Blinded by the light - Brigth\White Angel Eyes

[dark_stranger]

Guys, I hate my yellow angel eyes and now that one of the bulbs has gone, and MOT looming, I want to get this issue fixed.  I was fixated with swapping the existing bulbs with LED's to produce a bright\white halo, but didnt even consider alternatives, especially when LED's just dont seem to cut the mustard with brightness.  Therefore, what other options do I have to make my old looking, yellow angel eyes, fresh, bright and white. Would also like them to be visible during the daytime.

[Bargain Bucket]

I don't believe there is any product you can retrofit that will give you anywhere near the brightness of DRLs. We've all been hoping something would be found but no luck so far. Having said that, someone on here was going to try some 25w Cree LEDs. I'm awaiting the outcome of that and hoping that they won't melt things.

[dark_stranger]

What I mean is currently my Angel eyes are not LED's and therefore guess either xenon on halogen and are a nasty yellow. How can I tell what they are? and whether xenon or halogen, does one type give off a yellow light and the other a white light or can you get either that give of a white light.  Hope that makes sense.

[X5Sport]

If your angel eyes are yellow then they are a halogen filament type.  Xenon filled filament lamps can produce a 'whiter' light and this can be augmented by dipping the bulb in a blue varnish.  All the varnish does is lower the amount of light actually placed beyond the bulb.  I don't know if there is a tinted bulb that can replace the current one.

The kit I used to replace mine with LEDs was this one.  They are OK, but not a bright as the new LCI E70 version.  No option is currently on the market which is.

Richard

[Jalf]

I had some GP Thunder bulbs, very white and bright but I'm not overly keen on the brightens in daylight, little bit distracting/blinding so I went for the less mercedes style "look at" me LEDs

[dark_stranger]

[quote="Jalf"]
I had some GP Thunder bulbs, very white and bright but I'm not overly keen on the brightens in daylight, little bit distracting/blinding so I went for the less mercedes style "look at" me LEDs
[/quote]

Where did you get these bulbs from? Are they a like for like fitting?

[dark_stranger]

What type bulb connection are the Angel eyes on the X53 (Facelift)? H8?

[jimes256]

on mine the angel eyes are a separate bulb which i have replaced with led and it looks nice and white. they are not bright but neither is the filament bulb that came out. the dip beam I have put in halfrauds ultra bright jobbies but they arent much cop, the dip beam is dangerous I think and cant believe they left the factory like it!

[dark_stranger]

OK, have taken out the existing Angel Eye bulb and it would seem its one of these...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Xenon-Hea ... #vi-ilComp

of which says its a Xenon type bulb, but searching on here, someone mentioned that its not actually a Xenon bulb, so even more confused, help.  The MOT is due mid next month and therefore happy to skip the LED solution for the moment as it would seem LED's cost £30'ish, where as a standard bulb it about £13'ish.  Therefore can someone answer the below questions as starting to go stir crazy.

1) Are my bulbs Xenon or  halegon?
2) What bulb fitting type are they? H8?
3) Would these fit? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MTEC-H8-35w-1 ... 3372f3c4f1
4) If the about fit, would there be an issue that the origianl bulbs are 10w's and the above are 35w?

Thanks in advance.

[Jalf]

Very easy to fit, they were from eBay I think and H8 fitting, I think they do other fittings.

[jimes256]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160861621327? ... 1497.l2648

this is what i have and they take about 2 mins to change and look great. great ebayer too

[Horizon]

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/bmw-led-an ... -66-x5-07/
Facelift marker lights, White light, but you wont get bright ones for the E53


http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/55w-new-sm ... -kit-slim/
Dipped beam HIDS you will need H7 bulbs (metal or plastic base, depending on what your headlights are at the moment ) mine is a 55plate facelift with projector lights, with metal based bulbs, you may need to order metal retaining clips, I reused originals by cutting them with a pair of sidecutters, so to straddle the wiring in HIDS kit .

http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/xtec-c5w-l ... -mercedes/
LED numberplate bulbs, facelift ( festoon bulbs )


These are the Angel eye, dipped beam conversion/upgrade, and numberplate bulbs that I have fitted to mine.
Please check if suitable fitment for your car first. BY LOOKING inside your headlights. If you have no beam level adjuster on youir dash, you already have Xenons, and yes the OEM ones are crap as well (35W )

[X5Sport]

[quote="dark_stranger"]
OK, have taken out the existing Angel Eye bulb and it would seem its one of these...of which says its a Xenon type bulb, but searching on here, someone mentioned that its not actually a Xenon bulb, so even more confused, help.
[/quote]

Tungsten Halogen filament lamps are often filled with Xenon - a Halogen gas.  It's used to try to raise the yellow colour temperature of the tungsten filament.

HID bulbs also use Xenon gas, but have no filament as the are an arc light - or 'burner' type.

To convert from the standard bulbs to a HID equivalent you will also need to buy the ballast units which start and run the HID burners.

Your simplest option is 'like for like' to get through the MOT and then go to LED.....which is straight plug & play.

My LED ones from HIDS4U looked like this....