FAQ - SMD LED for E36 & E46

[jarance]

Maybe a capacitor would be better, same like for the HID conversion

 

[bkslee]

I did not do any culculation, it is recommended by on of the forumer in 46fanatics. He use 200omhs for disabling the signal light. I bought it from pasar road today and straight plug in on to test it. It's work fine till now. I havent wrap it yet. should i wrap it? will it get very hot?
Btw, I dont know anything about electronics and my level of understanding is only till form6 physics. If i remember correctly resistor and capacitor got different function, capacitor for storing energy rite? Resistor is to increase the lvl of resistance within a circuit. What i read from other forum, the reason why putting a resistor is to fake the OBC that a bulb does exist coz bulb also produce some lvl of resistance. I did double check with my regular mech, this is what they do if their customer changing any bulb to LED coz LED produce very low resistance (coz use less voltage).
Resistance produce heat, so if too high Ohm resistor will produce more heat? I dont know how to do the culculation.I guess 200ohm should be fine since it's recommended by some1 who has done it.

Correct me if i'm wrong, I'm not expert in this and all information i gathered is only thru reading.

 

[aidilj]

Wrapping is to insulate the resistor from touching the body of the car, if the wrong lead touches the car body a short circuit would happen and could burn a fuse.

Please make sure that the resistor doesn't get hot after long operation of the light. From the calculation above, the resistor should get hot. Resistor may fail if operated long enough under strain, it then may induce an open or short circuit. An open circuit will again trigger the dash warning but short circuit would at best kill a fuse.

The resistance is fine but I suggest changing to a higher wattage resistor to not strain it. Higher wattage resistor would be bigger in size but have the same resistance value.

 

[bkslee]

Thanks aidilj for explaining this. Now i know why the shop ask me how many watt, but i ask back "resistor not measure by ohms meh?" then he ask me how many ohms, so i say i wan 200ohm but out of stock so i take 220ohms. OK i will wrap it later and try the heat tonite, but then i think hard to tell whether hot or not coz the engine bay already very hot after run. Anyway, like you said, worst case is either open circuit (warning light) or kill a fuse (change it).

Btw, how come u guys so power one ar.. all E&E engineer ar..?

 

[bkslee]

Took my car for 30mins ride with head lights ON. now the resistor is wrapped in tape, it's feel quite hot.. now you make me worried n confused. haha.. should i get a higher watts resistor? Btw, the resistor I bought was labeled as 220E, what does that mean?

 

[jarance]

Thanks aidilj for explaining this. Now i know why the shop ask me how many watt, but i ask back "resistor not measure by ohms meh?" then he ask me how many ohms, so i say i wan 200ohm but out of stock so i take 220ohms. OK i will wrap it later and try the heat tonite, but then i think hard to tell whether hot or not coz the engine bay already very hot after run. Anyway, like you said, worst case is either open circuit (warning light) or kill a fuse (change it).

Btw, how come u guys so power one ar.. all E&E engineer ar..?

1.7, 2.2 2.7, 3.7, 4.7, 5.7. - anybody understand these number is an electronic freak

 

[bkslee]

haha.. i only know 1.7m, 2.2m, 2.7m .... sales numbers..

 

[Gerald 5]

haha.. i only know 1.7m, 2.2m, 2.7m .... sales numbers..

go wash car la you.

 

[aidilj]

Took my car for 30mins ride with head lights ON. now the resistor is wrapped in tape, it's feel quite hot.. now you make me worried n confused. haha.. should i get a higher watts resistor? Btw, the resistor I bought was labeled as 220E, what does that mean?

You should be worried but not confused. As the calculation earlier it is best to up the resistor wattage. In my electronic years I've seen this connotation as well, I think it just means its 220ohm..

1.7, 2.2 2.7, 3.7, 4.7, 5.7. - anybody understand these number is an electronic freak

Glad I didn't understand this but looks like common value for resistor. Funny it is also shared with capacitor.

 

[bkslee]

Tested the heat of the resistor with cold engine bay.. feels like a bulb being heated up.. should be find for now. Will drop by pasar next week to get a high watts resistor. So what watts do you recommend? 1 or 2 watts? with 200ohms rite?

 

[aidilj]

Thats exactly how the symptom should be. The calculation is for 220ohm, I recommend going 2W for extra headroom.

 

[jarance]

here is the 1 way of doing the wiring.
1. The angel eye will light up slowly when the door is open via remote and dimmed down when the door is locked.
2. It will also light up when the door is open.
3. It will stay ON when the engine is started.

meen, this is the guide for your E38. Hope some of the picture help.

The wiring circuit from the general module. (pin out is 20). You dont need to tap from the interior lamp.
Since you mentioned that you dont have the footwell lights, it would be best to tap directly from the General Module.

Here is the picture of the general Module. It is located behind the glove compartment.

Here is the piout guide of the X254 connector. look for the red/blue wire at terminal "20" of the connector.

and lastly, here is the pinout description of the signal at X254.

 

[B33mEr]

My CCFL angel eyes inverter always rosak ... Anyone knows where i can get the inverter (aka angel eyes ballast) which is robust and can withstand the engine heat?

 

[Daiichi]

My CCFL angel eyes inverter always rosak ... Anyone knows where i can get the inverter (aka angel eyes ballast) which is robust and can withstand the engine heat?

Bro B33mEr, try placing your ballast inside the headlamp housing, there is some space on the side where it meets the bonnet kidney grilles. I have mine fitted there for almost 3yrs without any problem. It's also insulated from the hot engine bay.

 

[B33mEr]

Bro B33mEr, try placing your ballast inside the headlamp housing, there is some space on the side where it meets the bonnet kidney grilles. I have mine fitted there for almost 3yrs without any problem. It's also insulated from the hot engine bay.

Thanks for the info bro ... But i think the ballast was installed where you describe it. I think the quality of the ballast was not so good as every time it went kaput the ballast shape look distorted. Where did you buy the CCFL angel eyes bro? I need to buy a good quality ballast.

 

[jarance]

My CCFL angel eyes inverter always rosak ... Anyone knows where i can get the inverter (aka angel eyes ballast) which is robust and can withstand the engine heat?

change to SMD lar..

 

[jarance]

Bro B33mEr, try placing your ballast inside the headlamp housing, there is some space on the side where it meets the bonnet kidney grilles. I have mine fitted there for almost 3yrs without any problem. It's also insulated from the hot engine bay.

mine was also in the headlamp housing lar and it is also busted.

 

[Herbert]

My CCFL angel eyes inverter always rosak ... Anyone knows where i can get the inverter (aka angel eyes ballast) which is robust and can withstand the engine heat?

Believe you can buy the CCFL ballast from WRC Lamp at Sunway. Mine also CCFL and faced similar problem but since I installed it from WRC, they gave me free replacement.

Jarance, what is the price for e39 SDM LED?

 

[Alex5522]

SMD LED not so much headache then CCFL ballast ya.

 

[Daiichi]

The shop i got it is: Unstoppable Autosport, 16-1 Jln PJU 5/4, Sunway Damansara. Phone# 03 6140 7070. Last that i check about few months back, the name of the shop has changed but I think they are still carrying the items. Try your luck enquiring there.