2016 Edge SEL dim headlights

[macbwt]

Did you switch to HID projectors or continue to use the halogen projectors?

 

What brand did you use?

This is the kit I bought and installed pretty simple. I did not need the DRL's so did not install the harness included with the kit. They have been great and no problems.

[Ricktye]

Yes, in Canada.

 

So do the HID's work with the capacitors as DRL's? I wasn't sure they'd work with the lower voltage supplied for the DRL's? Can you order the capacutors as part of the kit?

 

Thanks again

 

Are you in the US or Canada? In the US you have the option to disable your DRL in the left menu on your gauges. If you're in Canada DRL are mandatory so that function is not available. Because our projectors act as both the low beam and DRL, you will need capacitors to prevent flickering and to prevent the pulse voltage which will make your DRL not work. The capacitors make your computer believe there is a halogen bulb in the housing and won't cut off power.

[Burrcold]

Yes, in Canada.

 

So do the HID's work with the capacitors as DRL's? I wasn't sure they'd work with the lower voltage supplied for the DRL's? Can you order the capacutors as part of the kit?

 

Thanks again

 

Yes the HID's will now work as DRL however they will not be slightly more dim like the halogens are during the day. Since the capacitors even out the voltage, the result is that the HID's are on all the time at full intensity. Some people like it (me) and some don't (concerns about bulb longevity).

 

Edit: sorry forgot to answer your capacitor question. Some kits come with them but most don't but are available from wherever you buy.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Burrcold

[TheWizard]

I just switched mine to HIDs as well. It's a Morimoto 6k kit and I used the halogen projectors. Had to add capacitors because of the day time running lights in Canada. I drove in front of my car and did a couple of oncoming runs using my wife's car, and they are not blinding at all (part of the reason I went with 6k versus the 4300k the OEM ones are. Very happy with the results!

 

I don't understand your comment about the color temperature affecting the level of glare for oncoming drivers. How does 6000K "crystal" white produce less glare than 4300K "sunlight" (a somewhat more yellowish color)? OEMs use 4300K because it is the most effective color for the driver's visibility. The more you move toward the blue end of the scale (higher numbers like 6000K and 8000K), the less effective the light because the human eye perceives blue light as glare.

[Burrcold]

 

I don't understand your comment about the color temperature affecting the level of glare for oncoming drivers. How does 6000K "crystal" white produce less glare than 4300K "sunlight" (a somewhat more yellowish color)? OEMs use 4300K because it is the most effective color for the driver's visibility. The more you move toward the blue end of the scale (higher numbers like 6000K and 8000K), the less effective the light because the human eye perceives blue light as glare.

Sorry maybe I wasn't very clear. I went with 6k that obviously produces more glare, which is why I did the runs with my wife's car to make sure it wasn't too blinding (combined with using the OEM halogen projectors). My comment was cut short:

 

"(part of the reason I went with 6k versus the 4300k the OEM ones are"...because of the more white color, which I found matches the led bumper lights perfectly). <-- is what I meant to continue with.

[Migel54]

I just bought a CPO 2016 Edge SEL for my wife and we both love it. The only thing we don't like is how dim the low beams headlights are. I'd like to swap out the OEM bulbs with better aftermarket ones. I really don't want to make any modifications. I'm deciding between the Phillips X-tremeVision and Crystal Vision Ultra. I had thought about only replacing the low beams since the high beams seem to work pretty well. So, thoughts on which version of bulb to get? Should I replace both low and high beams? Also, the car has factory DRLs, so which bulbs do those use? Thanks in advance!

[omar302]

So, thoughts on which version of bulb to get? Should I replace both low and high beams? Also, the car has factory DRLs, so which bulbs do those use? Thanks in advance!

You have H11 low beams & 9005 high beams. The same high beam bulbs are used as DRLs at a reduced voltage.

 

My suggestion, go for normal H9 bulbs to replace the H11 low beams, they will fit and are considerably brighter but have a shorter life. Though any upgraded bulb will also have a shorter life.

For the high beams, look for HIR 9011 bulbs.

These 2 bulbs require very minimal modifications to fit & will improve your lights at the least cost.

[gtyates]

I just bought a CPO 2016 Edge SEL for my wife and we both love it. The only thing we don't like is how dim the low beams headlights are. I'd like to swap out the OEM bulbs with better aftermarket ones. I really don't want to make any modifications. I'm deciding between the Phillips X-tremeVision and Crystal Vision Ultra. I had thought about only replacing the low beams since the high beams seem to work pretty well. So, thoughts on which version of bulb to get? Should I replace both low and high beams? Also, the car has factory DRLs, so which bulbs do those use? Thanks in advance!

Migel, my only suggestion is to avoid the blue tinted bulbs. I used to use them, but honestly they produce less usable light, not more. In our 2004 Explorer we have the Phillips X-treme bulbs for our son and he really likes them. What we found with the blue tinted bulbs is that driving at night, especially in rain/fog/snow, was terrible. The blue light gets lost basically. In our 2013 Edge we are running Vosla +30 bulbs, but they are HIR halogen bulbs. Honestly just moving to a standard bulb vs. the factory "Long Life" bulbs will make a significant different in usable light. Long life bulbs are useless because the only way to gain bulb life is to decrease output.

Edited April 5, 2018 by gtyates