Big improvement 
LMAO at the fitting of the centre light. That really should be a <5 min job. with a socket.
LMAO at the fitting of the centre light. That really should be a <5 min job. with a socket.
Opinions on rear light combination
- Thread starter tomTVR
- Start date
Very nice, big improvement that I've also done and the car looks years younger
Beancounter1980
Active member
What are peoples opinions on Sapphire Black?
Standard or White Spots?
Standard or White Spots?
Im all about the 4 white spot look too.
The only reverse light solutions i could think if you were to keep your current setup would be to put white alternate LED's in the thrird brake light that make it light white when you engage reverse. Or put some white bulbs in the indicator sections. Not easy though.
The only reverse light solutions i could think if you were to keep your current setup would be to put white alternate LED's in the thrird brake light that make it light white when you engage reverse. Or put some white bulbs in the indicator sections. Not easy though.
Sorted the reversing light.
I used a halogen capsule bulb 12V 20W and wired it up to the reverse lamp terminals. Then grafted the halogen bulb to the indicator. Sellotape is easily strong enough for the job and being clear it won't be visible through the lens.
Because halogen bulbs get very hot it is important to make sure it isn't touching the plastic casing. I did some extensive testing by leaving the bulb on for 20 minutes and nothing got too hot, plus reversing lights are only used for a few seconds anyway so no problems there.
I had to cut a small groove the the bulb casing in order to squeeze the wires through past the indicator. Once installed you can't tell it's there from the outside of the car.
If any of the bulbs are missing then a warning light comes up on the dash. But the original bulb shining through the tints comes out red (hence the reason for this project!) My inelegant solution was to wrap the bulb in masking tape to stop the light and then colour that in red so it blends in.
Put the car into reverse and tadaa!
It appears blurry and amber in the photo but in reality looks crisp and OEM - impressively so!
I was going to run some wires across and put one in the R/H side as well but its already brighter than OEM so didn't see the need. Plus I don't want to risk overloading anything and blowing a fuse
I used a halogen capsule bulb 12V 20W and wired it up to the reverse lamp terminals. Then grafted the halogen bulb to the indicator. Sellotape is easily strong enough for the job and being clear it won't be visible through the lens.
Because halogen bulbs get very hot it is important to make sure it isn't touching the plastic casing. I did some extensive testing by leaving the bulb on for 20 minutes and nothing got too hot, plus reversing lights are only used for a few seconds anyway so no problems there.
I had to cut a small groove the the bulb casing in order to squeeze the wires through past the indicator. Once installed you can't tell it's there from the outside of the car.
If any of the bulbs are missing then a warning light comes up on the dash. But the original bulb shining through the tints comes out red (hence the reason for this project!) My inelegant solution was to wrap the bulb in masking tape to stop the light and then colour that in red so it blends in.
Put the car into reverse and tadaa!
It appears blurry and amber in the photo but in reality looks crisp and OEM - impressively so!
I was going to run some wires across and put one in the R/H side as well but its already brighter than OEM so didn't see the need. Plus I don't want to risk overloading anything and blowing a fuse
Sorry TOm but that's just a horrible bodge covering bulbs in red electrical tape and selotaping bulbs together. The concept of using the second white bulb is great but execution tacky.
Sort it out now you know it works
Sort it out now you know it works
Ill admit it looks a mess but it works. I used sellotape because it does the job best without being visible through the clear lens. I had to use a halogen bulb due to the minimal space to work with inside the cluster. I would like to have constructed a nice fancy bulb holder but due the heat generated from halogen this would be difficult, particularly while keeping it invisible. Also I am not a keyhole surgeon, remember it would all need to be done through a bulb sized hole!
CJ - I see from your other projects that you like to engineer them perfectly. But my setup looks and functions every bit OEM and I have no reason to question its reliability.
That said if you can suggest a better way to stop the dashboard bulb failure light from triggering then I would like to hear it so I can give it a try. Perhaps bridging the terminals with an equivalent resistor?
CJ - I see from your other projects that you like to engineer them perfectly. But my setup looks and functions every bit OEM and I have no reason to question its reliability.
That said if you can suggest a better way to stop the dashboard bulb failure light from triggering then I would like to hear it so I can give it a try. Perhaps bridging the terminals with an equivalent resistor?
tomTVR said:
I have a straight choice of assisting in prepping dinner or answer this so - here we go and see if I still get fed....
Firstly the idea of the secondary bulb mounted in the white part of the lens is genius. Selotape - nargh that breaks down in 6 months, goes yellow and brittle and under heat will fall to bits. Small dab of high temp clear silicone would have that sorted or even a white/clear zip tie.
Tapping over the bulb. I worry here as 21w bulb will melt that in a few seconds and then cloud the inside of your lens. Are you saying that with your new halogen bulb fitted, presumably in parallel you still get a bulb out warning? I'd try a broken bulb as opposed to no bulb, then If that still leaves a warning, I'd slot a 5w or higher ceramic resistor into the circuit and locate it somewhere out of harms way and not touching anything that can melt. I used similar when in an earlier project I replaced some bulbs with LED's.
On my X5 the solution is much more elegant to overcome the need to buy a new LCM for xenon (it can't be programmed) by using a little solenoid that tricks the computer into thinking it has a 55w halogen draw and not a 35w xenon, but overkill here.
Regardless I can't fault the conceptual design
..... and dinner is served - perfect
Thank you Cj, though I wouldn't want you going hungry!
Thinking about it the selloptape could easily be replaced with some heat resistant silicone or a very thin tie wrap, after all the halogen bulb is weightless and just needs suspending.
Yes I have connected the halogen bulb in parallel. I was surprised the 'bulb out' light came up, the halogen must have a higher impedance. Possibly a daft question but how do I remove the bulb from the bulb holder? I should be able to find a duff bulb lying around to so if that would be enough to stop the warning light.
Will take your point on board about the tape burning off, will keep an eye on it. I think I lined it with foil first just because the masking tape alone wasn't shrouding all of the light. Failing a better solution there is always heat-resistant tape.
Thinking about it the selloptape could easily be replaced with some heat resistant silicone or a very thin tie wrap, after all the halogen bulb is weightless and just needs suspending.
Yes I have connected the halogen bulb in parallel. I was surprised the 'bulb out' light came up, the halogen must have a higher impedance. Possibly a daft question but how do I remove the bulb from the bulb holder? I should be able to find a duff bulb lying around to so if that would be enough to stop the warning light.
Will take your point on board about the tape burning off, will keep an eye on it. I think I lined it with foil first just because the masking tape alone wasn't shrouding all of the light. Failing a better solution there is always heat-resistant tape.
The bulbs just a standard 21w single pin bayonet bulb fitted inside the fancy holder. You just press in and twist anticlockwise. Thinking about it you could fit a resistor in that instead of the bulb or as you reference above wrap it in foil