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2012 SEL LED Headlights


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I know the factory bulb is a 9012, however, I read that you can use a 9006 bulb in that socket with no problem since the wattage/ base is the same. Apparently if you use a 9012 in a 9006 base you have to trim the tab but not the other way around. Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on using this kit? I'm not very technical or mechanical. I did change out all my interior LEDs with a kit from Amazon...fantastic bulbs. Super bright. I replaced all my exterior bulbs with LEDs from superbrightleds.com ...great products. I do have the hyper flash issue which I'm trying to figure out how to resolve. I do have a set of resistors but I'm not good with wiring so I'm watching YouTube.

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-headlight-bulbs-conversion-kits/filter/Cross_Reference_Number,9006,21,7821:

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Is there a particular reason you want to replace the 9012 HIR factory bulbs with those LEDs? You will gain a change in light color but no gain in light output. Those LEDs produce 1900 lumens and the factory bulbs produce 1875 lumens. Superbrightleds.com is a good company - I have dealt with them many times - but their output ratings use the ILS measuring standard (ILS = If Lightning Strikes). They take the theoretical output of the LEDs on the bulb and add them together, ignoring the fact that you can't drive LEDs at full power all the time and expect them to continue working. It's similar to the difference between RMS (running) power output and peak output of stereo amplifiers - the peak number is much higher but can't be sustained over a period of time.

 

So if what you want is a color change, bear in mind that these are not a plug and play installation. There is an external driver box (much like the ballast of an HID kit) that must be mounted and connected and there's a large heat sink on the back of the bulbs that will require some serious modification to the factory dust covers to fit.

 

If you're looking for improved light output, there are better LED kits out there and you might also consider HID.

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I was wondering about the heat sink...I just got their newsletter and saw the kit listed and started wondering how good they would be. For some reason I thought the factory bulbs were only around 1400 lumen. Not really worth the money and hassle for that small gain. I do what to find a bluer light to put in. But I don't want to mess with an hid kit...I don't feel comfortable tackling that task. Haha ...unless you live near me ...I know someone here does. They live near KC..I live in Wichita.

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HID kits (at least the 35W ones) are no more difficult to install than those LED kits. Both involve mounting and connecting a separate box (the driver for LEDs, the ballast for HIDs) and making modifications to the dust cover. HIDs actually have the advantage of only requiring dust cover modification to get the wiring through. LEDs require making a big enough hole to accomodate the heat sink and fan on the back of the bulbs. However, HIDs take time to warm up, can cause flickering and depending on the supplier have been known to go through ballasts.

 

If you want effective lighting, the last thing you want is bluer light. Factory HIDs use 4100K-4300K color temperature which is just slightly to the yellow side of pure white. 5000K is pure white, 6000K is "cool white" - white with a hint of blue. Anything higher than that is a waste of money. By the time you get above 8000K (more blue than white), you might as well have stayed with halogen bulbs for all the effective lighting you'll get. Not to mention it will make you look like one of those kids with fart cannon mufflers and huge wings on the back of a little front wheel drive car.

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