Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Door Lighting Project

Post Reply
ROZ
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:39 pm

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by ROZ » Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:01 am

Jeepers,
I am so looking forward to Spring and taking your lead.
Do you think the 5mm LEDs are OK? I was just considering 3mm instead; the output of these goes up and up as time goes by so no issue with light levels, but the 3s might be less conspicuous and easier to install??
Dec 06 2.0 Sport, black with red leather, Zunsport grilles

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:54 am

ROZ wrote:Jeepers,
I am so looking forward to Spring and taking your lead.
Do you think the 5mm LEDs are OK? I was just considering 3mm instead; the output of these goes up and up as time goes by so no issue with light levels, but the 3s might be less conspicuous and easier to install??
I don't see any issue with smaller LED's at all. I just in the spirit or pioneering went with what seemed right at the time. Frankly they are invisible under the exterior door handles and for the inside the predrilled hole just happens to take a 5mm perfectly.
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

ROZ
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:39 pm

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by ROZ » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:56 am

hmmmmm... think I may actually have some 3mm ambers already. Exciting times!
Dec 06 2.0 Sport, black with red leather, Zunsport grilles

ROZ
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:39 pm

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by ROZ » Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:09 pm

So looking at it all, I don't have any footwell lights, so the only dimming light I have is the main one. Jeepers, do you know what connection number it was you picked up from? I'm assuming that the loom is all in there, and only the lights themselves are omitted depending on the originally requested specification. Got to love BMW and there "bare bones plus options" policy 8)
Dec 06 2.0 Sport, black with red leather, Zunsport grilles

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Feb 12, 2011 7:02 pm

ROZ wrote:So looking at it all, I don't have any footwell lights, so the only dimming light I have is the main one. Jeepers, do you know what connection number it was you picked up from? I'm assuming that the loom is all in there, and only the lights themselves are omitted depending on the originally requested specification. Got to love BMW and there "bare bones plus options" policy 8)
No I don't recall as I did it so long ago. I'd just drop the panel above the drivers shin where the light is located. Bet you the loom is there and just tied up out of the way and probably a spur off the loom that goes to the twin sounder/gong fitted to the same panel.
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
Baracus (aka Steve)
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Bury
Contact:

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by Baracus (aka Steve) » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:18 pm

the puddle lights and ext door handle lights are exactly what i already have planned myself, great write up. would be pretty cool if you could list and link exactly what you used and where they where purchased :)

Brilliant, i'll be following this writeup myself very soon ;)

Also, the illuminated kick plates are very nice and i've seen some for sale for very silly money, can they be bought elsewhere at a reasonable price do you know?
2006 Z4 3.0si

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:43 pm

Baracus (aka Steve) wrote:the puddle lights and ext door handle lights are exactly what i already have planned myself, great write up. would be pretty cool if you could list and link exactly what you used and where they where purchased :)

Brilliant, i'll be following this writeup myself very soon ;)

Also, the illuminated kick plates are very nice and i've seen some for sale for very silly money, can they be bought elsewhere at a reasonable price do you know?
Thanks for the comments :thumbsup:
Chances are slim of any of the suppliers I used even existing is remote as I sourced off Ebay. I purchased a bundle of the LED's with pigtails that I used in the inner and outer door handles, so can post you some if needed.

Pins and connectors for the door connector are just standard BMW items that you can pick up form the parts centre. LED's in the bottom of the door are pretty much anything. In fact if I did it again I'd use one of the newer 2 mm thick strip lights and just stick it on the bottom of the door.

Kick plates I suspect are BMW only, but do look nice
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
Baracus (aka Steve)
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Bury
Contact:

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by Baracus (aka Steve) » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:52 pm

I already have quite alot of strip lighting which i had given me from a job i did not to long ago so i was goin to use them for the puddle lights and thought about a strip under the door handles so i'm unsure which way to do it now i've seen yours. The main ones i want are the ext door handles but while i'm there i may as well do the puddle lights too :)
2006 Z4 3.0si

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:56 pm

Baracus (aka Steve) wrote:I already have quite alot of strip lighting which i had given me from a job i did not to long ago so i was goin to use them for the puddle lights and thought about a strip under the door handles so i'm unsure which way to do it now i've seen yours. The main ones i want are the ext door handles but while i'm there i may as well do the puddle lights too :)
Don't use strip under the door handles else I'm sure fingers will cause them to come off, or washing and the power cable will have to go outside. I simply bonded the tip of an LED through and exact sized hole and worked perfectly ever since
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
Baracus (aka Steve)
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Bury
Contact:

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by Baracus (aka Steve) » Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:00 pm

cj10jeeper wrote:
Baracus (aka Steve) wrote:I already have quite alot of strip lighting which i had given me from a job i did not to long ago so i was goin to use them for the puddle lights and thought about a strip under the door handles so i'm unsure which way to do it now i've seen yours. The main ones i want are the ext door handles but while i'm there i may as well do the puddle lights too :)
Don't use strip under the door handles else I'm sure fingers will cause them to come off, or washing and the power cable will have to go outside. I simply bonded the tip of an LED through and exact sized hole and worked perfectly ever since
hmmm, yeah i did think about them comin off after bein caught by fingers. Where exactly did you drill into your? do you have a close up view?
2006 Z4 3.0si

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:07 pm

Don't have a close up, but all I did was lift the handle and drill a hole from the outside dead centre, that exaclty matched the diameter of the LED. Then I poked part of the LED through from the inside, thus avoiding dismantling the lock and handle.
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
Baracus (aka Steve)
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Bury
Contact:

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by Baracus (aka Steve) » Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:10 pm

cj10jeeper wrote:Don't have a close up, but all I did was lift the handle and drill a hole from the outside dead centre, that exaclty matched the diameter of the LED. Then I poked part of the LED through from the inside, thus avoiding dismantling the lock and handle.
So through the door itself not the actual handle? i'm pretty sure i know what you mean :) you just used 1 led though?
2006 Z4 3.0si

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by cj10jeeper » Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:00 am

Baracus (aka Steve) wrote:
cj10jeeper wrote:Don't have a close up, but all I did was lift the handle and drill a hole from the outside dead centre, that exaclty matched the diameter of the LED. Then I poked part of the LED through from the inside, thus avoiding dismantling the lock and handle.
So through the door itself not the actual handle? i'm pretty sure i know what you mean :) you just used 1 led though?
Correct on the cup part where you fingers go in, just above the line of sight.

Single LED is all that's needed as it's a subtle location light, not to flood light the area. On my Sterling grey they appear as a very subtle hue sort of lilac.
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
Baracus (aka Steve)
Member
Member
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:14 pm
Location: Bury
Contact:

Re: Door Lighting Project

Post by Baracus (aka Steve) » Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:13 am

cj10jeeper wrote:
Baracus (aka Steve) wrote:
cj10jeeper wrote:Don't have a close up, but all I did was lift the handle and drill a hole from the outside dead centre, that exaclty matched the diameter of the LED. Then I poked part of the LED through from the inside, thus avoiding dismantling the lock and handle.
So through the door itself not the actual handle? i'm pretty sure i know what you mean :) you just used 1 led though?
Correct on the cup part where you fingers go in, just above the line of sight.

Single LED is all that's needed as it's a subtle location light, not to flood light the area. On my Sterling grey they appear as a very subtle hue sort of lilac.

what do you recon to colour on Saphire black? :)
2006 Z4 3.0si

User avatar
VvrooomM
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1196
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:42 pm

Door Lighting Project

Post by VvrooomM » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:46 am

Pink!!
Z4MC midnight blue with CSL's + VREDs, extd light sepang leather, folding mirrors, stubby aerial, retro bluetooth, prof nav, intravee ipod kit, storage and cup holders!!, laser LRC100, DSP hi-fi, storage and privacy.....is that it?

Post Reply