these work with DRL in place, or does it have to be disabled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battelready Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 So - about to finally pull the trigger. How2 has longer term usage been, for those who have gone this route? Also - will these work with DRL in place, or does it have to be disabled? Your gonna have to disable the DRL . I bought an auto be more involved in my uninvolvedness . 200k+ Club If you can't blind them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. My high mileage turd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 So - about to finally pull the trigger. How2 has longer term usage been, for those who have gone this route? Also - will these work with DRL in place, or does it have to be disabled? They have held up well! Still bright and clear. However, I'm not quite sure I understand your question. I have not modified my DRLs in any way. They are always on as from the factory. The LED headlights have not affected the DRLs at all. Now, if you're talking about buying these as DRLs (9005/HB3 type) I am not sure how that would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silinc3r Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Hmmm, glad I stumbled upon this. I don't really feel like doing the retro fit or dealing with all the other stuff and at $100 seems like you can't beat it. Like others have said it's not as good as HID BUT, it is plug/play and better out put than stock for the most part. Silinc3r's 05 SWP GT/Spec B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amm203 Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 Hmmm, glad I stumbled upon this. I don't really feel like doing the retro fit or dealing with all the other stuff and at $100 seems like you can't beat it. Like others have said it's not as good as HID BUT, it is plug/play and better out put than stock for the most part. These have been great so far 6 months in. The only drawback I can find is getting them rotated properly. I had the same issue as slowurroll with the light not looking uniform at all initially. Once you get the LED diodes properly aligned East-West the cut-off is crisp and the output it well-focused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 They have held up well! Still bright and clear. However, I'm not quite sure I understand your question. I have not modified my DRLs in any way. They are always on as from the factory. The LED headlights have not affected the DRLs at all. Now, if you're talking about buying these as DRLs (9005/HB3 type) I am not sure how that would work. To clarify, the pre facelift cars used the low beams as DRL. Yours is an 08, so you're unaffected. battleready, do they not play nice with the lower voltages? I've seen other led kits that advert drl compatible, but I'm not sure if there's anything special about the regulator/ ballast/ whatever that would make it so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silinc3r Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 AND....I just ordered it Silinc3r's 05 SWP GT/Spec B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phate Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 To clarify, the pre facelift cars used the low beams as DRL. Yours is an 08, so you're unaffected. battleready, do they not play nice with the lower voltages? I've seen other led kits that advert drl compatible, but I'm not sure if there's anything special about the regulator/ ballast/ whatever that would make it so. Mine don't seem to care about the DRL's. Marginally less bright. I do a solid half to two-thirds of my driving late at night and early in the morning, so I pretty much have the low beams on all the time anyways. Screw it, they're LED's and they'll basically never go out. The output is good, but they're definitely blue. The CRI isn't great, either. Just like with 6-8000k HID's, everything kinda blends into a gray-ish blue. You can see it, but there isn't as much contrast on most things. In heavy rain/fog, the blue light does not penetrate all that well. I have 4500k HIDs in morimoto mini's on my accord, and I greatly prefer those. I used to rock 3000k low beams (ricer yellow), and they were beast in crappy weather, and seemed to improve contrast quite a bit in other conditions, but they were also amazing for having late-night discussions with a member of your local law enforcement agency. TL;DR: It's an extremely high quality kit, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy other products from OPT7. If OPT7 comes out with a set of 5000k or lower LED bulbs, I'd jump on them in a heartbeat, but for now I still want to do an RX330 retro to get whiter light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatcrapp Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 TL;DR: It's an extremely high quality kit, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy other products from OPT7. If OPT7 comes out with a set of 5000k or lower LED bulbs.. That about sums up my concerns. I love the idea of finally an efficient LED setup - but not at 6000k. I keep adding them to my cart to buy, but then go back to searching for a warmer color. quick4dr - you mentioned you bought a 4000k kit form unionlux - any more details? Any experiences to share now that you've had them for a bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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