Are D1S and D2S LED bulbs brighter than HID?

D1S and D2S LED Headlight Bulb Replacements - Are they brighter than HID?

Headlights with HID projectors are standard on many cars that leave the showroom. While we are examining a Nissan 350Z unit, many other vehicles can benefit from the same information. If you have factory xenon or HID headlights on your Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Ford F-150, or new Chevy Camaro, you'll need a D Series bulb.

Is it a D Series bulb, however? They are available in variations D1, D2, D3, and D4. Because they are made without mercury, the new ones are better for the environment. D1, D2, D3, and D4 LED bulbs may be installed and will function with the corresponding HID. Is the brightness of LED bulbs superior to that of HID lamps?

HID CONSTRUCTION

The plastic collar that fits into the projector is the same for all of the bulbs we are looking at. This makes installing the lightbulb incredibly simple. However, it becomes trickier when it comes to installing the lights all at once.

First, a control ballast at the bulb's base would receive an HID cable running from the HID bulb. This ballast powers the headlight. This project is by no means a simple plug-and-play endeavor.

What you will have if you have D1 or D3 type bulbs will resemble this. The ballast receives power from the vehicle's bulkhead, and the ballast powers the lightbulb. When there are alternatives with more straightforward installation procedures, it is a lot to replace for this type of project.

A ballast is provided for D2 or D4 HID bulbs, and that is all that is needed to connect the bulb to it. Choosing an LED option will enable you to use just the LED bulb and its accompanying resistor in place of the bulky HID bulb and ballast. The HID components are more significant than both of these.

COMPARISON

Keep in mind that none of the LED bulbs are actually plug-and-play when purchased. You will need to decide what to do with the old ignitor cable, the incoming power line, and the ballast. If your HID system has LED lights, remember that replacing the ballasts and bulbs is simpler than replacing the entire system. The best solution is not LED bulbs.

In summary, LED light bulbs do not produce light to the same level as HID lights. To demonstrate this, we bought seven distinct LED bulbs and tested them. We have incorporated a range of D-series bulbs to provide more definitive findings.

All of these lights will be evaluated using a Morimoto D2S projector, which uses a standard 35-watt ballast and a Phillips HID bulb. It provides great width, color, a distinct hot point, and a crisp cutoff line and produces a maximum of 2240 lux.

When compared to HID lamps, LED bulbs' beam patterns, brightness, and color do not always compete—at least not all of them at once.

The brightness meter for the first bulb we examined shows almost nothing. In addition, the chips are misaligned, and this cannot be restored. Even when you rotate the bulb, the awful beam pattern still makes it appear bad.

The second bulb we examined competed with our benchmark in brightness. Its brightness is half that of the Morimoto D2S HID Projector, with a maximum brightness of 1010 Lux.

This Morimoto 2 Stroke 2.0 D2S LED bulb has a maximum output of 850 lumens and an uncomfortable beam pattern.

This and other options have a horrible beam pattern and hardly register on the brightness scale. We don't know what was going through their minds when they were created.

Some emit a maximum of 1050 Lux, which is bright enough to be useful. However, this bulb seems to be missing half of the beam pattern. Therefore, when brightness is not utilized practically, it ultimately becomes meaningless.

It is advisable to replace the exact component on your HID system when selecting an LED bulb to replace your HID bulb. Consequently, replace the ballast if it has deteriorated. Change out the HID bulb if it's the bulb. LED bulbs cannot be used in HID lighting scenarios.

If you need help determining which parts are necessary to guarantee optimal performance from your factory HID headlight, please contact our customer service department. We will be pleased to help.