LED headlight upgrade

Stoopid Jeep

Stoopid Jeep

YJ Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
319
Location
North Idaho
I took a chance and bought some L.E.D. headlights for the jeep. Expectations were not very high for this project and I half expected to send them back and ask for a refund. I WILL NOT drive around blinding oncoming traffic, however the stock headlights were [so bad], I had to try something. ...so I set a budget and started researching. I wanted to stay around ±$100.

My research led me to these lights:

New Osram Chips 110W 5x7 Inch Led Headlights 7x6 Led Sealed Beam Headlamp​

Paired with this low cost relay harness:

RENMAII-LIGHT 1Set 2-Headlight H4 Relay Harness​


The light output is excellent. The color is a bit whiter than I would prefer but it's not obnoxiously blue, it is on the edge of acceptable.
The beam pattern is decent, it isn't perfectly smooth, there is some banding and a little shadow directly in front of the vehicle, it isn't too bad. After a couple weeks of driving it, I don't even notice it. Kinda like YJ windshield wipers
[ ___ /____ /]
The light spread is very wide and they illuminate the ditch remarkably well.
The most impressive part of these lights is the cutoffs. The light is cut off crisply, you can aim these lights straight ahead and not blind oncoming traffic, it's actually quite impressive. These lights are bright without being dangerous. I am quite happy with them.
Bottom line; I recommend these lights, they are a good upgrade. Longevity is still a big unknown, they've only been installed for two weeks. I will update this thread if they fail prematurely, or later on for a long term review.

...The way they look?
If I was worried about how the headlights looked, I wouldn't be driving a YJ.
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Looks great and DOT approved too.

I did an hour worth of research a year ago and gave up because of so many false claims any choices out there. These look really good.
 
I have the same ones on my YJ and I agree, they work excellent, previous owner installed them. I have two smaller LED auxiliary driving lights that come on with the low beams and between the headlights and auxiliary lights, I get a great throw light spread. The larger middle light bar is strictly for off road use.
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Glad they're working out well for you. I bought some cheap $40 LED headlights off Amazon a while back. Probably better than stock halogens, but I was never very happy with them. Not long ago I picked up another set off Amazon, this time for a little more (I think $75-80) and wow, just like you're describing - great cutoff, good color, not obnoxious. Even if they only lasted for 4 or 5 years I'd be thrilled.
 
One other quick question, what exactly is the purpose of the relay? I mean, aren't the lights designed to plug in to the stock connectors and work like normal lights? That's the way mine are. Just curious as I've never quite understood the purpose of relays.
 
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ChibbMD said:
One other quick question, what exactly is the purpose of the relay? I mean, aren't the lights designed to plug in to the stock connectors and work like normal lights? That's the way mine are. Just curious as I've never quite understood the purpose of relays.
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I actually installed the relay harness before the LEDs in an attempt to brighten the halogen lights. The results were unremarkable. I left the harness installed when I switched to LEDs. I have heard that the LED headlights can flicker and dim without a relay harness. Even if they dont flicker, you will get true battery voltage with the relay harness providing better brighter light. Is it necessary? I don't know 😕 but I have one.
 
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Stoopid Jeep said:
I actually installed the relay harness before the LEDs in an attempt to brighten the halogen lights. The results were unremarkable. I left the harness installed when I switched to LEDs. I have heard that the LED headlights can flicker and dim without a relay harness. Even if they dont flicker, you will get true battery voltage with the relay harness providing better brighter light. Is it necessary? I don't know 😕 but I have one.
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Nothing wrong with having the harness in place. The flickering is usually on the JK Jeeps because they have a canbus system that doesn’t like LEDs. They need an adapter harness to overcome that Have never seen an issue in a YJ or TJ. Anywho, you are not wrong that you are now getting battery voltage and before you were probably getting a volt or two less. Usually doesn’t matter on low draw LEDs, but sometimes does and sometimes contributes to early death even if the LED prefers to be over a certain voltage. I’d leave the harness in since you have it already.

I’m planning to buy heated LEDs that draw 5A on high beam when the heater is on. I will likely wire both high and low beam to some relays myself.
 
ytradio said:
I guess this is the first time that I have herd of heated LED’s. What are those Macho?
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They have a heater element built into the lens that’s tied to a temp sensor that automatically turns on below a certain felt temp outside. I think it’s 50°. That way they melt ice. Otherwise if you get any ice on them they won’t ever melt it off like stock halogen bulbs would.
 
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machoheadgames said:
They have a heater element built into the lens that’s tied to a temp sensor that automatically turns on below a certain felt temp outside. I think it’s 50°. That way they melt ice. Otherwise if you get any ice on them they won’t ever melt it off like stock halogen bulbs would.
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Ok, well that’s good to know. Thanks
 
ytradio said:
Ok, well that’s good to know. Thanks
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It may or may not ever be a problem. All of the OEMs shipping cars with LEDs currently incorporate no heater. Those also all ice over when it's really cold and icy out. It is what it is. Some OEMs include a sprayer for the headlights but that is not the majority. I have LEDs in my truck and they iced over twice in Texas this winter (though texas has been getting colder than usual weather for two years straight now), and it annoys me so on the Jeep I want the heaters even if I may never use them. It's not the end of the world if they ice over though.
 
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Stoopid Jeep said:
I actually installed the relay harness before the LEDs in an attempt to brighten the halogen lights. The results were unremarkable. I left the harness installed when I switched to LEDs. I have heard that the LED headlights can flicker and dim without a relay harness. Even if they dont flicker, you will get true battery voltage with the relay harness providing better brighter light. Is it necessary? I don't know 😕 but I have one.
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Just for clarification…by “unremarkable “ you mean you were not impressed and the lights did not show positive results right?
 
gixxerkid3 said:
Just for clarification…by “unremarkable “ you mean you were not impressed and the lights did not show positive results right?
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After cleaning all the grounds, installing the relay harnes and 2 brand new Sylvania SilverStar halogens, there was [definitely] an improvement, it just wasn't what I was hoping for. The headlights were still dimmer than I wanted.
 
Stoopid Jeep said:
After cleaning all the grounds, installing the relay harnes and 2 brand new Sylvania SilverStar halogens, there was [definitely] an improvement, it just wasn't what I was hoping for. The headlights were still dimmer than I wanted.
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Got it, thanks. I just wasn’t sure which way you were going with that. I have actually been looking at these lights as well as the 180W LED which are the big brother to the lights you have; however, I had no idea whatsoever about he relay.
Thanks for the info.
 
So out of curiosity I did the search for the DOT approval of these lights and so far have found squat on NHTSA. I’ll keep looking.
 
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