tomoz4white
Member
85genius said:
Sonar Lights Story So Far - Fitted Today!
- Thread starter tomoz4white
- Start date
MACK said:
Halogen only
cj10jeeper said:tomoz4white said:
I was referencing dipped bean. Any fool can make a conical projector for the main beam. Imho the skill is to bend or diffuse a beam to light the road ahead and kerb when on dipped beam and without dazzle.
Think you've chosen some better bulbs.
Def try to crank the lights up a turn or so and see if it helps. If you get flashed you overdid it. If they have a beam setter even better
I found these with aftermarket angel eyes I got for my e46. Not as good at OEM. Not as well built and not comparable quality of light.
tomoz4white said:85genius said:
I think the only issue with the lights are the orange hockey stick (if you're on a pre-facelift). Otherwise I aesthetically they look fine. Nothing wrong and not even that much difference between the Sonar type and OEM. I wouldn't bother messing around with them if I could get my hands on some facelift ones. HOWEVER if you are, then might as well ad a double set of CCFL's or LED rings as well to give that Angel Eye look.
Scooba_Steve said:55 W is overkill (Jingle!), 35 W gives good output and should keep the heat manageable inside.
It is overkill but the output is perfect, honestly not looked back since, I was flashed 3 times in the 1st week as beam was angled too high even when wheel was at is lowest setting.... a quick tweak under the bonnet to lower the overall height of the beam and then wheel set in middle (to allow any adjustments needed like when boot is full and kicks beam up) and I havnt been flashed a single time in the last 8 or so months!
If I ever have to get another Z that would be my 1st mod, driving at night was terrible with standard lights!
I havent read the whole thread just skipped through but i had these Sonar lights they are not the best output untill you fit a HID kit aswell. It is very easy literally clips onto the old bmw connection and you use the new bulbs supplied. Mine were also with the halo rings too. I wouldnt worry to much about the warning light on dash that can be coded to tell the ecu etc. Did you get the self leveling ones which cost a little more?
Where do you live? South theres a guy Maruis on here/insta mods thes lights all sorts of varaitions with light strobe/flash etc. If your in the midlands try, Keep your car safe, again on istagram you will fiind examples of light mods
probably get cheaper ones for £25 was just first i seen
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8000K-H7-XENON-HID-Headlight-Conversion-Kit-For-BMW-/200975978890?fits=Car+Make%3ABMW%7CModel%3AZ4&hash=item2ecb1a118a:g:xKcAAOSwepJXVuZP
Where do you live? South theres a guy Maruis on here/insta mods thes lights all sorts of varaitions with light strobe/flash etc. If your in the midlands try, Keep your car safe, again on istagram you will fiind examples of light mods
probably get cheaper ones for £25 was just first i seen
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8000K-H7-XENON-HID-Headlight-Conversion-Kit-For-BMW-/200975978890?fits=Car+Make%3ABMW%7CModel%3AZ4&hash=item2ecb1a118a:g:xKcAAOSwepJXVuZP
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tomoz4white
Member
goldbcfc said:
Thanks for the post fella, the car goes back in today mate so I will see what happens. I am not sure what the guy has planned. I got the resistors and I bought some nightbreaker's unlimited to see if that helps. I have asked him to raise the lights a little to see if that helps with the dipped head light performance also (as we know the OEM's are also shocking so I may be in the same place come the end and will then potentially consider an HID Kit which is not recommended of course).
The condensation has eased and not bothering me. Maybe it was an early fitting thing!
Not sure about coding etc. Im gonna leave that to the garage. All I know is the halo's are rigged to the same circuit as the top strip and I do NOT want to use the top strip. If he can achieve that and if at all possible have the halo's as DRL's then I will be happy - I will report back later!
Tomo
tomoz4white
Member
Okay Dokey!,
Just picked up the Zed and the garage has now done the following:-
1) Fitted the Resistors to make the "horizontal top strip completely redundant (and bulbs removed)", this has cancelled out the dash warning light coming on and the side indicators are no longer lighting up (hooray!).
2) The Drl ECU function was activated but the halo's do not light up as Drl's
3) The Halo's are therefore only functional via the side light switch (the "manufactured intention" but they light up without the horizontal strip working as I wanted).
4) H7 Osram Nightbreakers Unlimited have been fitted and the headlight level slightly raised (I will find out later when night falls and see if there is any improvement).
I guess the question is....am I frustrated that the Halo's are not set up for DRL Function? Well, not really. On the way back home from the garage, I asked the Mrs to drive in front of me and observe the halo's as I switched them on and off via sidelight switch. She commented that they are not "DRL Bright" and in the winter sunshine, she had to look a second time to see if they were on. Someone else did say that they are not super bright (bulb changes not an option) so it's not a real biggy. I am quite happy to switch the sidelights on for the "halo look" - and it's not a deal breaker that my back lights are on at the same time - who cares!
Summary - "whether the halo lights are on or completely switched off" the Sonar's still make the car look so much better (in my opinion) and I am de-gingered at the same time. My ultimate goal was to:-
1) Enhance the car's appearance = Achieved
2) Cancel out the Side Light horizontal strip = Achieved
3) Increase dipped headlight performance = Probably not Achieved (tonight's test pending!),
As in 3), I am not exactly confident that the dipped headlights this evening will WOW me in the pitch darkness, but that's not a biggy either as the OEM's were also shocking as we know. The car is rarely used during darkness but I will certainly report back later for everyone's information.
P.S - with regards to condensation, this seems to have calmed and there has been no "misty misty" for the last 4 days or so.
So there you have it - am I pleased?. I think that's a Yes!
Tomo
Just picked up the Zed and the garage has now done the following:-
1) Fitted the Resistors to make the "horizontal top strip completely redundant (and bulbs removed)", this has cancelled out the dash warning light coming on and the side indicators are no longer lighting up (hooray!).
2) The Drl ECU function was activated but the halo's do not light up as Drl's
3) The Halo's are therefore only functional via the side light switch (the "manufactured intention" but they light up without the horizontal strip working as I wanted).
4) H7 Osram Nightbreakers Unlimited have been fitted and the headlight level slightly raised (I will find out later when night falls and see if there is any improvement).
I guess the question is....am I frustrated that the Halo's are not set up for DRL Function? Well, not really. On the way back home from the garage, I asked the Mrs to drive in front of me and observe the halo's as I switched them on and off via sidelight switch. She commented that they are not "DRL Bright" and in the winter sunshine, she had to look a second time to see if they were on. Someone else did say that they are not super bright (bulb changes not an option) so it's not a real biggy. I am quite happy to switch the sidelights on for the "halo look" - and it's not a deal breaker that my back lights are on at the same time - who cares!
Summary - "whether the halo lights are on or completely switched off" the Sonar's still make the car look so much better (in my opinion) and I am de-gingered at the same time. My ultimate goal was to:-
1) Enhance the car's appearance = Achieved
2) Cancel out the Side Light horizontal strip = Achieved
3) Increase dipped headlight performance = Probably not Achieved (tonight's test pending!),
As in 3), I am not exactly confident that the dipped headlights this evening will WOW me in the pitch darkness, but that's not a biggy either as the OEM's were also shocking as we know. The car is rarely used during darkness but I will certainly report back later for everyone's information.
P.S - with regards to condensation, this seems to have calmed and there has been no "misty misty" for the last 4 days or so.
So there you have it - am I pleased?. I think that's a Yes!
Tomo
Id imagine to get it DRL you will need to tap into the interior lighting so when you press unlock on the key fob it triggers the DRL with interior thats how we do it on E46's for the halos as DRL. People tap the footwell light or the red/yellow stripey one inside engine bay. Google E46 halo DRL you will seee images of the wire. Theres a member on here Maruis i think your best speaking with him he does bmw lighting mods he will advise better.
tomoz4white
Member
goldbcfc said:
Thanks Bud - to be fair they are not "bright" enough to be considered "drl" so I'm gonna just leave them as side-lights. Just glad I got rid of top strip as I think it would have looked stupid. Anyone who buys these lights in the future, don't expect a "bright drl light" if you rig them up that way. The light is subtle (quite classy looking to be fair) and I am happy to use the halo's as sidey's!
I spoke to soon regarding a little condensation - misted up in the last hour as the temp dropping!. I think that goes with the weather and 2xcite certainly cover this when you receive the lights. There is a glossy information sheet with the package and it says condensation is a possibility (indicating a strong likelyhood in view that they send this!) due to the "open splash ventilation system" which in necessary to equalise the pressure of the headlight, heat sucked in from light bla bla bla bla,
It does dispurse and I'm not too concerned as my OEM's occasionally misted up in these weather conditions, like many lights. If it still occurs or shows any sign of water inside as the weather improves into the summer months then I would be annoyed and of course look at the 1 year warranty.
I will post some pics shortly
Tomo
An ignition feed would do DRL, there are plenty spare in the fuse box. I don't think footwell/interior lighting feed would work, what with them going off.
I'm not sure the garage has coded them correctly. With mine, I just connected to the stock socket that the OEM headlights had been connected to. I had to tape off/seal the auto-levelling cable on the car as the aftermarket headlights don't have the self-levelling motors. I coded DRL on, then sidelights as DRLS (since the halos are wired to the sidelights it would seem). The halos come on as soon as I turn the ignition on, and go off when I turn the headlights on.
enzed4 said:
Using NCS Expert?
tomoz4white
Member
Marlon said:This simple cheap mod greatly improved my night vision
Will find out later Marlon - didn't take it out last night but will hopefully take it for a spin later around the pitch black lanes where we live!
Hope I can see a little more!
4) H7 Osram Nightbreakers Unlimited have been fitted and the headlight level slightly raised (I will find out later when night falls and see if there is any improvement).
tomoz4white
Member
The Pitch Blackness Test Results!
Well just taking my beast for a 10 minute run in the pitch dark and I have to say the slight raising of the lights and the H7 Osram Nightbreakers Unlimited have definitely improved the lighting (of the Sonar's and certainly better than the original OEM bulbs) and I could see further ahead!
On my test drive, I then decided to use my front fog spots with the new dipped H7's and that also gave me much improved lighting to the side of the country lanes. Never used the spots to be fair since the car purchase in August but I will defo use these going forward (in pitch black) as they did not appear to cause any glare to other drivers tonight.
Whilst the dipped headlights will never equal the performance of my JCW Clubman, the actual main beam headlight on the Sonar's is better.
I will feel safer from the H7 Nightbreakers for sure - If you are an urban driver, you will probably not notice SIGNIFICANTLY but if you put your car on a countryside road you will see the improvement for sure. In view of this, I will stay away from an HID Kit as this is not recommended for the Sonar's.
Happier!
Well just taking my beast for a 10 minute run in the pitch dark and I have to say the slight raising of the lights and the H7 Osram Nightbreakers Unlimited have definitely improved the lighting (of the Sonar's and certainly better than the original OEM bulbs) and I could see further ahead!
On my test drive, I then decided to use my front fog spots with the new dipped H7's and that also gave me much improved lighting to the side of the country lanes. Never used the spots to be fair since the car purchase in August but I will defo use these going forward (in pitch black) as they did not appear to cause any glare to other drivers tonight.
Whilst the dipped headlights will never equal the performance of my JCW Clubman, the actual main beam headlight on the Sonar's is better.
I will feel safer from the H7 Nightbreakers for sure - If you are an urban driver, you will probably not notice SIGNIFICANTLY but if you put your car on a countryside road you will see the improvement for sure. In view of this, I will stay away from an HID Kit as this is not recommended for the Sonar's.
Happier!
tomoz4white
Member
Ant said:
Halogen OEM's bud