andysinnh

I've ordered things from Diode Dynamics in the past (mostly LED bulbs), but found this today. Claims to work from 5-12v, so implies that you'd get proper function for the DRL function for the TL. Wife's '12 TL is still running the original high beams, and I'm sure I'm on borrowed time, and if these would provide the high beam and DRL function, I'd be interested.. Thoughts?

https://www.diodedynamics.com/led-he...plate-187.html

andy

echodigital

I ordered Putco ones using a ribbon heat sink (no moving parts). Running DRL and FOG for just over 6 months or so.

https://acurazine.com/forums/fourth-...-953482/page2/

I am not a fan of 'fan based' head sinks.

Diode Dynamics

Our engineering team incorporated a boost converter circuit into the design of the SL1 driver to allow it to operate at full output with as little as 4V. They also have enough integrated capacitance to smooth any PWM signal fluctuations in DRL locations.

We can certainly understand the hesitation to fan-based heatsinks, but it's the only way to evacuate heat from higher powered LED chipsets, and properly maintain operating temperatures. The ribbon-style heatsinks are very ineffective, and cumbersome for installation.

I would also like to point out that we are utilizing the most high-end microfans available on the SL1, and they've undergone rigorous tests over the course of the past two years.

Still need to bring a few more Acura models into our studio here in St. Louis for install videos & output shots!

Thank you,
Nick C.

andysinnh

Nick - thanks for the response. So does this bulb operate at full power all the time (light output-wise)? And is it effective at all as a high-beam? Part of the hesitance we all have is to give up high beams for better looking DRL's. How does the beam output work at night?

thanks! andy

JM2010 SH-AWD

Looks very high quality, and I like that it's US-made. But I'm interested in whether it retains low voltage DRL/full voltage high beam functions. If so, looks like a great product for 4G owners.

dopeboy1

Yeah good question do they operate at different brightness or drl and high beam.

Also what color are they?

Diode Dynamics

Anytime Andy!

The SL1 would operate at full-power for high-beam use if the DRL location was above 4V at the half power setting. Because of it's unique optical design and LED placement, the SL1 works extremely well in reflector style applications.

The SL1 was designed specifically to produce an increase in usable hotspot lux, all while maintaining the OEM output pattern shape.

Nick C.

KarKraze

Thanks for the all the info so far.

IIRC, the TL DRL is around 6V , will these bulbs illuminate at two different brightness ? One for DRL and one for High Beam? Any info on the Color Temperature?

Diode Dynamics

The SL1 will operate at full power because of that boost driver circuit. It will not have a half-power DRL setting. If it's a stand alone high-beam, the SL1 is absolutely perfect, but for DRLs, they will be on at full output.

Color temperature is 5,700K (measured) and they utilize ZES LED chipsets (6 per bulb). Before someone chimes in and goes on a rant about LED replacements, here's a few things to consider:



This is not a photoshop, but rather a screenshot from our engineering team's photometric analysis (goniophotometer / light tunnel). It depicts the low-beam output patterns between halogen & our SL1 LED headlight in a 2015 F-150's reflector style housing. You'll notice the pattern maintains a similar shape to OEM, but with more distance and hotspot lux, that is the main focus of lighting performance.

Additionally, it's worth mentioning that every housing is different, therefore results may vary, but overall, we are seeing significant improvements in hotspot lux in both reflector and projector style housings. Here's a recent output shot with our SL1 installed in a 2017 WRX's halogen projectors:



Did I mention they are made right here in St. Louis?

Happy Friday everyone!

Thanks,
Nick C.

andysinnh

Nick - thanks for the responses here. Very helpful.

Here's my concern. If the LED unit operates at full power at any voltage above 4, that means that when the DRL's are active, that you get full high-beam intensity (and aim). And that could be an issue during the day, since a full intensity beam even in the daytime, angled like a high-beam bulb, could be a problem with oncoming traffic. The DRL/high-beam shared setup in our TL's really only retains its full capability if the bulb can be dual-intensity - lower w/DRL voltage, higher w/full voltage. This is sort of the opposite of the other LED options in the past, where the intensity is more DRL-friendly, and as such at night doesn't really help with the high-beam intensity when you need it.

andy

Diode Dynamics

That's a reasonable concern, because most users won't want a full-power high-beam on all the time. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend installing an LED in a high-beam always-on DRL location.

Another reason why most LEDs shouldn't be installed in DRL locations.....PWM signals will absolutely shorten the lifespan of an LED bulb, or cause flickering. Rather than have them flicker, or have a short lifespan, our engineers utilize the boost converter circuit to avoid those two issues.


Nick C.

KarKraze

Thanks for replying and sharing info so quickly.

Do you have any LED bulbs around the 5500 K range that will operate in two stages ? Less output for DRL and higher output for High Beams, please provide a link if you do. I have the same concern as "andysinnh" and while I am not too concerned about the high beam, I am looking for a whiter output for the DRL than the blueish output from the LED that I currently have.

Diode Dynamics

5,700K will be visibly identical to 5,500K. You won't be able to distinguish about ~500K FWIW.

We don't offer any replacements for DRL locations that function at a half-power setting, for reasons previously mentioned earlier. Our engineering team is always updating and improving designs, but the SL1 is currently designed to operate at full brightness at 4V and higher.

Doesn't sound like we have what you are looking for at the moment.

Thanks!
Nick C.

andysinnh

I think the issue here is that we're looking to find a modern-day light source (i.e. LED's) to retrofit to a solution that was more of an "older" design (i.e. dual-voltage bulb for DRL/High Beams). So until we find a vendor that's willing to create a dual-voltage LED fixture (i.e. one set of LED's for DRL's, additional set that comes on with high beams), we're stuck with the old halogen technology to allow these vehicles to have both functions in place.

Nick (at Diode Dynamics) - given all of the vehicles in the previous generation across the manufacturers that ran with low-voltage high-beam DRL's - has nobody ever requested this concept? Find it interesting if we're the first group that's asked for it...

thanks - andy

Diode Dynamics

Andy,

It's definitely something our engineering team is aware of, and actively looking into. After dedicating 2+ years of engineering time and resources to the SL1s, we had to make a decision for these high-beam locations. It varies quite a bit from application to application, so it's tough to find a perfect one-size fits all solution for a universal product like the SL1. We may introduce another driver design for certain applications in the future, but we are focusing on keeping up with the current demand for the SL1 as is.

I do look forward to having that option available at some point in the future though!

Nick C.

dopeboy1

Yall should join me in running the gauntlet of drl/high beam conversion kits on ebay/amazon until we find one that works good and is reliable lol.

BartmanEH

I checked in with @Diode Dynamics this week. 4 years later, they still don't have a solution for our High Beam/DRL setup :-(