Wanting To Match Parking Light Colour With Xenon Hid Low Beam

[Satz]

hi all

I'm sure I've posted about this either on this site, or another one....but I'm trying to change my front parking light bulbs (and fog lights) to match the colour of the stock Xenon HID bulb. I don't like the yellow of the non-Xenon conflicting with the blue/white of the Xenon (please see attached photo)

Could someone please confirm the colour temp (degrees Kelvin) for the Xenon bulb?

I've searched, and contacted Lexus, and the estimates range from 4100- 4800k

Or let me know what bulb/LED they used to replace the parking and fog light bulbs?

thank you

cheers

Satz

[cduluk]

Ah! Been there, done that and bought the T-Shirt!

The factory HID bulbs in the 07-09 Rx's are Philips 85122 or 85122+ which are in the 4100k range. The only way you'll be able to match the factory low beam HID bulbs is to use the same brand bulb for the fog lights.

One brand of HID bulb, for example Osram, might advertise their bulb as 4100k also, yet the color, intensity, and age qualities differ substantially from Philips' 4100k bulb. If you ever notice an early 2000's Acura TL or RL (which uses the Osram 4100k HID bulb) you'll notice it looks very "pink". However look at any early 2000's Lexus with the Philips 4100k bulb and it will look more white/blue.

And there are many many other aftermarket HID bulbs on the market. Most of them are REALLY cheap and won't last very long. And their "4100k" is guaranteed to look much different than Philips' 4100k. IMO you should try to find a 9006 "kit" that uses the Philips 85122 or 85122+ (the same color with only minor differences no one's been able to demonstrate) bulb that you can install in the fog lights. The kit will come with the Philips 85122/+ bulb re-based for use in the Rx350's 9006 foglight with the appropriate ballasts to ignite them from the 12V going to the foglights halogen bulb.

Also keep in mind installing HID bulbs in halogen projectors will cause excessive glare above the cutoff line (which might blind oncoming drivers) and put less light on the road ahead of you where you need it. HID bulbs and Halogen bulbs have different focal points. The Rx350's fog light reflectors are designed for halogen 9006 bulbs. The contour of the bowls are designed around the focal point of light of a halogen bulb. Put an HID bulb in a halogen reflector and you'll get glare and less usable light.

Right now i'm currently using PIAA ion yellow halogen bulbs. They're yellow and add more usable light than an HID bulb would. Any halogen bulb, even HIR bulbs would work without causing glare, however you won't be able to match the HID's in the low beams. And also beware of any halogen bulb manufacturer that labels the color as 4100k- they're lying! Just as HID bulbs with varying manufactures will look different even though they might advertise 4100k, the same is true for halogens.

As for the parking light in the high beam reflector, that can easily be replaced with a white LED bulb. BEWARE though, as to the brand of LED bulb you replace it with. About 90% of the aftermarket LED bulbs on the market wont last a month in a Lexus headlight as the voltage isn't regulated in the least, and the LED's will burn out very quickly.

I've only been able to find ONE white LED bulb in that size that wont burn out. I currently have them in my headlights, replacing the parking light bulbs in the high beam reflector housings. It's been over 2 years and they're still functioning 100% and i expect them to last hundreds of thousands of hours more. NIGHT and DAY difference from the other junk LED's i've tried. They have voltage regulators built in which limit the voltage going to the LED's no matter what the input, so they never overheat.

Here they are:

http://hidconcept.co...uct_detail&p=69

They're in size 194 (or T10) which is the same thing as 168 which is what you need. And don't let the yellow appearance of the LED fool you, it's simply the yellow phosphorous coating that all white LED's have. When illuminated it's perfectly white.

It's better to do it right the first time so it lasts; it might be a little costly but at least you wont have to make repairs! <_<

[Satz]

Hi CD

many thanks for all that info. It's great to hear from someone who has also done the hard-yards!

The LED bulbs on the link you provided sound great. So do they end up as a similar colour to the stock low-beam HID?

And also, do you feel they produce the same amount of visible light output as the original filament bulb?

kind regards

Satz

[cduluk]

Hi CD

many thanks for all that info. It's great to hear from someone who has also done the hard-yards!

The LED bulbs on the link you provided sound great. So do they end up as a similar colour to the stock low-beam HID?

And also, do you feel they produce the same amount of visible light output as the original filament bulb?

kind regards

Satz

Hmm... sort of, and no.

I changed my HID bulbs to Philips' 6000k as it produces just a tint more violet/white than even the factory 4100k HID. And the LED seems a little too "blue". I don't believe you're going to find a white LED that matches the factory HID color, or at least not one that will last long in the headlight. But i'm pretty sure you'll like it!

And the amount of output for the LED bulb isn't as great as the factory bulb as the LED only has maybe 40 degrees of view while a filament in a bulb a 360 degree viewing angle. There are LED bulbs in existence that utilize a few LED's on it firing in different directions, but i haven't been able to find one that lasts more than a month or doesn't melt the socket from overheating!

It's a trade off...

[Satz]

hi cduluk

just letting you know I ordered a pair of the Blesk Premium T10 Pure White LEDs (as per your link)

thank you

cheers

Satz

[cduluk]

hi cduluk

just letting you know I ordered a pair of the Blesk Premium T10 Pure White LEDs (as per your link)

thank you

cheers

Satz

Nice! Post pics when you get them installed. <_<

[Satz]

While waiting for the LEDS, I installed a pair of Narva Ultra Blue T10 bulbs. They're a close match in colour to the HIDs, but I think the light output is lowish due to the heavy blue painted tint on them...

The bulbs are made in Germany, but I think they're marketed as Osram or Sylvania in the US.