Xenon and LED lights fitted! with pictures!

M

manhattan$

Past Member
After a hectic week, i eventually managed to fit my new headlight upgrades.:)


After reading up on the useful information and guides available on this forum, i managed to fit everything in around an hour.

I started by removing the bonnet, which was easier than i thought. I then had a brief look around the engine bay looking for suitable places for the xenon ignitor/ballasts.


Next up was removing the first headlight for easy access to the bulb holders. Two screws on each headlamp and they slip out after a slight twist and slide.
I then progressed onto the orange indicator bulb, i decided on replacing them with a set of Philips silvervision bulbs which are silver but flash orange.
The effect is minimal, but certainly noticable and reduces the orange lens effect.




Fitting the PIAA Tera sidelight LED's were slightly more complex.

The PIAA LED's are rated at 4500k colour temperature and come with special ballast/filters that must be fitted otherwise they will go pop! First the ballast/filters were connected and secured behind the headlight rear cover for water tight protection.The sidelights are easily accessed by pulling the holder stick straight out and the new LED's push straight in.

PIAATERAcloseup.JPG

PIAA LED close up.


PIAATERA4500Ksidelights.JPG

PIAA LED's in action.






Last up were the Xenons.

The X5 Xenons are rated at 6000K colour temperature, and are made by a company called e-interpower http://www.e-interpower.com/hck_eng.htm and are available from various uk online bulb websites.

The pictures do not show how good they really are(im no good with a camera)
The light they produce is very white with a hint of blue, with an excellent beam pattern and wicked road coverage. I will try and upload some better pictures.
I drove past a TT fitted with standard Xenons tonight and they looked very dull compared to the ones on my A2.

PIAAANDX5XENONS.JPG

PIAA LED'S and Xenons in action.


So im well pleased, especially as i purchased the Xenons new and unused from ebay at a bargain price.
 
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Hi manhattan$,

Those moody pictures of your A2 look really good; a very nice looking example!! :D

I replaced all of my headlight bulbs with after market variants, though ended up reinstalling my sidelight bulbs with the originals after reports of scorching in the clear cover with the philips bulbs that I had. I have been meaning to purchase some leds since 'Driveforward' posted a thread a month or so ago. Your pictures have reminded me and provided another incentive to do so.

Cheers,

Darren
 
Darren C said:
I have been meaning to purchase some leds since 'Driveforward' posted a thread a month or so ago. Your pictures have reminded me and provided another incentive to do so.

Cheers,

Darren
Click to expand...
Get it done!!
 
Darren C said:
Hi manhattan$,

Those moody pictures of your A2 look really good; a very nice looking example!! :D

Cheers,

Darren
Click to expand...

Cheers Darren.



At first i was not too sure about the colour of Akoya silver, but it has grown on me.
As you know it tends to change its appearence in various lighting conditions, it looks silvery in bright sunlight, crystal blueish at sun down like in those pictures, and looks grey at night.

I think i will also buy a set of those LEDs that driverforward suggested. I think i will use them to light the rear number plate.



In my next mod, i may replace my 17" sport wheels with the TT 18" version, if i can find a good clean set.

Cheers,

Paul.
 
That is a superb and really worth conversion

Tha a2 lights are not bad, but xenons are better

so you manage to fit an BMW X5 Xenon conversion??

Did you had to do a lot of cable conversion??

any more pics from the inside the engine bay, so show where you put the stuff etc, plus any more links of what you have put in, and where you got it from

Thanks
Chris
 
Hi Chris,


The Xenons are a made by interpower lighting, and they call the kit X5 HID.
It is a HID conversion kit designed for retrofitting in your existing halogen headlamp housing with no cables to cut, just plug and go.
Heres a direct link to the kit http://www.e-interpower.com/catalog/pam_x5_eng_1.gif and are available from http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/product.php?productid=16381&cat=622&page=1

The small detachable cover on the rear of the headlights need a 24mm hole cutting for the wiring and grommit, and if you wish to remove the HIDs and refit the standard bulbs new rear covers would only cost a few pounds to replace.
The PIAA sidelight LED's were purchased from pri racing. http://www.priracing.com/product.php?xProd=159&jssCart=35511e8cec79f843f1d4b43e96c6c66c They are expensive for what they are but hopefully they will last longer than the others out there. The other good thing is that they do not set of the annoying blown bulb feature on the A2's DIS.
The service i received from pri racing was excellent, and i am sure if someone was to contact them they would be willing to do a group buy.



The Philips silvervision indicator bulbs were purchased from powerbulbs http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/

Regards,
Paul.
 
Paul

That is great information = We salute you for that :D

I really will do that upgrade

Probably even before my suspension upgrade

Chris
 
No problems Chris.


I will take a few more pictures tonight showing the beam pattern, and a view from the drivers seat.

As i said in a previous post the pictures do not really show the full effect, but hopefully i can take some better pictures tonight and get them uploaded.

Cheers,
Paul.
 
Very nice.


BUT,



NO automatic adjustment - as required by law



NO washers - as required by law


FAILED MOT when due


and a BIG TUG by the boys in blue when stopped for high beams (which they do around me all the time now)


just fit bigger bulbs. Cheaper and as effective AND L-E-G-A-L
 
maersk said:
Very nice.


BUT,



NO automatic adjustment - as required by law



NO washers - as required by law


FAILED MOT when due


and a BIG TUG by the boys in blue when stopped for high beams (which they do around me all the time now)


just fit bigger bulbs. Cheaper and as effective AND L-E-G-A-L
Click to expand...

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT:confused: :confused:
 
the Dept of Transport's opinion

I believe that is correct. Mike also covered this elsewhere on this forum, and I read the same sort of info on an MB forum.

However, not to take away anything from manhattan$ for his sterling work.

After a quick search I found this: (I think the second point 2 is the one we're interested in here)


------------------FACT SHEET--------------
December 2006

Aftermarket HID headlamps


In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.

The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.


If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:

Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: [email protected]
__________________
 
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As above......................


YES


My loal plod are making it a crusade to pull ALL HID lit cars and checking cnstruction and use.

No washer/no self leveler....................

Whacked. No MOT.

3 points on each count is possible.
 
maersk said:
As above......................


YES


My loal plod are making it a crusade to pull ALL HID lit cars and checking cnstruction and use.

No washer/no self leveler....................

Whacked. No MOT.

3 points on each count is possible.
Click to expand...

I don't like the police, they should be put into prison.:rolleyes:
 
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