Can you sneak the LEDs behind the shroud or do you have to disassemble the housing again to put them in front of the H1?
Retrofit Headlight saga
- Thread starter Huachipato
- Start date
You got me thinking that maybe there is enough room to add the LEDs into the bulb opening - but it would put the LED into the projector's reflector bowl instead of outside the bowl. I'll play with what I have tonight to see how that looks. It is putting the light behind the cut off fence instead of in front - so it may not look right.
Had a little time today so I put one headlight in the oven to open it up. What a pain in the ass.
Got to trying to get the reflector out but I couldn't figure it out. Only had a few minutes, so I didn't want to rush anything and break any parts. But I had a hard time in regards to trying to get it off the adjustment points. And just now I went back and saw you added pics in reference to those things. I'll give it another go sometime soon.
Not sure if I am going to paint the reflector or not. But I need it out regardless since the bulb shield has a little screw holding it in and I can't get to it with the reflector on. Worst case I could just cut it off I guess.
Not looking forward to separating the other headlight, that was a frustrating process. I may try a heat gun on that one.
Got to trying to get the reflector out but I couldn't figure it out. Only had a few minutes, so I didn't want to rush anything and break any parts. But I had a hard time in regards to trying to get it off the adjustment points. And just now I went back and saw you added pics in reference to those things. I'll give it another go sometime soon.
Not sure if I am going to paint the reflector or not. But I need it out regardless since the bulb shield has a little screw holding it in and I can't get to it with the reflector on. Worst case I could just cut it off I guess.
Not looking forward to separating the other headlight, that was a frustrating process. I may try a heat gun on that one.
The bulb shield does not have a screw on it - it is just pressed in there. I'll get you a picture of it to verify (I don't know why I keep them).
Edit:
You just need to put a screwdriver, or something else, in the top where it mounts to push the tab down and it should slide out. It is possible that yours is a different design.
Also - the adjustment screws can be loosened with a quarter turn - it should help loosen up the reflector if you want to pull it out.
Edit again: I see what you mean. I was review some old pictures and I see that would be a challenging spot to push down on.
I also had some better pictures of how the reflectors are mounted:
Edit:
You just need to put a screwdriver, or something else, in the top where it mounts to push the tab down and it should slide out. It is possible that yours is a different design.
Also - the adjustment screws can be loosened with a quarter turn - it should help loosen up the reflector if you want to pull it out.
Edit again: I see what you mean. I was review some old pictures and I see that would be a challenging spot to push down on.
I also had some better pictures of how the reflectors are mounted:
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My light DID have a screw. Some brands are built a little differently than others. I was able to get it out.
I finally figured out how to get the reflector out. Took like 20 minutes, but now that I know how, the other one should only take 5, if that. I only have one connector that is the same as yours...the other 2 are different and surround the entire socket, so I wasn't able to slide them off. Probably makes no sense, but maybe I'll post pics later of my lights so you (and everyone) can see the difference.
When I do the rest of mine I am going to take pics and videos and post them. There are a few tricks I learned from the one I opened up so far. Stuff that will save people lots of time.
I finally figured out how to get the reflector out. Took like 20 minutes, but now that I know how, the other one should only take 5, if that. I only have one connector that is the same as yours...the other 2 are different and surround the entire socket, so I wasn't able to slide them off. Probably makes no sense, but maybe I'll post pics later of my lights so you (and everyone) can see the difference.
When I do the rest of mine I am going to take pics and videos and post them. There are a few tricks I learned from the one I opened up so far. Stuff that will save people lots of time.
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This is getting exciting, good work guys!
Got these in the mail today... 
[video=youtube;[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Yb2ITpi3k[/url][/video]
Not sure why the embedded link isn't working - but here is a direct link in case it doesn't.
https://youtu.be/l0Yb2ITpi3k
This should be fun...
[video=youtube;[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Yb2ITpi3k[/url][/video]
Not sure why the embedded link isn't working - but here is a direct link in case it doesn't.
https://youtu.be/l0Yb2ITpi3k
This should be fun...
Figured out how mount the RGB LEDs. I think it looks pretty good.
So - all 3 colors are turn on to make white. This is just a straight connection to all three colors without a controller. The controller I currently have makes a bluish white color so it must adjust the LEDs a little better than just full power for all colors (probably a little less blue than pictured).
And here is the color most would ask for. Just the Red LEDs lit.
A little video of the different colors manually being lit up.
https://youtu.be/cuYByXfxG7w
So - all 3 colors are turn on to make white. This is just a straight connection to all three colors without a controller. The controller I currently have makes a bluish white color so it must adjust the LEDs a little better than just full power for all colors (probably a little less blue than pictured).
And here is the color most would ask for. Just the Red LEDs lit.
A little video of the different colors manually being lit up.
https://youtu.be/cuYByXfxG7w
So - putting the headlights together, while trying to think through all the ways that this can be set up and how to get it up and running is a bit challenging. I even ran into an issue where I had the LED soldered in the housing and then realized I had to make another cut on the reflector to get it all to fit in right. Made quite the mess in the process.
Something else I need to point out. I thought all headlights were built the same. My intention was to never touch the stock headlights. So the first set was a cheap set I bought off Craigslist. I ruined those pretty thoroughly learning how to do this all. The next sets were from American Muscle and LMR. And they all opened up nice and easy. I had been keeping an eye on a set from Amazon - and they ended up dropping way down in price (I think it was a seller error it was so low) so I purchased a pair from them. That set was a real PIA to open up . I have little doubt that I ruined that set from Amazon. What I'm trying to say is aftermarket headlights are built differently (and not all aftermarket headlights are built the same) and some will lend themselves to be modified real easily while others require prying and prodding just to get them open.
I purchased another set of headlights online - from a brand I knew I had worked with before so I could finish this project.
So - mounting the projector to the headlight is pretty similar. The main difference in this one is I made a longer hole for the high beam cut off switch so I could fit in the RGB cable I needed inside the projector as well. I purchased a 5 meter long RGB cable and cut it in half.
I think fit the cut end through the reflector and then soldered the LED strip to the cable. I then mounted the LEDs to the projector, similar to how I was going to mount the single color LED, but it had go in sideways since the strip I had was a bit longer than single color ones.
I thought long and hard on how to wire up the LEDs. With that in mind I had purchased an RF RGB LED Controller. It was working well in testing - and I thought I'd be able to put it in the engine bay, but the last few days it just works for about 45 seconds and then gets "stuck" in whatever setting it was in. I was left with a manual controller and an IR Controller. I didn't think I'd really care for the big remote that came with my LED strip - but I do like that I can with the push of a button get whatever color I want. So I mounted the controller in the drivers foot well. I also added a little strip inside the car on the same controller so i can know what color is being shown.
For now - it is wired to the radio fuse. I am thinking I'll want to tap into the inside light one instead at some point since that will allow the lights to stay on a little longer after I turn off the car, and come on when I unlock the doors. Act a little more like courtesy lights in the process.
In the engine bay - I ended up with the RGB cable pig tails on each headlight. I used a splitter cable to connect them both together. I ran the cables under the grill trim.
I then just had to wire the cable to the cabin. I had already wired a sub-woofer cable to the trunk - so I used that route to get into the cabin. (I know - the car is very dirty)....
The end result is nice IMO. I didn't think of this but should have known that in broad daylight the LEDs would not show up at all. The lights can be seen - but don't have any cool effects till dusk. I think it will be fun taking the kids to school in the morning or in those days that are kind of dark but not headlights on dark.
I waited still dusk to take these shots of the main colors. Blue - Green, Red, and all together on for the kind of white.
and a close up shot
EDIT:
Need to find a way to make this smaller for my sig:
Something else I need to point out. I thought all headlights were built the same. My intention was to never touch the stock headlights. So the first set was a cheap set I bought off Craigslist. I ruined those pretty thoroughly learning how to do this all. The next sets were from American Muscle and LMR. And they all opened up nice and easy. I had been keeping an eye on a set from Amazon - and they ended up dropping way down in price (I think it was a seller error it was so low) so I purchased a pair from them. That set was a real PIA to open up . I have little doubt that I ruined that set from Amazon. What I'm trying to say is aftermarket headlights are built differently (and not all aftermarket headlights are built the same) and some will lend themselves to be modified real easily while others require prying and prodding just to get them open.
I purchased another set of headlights online - from a brand I knew I had worked with before so I could finish this project.
So - mounting the projector to the headlight is pretty similar. The main difference in this one is I made a longer hole for the high beam cut off switch so I could fit in the RGB cable I needed inside the projector as well. I purchased a 5 meter long RGB cable and cut it in half.
I think fit the cut end through the reflector and then soldered the LED strip to the cable. I then mounted the LEDs to the projector, similar to how I was going to mount the single color LED, but it had go in sideways since the strip I had was a bit longer than single color ones.
I thought long and hard on how to wire up the LEDs. With that in mind I had purchased an RF RGB LED Controller. It was working well in testing - and I thought I'd be able to put it in the engine bay, but the last few days it just works for about 45 seconds and then gets "stuck" in whatever setting it was in. I was left with a manual controller and an IR Controller. I didn't think I'd really care for the big remote that came with my LED strip - but I do like that I can with the push of a button get whatever color I want. So I mounted the controller in the drivers foot well. I also added a little strip inside the car on the same controller so i can know what color is being shown.
For now - it is wired to the radio fuse. I am thinking I'll want to tap into the inside light one instead at some point since that will allow the lights to stay on a little longer after I turn off the car, and come on when I unlock the doors. Act a little more like courtesy lights in the process.
In the engine bay - I ended up with the RGB cable pig tails on each headlight. I used a splitter cable to connect them both together. I ran the cables under the grill trim.
I then just had to wire the cable to the cabin. I had already wired a sub-woofer cable to the trunk - so I used that route to get into the cabin. (I know - the car is very dirty)....
The end result is nice IMO. I didn't think of this but should have known that in broad daylight the LEDs would not show up at all. The lights can be seen - but don't have any cool effects till dusk. I think it will be fun taking the kids to school in the morning or in those days that are kind of dark but not headlights on dark.
I waited still dusk to take these shots of the main colors. Blue - Green, Red, and all together on for the kind of white.
and a close up shot
EDIT:
Need to find a way to make this smaller for my sig:
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Droooooooooooooool. Man! I need!
Wow, awesome information in this thread. Very nice write up! You inspire me to want to try this some day.
Just thought I'd give a little update on the demon eyes - I did find a better way to make them. I just last night installed my latest set on my car - and for probably the first time that I can recall - I can actually see the demon eye glow reflected on the paint of the car in front of me during my morning drive (it was partly cloudy - but still...).
So what have I done? I have placed the LEDs right behind the lens. I think this makes the best looking Demon Eyes too. It provides mainly two benefits - the ability to insert more LEDs inside the projector and moves the LEDs further away from the bulb - allowing it to hopefully run cooler. I've been running a set up with 9 LEDs (270 degrees around the lens) for the last couple months in conjunction with 55W HID bulbs - and it seems to work out very well. Yesterday I swapped to a set of headlights using 12 LEDs instead (all 360 Degrees around the lens). It is brighter to the naked eye when I did the side by side comparison. I guess safe to say 25% brighter.
Here is a picture of how it is installed.
I use twist ties to keep it in place - which I much prefer over glue since you know it won't come unglued over time.
Here is how the car looked when I parked yesterday:
It is hard to see in that image - but the LEDs really end up at times looking like little dots of light around the lens. This one I think shows it off a little better:
And since it is all behind the lens - once everything is turned off - you don't see anything other than a black headlight.
Anyways - just thought I'd share this little update.
So what have I done? I have placed the LEDs right behind the lens. I think this makes the best looking Demon Eyes too. It provides mainly two benefits - the ability to insert more LEDs inside the projector and moves the LEDs further away from the bulb - allowing it to hopefully run cooler. I've been running a set up with 9 LEDs (270 degrees around the lens) for the last couple months in conjunction with 55W HID bulbs - and it seems to work out very well. Yesterday I swapped to a set of headlights using 12 LEDs instead (all 360 Degrees around the lens). It is brighter to the naked eye when I did the side by side comparison. I guess safe to say 25% brighter.
Here is a picture of how it is installed.
I use twist ties to keep it in place - which I much prefer over glue since you know it won't come unglued over time.
Here is how the car looked when I parked yesterday:
It is hard to see in that image - but the LEDs really end up at times looking like little dots of light around the lens. This one I think shows it off a little better:
And since it is all behind the lens - once everything is turned off - you don't see anything other than a black headlight.
Anyways - just thought I'd share this little update.
oh man! Looks awesome bud. :beer:
Wish you were closer, so you could work your magic on RGB gills in my '15 :beer:
Wish you were closer, so you could work your magic on RGB gills in my '15 :beer:
Thought I'd post a little update and thank you once again for your input. I finally got my retrofits installed and wired the way I wanted. Pic is in the sig.
Nice work. It looks like you left the shroud chrome? I'm kind of liking the ring around the eye look more than I thought i would.
Nope,it's painted black. No chrome. If I had to do it again, I'd get the hidden halos. I don't mind the look, though, for now.
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