2001 Suburban K2500 - Summer Camping & Winter Commuting
- Thread starter snowblind
- Start date
noJeepshere
Adventurer
Sweet trailer.
cent frum a smaert fone
cent frum a smaert fone
snowblind
Adventurer
snowblind
Adventurer
Dual Battery Installation
Finally got the Auxiliary battery wired.
We ran 4AWG from POS and NEG terminals. Aux battery shares the primary battery's ground.
Along with the POS/NEG wires there are two additional 4AWG wires and an 8AWG wire running across the firewall. These provide power for the stereo amps and the rear fridge/Goal Zero charger. Everything is connected with a Stinger 250A Isolator. By using the positive stud on the isolator as a power distribution block I was able to keep the positive battery terminal relatively uncluttered.
Matt
Finally got the Auxiliary battery wired.
We ran 4AWG from POS and NEG terminals. Aux battery shares the primary battery's ground.
Along with the POS/NEG wires there are two additional 4AWG wires and an 8AWG wire running across the firewall. These provide power for the stereo amps and the rear fridge/Goal Zero charger. Everything is connected with a Stinger 250A Isolator. By using the positive stud on the isolator as a power distribution block I was able to keep the positive battery terminal relatively uncluttered.
Matt
Last edited:
utherjorge
Observer
Snow, did you ever get a pic with the headlights/etc. for lighting? I'm interested in some upgrading, but I wanted to see what you have before I dive in.
Thanks!
Thanks!
snowblind
Adventurer
LED 9006 Headlight Bulbs
I've been running Hella 80watt bulbs since the fall. They are definitely a little brighter than the stock but they run HOT. You feel the heat an inch in front of the headlight housing:Wow1::Wow1::Wow1:
Then I was on a 4 hour night drive and I realized that the interior headlight switch was REALLY hot to the touch. :Wow1::Wow1::Wow1: Apparently GM still runs there headlight power thru the damn interior switch! Haven't they ever heard of a relay?
Then I broke one of my Depo headlights. One of the adjusters failed.
So... new Depos and a set of LED headlight bulbs on the way from Amazon.
Here is the bulb. It is sold as 80watt but that is "per pair" so really it is a single 40watt LED. It is mounted to a heat sink and the large base is a fan that cools the heat sink.
This is the power supply. It plugs into the stock headlight socket and then the new LED bulb.
Overall size of bulb (minus the fan) is very close to Hella 9006. The distance from the light source to the bulb base is also very close. Fitting the bulbs in the Depo housings was no problem and mounting in the truck no problem also.
Comparison light shots. LED is on the right. Camera shutter/aperture are on manual but white balance is on auto so the color difference varies a little from photo to photo. In person the LED is MUCH whiter than the 80watt Hellas which are in fact a "Xenon" bulb with blue/white coating.
As I drop below the level of the projector cut off.
Now with both LED bulbs in. Notice the huge change in light directly in front of the truck.
And getting BLASTED below the cutoff! :Wow1::Wow1::Wow1:
The bad news is that the LED light scatters a lot. They light up the ground in front of the truck MUCH more than the 9006 but they don't reach any further down the road. This creates a problem where the driver actually sees less down the road because of the high contrast scene.
For my needs they are an excellent product. The projector housings help focus the scattered light and most of my driving is in the city were they work well. For country driving I have auxiliary lighting that reaches a little farther and I'm happy with the overall combo. For now...
Almost forgot the pattern shots. This is LED on the left with 80watt 9006 on the right. Taken from the front drivers side of the hood. The LED is responsible for pretty much all the foreground light.
Two LEDs. I have the lights aimed almost as low as they will go. I don't want to be blinding others with these things.
Two LEDs + four Hella Micro DE. You can see the cutoff of the "high-aimed" Hellas above the headlight cutoff. Not good for off-road racing but acceptable for my needs.
Matt
I've been running Hella 80watt bulbs since the fall. They are definitely a little brighter than the stock but they run HOT. You feel the heat an inch in front of the headlight housing:Wow1::Wow1::Wow1:
Then I was on a 4 hour night drive and I realized that the interior headlight switch was REALLY hot to the touch. :Wow1::Wow1::Wow1: Apparently GM still runs there headlight power thru the damn interior switch! Haven't they ever heard of a relay?
Then I broke one of my Depo headlights. One of the adjusters failed.
So... new Depos and a set of LED headlight bulbs on the way from Amazon.
Here is the bulb. It is sold as 80watt but that is "per pair" so really it is a single 40watt LED. It is mounted to a heat sink and the large base is a fan that cools the heat sink.
This is the power supply. It plugs into the stock headlight socket and then the new LED bulb.
Overall size of bulb (minus the fan) is very close to Hella 9006. The distance from the light source to the bulb base is also very close. Fitting the bulbs in the Depo housings was no problem and mounting in the truck no problem also.
Comparison light shots. LED is on the right. Camera shutter/aperture are on manual but white balance is on auto so the color difference varies a little from photo to photo. In person the LED is MUCH whiter than the 80watt Hellas which are in fact a "Xenon" bulb with blue/white coating.
As I drop below the level of the projector cut off.
Now with both LED bulbs in. Notice the huge change in light directly in front of the truck.
And getting BLASTED below the cutoff! :Wow1::Wow1::Wow1:
The bad news is that the LED light scatters a lot. They light up the ground in front of the truck MUCH more than the 9006 but they don't reach any further down the road. This creates a problem where the driver actually sees less down the road because of the high contrast scene.
For my needs they are an excellent product. The projector housings help focus the scattered light and most of my driving is in the city were they work well. For country driving I have auxiliary lighting that reaches a little farther and I'm happy with the overall combo. For now...
Almost forgot the pattern shots. This is LED on the left with 80watt 9006 on the right. Taken from the front drivers side of the hood. The LED is responsible for pretty much all the foreground light.
Two LEDs. I have the lights aimed almost as low as they will go. I don't want to be blinding others with these things.
Two LEDs + four Hella Micro DE. You can see the cutoff of the "high-aimed" Hellas above the headlight cutoff. Not good for off-road racing but acceptable for my needs.
Matt
utherjorge
Observer
That's a ton of great information. Thank you!
I think I caught in the middle of that post that this is with the projector housing that modified the cut-off. I thought my brights were fine, but the low beams were too low.
I think I'll use your information here to make some informed choices: the new projector housings with the LEDs. If I read that right, you now run the LED headlights instead of the HELLAs?
I think I'm going to go with a bar like this below for the driving lights, though: I like the N-Fab bar, but I think it's too wide. Link below:
http://offroadwarehouse.com/i-11651...l=SILVERADO 1500HD||make=CHEVROLET||year=2001
I'm just not sure if the 1500HD bumper would also be the same fitment as a 2003 Burb.
I think I caught in the middle of that post that this is with the projector housing that modified the cut-off. I thought my brights were fine, but the low beams were too low.
I think I'll use your information here to make some informed choices: the new projector housings with the LEDs. If I read that right, you now run the LED headlights instead of the HELLAs?
I think I'm going to go with a bar like this below for the driving lights, though: I like the N-Fab bar, but I think it's too wide. Link below:
http://offroadwarehouse.com/i-11651...l=SILVERADO 1500HD||make=CHEVROLET||year=2001
I'm just not sure if the 1500HD bumper would also be the same fitment as a 2003 Burb.
snowblind
Adventurer
The stock headlight housing low beams are terrible. The light is very poorly focused with no real cutoff. I replaced them with these Depo headlights. They are cheap bordering on junk as far as the construction goes but the light is pretty decent. And they are maybe the only projector option for Suburban/Tahoe.
I just installed the LED bulbs last night. Your request just happened to coincide with my post. But yes that is what I am running now and what is in the photos.
I like the looks of that style of light bar but I don't like the way it sticks out. In the winter I'm always nosing into snow banks and that thing would be the leading edge.
For me replacement front bumper/grille is the toughest part of modding a tahoe/suburban. Nothing looks "good" AND functions well.
Matt
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utherjorge
Observer
Matt, do you have something different for the high beams, or did I miss it?
snowblind
Adventurer
Nothing with the highbeams yet. Just the stock (65watt?) 9005. I rarely use highbeams so it was not a priority for me.
Matt
snowblind
Adventurer
utherjorge
Observer
Matt, I'm just about to pull the trigger on this; how is the weather-proofing of those LEDs?
snowblind
Adventurer
Weatherproofing seems really good. The wiring connectors to the little ballast have rubber boots and the bulb to headlight is completely sealed with an O-ring on the bulb base, just like stock.
The only questionable part is the fan that blows on the bulb base. I have seen other manufacturers state that their fan is waterproof and show it running in a glass of water. The bulbs I bought do not advertise as a waterproof fan but I'm guessing they are very similar in manufacturer.
Matt
utherjorge
Observer
The only reservation I have about the new projector housings is that our roads here are garbage. I'm driving the Burb as my DD and I hit rim-rocking potholes all the time, and I'm worried about the shake and the build quality of the new housings. I don't mind spending the money. I mind spending it twice.
Are you DD-ing yours, and dealing with winter's leftover gifts like me?
Are you DD-ing yours, and dealing with winter's leftover gifts like me?