Wiring advice for switchback angel eyes

[Deadpool]

I've ordered switch back angel eyes for my pre facelift (2.2) but have never done any wiring! :?
The plan is to try get them in from the back of the headlights without cutting them open like tomrdy managed. I believe that will mean 1 AE in each headlight - which is fine by me. I would like the AE's on but not the existing parking lights and only the halos to flash when indicating if legal & possible.

I've gone through most of the guides on here and other forums but there seems to be different methods or the AE's come with different wiring. Could someone dumb down how to wire them?

Few questions:
Do I T-tap or cut existing wires and wire directly to the driver/controller?
Is there need for resistors to avoid the warning light on the dash? If so, where should the resistors be wired?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60-70-80...var=452990439900&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[kis]

If you’re not using the parking lights where are you planning to get your power source? Surely that’s the easiest way to get power and switch them on and off? Otherwise you’ll have to add a complete new circuit and switch.

Have you actually received these? I was assuming you’d need some sort of module to run this? So when you’ve got the drl on, they need to turn off... Then the indicator can flash? Then that stops, then drl back on?

If you hook it all up, not sure it will flash amber if there’s not something to switch the (white) angles off first? If you see what I mean. Let me know how you get on! I want to do my own drl project eventually!

 

[Deadpool]

Sorry should've been more clear. I plan on wiring these to the parking lights but when turning the parking lights on I do not want the existing bulb to light up only the halos. Just not sure whether I need to t-tap into existing wires or to cut them completely from the bulbs and wire to the driver/controller.

Still waiting for delivery unfortunately. They come with a driver/controller which I believe should determine whether the white or orange leds need to flash.

 

[kis]

Have you seen a few of the other posts? Halo’s and switchbacks have been discussed not too long ago with a few diy threads too.

 

[Deadpool]

Yup went through the 80 page thread too! Looks like I can t-splice to the existing parking lights or cut them out and wire to the halos. I think I'll go down the route of cutting the wires to the existing parking lights and wire directly to the halos and just code out the bulb warning light on the dash if there is one.

 

[kis]

I’ll probably do the same when I get round to it!

 

[tomrdy]

Sorry should've been more clear. I plan on wiring these to the parking lights but when turning the parking lights on I do not want the existing bulb to light up only the halos. Just not sure whether I need to t-tap into existing wires or to cut them completely from the bulbs and wire to the driver/controller.

Hey Deadpool I've got my parkers running independently to the AEs (so all original stuff still works) but I realised there's a fairly simple way to replace the parker with a halo after I had finished, though you wouldn't have always-on which is what I wanted - but the effort I think will be significantly less. You also wouldn't need to drill a small hole in the back of the headlight housing to feed the AE's wire out.

Side note: If you have something like PA Soft, I THINK you can enable DRL but I haven't tried. Just saw it in the options. I assume it keeps the parker on all the time? If it does, then the following method would be a REEEALLY easy way to get DRL AEs.

I realised this when I was fiddling with my leftover halos and decided I would try to wire them into my boot for more light since the boot light sucks.

Basically, I had a big pack of cheapo LED side lamps:


These fit directly into the T10 plugs (so your interior lights, footwell, boot and front parkers). If you pull the LED off the plastic bit, you get this:



Then just thread your Halo's + - wires through in place of the LED.

Then simply plug it into wherever you need it. In your case, it would be just plugging it into the parker light's plug. Probably then just leave it inside the housing though you will be left with a hole.

Here it is working with the exact same principle in my boot:



For reference, I currently have these cheapy LED's running in my parkers along with my AE with no issues. They're not the best but I got a pack of 50 for literal dollars haha

They come with a driver/controller which I believe should determine whether the white or orange leds need to flash.

THIS! I wanted to do this but was already way too invested in it. Definitely planning on changing to one with orange blink in the future. I haven't done it personally so take this with a grain of salt, but my plan (for the future) would have been to tap into one of the indicator lines as you are planning.

I am also curious how the control box works. I suggest you grab some D cell batteries (or even just your car battery) to test how it works - does the white turn off with amber? Vica versa?? And report back!! 8)

 

[Deadpool]

Thanks for the tips! Finally got around to fitting the AE's over the weekend. It was hard work.. some torx bolts got rounded off

I tried the method you suggested but most the wires got cut when connecting to the t10 plugs so I opted to t-tap into the parking lights and indicators. I've kept the side light in for now but already hate it so will be removing and coding out the error check at some point. Decided to wrap the indicators in carbon fiber for a blacked out look too.

On using the blinkers the white switches to orange instantly and straight back to white again on cancelling indicators - I know some have a few seconds delay.

I'd definitely recommend switch backs for anyone planning on installing AE's. Oh and use a plunge cutting blade to make light work of cracking the headlights open!

I think I'll be fitting a LED strip or an angel eye in the boot too. It's still too dark with just an LED bulb.

 

[tomrdy]

Glad to hear you got it all working!

Did you still end up with only the inner ring on each side? I wondered whether that would look odd when indicating since it's not right at the edge.

My plan would have been to keep the original indicators as well so they light up together. How do you find it without for other driver's visibility wise?

 

[Deadpool]

Nope went with both AE's in each headlight as I wanted to black out the original indicators. Plus I thought it would get too messy trying to glue the AE's from the back.

Not a problem when using the indicators but only because I went with the outer ring too. The driver side headlight has oxidised again so I thought it would be best to take pictures on that side

 

[tomrdy]

Ah I c!

I do really like that double ring effect on the projector lense that you can see in your pic.

Now you've got me thinking about doing all the rings again....

 

[Deadpool]

Do it!