reversing / back-up lights

gkerr4 · 12-24-2012, 08:23 AM

hi folks - loving my new F10 530d - really liking the car - comfortable, economical and powerful.

one thing though - the reversing lights are awful - very dim. I have to backup into the my driveway and live in the country where there are no streetlights so it is often pitch black at this time of year.

Has anyone changed or 'upgraded' the lights - they are 16w "W16W" type bulbs - can we get better ones? Has anyone fitted LED replacements and did they work ok or throw the 'bulb out' warning?

thanks in advance.

A900ss · 12-24-2012, 08:40 AM

Can't you just turn your fog lights on when reversing to give additional illumination? I've not noticed a problem with the reversing lights but I haven't reversed in the pitch black in a tight space.

Good luck.

bobblehead · 12-24-2012, 10:12 AM

If you choose the led reverse light bulb, go for the cree R5 7 watt led. You can get them from ebay for around $20 pair.

Don't get confuse with cree q5 led bulb. The R5 is much brighter than Q5.

JNoSol · 12-24-2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobblehead

If you choose the led reverse light bulb, go for the cree R5 7 watt led. You can get them from ebay for around $20 pair.

Don't get confuse with cree q5 led bulb. The R5 is much brighter than Q5.

Any error code?

GIANITALY · 12-25-2012, 09:52 PM

i found some good ones in no code error.
http://www.v-leds.com

gkerr4 · 12-27-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A900ss

Can't you just turn your fog lights on when reversing to give additional illumination? I've not noticed a problem with the reversing lights but I haven't reversed in the pitch black in a tight space.

Good luck.

Hmm - i tried the fog-lights, to be honest they didn't make much difference. Its a slow reverse into the drive - slow enough that i'm usually still on the break too (it's an auto) so the brakelights are on also - i just think that the red light doesn't really help much.

Might have to do some more digging on the LED lamp front - although i wonder if even that will have any benefit?

thanks again.

raleedy · 12-27-2012, 04:18 PM

There are better lights on the other end of the car.

Jon D · 12-28-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkerr4

hi folks - loving my new F10 530d - really liking the car - comfortable, economical and powerful.

one thing though - the reversing lights are awful - very dim. I have to backup into the my driveway and live in the country where there are no streetlights so it is often pitch black at this time of year.

Has anyone changed or 'upgraded' the lights - they are 16w "W16W" type bulbs - can we get better ones? Has anyone fitted LED replacements and did they work ok or throw the 'bulb out' warning?

thanks in advance.

Same on my F12; I'd like to find a brighter alternative too.

gkerr4 · 12-28-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raleedy

There are better lights on the other end of the car.

ha ha - this is true!

But it would be quite dangerous for me to reverse 'out' of my drive, so until i build a turning circle in the drive, then i have to reverse 'into' it!

EV0LVE · 12-28-2012, 10:00 PM

Can't you install motion sensing lights on your driveway?

gkerr4 · 12-29-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EV0LVE

Can't you install motion sensing lights on your driveway?

ooh - this is a good idea.

Still won't make the reversing lights brighter - but would solve the immediate 'issue' - nice thinking!

acuragod · 04-20-2013, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNoSol

Any error code?

I purchased the R5 Cree bulbs from Ebay for around $15. After install, I get an error code. Any other suggestions???

kthankzbye · 04-20-2013, 02:56 AM

I think it's always going to throw an error code cause stock bulbs uses 21w and the LEDs uses 7w.

I also bought them. I'm going to see if mine throws an error code.

JNoSol · 04-20-2013, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acuragod

I purchased the R5 Cree bulbs from Ebay for around $15. After install, I get an error code. Any other suggestions???

I would go with PIAA Xtreme White. It's really bright and the light output is white.

GIANITALY · 04-20-2013, 01:24 PM

http://www.vleds.com/6k-white-1157-11w-high-power-led-light-bulbs-1-pair.html

JNoSol · 04-21-2013, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIANITALY

http://www.vleds.com/6k-white-1157-11w-high-power-led-light-bulbs-1-pair.html

11w LEDs in such a small form factor without proper heat sink can get extremely hot. If you look at 6w or 9w Angel Eyes LEDs by LUX or mTEC, they have massive heat sink. Even that, they still get very hot after being on for a couple seconds.

Although it's not much of fire risk since the backup light doesn't stay on for an hour, compared to the angel eyes.

grimlock · 04-21-2013, 09:47 AM

You need resistors in parrellel. The lower the resistence the less it triggers the warning -sometimes 1000ohm is enough, I run 80R.
Also current draw must exceed 0.25A (there abouts, I forgot the exact) which is 3W.
If these two conditions are not met, bulb warning is trigged.
The ebay ones, some do not have resistors in parrallel, and some do not draw enough power.

acuragod · 04-25-2013, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grimlock

You need resistors in parrellel. The lower the resistence the less it triggers the warning -sometimes 1000ohm is enough, I run 80R.
Also current draw must exceed 0.25A (there abouts, I forgot the exact) which is 3W.
If these two conditions are not met, bulb warning is trigged.
The ebay ones, some do not have resistors in parrallel, and some do not draw enough power.

Sounds complicated. Maybe I should just keep the reverse lights stock.

kthankzbye · 04-26-2013, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grimlock

You need resistors in parrellel. The lower the resistence the less it triggers the warning -sometimes 1000ohm is enough, I run 80R.
Also current draw must exceed 0.25A (there abouts, I forgot the exact) which is 3W.
If these two conditions are not met, bulb warning is trigged.
The ebay ones, some do not have resistors in parrallel, and some do not draw enough power.

All that physics is giving me an headache lol. I'm still waiting on my bulbs. I'll let you know If they throw any error codes.

GIANITALY · 04-27-2013, 03:56 PM

I didn't have any problems whatsoever , and didn't have any resistors or any code error.

BigDeep1 · 04-28-2013, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIANITALY

I didn't have any problems whatsoever , and didn't have any resistors or any code error.

Awesome! So those Vleds from your link worked like plug and play. No error warnings at all? Sounds like a win. I have been wanting to do this upgrade.

Anyone else here not a fan of the yellow turn headlight (the inside headlight that lights up when turning the wheel)?

12-24-2012, 08:23 AM	#1
gkerr4 New Member Drives: E91 325d M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 26 iTrader: (0)	reversing / back-up lights hi folks - loving my new F10 530d - really liking the car - comfortable, economical and powerful. one thing though - the reversing lights are awful - very dim. I have to backup into the my driveway and live in the country where there are no streetlights so it is often pitch black at this time of year. Has anyone changed or 'upgraded' the lights - they are 16w "W16W" type bulbs - can we get better ones? Has anyone fitted LED replacements and did they work ok or throw the 'bulb out' warning? thanks in advance.
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12-25-2012, 09:52 PM	#5
GIANITALY Enlisted Member Drives: 2012 BMW 535I M PACK Join Date: May 2012 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 48 iTrader: (0)	i found some good ones in no code error. http://www.v-leds.com __________________ http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...DSC_0694-2.jpg

04-20-2013, 01:24 PM	#15
GIANITALY Enlisted Member Drives: 2012 BMW 535I M PACK Join Date: May 2012 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 48 iTrader: (0)	http://www.vleds.com/6k-white-1157-11w-high-power-led-light-bulbs-1-pair.html __________________ http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...DSC_0694-2.jpg

04-27-2013, 03:56 PM	#20
GIANITALY Enlisted Member Drives: 2012 BMW 535I M PACK Join Date: May 2012 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 48 iTrader: (0)	I didn't have any problems whatsoever , and didn't have any resistors or any code error. __________________ http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...DSC_0694-2.jpg

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12-24-2012, 08:40 AM	#2
A900ss Private First Class Drives: 2012 520d Touring Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Gloucestershire, UK Posts: 143 iTrader: (0)	Can't you just turn your fog lights on when reversing to give additional illumination? I've not noticed a problem with the reversing lights but I haven't reversed in the pitch black in a tight space. Good luck.

12-24-2012, 10:12 AM	#3
bobblehead Colonel Drives: warp speed Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, On Posts: 2,544 iTrader: (0)	If you choose the led reverse light bulb, go for the cree R5 7 watt led. You can get them from ebay for around $20 pair. Don't get confuse with cree q5 led bulb. The R5 is much brighter than Q5.

12-27-2012, 04:18 PM	#7
raleedy Major Drives: E92 328i MY 2008 (ED 11/14/07) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,428 iTrader: (0)	There are better lights on the other end of the car.

12-28-2012, 10:00 PM	#10
EV0LVE Lieutenant Drives: F10 535i SG Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 592 iTrader: (0)	Can't you install motion sensing lights on your driveway?

04-20-2013, 02:56 AM	#13
kthankzbye Second Lieutenant Drives: X5 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NYC Posts: 224 iTrader: (0)	I think it's always going to throw an error code cause stock bulbs uses 21w and the LEDs uses 7w. I also bought them. I'm going to see if mine throws an error code.

04-21-2013, 09:47 AM	#17
grimlock Lieutenant Colonel Drives: F10 528i Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,525 iTrader: (0)	You need resistors in parrellel. The lower the resistence the less it triggers the warning -sometimes 1000ohm is enough, I run 80R. Also current draw must exceed 0.25A (there abouts, I forgot the exact) which is 3W. If these two conditions are not met, bulb warning is trigged. The ebay ones, some do not have resistors in parrallel, and some do not draw enough power.