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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 F10 Headlights/Rear Light Upgrade!!! |
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01-25-2015, 12:14 PM | #1 |
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F10 Headlights/Rear Light Upgrade!!!
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 Last edited by youknowluke; 01-31-2015 at 10:50 AM.. |
01-25-2015, 12:29 PM | #2 |
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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? |
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01-25-2015, 01:43 PM | #3 | |
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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 : |
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01-25-2015, 01:55 PM | #4 |
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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 |
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01-25-2015, 02:06 PM | #5 | |
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Ill post updates on this as I go. |
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01-25-2015, 02:09 PM | #6 | |
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01-25-2015, 03:15 PM | #7 |
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01-25-2015, 03:36 PM | #8 |
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01-25-2015, 03:41 PM | #9 | |
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Also, the link to the reverse bulbs in your first post is for the HID bulbs. |
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01-25-2015, 04:41 PM | #10 | |
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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.
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01-25-2015, 04:55 PM | #11 | |
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01-26-2015, 02:13 AM | #12 | |
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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.
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01-26-2015, 04:32 PM | #13 | |
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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. Last edited by youknowluke; 01-26-2015 at 04:39 PM.. |
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01-26-2015, 05:06 PM | #14 |
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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) |
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01-27-2015, 06:57 AM | #15 |
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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 Last edited by Junebug85; 01-27-2015 at 06:57 AM.. Reason: Wrong spelling |
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01-27-2015, 12:57 PM | #16 | |
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01-27-2015, 01:34 PM | #17 | ||
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01-27-2015, 03:03 PM | #18 |
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01-27-2015, 03:11 PM | #19 |
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01-27-2015, 03:21 PM | #20 |
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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 |
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