2Phast

I have recently come to the conclusion that the technology of the single massively powerful cree bulb for cheap is here. I bought a flashlight with 1 CREE led bulb that puts out 625 lumens for $16 bucks at Home Dept. Its so good, I bought 3 and told everybody I know to get one (you too, they are awesome).

I have seen this technology making its way to automobile replacement bulbs but wanted to see if anyone else had tried them?

Also, the owner's manual just says the bulb for the fog lights is 9006 type D 51 w, most online say they are "9006 hb4" see example here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-80w-cree-white-9006-hb4-High-Power-LED-Car-fog-running-light-bulbs12V-24V-DC-/251302377069?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a82c9f66d&vxp=mtr
The manual also says the headlight is: "Headlights (high beam) 9005 60 W Type A"

I really like the simple swap aspect to this, but really can't figure out what bulb I need based on what is for sale. Thoughts?

Anybody know if its really just plug and play? (My Acura reacted poorly to LED interior light swap).

Thanks!

RX330inFL

When you check the brightness of what a stock 9006 replacement bulb, for example any of the Sylvania, they pretty much come in at 1000 lumens. That is your baseline. Anything less than that would not be worthwhile, IMO, and you probably want a bit brighter than that. In the example you provided above they listed their bulbs has being between 900 and 1000 lumens. I think many of the LED manufactures/packagers overrate their products, FWIW.

HB4 just refers to the base connector.

Personally, I do not think these bulbs are quite there yet.

Your Acura may have required CANBUS LED bulbs.

RX330inFL

FWIW, they do make brighter LED bulbs than in your example. However, they do require much more power than I would feel comfortable with running through the stock wiring. Such as:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/9006-9012-1200-Lumen-High-Power-SEOUL-LED-80W-White-Fog-Light-Driving-Lamp-HB4-/121292684620?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c3d9b7d4c
At this moment in time they just do not make an LED bulb bright enough in 9006, let alone the 9005 high beam, at the power ratings of the OEM bulb. In this case 51W for the 9006 fog light. I might use a bulb which uses 10% more power, say 55W, but I would hesitate going above that.

RX330inFL

Now, if you look at the new 2014 RX and you see its LED driving lights they are more than likely using a system similar to the following encapsulated in the appropriate round housing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/H10-1800-Lumen-CREE-25W-9005-9145-High-Power-LED-Upgrade-Fog-Driving-Light-Bulb-/121292717789?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c3d9bfedd&vxp=mtr
Much lower power requirements, though much more expensive. And, unknown whether there is room to stuff this in the available space. More than likely an HID conversion kit is a better choice.

The following kit, much like an HID kit, might be more reasonably installed for use as fog/driving lights:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261422211497

2Phast

I feel like the bulb tech is almost there and I want to try it out, I am sold on the new flashlights hitting the market now and a year ago I was sorely disappointed with the claims and inadequate results.

I also had wanted to find out: What bulb sizes do we actually have? I have the answer for anyone who needs it:

There seem to be three sets:

The Fog Lights are
9006 HB4 halogen bulbs 51watt

The round ultra bright white lights (that move)
D2S discharge bulbs 35Watt
H11 halogen bulb 55Watt

The stationary head lights (that look brown in comparison to the round ones)
9005 HB3 halogen bulb 60watt

RX330inFL

You have the information correct.

• 9006 HB4 -- Fog/Driving Lights
• 9005 HB3 -- Driving Light and High Beam
• D2S HID or H11 Halogen -- you have one or the other for your main headlights

The high beams draw more power as they need to be much brighter than their main headlight counterpart when comparing halogen bulbs. The HID bulbs use less power since they are a different technology.

If your headlights move, AFS technology, you have HID headlights.

1koolfella

iTrader: (1)

IMHO I would wait.
The technology is not quite there yet with the LED bulbs for vehicles.

I did the above swap like you a few months back and it was a waste of time and money. I bought a similar bulb that you purchased on Ebay. My recommendation is that if you really want the LED technology is to wait until it gets better.

First, the bulb I purchased had the Cree LED bulb on the tip and regular led bulbs on the side. If you look closely at your fog light housing, It's not a direct beam like your head light bulbs, the tip portion is covered and light is reflected by the shinny aluminum cover then reflected back on the side which made the point of having the led tip pointless. If you really look at the design it was made for incandescent bulbs.

Secondly, when I pulled the LED bulbs that I got from Ebay out, it was a mess. One bulb had the tip cover off, some of the led chips on the side had broken off. I paid a good amount of money for that bulb also. I personally believe that since the bulb was closest to the ground being in the fog light area, it wasn't designed to take that much vibration, and that's why it was falling apart. Especially with the bad winter we just had with the pot holes, the bulb didn't have a chance.

Last but not least I realized that my arms became fatter because I really scuffed them up trying to remove these bulbs. The manual says you can go underneath to remove both of them but that's not true. Only the passenger side you can do that with, the driver side I had to remove the battery to the side in order to get at that bulb.

Like RX330inFL mentioned earlier, I went with the Sylvania's bulb, Walmart had them for $48 but Amazon had them cheaper $27.

I had it on for about a week now and to me they are real bright. Almost as bright as the headlights.

1koolfella

iTrader: (1)

Don't get me wrong I love LED technology. I replaced most of the bulbs at my place with LED bulbs, I even have an LED bulb in my refrigerator (my fridge is a bit old though) I've seen a serious reduction in my electric bill. ( I'd recommend these for the house http://www.ebay.com/itm/12W-Dimmable-LED-Bulb-Lamp-Bulb-Light-Bulb-1200-lumen-RPLC-90W-E26-E27-Warm-/141223132129?pt=US_Light_Bulbs&hash=item20e18dfbe1 very bright and the 13w is new)

I've replaced all the interior lights with LED and they're brighter and it's easier to read in my opinion, but as for exterior stuff I'm going to wait a bit. I've seen plenty of Audi's, Sonatas and Kia's with one side of the led light out, while the other one is on. Or people with their home made led kit and part of it works and the other part or side is out. I really think it's between the constant vibration and also being closer to the external elements that make them more susceptible to damage.

2Phast

I have said; either do it right or do it twice. Your having done it twice makes up my mind.

ByTheWay, why did Lexus make it sooo freaking hard to change the bulbs, even the simple tag illumination bulbs take a a tech (not really, but its not 2 screws and a swap like every other car)!

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

I would do HID fogs vs LED fogs...

2Phast

How hard is it to do the HID fogs? What should it cost?

Any solution to the brown daytime running lights?

RX330inFL

What effect are you trying to create? Do you have an understanding of color temperatures for headlights?

http://www.piaa.com/store/pg/18-Halogen.aspx

Your DRLs are just your high beams running at a lower power.

Once you know what you are trying to accomplish then you can go to one of the CL sponsors, such as XenonDepot, and see what they have to fit your needs. There is a discount code available for CL members. A recommendation might be to go with the Phillips 4300K HID bulbs for a whiter output.

http://www.kbcarstuff.com/HID-Kits-s/216.htm

If you have any mechanical and/or electrical skills you can install these yourself. Though, perhaps not for a novice, IMO.

neelnaik

If you are going to do HID, I strongly recommend theretrofitsource.com. Excellent products, with excellent warranties and customer service. These guys actually know their stuff.

Erwinbl

I've been doing a lot of LED conversions on my car and thanks to Fuzzy and a bunch of others around here, am very happy with my current lighting situation. One of the bulbs I converted were the fogs. For these, I got the "latest and greatest" (for this minute, anyway) in CREE 80w 9006 HB4 bulb. I really like 'em. which brings me to my qestion.

My wife's headlight just burnt out in her Mazda3 and I'm tempted to replace with the H7 version of the fog I have in my car. I wonder, though, if even though I'm happy with the bulb as a fog, it might not be bright enough or disperse light properly for use as a headlight. To add to my concerns, it would also be placed behind a "projector" lens that her car is factory equipped with, and would also have to operate at a lower voltage daytime running light too (the DRL runs off the low-beam headlight).

5gears-IS

iTrader: (5)

Are you running with a resistor on the above???