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Old 10-29-2018, 02:52 PM   #1
trdehmer
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Default 2012 Subaru plug and play HID or LED headlights - suggestions please!

Where can I purchase the easiest plug and play HID kit to replace the OEM Halogen bulbs (low beams and high beams??)? Or, with the technology of LED these days am I better to just replace the Halogen bulbs with LED?

Also, I'd probably prefer to change the bulbs in the fog lights at the same time to match the color/glow of the headlights and fog lights when they are turned on if possible.

Any suggestions on which route to take from others that have done it would be greatly appreciated! Also recommendations where to purchase please.

Thanks in Advance!
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Old 10-29-2018, 03:55 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trdehmer View Post
Where can I purchase the easiest plug and play HID kit to replace the OEM Halogen bulbs (low beams and high beams??)? Or, with the technology of LED these days am I better to just replace the Halogen bulbs with LED?

Also, I'd probably prefer to change the bulbs in the fog lights at the same time to match the color/glow of the headlights and fog lights when they are turned on if possible.

Any suggestions on which route to take from others that have done it would be greatly appreciated! Also recommendations where to purchase please.

Thanks in Advance!
I like 5,000K color temp. they are white. I'm assuming you have projector low beams. If so check with;
www.ddmtuning.com for a 35watt H11 HID kit.

Your highs are 9005s. a LED kit with 5,000K will flicker when in DRL mode.

HIR 9011s are amber, and the DRLs will work well.

I replaced my H11 fog lights with 5,000K LEDs from Diode Dynamics.
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Old 10-29-2018, 04:38 PM   #3
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My high beams are 9005's, low beams are H11's, and fog lights are 9006's. What are HIR 9011's?

So, your saying because of the DRL's I can't use LED's?

Superbrightleds.com didn't mention anything about DRL's, and they sell a Load Resistor kit with their LED's - what's the purpose of that?
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Old 10-29-2018, 07:21 PM   #4
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I'm assuming you have projector lows. If your DRLs use the high beams at 6 volts they will flicker.

If their load resisters are in parallel they would draw more current and appear as halogens. This wouldn't make the highs work as DRLs.

HIR 9011s can replace 9005s. They require some modification.
https://store.candlepower.com/9011hir.html
https://store.candlepower.com/hirlighting.html
https://store.candlepower.com/mohirbuba.html
https://sep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-91565...12_2267_311973

If your lows are reflectors:
https://www.subaruxvforum.com/forum/...-upgrades.html
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Old 10-30-2018, 12:56 PM   #5
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Gah, not this nonsense again! If you understood the physics of lighting, you would be doing a retrofit, not some BS plug'n'play garbage.

Time to fire up the ole search engine...
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Old 10-30-2018, 01:09 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by car_freak85 View Post
Gah, not this nonsense again! If you understood the physics of lighting, you would be doing a retrofit, not some BS plug'n'play garbage.

Time to fire up the ole search engine...
Light can be laid down on a dark road, to illuminate objects, that is not evenly dispersed. If this light is brighter and whiter than the halogens they are replacing, all the better.
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Old 10-30-2018, 01:49 PM   #7
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...that is not evenly dispersed. If this light is brighter and whiter than the halogens they are replacing, all the better.
These two points of yours... Just... No.

It 100% matters where the light is distributed. Brighter light that just reflects back to your eyes HURTS your ability to see at night. I'll take the less bright, properly aimed lamps any day in any weather over "Brighter is better!"
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Old 10-30-2018, 01:55 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRAZYHAWK View Post
Light can be laid down on a dark road, to illuminate objects, that is not evenly dispersed. If this light is brighter and whiter than the halogens they are replacing, all the better.
Not necessarily, if the foreground light is too bright it can cause your irises to close and actually reduce your far vision.
I'd try the H9 low beam mod first before messing with anything else, both because it's easy/cheap/reversible and because it doesn't negatively affect the projector optics. I did this shortly after I got the '15 and I have found it quite satisfactory. I also swapped the highs to 9011's but only after I disabled the DRL's by unplugging the resistor, I would have disabled them in any case but leaving them operational would have shortened the life of the HIR's. Since then I've also added the JDM LED fog bezels and redirected the DRL function to those.
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Old 10-30-2018, 05:29 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by car_freak85 View Post
These two points of yours... Just... No.

It 100% matters where the light is distributed. Brighter light that just reflects back to your eyes HURTS your ability to see at night. I'll take the less bright, properly aimed lamps any day in any weather over "Brighter is better!"
The extra light that returns to my eyes, helps me see objects on the road, allowing me to avoid them. Even when I square up to a store window at night, I am not blinded by the returning light.
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Old 10-30-2018, 05:39 PM   #10
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Not necessarily, if the foreground light is too bright it can cause your irises to close and actually reduce your far vision.
I look out in front while driving, so my irises don't shut down. The squirrel finder function sends some light beyond the hot spot.

I don't like putting 65 watts where 55 watts was intended.

I do like the HIR1 9011s replacing The 9005s.
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Old 10-31-2018, 12:58 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRAZYHAWK View Post
I look out in front while driving, so my irises don't shut down. The squirrel finder function sends some light beyond the hot spot.

I don't like putting 65 watts where 55 watts was intended.

I do like the HIR1 9011s replacing The 9005s.
CRAZYHAWK, you are taking a very limited view of the topics being discussed here. It has nothing to do with storefront glass, which window you look out of while driving. It has everything to do with the physics of light generation, the optics of reflectors and lenses, and how the human body uses light to see in the dark.

I don't care to go into detail, but you would benefit from some research and deeper understanding of these topics (automotive lighting and the biochemistry of the human eye/how the brain reads light).

Also, the guy who want's to slap p'n'p LEDs into a halogen lamp is uncomfortable putting a 65w bulb into a 55w housing?
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Old 10-31-2018, 01:16 PM   #12
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Where do I find out about this H9 low beam mod?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Mulder View Post
Not necessarily, if the foreground light is too bright it can cause your irises to close and actually reduce your far vision.
I'd try the H9 low beam mod first before messing with anything else, both because it's easy/cheap/reversible and because it doesn't negatively affect the projector optics. I did this shortly after I got the '15 and I have found it quite satisfactory. I also swapped the highs to 9011's but only after I disabled the DRL's by unplugging the resistor, I would have disabled them in any case but leaving them operational would have shortened the life of the HIR's. Since then I've also added the JDM LED fog bezels and redirected the DRL function to those.
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Old 10-31-2018, 01:42 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by trdehmer View Post
Where do I find out about this H9 low beam mod?
H9 low beam mod
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Old 10-31-2018, 03:05 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by car_freak85 View Post
CRAZYHAWK, you are taking a very limited view of the topics being discussed here. It has nothing to do with storefront glass, which window you look out of while driving. It has everything to do with the physics of light generation, the optics of reflectors and lenses, and how the human body uses light to see in the dark.
At night a dark store front window/door acts like a mirror.

I am aware of how eyes work. A very good friend of mine is an ophthalmologist. He rides in my Crosstrek and sees how the lights work.

I never meant to imply that these kits were better than a retrofit.

The IIHS rates our standard lights as poor.

As far as optics go, I wouldn't want to project onto a movie screen or to a retina an imperfect image.
A black road should absorb more light than it reflects.

Last edited by CRAZYHAWK; 10-31-2018 at 03:15 PM.
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Old 11-01-2018, 04:58 PM   #15
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I'm going to try the H9 update first. Purchased these off Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If they work - great! If not, I think the below would be my options. Any thoughts on vendor and what would be best suggestion out of the below options? If the H9 update works, I may very likely still do the fog lights and high beams in LED. Thoughts on how the LED's would match the H9's?

Diode Dynamics:
High Beams =
https://www.diodedynamics.com/high-b...ubaru-wrx.html
My one fear with these mentioned in their install video is since I have DRL's the bulbs would be on full power all the time???

Low Beams =
https://www.diodedynamics.com/low-be...ubaru-wrx.html

Fog Lights =
https://www.diodedynamics.com/fog-li...-wrx-pair.html


DDM Tuning:
High Beams =
https://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/S...0W-9005-LED-PR
(for your high beam, we would recommend to add a pair of 9005 LED decoders, due to you have DRL built on your high beam)

Low beams =
https://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/Saber-50W-H11-LED-PR

Fog lights =
https://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/S...0W-9006-LED-PR


The Retrofit Source:
High Beams =
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/90...=54764%2C54922

Low Beams =
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/h1...o-2stroke.html

Fog Lights =
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/90...o-2stroke.html - Fogs


Thanks for the input!

Last edited by trdehmer; 11-01-2018 at 05:24 PM.
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Old 11-01-2018, 05:48 PM   #16
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You have all bases covered. Let us know how it works out. Good luck.
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Old 11-01-2018, 06:31 PM   #17
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I'd be careful of DDM, there's been lots of people with failed ballasts, granted I think they are warrantied, but failure rate is pretty high.

Honestly the "easiest" and right way to go HID is get some HID headlights from an sti or limited wrx and get factory ballast and HID bulbs. This is however the most expensive route.

I did the whole TRS retrofit and it isn't "easy" per say, it isn't hard, but time consuming. If I'm honest, the HID retrofit was only mildly better than running HID's with the halogens projectors. I don't doubt there's an entire science for it, but take from someone who started off with halogens, went HID into halogen projectors (with tsx clear lens) and did a full retrofit.

I don't regret doing the retrofit because otherwise I would have just wondered everytime I turned on my headlights if I were missing out on something, and I would do it again but honestly I can't say it's a ton better than the HID in the halogen projector with clear lens (the clear lens was only for sharp cut off line with absolutely no bleed)

Good luck
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Old 11-01-2018, 07:29 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by makikogi View Post
I'd be careful of DDM, there's been lots of people with failed ballasts, granted I think they are warrantied, but failure rate is pretty high.

Honestly the "easiest" and right way to go HID is get some HID headlights from an sti or limited wrx and get factory ballast and HID bulbs. This is however the most expensive route.

I did the whole TRS retrofit and it isn't "easy" per say, it isn't hard, but time consuming. If I'm honest, the HID retrofit was only mildly better than running HID's with the halogens projectors. I don't doubt there's an entire science for it, but take from someone who started off with halogens, went HID into halogen projectors (with tsx clear lens) and did a full retrofit.

I don't regret doing the retrofit because otherwise I would have just wondered everytime I turned on my headlights if I were missing out on something, and I would do it again but honestly I can't say it's a ton better than the HID in the halogen projector with clear lens (the clear lens was only for sharp cut off line with absolutely no bleed)

Good luck
I appreciate your honesty.
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Old 11-03-2018, 08:05 AM   #19
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For those of you with the mechanical skills;

https://www.subaruxvforum.com/forum/...on-h1-kit.html
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Old 11-06-2018, 09:30 AM   #20
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I did the H9 bulb modification last night, put in the Philips 12361B1 H9 bulbs. Took about 10min. Why didn't I do that years ago? Guess I need more time in life to read the forums...


They seem better and brighter with a nice cut off like the OEM halogens. I'll try tonight and see what I think of them.


Question now is, what do I do with the fog lights and high beams? The H9's I put in are supposedly around 3000k for color/brightness.

I wonder how the Philips Vision, VisionPlus, X-treme Vision, and CrystalVision ultra compare to the H9's for the low beams. And how they compare for the bright and fog lights compared to OEM?
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Old 11-06-2018, 01:00 PM   #21
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Here's a piece of advice which you can take or leave, as you so choose-
Don't select bulbs for how they "look" and to make the colors match, at least not if you really want good lighting performance. The lower color temps will give you more usable light on the road, as you go up the spectrum the blue content and glare increases and visibility decreases. True high-efficacy bulbs that don't have a blue coating may actually provide better lighting, but in the case of the H9's I'd stay with the ones you have. The extra 10W of stock H9's shouldn't be a problem for the housings and wiring but I wouldn't push it with higher-performance bulbs in the low beams which will be on for long periods.
9011's in the high beams are ok, as for fogs I'd leave those alone too. If you really want driving lights instead of fogs you won't get them with different bulbs, you have to completely replace the fogs with driving light modules.
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Old 11-06-2018, 03:16 PM   #22
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Thanks, I appreciate the honest feedback.

I have H9's in my car now for low beam (OEM was H11's)

My high beams with DRL's are 9005's - what would you recommend replacing those with? If anything? Are you saying 9011's work in the high beams?

And Fog lights - leave those alone?

I understand and agree about the blue lighting - not my goal or intent either. Just better visibility at night and in snow/winter!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Mulder View Post
Here's a piece of advice which you can take or leave, as you so choose-
Don't select bulbs for how they "look" and to make the colors match, at least not if you really want good lighting performance. The lower color temps will give you more usable light on the road, as you go up the spectrum the blue content and glare increases and visibility decreases. True high-efficacy bulbs that don't have a blue coating may actually provide better lighting, but in the case of the H9's I'd stay with the ones you have. The extra 10W of stock H9's shouldn't be a problem for the housings and wiring but I wouldn't push it with higher-performance bulbs in the low beams which will be on for long periods.
9011's in the high beams are ok, as for fogs I'd leave those alone too. If you really want driving lights instead of fogs you won't get them with different bulbs, you have to completely replace the fogs with driving light modules.
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:34 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trdehmer View Post
Thanks, I appreciate the honest feedback.

I have H9's in my car now for low beam (OEM was H11's)

My high beams with DRL's are 9005's - what would you recommend replacing those with? If anything? Are you saying 9011's work in the high beams?

And Fog lights - leave those alone?

I understand and agree about the blue lighting - not my goal or intent either. Just better visibility at night and in snow/winter!
For the 9005 highs;

https://store.candlepower.com/9011hir.html

https://store.candlepower.com/hirlighting.html

https://store.candlepower.com/mohirbuba.html
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:40 PM   #24
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Yes 9011 HIR bulbs will replace the 9005's in the high beams.
The fogs, it depends what you want to do with them. If you want them to function as fog lights, as intended, yellow overlays or yellow bulbs at OEM wattage can make them more effective in fog or other poor visibility conditions. Putting higher wattage bulbs in them is not advisable, both for heating reasons and because the excessive light output may overwhelm the optics and result in unwanted glare.
There are complete LED fog modules you could replace them with as well.
As I said above if you want driving lights instead of fogs, the optics/patterns are totally different and the solution is to remove the fogs and install proper driving lights in the same locations. Too many people complain about the "bad" fog lights and put brighter bulbs in them so they then spray light all over the place. Please don't be one of those.
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Old 11-07-2018, 11:06 AM   #25
trdehmer
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https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Stand...ype=automotive

Will this bulb work for the 9005 high beam replacement? I'm assuming my DRL's will work like normal?



Philips responded to a question I had about their bulbs and they said I will have the best lighting if I use:

Low beam H11 X-treme vision not the H9
High beam 9005 X-treme vision
Fog 9006 X-treme vision

Last edited by trdehmer; 11-07-2018 at 12:35 PM.
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