Isn't the High Beam/Low Beam switch on the floor to the left side.

My GMC 2006 truck had DRL (Daytime Running Lights) which used PWM for the lower intensity during daylight.

Then too while nice and interesting none of this has much of anything to do with the thread topic.
upgrading to the bright white color lights

Remember?

Ron

 

Bright white car headlights are either incandescent halogen with a blue tinted glass or high intensity xenon (high voltage?) projector lights. I have never seen bright LED headlights.

 

Bright white car headlights are either incandescent halogen with a blue tinted glass or high intensity xenon (high voltage?) projector lights. I have never seen bright LED headlights.

They're coming. Most interesting and available in Europe but not USA - are the headlight arrays that can stay on high beam and automatically dim just in the area of the on-coming driver's face. There is an interpretation of the definition of "flashing lights" that is preventing implementation in North America. Audi and Hella started it and more companies are adopting it. There you have LEDs with plenty of light - surprisingly, it is based on MEMS - DLP mirror array technology. TI is so happy they may actually make money, finally, from DLP.

 

My GMC 2006 truck had DRL (Daytime Running Lights) which used PWM for the lower intensity during daylight.

That PWM was done on the high beams for the DRL's. The high beams were used because they so seldom burn out compared to the low beams that get the most use.

 

That PWM was done on the high beams for the DRL's. The high beams were used because they so seldom burn out compared to the low beams that get the most use.

Yes, and as an interesting side note that was the first truck I have had which used the same lamps for both high and low beam. I miss that truck!

Ron

 

Yes, and as an interesting side note that was the first truck I have had which used the same lamps for both high and low beam.

I'm not following you there? All low beam sealed beam headlights had both high and low beams in them, either in a 2 or 4 lamp headlight system. And it has been in my experience the same when they switched over to composite type headlights with a replaceable lamp, whether 2 or 4 bulb. The DRL's used the high beam of the high/low bulb, again whether a 2 or 4 bulb system.

I'm driving a 2007 Silverado that I found with only 120K miles on it, so I understand the liking of your truck.

 

I'm not following you there? All low beam sealed beam headlights had both high and low beams in them, either in a 2 or 4 lamp headlight system. And it has been in my experience the same when they switched over to composite type headlights with a replaceable lamp, whether 2 or 4 bulb. The DRL's used the high beam of the high/low bulb, again whether a 2 or 4 bulb system.

I'm driving a 2007 Silverado that I found with only 120K miles on it, so I understand the liking of your truck.

The truck a 2006 GMC Denali had a 4 headlight system. However, the same lamp part numbers were used for both the high beam pair and the low beam pair. I think they were 9005 bulbs. Anyway on all my other trucks and my wife's jeeps the high beam pair was one part number and the low beam pair another part number.

So with 120 K miles on it your Silverado is almost done breaking in.

Ron

 

I think they were 9005 bulbs. Anyway on all my other trucks and my wife's jeeps the high beam pair was one part number and the low beam pair another part number.

Got it! Never saw it done like that though.

 

Got it! Never saw it done like that though.

Neither did I until that truck. Only difference was the angle of aim. More useless trivia.

Ron

 

Neither did I until that truck. Only difference was the angle of aim. More useless trivia.

Ron

I can't believe they would have used a 3 pin connector to do it. When a 2 pin is normal for the high beams.

 

I can't believe they would have used a 3 pin connector to do it. When a 2 pin is normal for the high beams.

No, we are getting this confused. Each bulb used a two pin connector but all four bulbs used the same part number. The two high beam and two low beam were all the same part number. For some reason 9000 or 9005 is in my head but all four were the same and only two wire connectors. Wife has a really nice clean 99 Tahoe out of Arizona and on that truck the two high beam and two low beam bulbs are different part numbers.

Well, managed to take this thread off topic.

Ron

 

No, we are getting this confused.

Getting off topic is fun. I don't really doubt you but do think your wrong in what you remember. The bulb that has both a low and high built into it has and needs 3 wires, low, high and ground with ground being common with the other 2. A bulb with just a high beam is made differently internally, the position of the filament is different to change the beam shape on the road, and only has 2 wires, high and ground. Been that way since the old sealed beam days up to the latest halogen and xenon bulbs. And is probably that way with LED bulbs and HID ones too.

 

Getting off topic is fun. I don't really doubt you but do think your wrong in what you remember. The bulb that has both a low and high built into it has and needs 3 wires, low, high and ground with ground being common with the other 2. A bulb with just a high beam is made differently internally, the position of the filament is different to change the beam shape on the road, and only has 2 wires, high and ground. Been that way since the old sealed beam days up to the latest halogen and xenon bulbs. And is probably that way with LED bulbs and HID ones too.

Well as to topic I figure it was covered.

No I absolutely agree with you and any single lamp with High and Low beam uses two filaments and three wire connectors. What I am saying is that my 2006 Yukon Denali used the same part number bulb for both the High and Low beam headlights. Yes, each bulb a single filament with two wire connector. Other trucks I have seen use different part numbers for the High and Low beam lamps. I miss that truck too.

Ron

 

Hello mates,

I have been planning to replace my old halogen headlight bulbs, of course, due to their yellowish look and feel, for quite a long time. But i was not sure if its that big deal. Last night, i hit a cat which i couldn't see in the dark and i am blaming myself for not upgrading to the bright white color lights. I search on the internet and came across this product https://xenons4u.co.uk/h7r-55w-canbus-xenon-hid-conversion-kit.html and it seems quite reasonable. I couldn't find the review for this product but overall reviews are good on web. Has anyone shop from this store? please let me know if it's good to go thing. Thanks in advance

If you are in the UK it is illegal to change the bulb configuration to something different than original specification. You can use better specification same type bulbs. Also the bulb wattage must remain the same.If your bulb original wattage was 55W and you go sticking a 100W bulb in there it is illegal. If you had an accident and it was discovered that things were not as original specification your insurance could easily refuse to pay and call it null and void as it is not as per original spec and they had not been notified.
Be very careful about changing things and speak to someone reputable about changing things.

 

I can't believe they would have used a 3 pin connector to do it. When a 2 pin is normal for the high beams.

It's all about how much it costs them to produce the vehicle. If I remember right, lighting only has a 90-day warranty, which is all they cared about. That leads to some pretty crappy designs that didn't last very long. Safety and pollution equipment all has a 5-year warranty. The interesting thing is - every light on the exterior of a motor vehicle is there for a safety reason!

 

It's all about how much it costs them to produce the vehicle.

You would think so, but it has more to due with weight and material. I worked for GM Delphi Packard, they were who made the wire, terminals, connector bodies and wire harnesses for mainly GM but some other companies. They were on a constant mission to reduce weight in the connector housings, even though they only saved fractions of an ounce per housing. And that leads to not using a 3 pin connector for a 2 pin job.

 

You would think so, but it has more to due with weight and material. I worked for GM Delphi Packard, they were who made the wire, terminals, connector bodies and wire harnesses for mainly GM but some other companies. They were on a constant mission to reduce weight in the connector housings, even though they only saved fractions of an ounce per housing. And that leads to not using a 3 pin connector for a 2 pin job.

All true. and that savings in weight is balanced against what it will cost GM if they don't achieve a "fleet-average" fuel economy. They also balance the cost of 3 contacts vs. 2 contacts vs. quantity buy cost for each one. In the end, it comes down to saving a micro-Penney for each vehicle.

I have seen both GM and Ford save $1 or $2 on producing the car knowing that there was a low, but very real probability that a $75,000 vehicle would catch fire and be destroyed. They were playing the odds of what a lawsuit would cost vs. probability of personal injury and the cost of replacing the vehicle for the customer. - In other words, their bottom line.

Bringing the thread (sort of) back on topic again - one of those times was when Pontiac used a simple diode in series with their headlights to cause a slight voltage drop, causing the required 80% brightness for DRL. The problem was the diode heatsink was too small, causing the connector/harness temperature to be JUST at the maximum temperature rating when the engine bay temperature was at its maximum rating of 150 degrees. The calculations all met specifications, but the reality is that if the connector pins were not crimped just right, they would overheat, melt the harness insulation and cause a fire. There were several alternatives available that would positively prevent a fire, but all would cost $0.25 to $3 more.

As a customer, I would MUCH PREFER they charge me $75,002 for the vehicle. Their bottom line would be the same and I would have a safe and reliable vehicle.

 

Hello mates,

I have been planning to replace my old halogen headlight bulbs, of course, due to their yellowish look and feel, for quite a long time. But i was not sure if its that big deal. Last night, i hit a cat which i couldn't see in the dark and i am blaming myself for not upgrading to the bright white color lights. I search on the internet and came across this product https://xenons4u.co.uk/h7r-55w-canbus-xenon-hid-conversion-kit.html and it seems quite reasonable. I couldn't find the review for this product but overall reviews are good on web. Has anyone shop from this store? please let me know if it's good to go thing. Thanks in advance

A few years ago I won some headlamp replacement lamps in a competition in UK. At the time I had a Ford Fiesta Titanium Diesel which uses H7 lamps. The replacements were just a straight swap, just like if you changed a dead lamp, and with no additional parts req'd like some xenon conversions. The new ones really gave much better night time vision, in fact I'm glad I saw this thread as it has reminded me to get some for my newer Fiesta. The lamps were xenon130® by Ring Automotive 12v 55w H7. I recommend these, and maybe an eye test too, just to be sure.

 

Xenon130 bulbs are old fashioned Halogen incandescent type, not the modern high voltage bright white ones. They are only a little brighter than older bulbs that did not use halogen. They should be jailed for wrongly using the word Xenon.

 

Xenon130 bulbs are old fashioned Halogen incandescent type, not the modern high voltage bright white ones. They are only a little brighter than older bulbs that did not use halogen. They should be jailed for wrongly using the word Xenon.

No long life benefit of the halogen version, no brightness benefit/whiteness benefit of the high voltage halogens.