COlight mini-projector lifespan

Just curious; to all that have used mini-projector led bulb assemblies, how long are they lasting? Not talkin about the full projector retrofit mods, just the bulbs that only require yanking out the cone diffuser from within the housing. I know there are several companies selling them, with COlight's probably being the most popular due to low price.

If you bought em, and used them til they failed, what brand and how long?

I installed a set of COlights in July '21, and one just began to fail, so 27 months. Seems strange that it didn't burn out completely, just very low output. Brights are still 100%. Looking at the actual bulb, I can see brown burn marks where it's soldered to the circuit board. I'm wondering if this is a premature fluke failure, or just the typical life expectancy of this type of bulb. Also curious of the difference between the $65 COlight's and the $200 (or whatever it is) Morimoto's

 

Do yours have the cooling fan? The one's without probably won't last as long. I had no idea Morimoto had a mini projector or are you talking about their larger Bi-LED projector?

 

I dunno if what you're saying about 'no fan' is accurate. The heat distribution seems to be excellent on mine.

I went with the BraveWAY bulbs, which are technically identical to the CO bulbs, but I've only been running 7 months. I think it's important to understand: These are all being mass-produced in mainland China, likely with little to no and/or very loose QA/QC, which is how they can afford to sell here at the low-dollar amount they are, understanding freight undoubtedly costs a significant amount to move the product over here.

You're the first person on here I've seen mention a degradation/burnout. Note: BraveWAY sells single bulbs for motorcycle use. I talked directly with one of their reps, it's the exact same bulb, in a different box that has a motorcycle on it instead of a car. Single replacements are possible. Here's the one I bought, although, interestingly, 'currently unavailable'. I'm sure they've updated it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BCJ7F9NX/

Amazingly, you can get them at $30/pr right now ($39 + $10/off coupon), I paid $30 for a single light. You may just want to pick up a new pair, they're obviously clearancing them, near end of inventory. Which means they're probably going to release an updated model within the next 90-100 days ("New 2024 model!" branding)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3MZP2XZ/

"Only 10 left in stock" (Actually 9, I just ordered a pair )

 

I’ve only had my CO Lights for 6 months but so far they’ve been great, at least for what it cost.

Longevity was definitely something I was worried about when I installed them, but if I got say, 2 years outta mine, I’d consider that my moneys worth.

CO Light also offers a bunch of other projector options, many of which they claim to be higher quality than they one we are using. I looked at their website before I bought mine from scAmazon didn’t buy any of em.

https://www.led-colight.com/collections/projector-bulbs

 

Actually, I just noticed something on their website: their Y7S Tri-color bulbs.

Apparently these use LED diodes with multiple different outputs, so it uses three different colors to make one, which is a lot less white than their other bulbs. The whiteness of their other bulbs was one of my biggest concerns as I think the truck looks much better with a bulb that isn’t bright white.

Read for yourself:
https://www.led-colight.com/products/y7s-tri-color-mini-lense-h4-bulbs-for-reflector-headlight

 

I’m happy with mine. Light output is much better. Blue aberration zone is annoying but minor.

 

This is 100% my only complaint on the bulbs. But in shopping around, it doesn't look like any other mini-H4 projector out there doesn't have that. So now I'm interested in the CO Light Y7S that @FiatRunner shared, which isn't available on scAmazon, but ... at $29.33 for a pair of the current mini projectors I have, I went ahead and cashed in on the smoking deal and know I've got enough to last me at least 2-4 years worth of continued. And if it comes down to it, I'm sure I can sell my current spare pair for $30

 

How about $15/pair w/free shipping?

 

$30 for the pair? Appears to be a single bulb.

edit: continued inspecting details and the ordering number or part number says pair in it, so ordered me a set.

 

Ah you just edited. I was about to post this, because yeah, that part is confusing. I can't use the coupon again, since I ordered one already. But there's a $10 off coupon if you use the link above on an account that hasn't purchased one yet.

​

 

Coupon was activated

 

$31.68 is a smoking deal for these. Excited to install now. Cheaper than a pair of severely overrated Sylvania’s

 

Yup, just gotta be cool with permanently modifying your existing housing.

 

They’re aftermarket trash in need of replacement. The perfect sacrificial lambs.

 

Who was it on here who made the mistake of ordering new AC housings? @KTM_AJ421 ?

But I think Noah might've claimed them. And I dunno if your 2000 has the little teardrops. I feel like that's an '04+ or '05+ thing.

 

No teardrop DRL

 

I just dug for online pics, it looks like '05 is when those started. Damn.

I think I may swap my little teardrop light out out for a colored LED or something. Maybe gold, or maybe yellow or something. Anything but red.

I wonder if that light is what's providing resistance on the circuit that's why '05-'06 don't seem to need resistors inline.

 

Amber or yellow would be the way I would go. Can’t use blue cause I don’t own any flatbill hats.

 

My ‘00 does not have the teardrop, and I never wired in any resistors. Never a problem. I jumped a power line from my headlight circuit to my fog switch, but that wouldn’t make a difference when the fog switch is off. IDK

I don’t get the connection. I hate the blue marker lights and sport a flatbill all day long.

 

So @shifty` you think I just got a shit bulb? Good to know they dropped in price. I paid $65 for the pair awhile back. My cutoff line is definitely purple and not blue BTW. Another downfall to using these bulbs is that the housing is compromised of using regular bulbs. I have several sets of really good H4 bulbs that I can’t swap in while I order more mini-p’s. Whatevs.

I’ll see if I can’t get a pic in the dark of the semi-failed bulb. No promises

 

I was stereotyping. Carolina squatters that cover their trucks with chrome and put useless color lights all over them wear flatbills

 

Yup, I think you just got a defect.

I thought you meant state troopers, because they wear a flat brim hat in some states. You can’t run blue lights as an accessory in some states because of the association with emergency/LEO vehicles.

 

Well fuck those guys. In SoCal, flat billed hats are worn by many that aren’t kooks (pretty much all motocross, skateboarders, surfers….. just about anybody local to so cal actually). And to be honest, don’t see many forward facing colored lights except red ones when I’m steppin on the skinny pedal carelessly. Those super-squats are comic relief tho (another rare thing to be seen here)

 

In California, strange as it may be, red is the only color that’s illegal to face forward.

 

Used to be in FL when putting neons under your car was all the craze, you either had purple, green or yellow, because no shops would use red or blue due to emergency vehicle status with local/county/state regulation.

I think red bulbs look silly forward-facing but that and green are really popular here with the Jeep and Dodge crowd.

I love the amber idea. I’ll hafta find out what size bulb that is and see what color options are available. Maybe I should do one purple and one green, combined with my yellow fog lights I’ll have Mardi Gras colors and I can rep my hometown.

 

So, got a pic of the good and the half-bad bulb. Obvious which is which.


Standing in front of the truck it’s hard to tell one is even failing, so at least it does it’s job for everyone else on the road still. The next couple pics, I covered one light, then the other, to compare output.

 

And both side brights are still equal output.

 

Just a thumbs up for Co- light customer service......I installed their lamps about 9 months ago and one just quit working when I removed headlight assemblies to install my color change vinyl. I bought a new set to replace the bad one and have a spare for my 3rd gen 4Runner and Tundra. I emailed Co-light and told them what happened and they sent me a new set under their 2 yr warranty

 

Nope more the Carolina squatter crowd with all their blinky lights.