Ebay projectors plus all 4 lights at once
#1
01-31-2010 | 11:46 PM
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From: Milledgeville, GA
Ebay projectors plus all 4 lights at once
Installed my ebay projectors today. Went easy even with a relay added to each one to give me both bulbs at high beam.
The results? IT SUCKS!
First of all, these things don't put any light on the road. I'm going to re-aim them which is a PITA unto itself since you can't adjust the lights while they're mounted to the truck. It could also be the bulbs it came with -- maybe they're just junk even though they're rated at 55 watts they don't put out any lumens.
On high beam it's better though all the light is still aimed too low in front of me. Switch back to low beam and what's that? LAMP OUT and they cut off for a full second before turning the lows back on. The computer spazzes when it doesn't see either bulb so it resets? What kind of logic is that anyway -- the lights appear to be out so let's reboot them???
It's the same issue you get with an HID swap so the fix will be the same. Interestingly enough, it didn't do this at all when I tested with one new light and one old light. High and low worked fine without any flashing or lamp out message. Maybe we need to "fool" only one side.
For anyone wondering, I wired the relay so it powered the low beam with the high beam's supply. On low beam the circuit flowed like stock using the relay's center 87a pin. As usual, Dodge had to over-complicate a simple thing like a light. We don't need a dinger and alert on the dash to tell us a headlight is out -- it would be pretty damn obvious by looking in front of us.
The results? IT SUCKS!
First of all, these things don't put any light on the road. I'm going to re-aim them which is a PITA unto itself since you can't adjust the lights while they're mounted to the truck. It could also be the bulbs it came with -- maybe they're just junk even though they're rated at 55 watts they don't put out any lumens.
On high beam it's better though all the light is still aimed too low in front of me. Switch back to low beam and what's that? LAMP OUT and they cut off for a full second before turning the lows back on. The computer spazzes when it doesn't see either bulb so it resets? What kind of logic is that anyway -- the lights appear to be out so let's reboot them???
It's the same issue you get with an HID swap so the fix will be the same. Interestingly enough, it didn't do this at all when I tested with one new light and one old light. High and low worked fine without any flashing or lamp out message. Maybe we need to "fool" only one side.
For anyone wondering, I wired the relay so it powered the low beam with the high beam's supply. On low beam the circuit flowed like stock using the relay's center 87a pin. As usual, Dodge had to over-complicate a simple thing like a light. We don't need a dinger and alert on the dash to tell us a headlight is out -- it would be pretty damn obvious by looking in front of us.
#2
02-01-2010 | 12:59 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 17,003
Likes: 19
From: Albany, NY
That's too bad. Can you return them? Many aftermarket projectors...I hate to say it...are just cheap and you get what you pay for. i know it sounds harsh and i don't like to be mean, just frank.
If you haven't purchased HID's yet for them then don't, unless you plan on keeping the lights.
The output has everything to do with the design of the projector, the lens design and the spacing of the bulb. It takes quality materials but more so, quality engineering to get the most out of projectors.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Halogen projectors are better suited for halogen bulbs due to the bulb lenght and design. You may or may not get good results with HID's. The reason is because there is so much variances in the production designs from one projector to the next.
The problem is that the stock Ram headlights put out a lot of light on the road for stockers.
I would start with trying to return them if you can. i know online sellers like to overcharge shipping so when you return the lights it costs a furtune. maybe they can send out replacements or switch to a diff brand? it's all a hit or miss with them. Some guys have great luck and others don't want to admit they suck.
Also what are the bulbs you are using? H1's? They may be rated for 55w but those bulbs are really more like 35w. Maybe go down to the local parts store and buy a single 55w bulb and see how it goes, Hopefully well..???
If you haven't purchased HID's yet for them then don't, unless you plan on keeping the lights.
The output has everything to do with the design of the projector, the lens design and the spacing of the bulb. It takes quality materials but more so, quality engineering to get the most out of projectors.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Halogen projectors are better suited for halogen bulbs due to the bulb lenght and design. You may or may not get good results with HID's. The reason is because there is so much variances in the production designs from one projector to the next.
The problem is that the stock Ram headlights put out a lot of light on the road for stockers.
I would start with trying to return them if you can. i know online sellers like to overcharge shipping so when you return the lights it costs a furtune. maybe they can send out replacements or switch to a diff brand? it's all a hit or miss with them. Some guys have great luck and others don't want to admit they suck.
Also what are the bulbs you are using? H1's? They may be rated for 55w but those bulbs are really more like 35w. Maybe go down to the local parts store and buy a single 55w bulb and see how it goes, Hopefully well..???
Last edited by dirtydog; 02-01-2010 at 01:01 AM.
#3
02-01-2010 | 01:28 AM
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From: Oregon
What projectors did you buy, I hear good and bad things about different ones, the reason I got mine was because I had heard nothing bad about them so I gave them a shot, I got lucky and was very happy with mine. The HID's in mine are not quite as good as a retrofit projector, but they are better than most of the ebay projectors I have seen.
#7
02-01-2010 | 10:24 AM
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From: South GA
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#8
02-01-2010 | 10:58 AM
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From: Milledgeville, GA
I'm going to try new bulbs just to see if it helps. Nothing expensive like Silverstars (had them in the stock lights) but at least something with a name brand. The lights have to be removed to change bulbs so at least I'll have a chance to aim them up a bit. Of course I won't know how far I've moved them until they're back on the truck.
There's no returning them though. I've hacked the wiring between the plug and the lights to put my relay in place. I knew I was risking $150 when I got 'em so it's not the end of the world.
I would keep them halogen if they'd just put some light down. It's funny that my old 92 GMC truck (pic from 2 years ago):
had lights bright enough that Helen Keller could see where she was going. With normal wattage halogens and a relay for all 4 on high beam, this thing put light out like the sun. It always elicited expletives when I had a passenger who'd never seen them in action before.
If all else fails I'll look into chopping up the stock headlights. The reflector is fine for high beam; I'd just replace that massive blinker reflector with a projector assembly for low beam use.
There's no returning them though. I've hacked the wiring between the plug and the lights to put my relay in place. I knew I was risking $150 when I got 'em so it's not the end of the world.
I would keep them halogen if they'd just put some light down. It's funny that my old 92 GMC truck (pic from 2 years ago):
had lights bright enough that Helen Keller could see where she was going. With normal wattage halogens and a relay for all 4 on high beam, this thing put light out like the sun. It always elicited expletives when I had a passenger who'd never seen them in action before.
If all else fails I'll look into chopping up the stock headlights. The reflector is fine for high beam; I'd just replace that massive blinker reflector with a projector assembly for low beam use.
#9
02-01-2010 | 04:36 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 17,003
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From: Albany, NY
[quote=John M;1977163 I knew I was risking $150 when I got 'em so it's not the end of the world.[/quote]
That's the attitude to have. You could always put your stockers back in and hold off for a hid-retro. Better yet...send them to me and pay me for the retro
...lol Then when you get the finished product back you can take those projectors off and sell them in the classifieds to some newbie schmuck that hasn't read this. 
That's the attitude to have. You could always put your stockers back in and hold off for a hid-retro. Better yet...send them to me and pay me for the retro
...lol Then when you get the finished product back you can take those projectors off and sell them in the classifieds to some newbie schmuck that hasn't read this.