COlight mini-projector lifespan

These are beefy. Excited for the install now. Crazy these are $30

 

Mine cam pre-opened/re-taped. Not stoked about that, but ... I'll pop them on the truck tomorrow (hopefully) and confirm they're working.

They are pretty hefty though! I'm assuming it's b/c they needed to account for lack of a fan, and really sink 'em hard.

 

Damn. Are those even going to fit in the H4 bulb hole? Lol

 

These at least are easy to replace if they fail or a problem comes up. It would be nice if instead of sealant, automakers made these new headlights with a watertight seal in a groove instead of the pesky sealant. Some are easy peasy to bake apart but some of the permaseal-sealed lights are a bitch to bake open for larger projectors.

Of course of the xenon projectors I've installed, I've not had an issue that required reopening the headlight as the HID bulb is easily replaced. And the LED projectors I've installed are also still working just fine. Only pain in the ass is baking them open to install initially and only if the lights are permasealed.

 

The hardest part of installing was removing the cone since the opening is smaller. I used a tin snip and needle nose to cut and fold cone so it came out. Font lose the bulb retainer and screw for that. I had to loosen a tiny screw and rotate bulb assembly to ensure light cutoff was level with ground

 

The output is not too shabby on those.

 

Dammit. Didn’t even know about the 2 year warranty, but I just missed it by a few months anyways.

Well pitter patter. I still haven’t ordered anything, so I’m gonna need your feedback on those ASAP.

@shifty` those are not the same ones you got, that you said are pretty much just rebranded COlights, correct?

 

Those are the same ones I installed. I just bought another pair. And from details pics I've seen of the non-fan version of the COlights, these BraveWAY bulbs are the exact same product as the COlight bulbs, albeit in potentially different packaging.

On the warranty, you may reach out anyway. A lot of vendors will still hook you up. "I'm only X months out of warranty guys, c'mon!!!!"

 

Well, here they are. No review yet but install was a breeze. I used my vibrating multi-tool to cut the deflector cup inside to make it easy to squish and pull through the light socket opening. Cleaned the housing out with compressed air and then put the new bulbs in. These things feel very quality other than the small plastic locking collar where the harness splits for installation. Got them clocked for level cutoffs, I’ll adjust them tonight so I’m not blinding anyone.

quick notes on install, though this has probably been written up before.

red circles are 10mm nuts and one screw. Green arrow is a plastic clip for the side marker. Remove side marker first. Take the plastic clip out and strike the side marker with your palm from the rear bubbled amber reflector forward to pop the only plastic slide tab holding it on.


Internal deflector piece is too large to remove through the opening. Must be mangled first. Two small Phillips screws hold it on. I cut the cup with my vibrating multi-tool and then crushed and pulled it out. Took 3-4 minutes for both.


Installation was simple as well. I put the rubber boots back on after installing and clocking the lights. The lights have a set screw you loosen to adjust the rotation in the housing. Then tighten the set screw. The heat sink on the back of the light unscrews also for installation. Once the boot is on, the heat sink goes back on. Then the rest of the harness is reconnected. Light goes back in just like it came out.

 

Gawd dammit. Slept on it. Now no deals to be had. And the brave ways and COlights are NOT the same lights FYI. Looky here


See the prices are back up. And @KNABORES the set you bought are now $88/pair

 

The pair I bought are like the ones on the left. The tiny sticker at the top says braveway on it though. Those ones on the right are the ones I would rock. They have a 15% off coupon too. $41 delivered.

 

There are some cheap models on eBay. Not sure how they'll perform or how long they will last.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/354173890876

 

I just don't know anymore. Seems like all these companies are just product whores and they'll slap their name on whatever they can get their slutty little hands on. @shifty` got actual Braveway's. You got another option that has a Braveway sticker on it, but neither look like the bulbs that are advertised as Braveway's (on the right in my pic). Guess it's a roll of the dice- what you get regardless of what you order. I wouldn't be surprised if it's all the same company with several on-line profiles, appearing to compete for business when in reality they're sittin on a monopoly.

Personally, I'd rather have em without a fan. It's just one more thing to fail. I've had a few sets of LED headlight bulbs with the integrated fan (non-projector) and everytime one failed, it was because it had overheated. I imagine that the fanless, being designed to survive without the need for a fan, are probably built better. Just a theory but I'm gonna roll with it until proven otherwise

 

Look at the bulb on the left in your pic. The one that’s horizontal.

Now look at the reply before yours, @KNABORES final picture, see the reflection of his bulb in the bottom of the housing. Notice specifically the silver “T” shape.

Compare. Exact same bulb. I can post some real world side by sides later. Mine came in the same generic box with a white-label sticker on it

Looks like you might’ve missed the deal. Guess they were only running it for a limited time. Weird.

 

No argument, that's the same bulb. My point was that the bulb advertised as a 'Braveway' (on the right in my pic) is NOT the same as the bulbs you both have that are stickered 'Braveway's.

 

To be fair, nothing on the printed packaging says Braveway on mine. It’s a little generic sticker that says braveway on it.

 

Yeah, the BraveWAY bulb on the right uses a different sink, and note it has one of the non-sperical/multi-focal lenses at the tip. Those looked a little hokey to me when I was looking at ones to buy. Unless the base is fan-equipped, I'd also be concerned about that small, tiny-ass-fin sink at the base of the light. The larger finned sink on the left-hand bulb is what you need to dissipate heat properly. A lot of people bash on "omg it has no fan boooo" but the reality is, a well-designed sink will cool better than a poorly designed sink with a fan. Fan's don't do shit unless you have a great sink that transmits and dissipates heat effectively. Sorry you missed the deal, you want mine? I can chuck them in a padded envelope and get them over to you. I don't mind kicking them to you, I really DO NOT need these, I just got 'em as spares.

I haven't been able to find anyone with pictures of a CO LIGHT box to compare. But clearly they're using the same stock photos, I assume it's the same product, same warehouse origin source, etc. But that's what I've been saying since I bought mine

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That’s kinda what I was getting at. I don’t want to order the one on the left, and get the one on the right, (from my pic of the 2 clearly different bulbs) in the mail. Since they all seem to be Braveways anymore,…..
So @shifty` whats your markup on a set of these?

 

Cover shipping and what I paid, I'm not looking to make a buck, only to save you some bucks. It was $39.33 - $10.00 coupon, so $29.33 with tax = $31.96. If you'll cover half of shipping (I reckon $5) I'll cover the rest, is $37 cool w/you?

Alternately, I also have my old single-bulb boxes left, and I'm happy to split this box sell you a single bulb, gimme $20 for shipping and the bulb and we're square. I only bought these to have one spare, seriously.

 

I'd rather just give you $40. I don't like splittin hairs when someone's doing me a favor. And I wouldn't mind having a spare myself, considering my current situation.

 

Alright, initial impressions. Hell yeah. Best light output I’ve tried in my truck so far. Whoa, my headlights are pointed at passing helicopters! Had to stop and do an on the fly adjustment, cutoff way too high. Phillips head screwdriver into the outboard bracket hole to adjust. Better now, maybe a touch low, I’ll tune them up later. Very impressed. Need a set for the fogs now.

 

Damnit, wish I done saw this one earlier.

Fog setup too? I may end up waiting for some projectors for TRS some doing retro (saying that for years, I'm a big puss).

 

Yeah. Wow. Worth every penny.

 

So basically these aren't available anymore from reading right? Just some other knockoff shit and at twice the price?

For the dudes who snoozed, we gotta wait until newer version comes out or harass Shifty to sell his?

** Those look great. How did they adjust for you?

 

Yeah these are WAY better than the 100 watt bulbs. I just stopped running my fogs, they hardly make any difference, even with the "modded" brighter bulbs. The color being different also bugs me but I haven't looked for a LED solution yet.

 

100w bulbs are second, but not a close second. My fogs are really bright. I did the 9012 mod or whatever to them.

 

I did too, I just feel the projectors drown them out and they don't make much difference anymore.

Sometimes I'll run parking lights and just fogs if it isn't too dark out, makes me feel like I'm giving the projectors just a little longer life.

 

yeah once you get used to the purple in the cutoff.
One other thing that hasn't really been brought up unless I missed it; the cutoff is super sharp, a defined line. Above that line gets zero light. Like, everything above the cutoff is in complete darkness, unless there are other light sources. It's not a deal breaker but good to be aware of.
Example: you'll be driving and suddenly see a pair of legs on a sidewalk, rather than the whole pedestrian. Or maybe it's just how extreme the contrast is between the light and dark. Or....... could just be my bad night vision

 

Man, I remember first time I drove using projectors that cut-off and darkness above it was bizarre. LOL

 

Mine are either still adjusted high, or the light splash from the non-projector LED on the bulb is shining above the cutoff line.