A better option - Reverse Lamps

kjrulz · 05-22-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

Hate to

but...I'm about to bite the bullet on some red 1156 CANBUS leds (44 LED towers) that I can use to replace the brake bulbs in my e90 LCI tail lights

WHY you might ask?? Answer: good question, mostly, because I can, I think it will be brighter, and with LEDs, they come on quicker, and in tests at highway speeds, it can give the person behind you a 25 foot decrease in stopping distance over halogens. That's the difference between a rear end...and not at all.

mind telling me where you found them?

also, can someone clarify what is in pre lci & lci's & e90 & e92?

rollinstone157 · 05-22-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjrulz

mind telling me where you found them?

also, can someone clarify what is in pre lci & lci's & e90 & e92?

Sure, no problem! I can't link to specific products on autolumination (their website really could use an upgrade) but you go to http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm and you want to just search the page for this exact phrase "44 High Powered Wide Angle SMT LEDS" (just without the quotes). I triple checked just to be 100% sure that this is the right type of bulb, and it seems like it is.

Now, I've decided to quasi-throw the Sylvania out the window. It's great for getting a general idea of bulbs, but it seems like they've got the 3 series all wrong. I think it doesn't fully understand the difference between the e9x models, and weather the car is LCI or not. But at any rate...the e90 LCI (and that's all I can speak for) uses 5 different bulbs/modules for brake lights:
The ceiling mounted brake light bar
4x P21W bulbs [2 per tail light] (aka a bulb with a BA15S base).

And just a tip, when buying LEDs, unlike halogen bulbs, it's better to get them color matched to your application; so if you wanted amber turn signals and your car has amber turn housings, you still want to buy amber leds, vs. a whitish halogen bulb. The color will be brighter. So you want to buy the red bulbs for your brake lights instead of the white ones.

And it's easy to tell what kind of bulb is in your housing. When you take off the bulb holders (those plastic blocks with metal contacts on it, really a brilliant idea on BMW's part) it has stamped into it, what kind of bulb it needs to be replaced with. I saw P21W on the block, just plugged P21W into google, and found out that it has a BA15s base. I then poked around on AutoLumination for the right bulb (they could use a search function...) and found these. They claim their 1156 base bulbs will replace a bevy of bulbs, including a P21W.

LuxAngelEyes · 05-23-2011, 12:16 PM

hopefully more to come tonight after i get some time to build a test set

rollinstone157 · 05-23-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

hopefully more to come tonight after i get some time to build a test set

Nice! Good luck.

MyE92 · 05-24-2011, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

hopefully more to come tonight after i get some time to build a test set

B-737 · 05-25-2011, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

hopefully more to come tonight after i get some time to build a test set

Lux how are you making out?

LuxAngelEyes · 05-25-2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-737

Lux how are you making out?

Got tied up the other night. got the aluminum cut and can hopefully build it tonight finally.

Joe@TopGearSolutions · 05-25-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

Hate to

but...I'm about to bite the bullet on some red 1156 CANBUS leds (44 LED towers) that I can use to replace the brake bulbs in my e90 LCI tail lights

WHY you might ask?? Answer: good question, mostly, because I can, I think it will be brighter, and with LEDs, they come on quicker, and in tests at highway speeds, it can give the person behind you a 25 foot decrease in stopping distance over halogens. That's the difference between a rear end...and not at all.

Yea as much as people think these upgrades are unnecessary there is a safety factor with LED. The human eye responds faster to LED because of their crisp on and off compared to a slow dimming halogen.

LuxAngelEyes · 05-26-2011, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-737

Lux how are you making out?

Making good progress, built a test unit last night and it looks great. I'm in the process of moving and my camera was at the new house so i couldnt take pictures

stay tuned

Mehale · 05-26-2011, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

Making good progress, built a test unit last night and it looks great. I'm in the process of moving and my camera was at the new house so i couldnt take pictures

stay tuned

Sometimes I wish I had a different model that you so I could be your local beta test dummy for these projects but of course I had to purchase your exact car.

I'm looking forward to this project. I'm sure it'll be top notch like your other products and an easy decision on my wish list.

kjrulz · 05-28-2011, 05:22 PM

installing my LEDs today hopefully!

rollinstone157 · 05-28-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjrulz

installing my LEDs today hopefully!

Good luck! Are you going to try using the 13 LED Ba9s bulbs in your rear fogs?? I mean, they're not red LEDs, but its worth a shot just to see if the brightness is even comparable to the halogen.

jazz5000 · 05-29-2011, 04:50 AM

Installed the 9 led tower for reverse bulbs.

Bought error free bulbs, but noticed that you can use ordinary bulbs as there's no errors.

Stock

LED

Sorry for the crap pics, Was taken with my phone. Both in direct sunlight

Also tried using these bulbs for the brake light.
Two 9 SMD Leds and they were nowhere near bright enough. Stock bulbs were much brighter.

kjrulz · 05-29-2011, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

Good luck! Are you going to try using the 13 LED Ba9s bulbs in your rear fogs?? I mean, they're not red LEDs, but its worth a shot just to see if the brightness is even comparable to the halogen.

sorry didn't update...realized when i opened the package...they were just tire caps! haha sorry

rollinstone157 · 05-29-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjrulz

sorry didn't update...realized when i opened the package...they were just tire caps! haha sorry

Ah, I've heard rumors that tire caps don't have very good light output

I'm anxiously awaiting the pictures of LUX's prototype!

paulo59 · 06-01-2011, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuxAngelEyes

Making good progress, built a test unit last night and it looks great. I'm in the process of moving and my camera was at the new house so i couldnt take pictures

stay tuned

Any news

Quisp · 06-01-2011, 11:10 AM

I think he is getting together with his aluminum guy today or tomorrow to go over those details.
Witht the move, the angel eyes and everything else, he has probably beeen running crazy busy.

Nqwjx30 · 06-05-2011, 04:58 AM

any updates?

Shazmonkee · 06-05-2011, 05:52 PM

he's probably waiting for the time when we all forget to throw a curve ball at us

Quisp · 06-05-2011, 08:51 PM

After meeting with the metal machinist a small design change was made and he should have something next week.
Stay tuned, this is going to be good.

JDLM · 06-05-2011, 08:54 PM

awaiting results

rollinstone157 · 06-05-2011, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDLM

awaiting results

...anxiously

:

05-23-2011, 12:16 PM	#113
LuxAngelEyes 483 Rep 4,937 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Haven, CT iTrader: (13)	hopefully more to come tonight after i get some time to build a test set
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05-28-2011, 05:22 PM	#121
kjrulz Mastermind 71 Rep 1,360 Posts Drives: girls krazy Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: your mother iTrader: (5)	installing my LEDs today hopefully!
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05-29-2011, 04:50 AM	#123
jazz5000 First Lieutenant 36 Rep 373 Posts Drives: F82 M4 + F13 M6 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London iTrader: (1)	Installed the 9 led tower for reverse bulbs. Bought error free bulbs, but noticed that you can use ordinary bulbs as there's no errors. Stock LED Sorry for the crap pics, Was taken with my phone. Both in direct sunlight Also tried using these bulbs for the brake light. Two 9 SMD Leds and they were nowhere near bright enough. Stock bulbs were much brighter. Last edited by jazz5000; 06-19-2011 at 12:32 PM..
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06-01-2011, 11:10 AM	#127
Quisp Does not play well with others 81 Rep 1,787 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arizona iTrader: (4)	I think he is getting together with his aluminum guy today or tomorrow to go over those details. Witht the move, the angel eyes and everything else, he has probably beeen running crazy busy. __________________
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06-05-2011, 04:58 AM	#128
Nqwjx30 Captain 67 Rep 781 Posts Drives: 15' F10 M5 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island iTrader: (2)	any updates?
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06-05-2011, 05:52 PM	#129
Shazmonkee 113 Rep 2,455 Posts Drives: BMW E92 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: United States iTrader: (11) Garage List 2007 BMW 328i E92 C ... [0.00]	he's probably waiting for the time when we all forget to throw a curve ball at us
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06-05-2011, 08:51 PM	#130
Quisp Does not play well with others 81 Rep 1,787 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arizona iTrader: (4)	After meeting with the metal machinist a small design change was made and he should have something next week. Stay tuned, this is going to be good. __________________
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06-05-2011, 08:54 PM	#131
JDLM Banned 73 Rep 3,276 Posts Drives: 2009 335i Sedan Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Kansas iTrader: (4)	awaiting results
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