[grometsc]

Well I've had some H9's sitting on my bar for about a month now, finally did the H11 to H9 upgrade

Gain is "MO" light

H9's are 2150lumens while the H11's are 1350 lumens

And its insanely easy to make the H9's fit in the H11 socket (changing takes all of 10mins as well)


End results....One has factory H11 and one has H9. Can you tell a difference?

 

[TerryG]

For the few of us with short memories, how did you do the upgrade??

 

[RIT333]

More lumens are usually because of higher wattage, and higher wattage produces more heat. More heat can melt the lamp housing/plastic, or blow a fuse or melt wiring. So, make sure the wattage isn't too hign when replacing stock bulbs.

Just a word of caution. Otherwise, looks bright !

 

[bballr4567]

Hmmmm, this might be worth doing. My wife complains that she cant see sometimes in the really dark areas in our area with the lights.

Its either this or HIDs soon.

 

[RIT333]

I've been in Electronics since 18. There is little difference in 65W vs 55W, its roughly 1A difference. Amps are what we are concerned about, not Watts

Amps = Watts/Volts

a=65/12 a=5.41amps

a=55/12 a=4.58amps


Being our wiring is 20 gauge, it has the safe transmission of up to 11amps.

So 11amps vs 5.41 vs 4.58......

This is why our headlights use a 10amp Fuse

You are not going to melt the wires or the headlight assly is the point

Is there one fuse per headlight, or are both headlights on the same fuse? If they are both on the same fuse, then the difference is 10.82 a (2*5.41) after, versus 9.16 a (2* 4.58) before the conversion. However, the system probably runs at about 14 vdc, so there will be less current, and it should be OK, but not by a lot. I think the $40 HID kit is probably a better buy, once the DRL problem can be solved. Darn GM, I wish the Equinox ran the Parking LIghts for the DRLs, it looks better, IMHO.

 

[SuperMat64]

Hmmmm, this might be worth doing. My wife complains that she cant see sometimes in the really dark areas in our area with the lights.

Its either this or HIDs soon.

Go HID... Halogen is halogen and it doenst worth the trouble to have to modify each bulbs each time they burn.

Xenondepot's kits are very high quality and just have a spare set of bulb in case one burn.

You can't go wrong with hid.

 

[RIT333]

No offense but our cars do not have HID housings, they are reflector designed housings (even the projectors). Installing HID's into that type of housing nets nothing but "color". Color is not light output, most of those cheaply made Chinese kits, you will not have good results with an HID kit for under 200.00, I wouldnt even touch a HID kit for 40.00 being the bulbs along cost more than that

Sorry, I wasn't specific. Those with LTZs have projector housings which work fine with HIDs. I forgot that everyone doesn't. Agree that it is not wise to put HIDs in reflector-designed housings. Too much light-scatter for approaching drivers.

Also, I never realized that they fuse each headlight separately - good thing for us that I don't design headlight circuits - there would be a lot more accidents at night, :-[

 

[SuperMat64]

Sorry, I wasn't specific. Those with LTZs have projector housings which work fine with HIDs. I forgot that everyone doesn't. Agree that it is not wise to put HIDs in reflector-designed housings. Too much light-scatter for approaching drivers.

Also, I never realized that they fuse each headlight separately - good thing for us that I don't design headlight circuits - there would be a lot more accidents at night, :-[

I'm not used to Nox... All Terrain trim have projector style headlights.

 

[SuperMat64]

There is a difference in Halogen projectors (which you have) and HID projector housings (which you do not have). They are designed completely different



http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

You seems to have answer to everything !

HID uses projector style lenses like all terrains and LTZ nox.

I agree that you should not install a HID kit in a car that have regular halogen housing.
Regular headlights like they talk about in your link (took model car from one of his test : Nissan Frontier 1998) http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.com/catalog/?Ntt=nissan+frontier+headlamp+20-5222-00

Projector style headlights from terrain/nox ltz : http://l.yimg.com/dv/izp/gmc_terrain_slt1_fwd_2010_exterior_headlight.jpg

Projector style headlights from an infinity (having OEM hid) : http://l.yimg.com/dv/izp/infiniti_g37_sedan_base_2009_exterior_headlight.jpg

projector style is projector style.

 

[SuperMat64]

HID vs. Halogen Technologies

HID lighting improves durability by 10 times as road vibrations can cause damage to halogen filament, but there is nothing to break inside HID bulb. These light sources also produce a blue-white light that is safer because it is closer to natural daylight.

The color temperature is more than 5000K compared to 2300K for halogen. The light output from a 35W HID Xenon lamp is 300% more light than a 55W halogen bulb. The HID Xenon system will also consume much less power from your vehicles electrical system and generate much less heat during operation.

---

Using 10 watts more like your H9 have more chance of damaging your lights housing than HID.

 

[Narg]

I never have understood the desire for 5000K bulbs. Human eyes are tuned to the color of the Sun, which is 3500K to 4000K. So the normal bulbs are actually better for your eyes and you see more. They are just not very bright. Why do you guys think hunting glasses are yellow tinted? It helps them see more, and better in shaded areas. If they made an HID kit in the 4000K range, I'd be much more interested.

 

[SuperMat64]

I never have understood the desire for 5000K bulbs. Human eyes are tuned to the color of the Sun, which is 3500K to 4000K. So the normal bulbs are actually better for your eyes and you see more. They are just not very bright. Why do you guys think hunting glasses are yellow tinted? It helps them see more, and better in shaded areas. If they made an HID kit in the 4000K range, I'd be much more interested.

They do have http://www.kbcarstuff.com/4300k_Xtreme_HID_Xenon_Kit_p/xt-4k.htm

But trust me, i tried 4000K (oem hid on my maxima), 5000K and 8000K, and by far we see a lot better with 5000k

 

[gar187er]

yellow light just doesnt reflect as much off of snow and rain......personally i loved my 6k 55w kit on my old mazda....do not go higher then 6k...the 8k starts getting too blue, you loose light output and you start getting into legal issues......under 4300k you also start loosing light output...... stay 4300-6k and you wont be disappointed....

 

[tbox302]

i have the 5000k 35w kit from DDM Tuning in my Terrain, definitely much brighter than stock. i was worried about glare since i don't wanna be one of "those" guys but thus far i have not been flashed at all and have asked friends driving in front of me if it was too bright behind them and they said no. the only glare i've noticed is actually on the far sides of the housing and though noticeable in dark areas it isn't very bright at all so no worry of it blinding someone by any means. the cutoff at the top doesn't seem to be affected versus stock.

 

[grometsc]

I never have understood the desire for 5000K bulbs. Human eyes are tuned to the color of the Sun, which is 3500K to 4000K. So the normal bulbs are actually better for your eyes and you see more. They are just not very bright. Why do you guys think hunting glasses are yellow tinted? It helps them see more, and better in shaded areas. If they made an HID kit in the 4000K range, I'd be much more interested.

Because people think bigger is always better.......going up the kelvin scale must mean more light out!

I would beat doing the H9 upgrade would put more light on the road than an illegal retrofit kit any day, the higher you move up the Kelvin scale, the lower the lumens (light out put) is.....Any housing that is designed for Halogen bulbs (H11 is Halogen so your assly is designed for that), it is illegal (non-DOT approved) to install Xenon type bulbs in the place of Halogen (notice how they NEVER say DOT approved lol, but they will list all the other fake manufacturing certifications TUV for example (not that TUV is fake, but I would like to see the manufacturing certifications, TUV is an auditing organization, not a "certification"). The good thing is more and more cops are pulling people over for this, but I will admit they are mainly going for the stuipid colors people go far.

Yellow is in the 2500K range, and its best for fog lights as it doesnt reflect back (France used to require all lights be selective yellow), Halogen is 3600K...

Xenon Bulbs rated from Phillips in lumens
85122 lineup which are at 4100K and 85122+ at 4250K
Ultinions=4950K

Philips 85122 = 3100Lm +/-400 lms
Philips 85122+ = 3400Lm +/-200 lms
Philips 85123 = 2,800Lm +/- 150lms
Philips Ultinons = 2,200Lm +/-200lms



Notice the drastic drop in lumens as the scale goes from 3100 +/-400 at 4100K color, vs 4950K putting out only 2200 +/-200 lumens? The stock H11's are rated @ 1350lumens, while H9's are 2150 lumens.


Nice little disclosures from one of those Xenon HID manufactures

Are these XENON HID light systems street legal?
Every country and jurisdiction has its own rules and regulations governing the use of automotive lighting. XENON H.I.D. lighting systems that are supplied with the vehicles from the factory are DOT / E approved. NO XENON H.I.D. lighting system available from any source is DOT / E approved if installed outside of the factory. These kits are not street legal for use on public roads as they are. As a result, we officially endorse the kit for exhibition and off-road use and will only sell the kit to be used for these purposes. We are not responsible for customers who violate the terms of sale in which they will assume all responsibilities for any unauthorized or unintended use other than exhibition or off-road use.

 

[SuperMat64]

Because people think bigger is always better.......going up the kelvin scale must mean more light out!

I would beat doing the H9 upgrade would put more light on the road than an illegal retrofit kit any day, the higher you move up the Kelvin scale, the lower the lumens (light out put) is.....Any housing that is designed for Halogen bulbs (H11 is Halogen so your assly is designed for that), it is illegal (non-DOT approved) to install Xenon type bulbs in the place of Halogen (notice how they NEVER say DOT approved lol, but they will list all the other fake manufacturing certifications TUV for example (not that TUV is fake, but I would like to see the manufacturing certifications, TUV is an auditing organization, not a "certification"). The good thing is more and more cops are pulling people over for this, but I will admit they are mainly going for the stuipid colors people go far.

Yellow is in the 2500K range, and its best for fog lights as it doesnt reflect back (France used to require all lights be selective yellow), Halogen is 3600K...

Xenon Bulbs rated from Phillips in lumens
85122 lineup which are at 4100K and 85122+ at 4250K
Ultinions=4950K

Philips 85122 = 3100Lm +/-400 lms
Philips 85122+ = 3400Lm +/-200 lms
Philips 85123 = 2,800Lm +/- 150lms
Philips Ultinons = 2,200Lm +/-200lms



Notice the drastic drop in lumens as the scale goes from 3100 +/-400 at 4100K color, vs 4950K putting out only 2200 +/-200 lumens? The stock H11's are rated @ 1350lumens, while H9's are 2150 lumens.


Nice little disclosures from one of those Xenon HID manufactures

Not all true... Lumen is not all. The color of the light is also important. Maybe they are not DOT approved, this is not because they are illegal, this is to save cost because these type of certification cost a lot of money. These kits would cost more than 1000$ if they were...

It is not because one manufacturer made these bulb that amount of lumens that all manufacturer are the same.

Absolute white also know as daylight is from the 4000-5000K range. If people want to go blue, it their problem.

I've done the upgrade to HID and i'm more than satisfied. The normal lighting of the Terrain should be illegal because in a very dark non lighted road we don't see anything...

 

[TheCrow1994]

The normal lighting of the Terrain should be illegal because in a very dark non lighted road we don't see anything...

Illegal?? That's a pretty harsh statement to make. I don't have a problem seeing on roads out in the country with no street lights. I think the factory lights are perfect. Of course, I have 20/20 vision and don't have any problems seeing at night, so that might be a factor, too.

 

[SuperMat64]

Illegal?? That's a pretty harsh statement to make. I don't have a problem seeing on roads out in the country with no street lights. I think the factory lights are perfect. Of course, I have 20/20 vision and don't have any problems seeing at night, so that might be a factor, too.

I have a 20/20 vision too. But i am used to have HID in my Maxima i had before the Terrain, and i think that Terrain's lights are to dimmed... not enough bright.

 

[bballr4567]

Illegal?? That's a pretty harsh statement to make. I don't have a problem seeing on roads out in the country with no street lights. I think the factory lights are perfect. Of course, I have 20/20 vision and don't have any problems seeing at night, so that might be a factor, too.

I think the only real problem we have with ours, is that the light output is too yellow for ME. Im red/green colorblind and the yellowness of the light is actually a tad bit hard for me see. Yes, it sounds weird but it happens.

 

[gar187er]

I have a 20/20 vision too. But i am used to have HID in my Maxima i had before the Terrain, and i think that Terrain's lights are to dimmed... not enough bright.

once you have hid's you never feel anything is bright enough....