The human eye isn't always a great tool for evaluating relative brightness, and that's especially true with "focused" sources like projector headlights. Looking too directly blinds you, looking indirectly fools your optic hindbrain. The CCD in your smartphone doesn't have those problems, and won't lie about it unless you tell it to.

I just got headlights replaced on the wife's '13 Altima under the "dimbulb" lawsuit settlement, so this is a completely fair and balanced test. The LED on the left is a 3-month-old Diode Dynamics SL1, plug-and-play H11 replacement. The halogen on the right is a brand new Osram H11 that came with the brand new headlight assembly. The SL1's aren't even the brightest thing on the road (GTR Lighting Ultra 2.0's are), but they're made in USA and damn bright so we went with the home-grown product. The difference on the road is about an 11 on the Holy Cow scale, and the SL1's excellent ventilation will make your chrome reflectors last a lot longer than they would with halogens (especially the super-bright ones which are also super hot).

He BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE !

Funny, that's what all the Earthlings say....

I replaced the low beams on my 16 from Halogens to LEDs. Man those made driving at night easier since I would typically either outrun the low beams or could barely see anything (even with fogs). But from that pic, looks like the passenger's side headlights are brighter than the driver's side, but both are still bright.

datechboss101 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:24 pm

But from that pic, looks like the passenger's side headlights are brighter than the driver's side, but both are still bright.

They're brand new headlight fixtures and the halogen is a brand new bulb. But with all else being equal, an unfiltered CCD reacts very predictably to very high brightness. The brighter the source, the bigger the "splotch" where nothing else is visible. There can be some slight differences depending on light frequency and the cam's exact characteristics, but you can see that the LED's splotch is nearly three times the size of the halogen's. That's not an accident, it means the LED is much brighter.

Hmmm,

I am pretty happy with my Phillips Xtremevisions.
But when they go out I will switch to LEDs

I need to order LEDs for the 19. Took it on the good ol' toll road and crap I out ran them. Couldn't even see anything in dark without highbeams (I dislike driving w/ highbeams on).

PalmerWMD wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:49 pm

Hmmm,

I am pretty happy with my Phillips Xtremevisions.
But when they go out I will switch to LEDs

With the reflector headlights on your Pathies and Xterra, there's probably no need for LED's. The wife's Altie got LED's because they're projectors, but my '04 Altie won't because the reflectors do fine with halogen bulbs. Keep in mind that because the whole mirror on a reflector headlight is exposed, it's very easy to blind other drivers by going too bright. If the other driver happens to be a cop, you could even make yourself some serious trouble.

VStar650CL wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:11 am

PalmerWMD wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:49 pm

Hmmm,

I am pretty happy with my Phillips Xtremevisions.
But when they go out I will switch to LEDs

With the reflector headlights on your Pathies and Xterra, there's probably no need for LED's. The wife's Altie got LED's because they're projectors, but my '04 Altie won't because the reflectors do fine with halogen bulbs. Keep in mind that because the whole mirror on a reflector headlight is exposed, it's very easy to blind other drivers by going too bright. If the other driver happens to be a cop, you could even make yourself some serious trouble.

So these are not OEM replacement LEDs?
I been hearing a lot about LEDs problems having been managed and that there are some on the market which are plug and play without the bad beam pattern.?

PalmerWMD wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 30, 2022 11:02 pm

So these are not OEM replacement LEDs?
I been hearing a lot about LEDs problems having been managed and that there are some on the market which are plug and play without the bad beam pattern.?

Nissan doesn't make any "upgrade" LED's, but If by "OEM" you mean plug-and-play replacements for the original bulbs, then yes, they are. The fit goes by the socket type. On a gen5 Altie that's H11 for low beam, H9 for high beam. The major LED manufacturers all specify right on the box whether a particular bulb is for projector, reflector, or both. The SL1's I put on the wife's car are suitable for both, as are most models from major manufacturers. But you should check before buying, because putting projector types in a reflector housing or vice versa can cause funky performance.

The original point I was making is that because reflector types have no focuser lens, they're much less critical of bulb type and pattern than projectors are. However, for the same reason, the "perceived brightness" to approaching drivers becomes more of a concern than with projectors. The best H11 LED's, for instance, put out almost 7 times as much light as a stock halogen. When used in a reflector headlight, that will get you flashed constantly and might well get you arrested. So that's something to bear in mind when upgrading reflector bulbs.

PS - Couple of things I should add here.

First, DOT has actually banned aftermarket LED's for headlight use here in the US (ridiculous but true). Not that it will prevent people like me from using them, but the H11's I installed in the wife's car are officially only legal as fog or auxiliary lights. That won't affect your ability to find plug-compatible LED's as long as you have separate high and low beams.

Second, if you have combination low/highs like the 9007 bulbs in Palmer's Pathies and Xterra, you'll have to get them from a foreign manufacturer. The only domestic manufacturer, Diode Dynamics, is basically prevented from manufacturing them because they have no alternative use, they're purely headlight bulbs. They are readily available from GTR Lighting, Morimoto, and several other imported brands.

Thats all good info.

My fogs, Phillips Xtremevision, H11, are already quite bright on both my Pathfinder and my Xterra and I dont dare to keep the on in town unless its heavy fog or very heavy rain.
So I will not likely make LED fogs.

Incidentally on the very rare occasions when I drive my Xterra in the boonies with Highbeams and roof Offroad lights on (Both Phillips Xtremevision bulbs in near new condition reflectors), its a LOT of light making night time driving less strenuous to the eyes IMO.

The first time I used them, I thought for a very small split second the setting sun was peeking up again behind a hill behind me illuminating my front.
Then I reminded myself it was midnight...

I just installed some LED bulbs in my '05 Pathfinder last week after using Silverstars and Silverstar Ultra's for many years. Silverstars have been my go to for about 20 years now, but they don't seem to last as long the past few times I've purchased them. I've been getting maybe 1-2 years out of them before one burns out.

I replaced both the headlights and the fog lights and the difference is pretty much as you described in your original post. The light output is amazing and very balanced for being such a simple upgrade. Well worth the money for sure.