OPT7 LED Headlight Conversion

[TOY2G]

This is just a what to expect thread, not a review (yet) as I have just finished installing the lights today.

Originally, I ordered the phillips LED lights, but after reading a post from [MENTION=104049]marshal[/MENTION] and learning the lights are sub-par. I ordered a few sets of LED lights to try. In the end, only one set (OPT7) would fit in the 2014+ housings.

The reason the off brand does not fit the housing is because of how close the light hole is to the projector housing.


The off brand:


It has a square heat-sink that is too large to fit in the housing.



So on to the OPT7.

They also hit the housing, but a very little trimming allowed them to fit nicely. I had to trim three fins back about a 16th of an inch, it's so little shaving It hardly has to be done.

NOTE, you do not have to use the supplied polarity reversal pigtail. You do however have to trim the nub on the OPT7 plug as it is too wide to clip into the OEM harness.

Before:


After:



In the end the install was not that rough, just required a little problem solving.

Time will tell if the light is improved at all or not. TBA

 

[marshal]

Looking forward to hear your thoughts. I wonder if those heat syncs will get hot enough to be detrimental to the plastic covers

 

[TOY2G]

I wonder if those heat syncs will get hot enough to be detrimental to the plastic covers

I was thinking the same thing, however, both brands of bulbs have plastic contacting the heat syncs, so I am hopeful the plastic covers over the housings will be far enough away to prevent melting. I will check for signs of overheating often.

 

[TOY2G]

UPDATE:

I installed these LED lights in my 2015 T4R, 2013 T4R and in my daughters 2016 Camry........ NONE of them give enough light to safely drive. The light they do give is a nice clean white light, but it gives you visibility for aprox 120 feet.


I will be yanking all of these out and throwing them on my shelf with all the other LED lights I have tried.

 

[Copper78]

Thanks for the update. I did the yellow Phillips LEDs in my fogs and they the were bright yellow for about 2 weeks, now they're just as gold and pale as the halogens they replaced. HIDs seem to be the way to go.

 

[Low-Tek]

Unfortunately I found the same thing. They might work ok as low beams, but the light just diffuses way too fast to ever use as highs. HIDs have their problems as well though. Unless they are installed juuuuust right and aimed juuuuust right they blind everyone.

UPDATE:

I installed these LED lights in my 2015 T4R, 2013 T$R and in my daughters 2016 Camry........ NONE of them give enough light to safely drive. The light they do give is a nice clean white light, but it give you visibility for aprox 120 feet.


I will be yanking all of these out and throwing them on my shelf with all the other LED lights I have tried.

 

[MTN4RNR]

Unfortunately I found the same thing. They might work ok as low beams, but the light just diffuses way too fast to ever use as highs. HIDs have their problems as well though. Unless they are installed juuuuust right and aimed juuuuust right they blind everyone.

If you have the factory 2014+ projector housings, you'll be just fine with the HID's. My cutoff line is exactly the same as it was before.

 

[Low-Tek]

Right, I was just talking about HIDs in general though. So many people just buy the HID kits with slim ballasts and then try to retrofit housings and do it incorrectly. Or they don't even used projector housings and then they light the whole world up. I just sold an Acura MDX and it had HID low beams that were ah-mazing. I do miss them, but not worth the expensive of retrofitting my 4th gen to get them and I don't trust any of the aftermarket headlight assemblies from personal experience.

If you have the factory 2014+ projector housings, you'll be just fine with the HID's. My cutoff line is exactly the same as it was before.

 

[philsey]

Unfortunately I found the same thing. They might work ok as low beams, but the light just diffuses way too fast to ever use as highs.

What? Diffuses? I have a bigassed single LED flashlight that puts so much (focused) light down range as to be amazing. Proper optics matched to proper light source, Bub. Guessing you haven't seen new Acura or Audi LED arrays, eh?

.....HIDs in a halogen projector have their problems as well though. Unless they are installed juuuuust right and aimed juuuuust right they blind everyone.

Fixed.

Lighting engineers have a purpose. Which is to design the correct fixture and lens for the attributes of the light source. Halogen, HID, and LED light sources each create and emit light differently, hence mixing one with the other does not result in optimum performance.

Good thread @OP. Appreciate a candid and reasoned review.

 

[TOY2G]

I ordered a set of the PIAA H11s and the HELLA Optilux H11 bulbs. I'm done trying to "upgrade" for now. I did the HID conversion for both of my 4th gens, and I really did not like it.

PIAA and HELLA both claim to have an H11 with 80W equivalant output. Both in the White or extreme white. SO for now, all of my vehicles will stay incandescent.

 

[Low-Tek]

Geez, its starting to feel like the yotatech forum in here with all the corrections. I guess its my fault for not being clear. I apologize.

I can see how my post looked like I was knocking LEDs in general. I was not. Again I apologize for offending LEDs. Although its now politically correct to refer to them as "objects of light emmitance" LED is too offensive to the sensitive.

I assure you that I own many fine, leather bound, LED flashlights, all rated in the high millions of lumens. They can see the light from my flashlights from the ISP and when I depress the on button, the stars themselves tremble in fear.


Let me clarify.

I was talking about using LEDs in non-oem LED housings. (I realize this isn't recommended, just like using HIDs in Halogen reflector housings). The OP installed them in a 2013 and 2015, which aren't made for LEDs.

So of course they will not reflect the light the same as in a housing that was designed for LED. I'm referring to the situation that 90% of the people who try LEDs are in. That being, installing them in their stock non-led reflector housings.

I didn't say it was best to do that, and I didn't say that LEDs aren't amazing and they don't put out enough light. But in the application that MOST PEOPLE use them in, correct or not, they shouldn't expect them to work well.



We are in essence agreeing.

Oh, and please do not assume anything, about anyone.

I was a low volt engineer for 7 years. As a part of that I often had to do light output and diffusion calculations for life safety and alert systems. Although we mainly delt with Candella as opposed to Lumens, because we were concerned with light visibility at a certain distance instead of overall output.

"I may not be a smart man Jennaaay but I understand how light works..." (said in Forest Gump voice)

I don't mind you correcting my post. I do mind the insulting tone. Anyway I still love you and I think we can be friends.

What? Diffuses? I have a bigassed single LED flashlight that puts so much (focused) light down range as to be amazing. Proper optics matched to proper light source, Bub. Guessing you haven't seen new Acura or Audi LED arrays, eh?



Fixed.

Lighting engineers have a purpose. Which is to design the correct fixture and lens for the attributes of the light source. Halogen, HID, and LED light sources each create and emit light differently, hence mixing one with the other does not result in optimum performance.

Good thread @OP. Appreciate a candid and reasoned review.

 

[philsey]

Well, I guess I've once-again learnt how to spell assume....

 

[TOY2G]

UPDATE #2:

Great price on some slightly used OPT7 LED H11s. Prefect upgrade for that driver who wants their headlights to look great to oncoming traffic, but does a substandard job of lighting the path ahead.


I'm sure they would make some good fog lights, however all of my OEM fog lights are in a pile in the shop thanks to aftermarket bumper installs.

 

[mcarey86]

Right, I was just talking about HIDs in general though. ... Or they don't even used projector housings and then they light the whole world up.

Gotta be careful here. This kind of talk gets some people very hyped up.

 

[Low-Tek]

You are right... people love them some HID. Its true. If someone offered me free OEM HIDs with the projector housings and installed them and blacked them out and gave me a back massage and 50 bucks... I'd take it.

Gotta be careful here. This kind of talk gets some people very hyped up.

 

[philsey]

Wish I'd gotten by that cheaply .....

 

[uppitymatt]

OPT7 LEDs

I found the same results. I am very happy with my high beams (9005) that I ordered but I found my low beams to be almost unsafe to drive with. I was going to attempt to readjust them as the passenger side seems even dimmer than the driver side. Not sure if this is something to do with the projector headlight for the lows as opposed to the highs not being in this setup. I would recommend the highs but I cannot recommend the lows... disappointed for the 100 bucks I spent on them if anyone wants to buy them off me for your fogs let me know!

 

[bjohnston115]

how is the performance of the OPT7 in the pre 14 non projector housing? Anyone know?

 

[lucastyrel]

OPT 7 LEDs

I put the OPT 7 bulbs in 2010 original housings. They fit just fine and bright as the sun, I actually love the amount of light they put out. My problem now is that it's blinding oncoming traffic. Tried pointing them down, but some of the light pattern is still hitting oncoming traffic if on two lane.