[youknowluke]

I am going to upgrade my F10s headlights over the coming months and post updates mods coming are :

LED Indicators Cree Bulbs (Link: http://goo.gl/1yCiDo)
Reverse Bulb Cree Bulbs (Link: http://goo.gl/UuIt4s)
HID kit for High and low beam tested with F10s (Link:http://goo.gl/0DGZvt)
LED Cree Chip for Angel Eyes (Link : http://goo.gl/fjkqYk)

Total cost of project : £194.71 (+ Labour) vs £1600 (+ Labour) for Xenon retrofit

Pictures and videos will be updated after every modification, I will post if any are unsuccessful e.g. canbus dash light etc.

I have had the DRL set on my car as the Angel eyes and the light sensor for the headlights set to low sensitivity (so the headlights aren't on all day like most like all F10s)

After heavy research on this project I'm confident it will work, Ill be using heato-foil for the angel eye chips, the rest won't need heat sinks. Ill be doing the angel eyes when its summer or warm as its going to be a job and a half and a complete strip and rebuild of the headlight assembly I have predicted this is about 1 days work for each headlight. I've already had the headlight out so I know the above LED chip will fit, its just an SMD installed on the OEM Halo angel rings, on the LCI and Xenon headlights its a CREE chip. I've measured resistance in the wires going to the SMD chip, measured current and voltage to get a chip which is like for like apart from being CREE so three times as bright. I've been in touch with Valeo getting details about the difference in the headlight range LCI, Xenon, Halo. After looking over the headlight it will be hard to solder but ill be using a solder extension needle for precision.

1st Mod will be side front indicators to LED, Reverse Lamps.
2nd will be HID kits for Low and High beam (properly installed front bumper off proper mounting headlight out)
3rd Mod for the summer will be the headlight rebuild to change the angel eye chips.


My budget is £300 (I'm getting a garage to fit the HID kits) after all this I'm hoping way better night driving, better looks, and not ever having to change a Incandescent bulb again

[teaston]

Sounds good!

Not sure i'd bother with the indicators and reverse lights personally for how long they actually come on for, and the indicators will still be orange so won't look any different.

You know the LED's will all need coding to prevent them flickering?

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by teaston

Sounds good!

Not sure i'd bother with the indicators and reverse lights personally for how long they actually come on for, and the indicators will still be orange so won't look any different.

You know the LED's will all need coding to prevent them flickering?

Indicators was just because the I'm so OCD and I can always see the amber reflection in the headlight cluster on the Incandescent bulb plus adds to appearance and with the rear being LED I have to get them done. The reverse light is poor at night at where I live there are no street lights and even the fog light doesn't help much.

LEDs should be ok, they're all matched for current like the indicators are 50w the same as the incandescent bulbs ill be removing. LEDs just require current and voltage like any other bulb as long as its drawing current the LCU won't know the difference. Check this out on youtube shows the difference between LED indicators and normal on the F10 this guy is only using 3 SMD LEDs ill be using CREE which is way brighter.

Xenon bulbs are a different story they require pulsed current and stepped up voltages when they ignite the arc when you switch them on, I've done my research on this and even coding doesn't remove the flickering you need resistors this is why I'm taking the headlights out to fit them as resistors get so hot they need to be mounted in a safe place and correctly isolated from any other components. The digital relay and resistors keep a steady current flow instead of a varying one which you get without one. Normally you can get away without this on other car models or older cars as the varying current draw happens so fast the systems can't keep up, the HID kits if they're not a cheap knock off will always have fuses and regulators built in the ballast so that the HID kit never draws more than 55w or 35w as this could cause damage to the LCU, or any cars electrical components. If you follow the link to the HID kit this is a proven kit which works with F10 and comes with the resistors & relay harness which the F10 needs otherwise it flickers and codes up.

Trust me on this though, I've solidly researched everything on this project as I don't wanna kill my car. Its worth noting aswell that on cars there are more reports of electrical faults due to Halogen bulbs sparking, blowing, spiking current when they blow etc, than LEDs & Xenon combined faults to electrical system. So upgrading everything to LEDs & Xenon as long as it works and is installed properly will enhance your cars reliability and desirability when you come to sell. Another thing to note is that if you have a F10 with electronic or adaptive dampers this actually constitutes as auto levelling for the HIDs through the suspension. Even though there is no requirement for this to pass an MOT or have washers yet.



Youtube link :

[teaston]

Your LED bulbs might not give a bulb out warning, but without coding for LED's they will flicker because the car sends out a signal every few minutes to check the bulbs are working, it's too small a current to light up the halogen bulbs, but enough to light up LED's. It has been covered numerous times on the F30 technical forums.

Here: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ght=Flickering

Here, post #17: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ght=Flickering

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by teaston

Your LED bulbs might not give a bulb out warning, but without coding for LED's they will flicker because the car sends out a signal every few minutes to check the bulbs are working, it's too small a current to light up the halogen bulbs, but enough to light up LED's. It has been covered numerous times on the F30 technical forums.

Here: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ght=Flickering

Here, post #17: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ght=Flickering

Your exactly right but not with the Bulbs I'm sourcing an LED is either off or on as you know, if a LED is an SMD which is what 90% of people buy to use on there cars it requires little to no current most are rated at no more than 10w, if the car sends round 10w to check the bulbs are ok it will light it up and flicker as you said. If its 50w the same rating as the Halogen it won't light up unless 50w is pulsed round which would have the Halogens flickering, Halogens can fade on aswell so its likely to be around a 10w check enough to light up SMDs but not my bulb. SMDs are cheapest hence why they account for the majority of LED sales. CREE is new technology and is about brightness and they say they will last the life of the car. CREEs use similar wattages to Halogen depending on the power of the CREE chip.

Ill post updates on this as I go.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by youknowluke

Your exactly right but not with the Bulbs I'm sourcing an LED is either off or on as you know, if a LED is an SMD which is what 90% of people buy to use on there cars it requires little to no current most are rated at no more than 10w, if the car sends round 10w to check the bulbs are ok it will light it up and flicker as you said. If its 50w the same rating as the Halogen it won't light up unless 50w is pulsed round which would have the Halogens flickering, Halogens can fade on aswell so its likely to be around a 10w check enough to light up SMDs but not my bulb. SMDs are cheapest hence why they account for the majority of LED sales. CREE is new technology and is about brightness and they say they will last the life of the car. CREEs use similar wattages to Halogen depending on the power of the CREE chip.

Ill post updates on this as I go.

The Weisslicht are CREE chips afaik. Your ones must have some resistors built in then.

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by teaston

The Weisslicht are CREE chips afaik. Your ones must have some resistors built in then.

For sure they will have. Keep an eye on this thread ill post updates photos and videos any bulbs that work should work for any BMW with a new LCU and the same bulb type.

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by teaston

The Weisslicht are CREE chips afaik. Your ones must have some resistors built in then.

I stand corrected, I just read the eBay listing there is no resistors on the bulbs there are 10 x 5w cree chips = 50w

[teaston]

Originally Posted by youknowluke

I stand corrected, I just read the eBay listing there is no resistors on the bulbs there are 10 x 5w cree chips = 50w

I'll be interested to find out if they do flicker or not. Apparently they flicker when you start the car, then every 3 or 4 minutes.

Also, the link to the reverse bulbs in your first post is for the HID bulbs.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by youknowluke

I am going to upgrade my F10s headlights over the coming months and post updates mods coming are :

LED Indicators Cree Bulbs (Link: http://goo.gl/fS4aPC)
Reverse Bulb Cree Bulbs (Link: http://goo.gl/0DGZvt)
HID kit for High and low beam tested with F10s (Link:http://goo.gl/0DGZvt)
LED Cree Chip for Angel Eyes (Link : http://goo.gl/fjkqYk)

Total cost of project : £194.71 (+ Labour) vs £1600 (+ Labour) for Xenon retrofit

Pictures and videos will be updated after every modification, I will post if any are unsuccessful e.g. canbus dash light etc.

I have had the DRL set on my car as the Angel eyes and the light sensor for the headlights set to low sensitivity (so the headlights aren't on all day like most like all F10s)

After heavy research on this project I'm confident it will work, Ill be using heato-foil for the angel eye chips, the rest won't need heat sinks. Ill be doing the angel eyes when its summer or warm as its going to be a job and a half and a complete strip and rebuild of the headlight assembly I have predicted this is about 1 days work for each headlight. I've already had the headlight out so I know the above LED chip will fit, its just an SMD installed on the OEM Halo angel rings, on the LCI and Xenon headlights its a CREE chip. I've measured resistance in the wires going to the SMD chip, measured current and voltage to get a chip which is like for like apart from being CREE so three times as bright. I've been in touch with Valeo getting details about the difference in the headlight range LCI, Xenon, Halo. After looking over the headlight it will be hard to solder but ill be using a solder extension needle for precision.

1st Mod will be side front indicators to LED, Reverse Lamps.
2nd will be HID kits for Low and High beam (properly installed front bumper off proper mounting headlight out)
3rd Mod for the summer will be the headlight rebuild to change the angel eye chips.


My budget is £300 (I'm getting a garage to fit the HID kits) after all this I'm hoping way better night driving, better looks, and not ever having to change a Incandescent bulb again

Good to see that you have done some home work and taking time and effort to start this.
B/W your 2nd ebay link is incorrect as it takes you to hid kit than reverse lights.

I am interested to see your halo rings mod and how it goes (though you are planning to do it in summer time).

Also, I would suggest you to have 5000K HID bulbs. 6000K is defo not oem colour and bluish.

Good luck with your project.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Good to see that you have done some home work and taking time and effort to start this.
B/W your 2nd ebay link is incorrect as it takes you to hid kit than reverse lights.

I am interested to see your halo rings mod and how it goes (though you are planning to do it in summer time).

Also, I would suggest you to have 5000K HID bulbs. 6000K is defo not oem colour and bluish.

Good luck with your project.

+1 on the 5000k, 6000k looks chav blue!

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by youknowluke

I stand corrected, I just read the eBay listing there is no resistors on the bulbs there are 10 x 5w cree chips = 50w

I think you'll find they will flicker then. They are rated at 50w because collectively the LEDs together will give that light out put. They are though 10w each so will pick up the pulse the car will send out.

Also make sure the LEDs will light up the reflector behind the bulb other wise you will just get a bright dot for and indicator which won't be safe on the road as it won't be bright enough. Most of the light you see is reflected from the bulb, not just from the bulb itself.

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Good to see that you have done some home work and taking time and effort to start this.
B/W your 2nd ebay link is incorrect as it takes you to hid kit than reverse lights.

I am interested to see your halo rings mod and how it goes (though you are planning to do it in summer time).

Also, I would suggest you to have 5000K HID bulbs. 6000K is defo not oem colour and bluish.

Good luck with your project.

I can't find a 5000k a kit can you help? I totally agree 6000k is chav blue. I just couldn't find a kit for an F10 which was 5000k My last car had factory Xenons and I changed the D1S bulbs to 8000k, I soon changed them back the road lighting was terrible, and it looked so chavvy!!

Links updated.

Yes I cannot subject myself to this during winter. I think its best to do it outside on a table when its warmer on a sunny weekend. Ill have my soldering iron, cree chips, superglue at the ready!! I need to get a mod done for this dreary angel eyes.

[teaston]

I think you'll find those reverse LED's will be very dim! The chips only point fowards, not towards the reflector which is where most of the light comes from. And they look pretty low quality tbh.

If you're going to do it you should really get some like the Weisslicht bulbs: http://www.bimmian.co.uk/WeissLicht-...r-F80-3-Series

They're what this member used: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=996012 (and even those require coding to stop flickering)

[Junebug85]

Hi

I tried the same led reverse lights in my car and got a bulb warning error after a minute or so of them being installed. As Teaston said, the light also shines out one end so you end up with a torch light effect. I'd suggest to go for ones that have led lights all the way around so the light is not so one way directional (if that makes sense)

Perhaps these...

http://store.ijdmtoy.com/25W-CREE-Hi...s-p/10-319.htm

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Junebug85

Hi

I tried the same led reverse lights in my car and got a bulb warning error after a minute or so of them being installed. As Teaston said, the light also shines out one end so you end up with a torch light effect. I'd suggest to go for ones that have led lights all the way around so the light is not so one way directional (if that makes sense)

Perhaps these...

http://store.ijdmtoy.com/25W-CREE-Hi...s-p/10-319.htm

They're 2 inches long, will they fit?

[Junebug85]

Originally Posted by teaston

They're 2 inches long, will they fit?

I think they will... The ebay ones are 1.8 inches. Although when I tried them they did feel a bit wobbly!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Junebug85

I think they will... The ebay ones are 1.8 inches. Although when I tried them they did feel a bit wobbly!

I bet they do with the T10 connections! Shame the F10 doesn't have the P21W connections like the F30 as they give a much more secure fit.

[youknowluke]

Originally Posted by Junebug85

I think they will... The ebay ones are 1.8 inches. Although when I tried them they did feel a bit wobbly!

Any ideas how you access the reverse bulb as I was looking today and scratching my head?

[youknowluke]

This seller swears blind the his bulbs work with F10 and only a select number of cars with fussy canbus systems check it out. Seem worth a buy?

http://goo.gl/jzh3f2

[teaston]

Originally Posted by youknowluke

Any ideas how you access the reverse bulb as I was looking today and scratching my head?

Like dis:

[teaston]

.