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I haven't done a side by side comparison. TRS is 35W vs 55W for the DDM. I liked 35W because its lower battery drain. The only side by side comparison I have is the lighting is better (brighter and more horizontal spread) than a Mercedes SL 500 that one of my neighbors owns.
smorgasbord
Active Member
Just in case those new to this thread haven't read it all, I recommend checking out this post, which compares stock to factory HIDs to DDM HIDs (low beams only). The 55 watt DDMs are both visually and measurably (with a light meter) brighter than the factory HIDs.
That said, I don't think that most will be happy upgrading the high beams via the DDM route. There is no shutter and the warm up time means that your flashing ability is extremely limited. But, the factory high beams are fairly decent and the match with the 4500K DDMs isn't too bad.
I don't want to bang on about this but, looking at the output from smorgasbord's and my own experience, I'm just seeing a wide, even, brighter output from the 55W DDM bulb replacement. We need that side-by-side to satisfy our scientific curiosity. What's the chance of you driving over to smorgasbord's wall in SF
Of course, I do agree with all that the original halogens that were poor due to insufficient voltage, and baffling low aim need 'fixing' hence this thread!
I returned all of my TRS kits and am waiting to receive a set of DDM 35W bulbs from one of our TMC members. Can't wait to be able to see at night! BTW this is not a negative review of the TRS product. Just a result of a sequence of complications with miscommunication and lack of expertise in installment by the SC and me.
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I don't want to bang on about this but, looking at the output from smorgasbord's and my own experience, I'm just seeing a wide, even, brighter output from the 55W DDM bulb replacement. We need that side-by-side to satisfy our scientific curiosity. What's the chance of you driving over to smorgasbord's wall in SF
Of course, I do agree with all that the original halogens that were poor due to insufficient voltage, and baffling low aim need 'fixing' hence this thread!
Maybe meet in the middle
I love the fact that even with the TRS lights on the car registers only 1A of current drain, when it used to drain 4A with the halogens.
jbadger
TR#506, MXP, ~3#1206~
Maybe meet in the middle
I love the fact that even with the TRS lights on the car registers only 1A of current drain, when it used to drain 4A with the halogens.
Arvind, i've got the DDM lights so we can do a comparison this weekend if it get's dark.
My experience / opinion for what its worth...
The standard (non HID) lights are so poor that whatever you do to improve them will be a huge improvement. Unless you drive only in daylight, upgrade if you have standard lights.
Suspect the difference between the different upgrades (factory HID, DDM, TRS) is tiny compared to how much of an improvement over stock they are. Differences in alignment are probably more significant than the light output?
I upgraded to 55W DDMs (4500K) from standard - see page 3 for the before / after photos. For the price its an amazing improvement. If you have a friendly local mechanic you can buy and have these fitted for under $100. I had no issues with warm up / flashing / lack of shutters / blinding other driver at all. The lights are better than the HID ones in my Audi A8 or my wifes Volvo XC90 which is impressive given how low the car is off the ground.
The kind people at Tesla then swapped me to factory HIDs as the headlamps kept fogging up (both with standard lights and DDMs). I think the factory HID lights are 35W rather than 55W but to be honest I can not tell any difference between these and the DDM ones. I took another photo at the same spot, but its identical.
I can not comment on other solutions, but would encourage anyone with the original non HID lights to upgrade - if nothing else it makes the Roadster safer and more enjoyable to drive at night.
The standard (non HID) lights are so poor that whatever you do to improve them will be a huge improvement. Unless you drive only in daylight, upgrade if you have standard lights.
Suspect the difference between the different upgrades (factory HID, DDM, TRS) is tiny compared to how much of an improvement over stock they are. Differences in alignment are probably more significant than the light output?
I upgraded to 55W DDMs (4500K) from standard - see page 3 for the before / after photos. For the price its an amazing improvement. If you have a friendly local mechanic you can buy and have these fitted for under $100. I had no issues with warm up / flashing / lack of shutters / blinding other driver at all. The lights are better than the HID ones in my Audi A8 or my wifes Volvo XC90 which is impressive given how low the car is off the ground.
The kind people at Tesla then swapped me to factory HIDs as the headlamps kept fogging up (both with standard lights and DDMs). I think the factory HID lights are 35W rather than 55W but to be honest I can not tell any difference between these and the DDM ones. I took another photo at the same spot, but its identical.
I can not comment on other solutions, but would encourage anyone with the original non HID lights to upgrade - if nothing else it makes the Roadster safer and more enjoyable to drive at night.
jbadger
TR#506, MXP, ~3#1206~
I think I'm getting my Roadster back tomorrow with the upgraded firmware, more 3M armor, winter tires AND the DDM 35w/5000k. I'll report back to everyone that hopefully I can finally see while driving at night!!!!! I still can't believe the SC charges $370 to replace and reprogram 2 TPMS's
to replace and reprogram 2 TPMS's
smorgasbord
Active Member
What's the chance of you driving over to smorgasbord's wall in SF
It's actually the Netflix wall in Los Gatos. That said, I still have the light meter, and since it's dark after work every day, I'd be up for another "battle of the HIDs," using actual light meter measurements and calibrated camera/Photoshop workflow.
But, as Alan says, any of the upgrades are indeed upgrades. If you want a really good option that's supported by Tesla, get their HIDs. If you want the most low beam light for the least money, get the DDMs (and if you don't mind losing the "flash" capability upgrade the highs, too). I don't know where the place the TRS lights yet.
I suppose the adage that "you get what you pay for" applies to the DDM headlamps but after installing the DDMs and having an issue with them, I have come to the conclusion that I have gotten "less" than I paid for with DDM.
i installed the DDM ballasts and low-beam lamps more than two years ago. The right hand headlamp over time developed a troubling intermittent fault of not operating sometimes when the headlights were turned on but since it always fired up the second time I tried, and the fault really was intermittent (maybe once a month or so and I run with the headlights on every day) I foolishly ignored it. Until, you guessed it, in mid-January the right-hand headlamp failed to light at all.
Previously, shortly after ordering the lamps and ballasts from DDM, I also ordered a pair of replacement bulbs thinking I might one day need them and knowing how critical headlamps are. Those were on my shelf.
Upon the headlamp failing to work at all, I purchased from DDM a new ballast as I did not wish to go to the trouble of removing the front wheel and such only to find that it was not the bulb at all. I also wrote to DDM about the intermittent nature of the fault and received in reply a "canned" email telling me to try switching things around.
When the new ballast arrived, I tried it. The lamp did not work. So, I tried one of the replacement lamps I had on the shelf. It worked. Problem solved, I thought, as I thought the bulb had simply prematurely failed. BUT, the replacement bulb turned out to be a different color temperature, even though both the original set I ordered and the replacement bulbs were supposedly 4500K.
But, shortly thereafter while I am on a road trip while I am far from home, the intermittent failure of the right hand headlamp to light once again begins to occur, now with greater frequency (once every other day). So, when I get home, I once again remove the front wheel and tear into everything (exactly what I did not want to do which was to do it twice), and I replace the ballast. Now it has worked for several weeks without any further intermittent failures.
So I write to DDM. But I get no response from them to two emails I send in reply to their first email to me. I do not appreciate merchants that do not respond to email, needless to say.
So I go on the DDM website and once again fill out their website form detailing the intermittent failures from the ballast, the failed bulb, and the issue with the different color temperatures of the bulbs they sent. I get two emails in return. The first DDM email says:
Unfortunately,if you purchase a pair of bulbs only,the bulbs will only carry one year warranty. I'm afraid the warranty has expired on the bulb.But we can warranty the ballast for you.
This, of course, ignores the failure of the originally purchased bulb that was part of a set. It also fails to address the fact that they sent the replacement bulbs with different color temperatures.
The second DDM email says, without addressing the intermittent nature of the failure at all (I extensively, and in more detail than above, described all of my testing processes, the intermittent failure, and the issues):
We test the returned parts. All returned parts that prove to be functional will be returned to the customer at the customer's expense (this includes shipping and handling costs). The costs for those returns is noted below.
***TESTING AND RETURN SHIPPING COSTS***
Everything Returned is Defective: No Charge
Everything Returned is Functional:
Domestic Shipping: $7.50
Functional Item Testing Fee: (+) $2.50 ea item
Mix of Functional and Defective:
Functional Item Testing Fee: (+) $2.50 ea item
***TESTING AND RETURN SHIPPING COSTS***
Everything Returned is Defective: No Charge
Everything Returned is Functional:
Domestic Shipping: $7.50
Functional Item Testing Fee: (+) $2.50 ea item
Mix of Functional and Defective:
Functional Item Testing Fee: (+) $2.50 ea item
So what do I see is about to happen? I will send back the ballast that works intermittently. It will work when they plug it in. They will then send it back to me telling me that it is fine, charging me for shipping for both ways plus their "Testing Fee".
Very distressing. As I note above, since I have now purchased two extra bulbs from them which turned out not to be the same color temperature as the bulbs in the original set I purchased (even though both were 4500K), and I have purchased a replacement ballast, it already appears that I have gotten less than what I paid for. And now I have two different color temperature bulbs in the headlamps of my car (the replacement bulb is noticeably colder than the original bulb) meaning at some point I will likely need to once again remove the wheels and replace things.
Headlamps are too important to have this grief and uncertainty. I told DDM that I will be ordering another set of bulbs and ballasts from them rather than engaging them further in their "warranty" procedures. Therefore, I will then have the parts on hand for any subsequent failures. If you order the DDM set, you might also order two sets (or maybe three set) to insure that you have satisfactorily working headlamps.
strider
Active Member
Dang, sorry to hear about this. My DDM's worked for 3 years before the Tesla HIDs were installed under warranty as mine were peeling. But my plan all along was that even if the DDMs only lasted a year I could replace them every year for 24 years before I would break even over the Tesla HIDs.
I've also had a less-than perfect experience with DDM. I had one of my ballasts go bad. Fortunately it happened all at once instead of intermittent. They replaced it under warranty but what a pain that was! Easier to just buy a new one. It was over 5 weeks after the initial warranty claim on their site before I got the replacement. 2 weeks before they shipped it. 3+ weeks in shipping. I have to admit their headlights work well when they work but if I was doing it all over from scratch, I would probably go with TRS.
Yes, this happened on my car as well. I asked Tesla service to fix it, which they did. I presume they removed and reinstalled the headlight enclosures.
wiztecy
Active Member
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