General: E46 Bi-Xenon (budget) retrofit

[wanamees]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Do both! Bi-xenon shutter is there for the reason, it wants to be connected!! FYI, I did some testing with bixenon ONLY (high-beam bulbs disabled) and althought it do work and release full beam, it provides less condensed and shorter light output than high-beam reflectors. It was clear that I am missing the hotspot shooting into distance and if I had to choose - would prefer single xenon + oem high beam, but fortunately we can have both.
I replaced high-beam bulbs with Osram Nightbreaker Laser. Didnt try LEDs there, but I actually find the "yellowish" tint helping, I think it works really well combined with bixenon cool white output. See the pics below:
low beam vs bi-xenon shutter opened vs bixenon opened+high beam

Yep, last picture is definately the best outcome.

But good led bulb in reflector housing would output way way more light than even the nightbraker halogens. Problem with halogen is, that acutally +150% is some marketing BS. Some bulbs are better than oterhs yes, but in some case even cheap chinese ones are as good as expensive ones (did good amount of research and followed tests in web and youtube). With 50-100usd led bulbs high bams should be superior to any halogen.

For fogs i ordered some cheap amazon leds, that based on my reasearch have the most logical build (similar to halogen bulb) and decent reviews.

For high beam I wouldnt bother wasting on cheap cra p. Although in reflector type housing, even the cheap bulbs tend to work quite good, due to fundamental differences in how reflector and projector housing works.

Here is a decent list of actual testing results. Although tyou have to note every housing differs and outcome might differ.
https://www.bulbfacts.com/led-kits/chart/

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by wanamees

...
But good led bulb in reflector housing would output way way more light than even the nightbraker halogens. Problem with halogen is, that acutally +150% is some marketing BS. Some bulbs are better than oterhs yes, but in some case even cheap chinese ones are as good as expensive ones (did good amount of research and followed tests in web and youtube). With 50-100usd led bulbs high bams should be superior to any halogen.

...

agreed with above - with our reflector high beams, the more powerful light source = more light output and further light reach. putting HID bulb there would also make a world of a difference, but it doesnt make much sense to me (ignition time + messing with wires etc...). LED would probably be best option, agreed, just never got to test. Apart from cost , I am a bit sceptical if you can fit them properly and provide proper cooling but I would gladly see pics and results when fitted by someone. Dont think it would be worth to spend extre 50-80e for set as I seriously have no issues with my highbeam, but in the same time - there is no such thing as "too much light" as for highbeams so... yea... who knows? :P

[Sidonas]

I've posted this on "swedespeed" as well but just in case some Europeans are considering retrofitting as well, here's a comparison between H7 base E46 replica and D2S base AL/Kendrion Gen2 projectors from a Chevy Camaro.

Link: https://imgur.com/a/k5ACCKK

A few things to note:

1) Gradual cutoff: while clear lens mods are highly sought after in the retrofitting community, I found the shard cutoff lines between light and dark to be straining and distracting;
2) No colour flicker at the cutoff: a plus in my eyes, as I found it distracting;
3) Much wider output: in the close-up comparison pictures the car was even further away from the wall in the first shot (with the replicas). Easier to make turns on completely dark roads as you pretty much get at least some illumination ~150 degress around the car.

To top it all off, with the prices of the projectors on eBay being so low, this is actually a cheaper way to retrofit if you're going the D2S route.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Sidonas

...

To top it all off, with the prices of the projectors on eBay being so low, this is actually a cheaper way to retrofit if you're going the D2S route.

Hmm, to me it looks like you got US version of projectors with beam pattern not conforming to EU roads. The cutoff looks like straight line rather than _/--, if you set it up the same level as you would E46 ones, I am pretty sure you will be dazzling as hell...
edit - forgot to add this attachemnt, the amount of light leak on this spot comparing to e46 is worrysome...


not sure about this one, thanks for pics though

[Sidonas]

Indeed, these are the US style projectors. And yes, these aren't standard in cars made for EU markets but are perfectly legal and MOT-compliant in EU if the imported car had its first registration in the US. However, the retrofit itself is illegal, as is any halogen to xenon retrofit or conversion.

As for the light present above the cutoff. There are two reasons for it. Firstly, OEM projectors always have some illumination above the cutoff. If you're ever behind or inside a car with OEM xenon headlights, this can be appreciated by the way they light up the signs in front. This feature is lost with clear lens mods. Secondly, it was raining when I took the shot, so there is some light bouncing off the wet surface.

Not to sound defensive here, but I really don't see how US style projectors would be inferior to EU ones. Additionally, I'm not getting flashed by upcoming traffic and it's much more comfortable to drive with these.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Sidonas

Not to sound defensive here, but I really don't see how US style projectors would be inferior to EU ones. Additionally, I'm not getting flashed by upcoming traffic and it's much more comfortable to drive with these.

No idea on inferior/superior differences, tbh always wondered how come US brothers have different beam pattern and if its better/worse to EU version in terms of visual experience. On second thought, loking at your distance shots it looks like you have set them on the same level as old one as for the LOWER cutoff step meaning in theory you are lighting less distance to the right of the hotspot than on the EU versions (thus confirming it indeed can work OK and not blind people). I suppose its much better to drive on those than on UK version for example.
I get your point ref light leak - maybe what we see on lower pic is within limits of "designated leak over cutoff" for road signs etc, E46 projectors are brutally sharp and its true that black/white contrast is very eye straining. Not a fan myself.
If you are not flashed by traffic and it improves light, yea, seem like win win situation
any pics of high beam with shutter down please? Is it octagonal or star-shaped?

[lockstock]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Hmm, to me it looks like you got US version of projectors with beam pattern not conforming to EU roads. The cutoff looks like straight line rather than _/--, if you set it up the same level as you would E46 ones, I am pretty sure you will be dazzling as hell...
edit - forgot to add this attachemnt, the amount of light leak on this spot comparing to e46 is worrysome...


not sure about this one, thanks for pics though

maybe it's deceptive in this picture, and Im assuming you are on UK roads? The middle picture will be a PITA for oncoming traffic if so. Please don't use 'no one has flashed me yet' excuse. I was on a country lane the other day, unfamiliar road so was only doing 35/40mph. (60 limit). Car coming opposite way at 60 (narrow road), completely blinded me with the projectors (not full beam). This wasn't the issue. This happened at the moment I must have passed a crossroad warning sign as I was totally blinded. Seconds later I'm abs'ing at full and barely stopped in time for giveway. I actually went back to check next day and there is a sign exactly on the shallow bend which was obscured. I was lucky, I just didn't quite stop in time for corssroad but nothing was coming.

I didn't flash the other driver, but I'd do a lot worse if I saw them again. So we all want brighter candles, but please get them set up 100% right. If you have a hot spot, or bad scatter or cant get the shut line below the legal level, dont run the lights. light bleed or bad scatter with halogens is nowhere near as dangerous as with xenon or LEDs so please please please don't wait til you've blinded someone into a ditch... And I have a FL c30, with nightbreakers and I'm considering an upgrade to improve headlights, hence my interest in this thread. Just gotta be done right, it's serious

[LizardOfBodom]

Based on his location and beam patern its Lithuania. I actually do get the "US patern wouldnt dazzle" thing as in theory it really might work, check the beam pattern and compare to UK/Eu one. Much more "room for error".

fun fact - most US cars with halogens dont have beam leveller in the cabin as
because of pattern shape, its not required.

[Sidonas]

Road safety is a sensitive topic and everyone has their story of either being blinded by some douche with high beams or just annoyed by the new SUVs with two Suns for the headlights. I can assure you that I didn't just have my own safety in mind when I decided to do a xenon retrofit.

In fact, one of the main reasons why I decided to opt out of the E46 replicas was because I couldn't get rid of the color flicker at the cutoff. I find any color other than <6500K white annoying and distracting. Additionally, the sharp cutoff is something that I kept following with my eyes instead of focusing on the road.

Now I'm not sure what is a worrying thing that you see in that picture, but there is no hot spot/scatter above the cutoff of these projectors. They are no worse than the E46 replicas when viewed from the front of the car and the car in general doesn't look any different than any other xenon-fitted vehicle.

I haven't had the time to wire the high-beams so I can't comment on the high beam pattern.

Here's another pic of the cutoff on a wall:
https://i.imgur.com/Nr2nqLA.jpg

[lockstock]

Originally Posted by Sidonas

Road safety is a sensitive topic and everyone has their story of either being blinded by some douche with high beams or just annoyed by the new SUVs with two Suns for the headlights. I can assure you that I didn't just have my own safety in mind when I decided to do a xenon retrofit.

In fact, one of the main reasons why I decided to opt out of the E46 replicas was because I couldn't get rid of the color flicker at the cutoff. I find any color other than <6500K white annoying and distracting. Additionally, the sharp cutoff is something that I kept following with my eyes instead of focusing on the road.

Now I'm not sure what is a worrying thing that you see in that picture, but there is no hot spot/scatter above the cutoff of these projectors. They are no worse than the E46 replicas when viewed from the front of the car and the car in general doesn't look any different than any other xenon-fitted vehicle.

I haven't had the time to wire the high-beams so I can't comment on the high beam pattern.

Here's another pic of the cutoff on a wall:
https://i.imgur.com/Nr2nqLA.jpg

I didn't mean to sound antagnostic. I thought it looked reversed for a right hand drive vehicle, but you're not in the UK so is probably the appropriate bias. Sounds like you are trying to get it right, so sorry for going OTT