Bimmian Solaris Invisibulbs are crap!
02-10-2009, 03:24 PM
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This is probably a common DIY, but in case it's lost in the archives... here's a good tip for people interested in Invisibulbs for turn signals...
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
02-10-2009, 03:31 PM
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Originally Posted by VirtualRain' post='789855' date='Feb 10 2009, 04:24 PM
This is probably a common DIY, but in case it's lost in the archives... here's a good tip for people interested in Invisibulbs for turn signals...
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
Wow...nice discovery! Got any pics in action? Will bulb temperatures be a problem for the paint over time? i'm kinda curious about this...
02-10-2009, 03:52 PM
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This is GREAT! My new X5 has front turn signal bulbs that are of a new size and nobody makes them in the invisibulb. I was thinking about doing this same approach with the spray paint, but wasn't sure the light coming through would be good enough. You have convinced me it will and I'm now going to do this.
Thanks!
Thanks!
02-10-2009, 03:55 PM
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This is definitely a solution but just to warn you, make sure you use high temp paint. I did this to stock bulbs and it started to flake after a month. You also need to make sure to apply a thin coat to the bulb or you can cause it to overheat and melt the housings.
02-10-2009, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Nick@Jlevi SW' post='789885' date='Feb 10 2009, 07:55 PM
This is definitely a solution but just to warn you, make sure you use high temp paint. I did this to stock bulbs and it started to flake after a month. You also need to make sure to apply a thin coat to the bulb or you can cause it to overheat and melt the housings.
I will keep that advice in mind when doing this.
02-10-2009, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by VirtualRain' post='789855' date='Feb 10 2009, 07:24 PM
This is probably a common DIY, but in case it's lost in the archives... here's a good tip for people interested in Invisibulbs for turn signals...
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
02-10-2009, 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by VirtualRain' post='789855' date='Feb 10 2009, 08:24 PM
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
02-10-2009, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by kadafi39' post='789915' date='Feb 10 2009, 08:32 PM
Don't bulbs burn and then crack because they have been handled with bare hands and then not wiped properly before they are used? Oil in your fingers heats up the glass to more than it can handle, im guessing why they dont crack when you painted them is because the oil in your hands dont touch the glass as you have sprayed a layer of paint on them.
Its hard not to buy something!
02-10-2009, 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by VirtualRain' post='789855' date='Feb 10 2009, 07:24 PM
This is probably a common DIY, but in case it's lost in the archives... here's a good tip for people interested in Invisibulbs for turn signals...
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!
I bought a pair of Solaris Invisibulbs from Bimmian for my e60 M5 and one of the two blew up (burnt out and cracked the bulb) on my first test of it. The replacement they sent had the same problem. That's 2 out of 3 bulbs that immediately blew. Crap!
While I'm waiting to see what Bimmian will do (hopefully send me yet another replacement), I decided to try and duplicate the effect myself. I took one of my stock orange bulbs and simply frosted it lightly with a can of silver spray paint. I wrapped the base of the bulb in masking tape and clamped it in my desk vice. I then gently frosted the bulb with spray paint from about a foot away. Very light dusting. While Bimmian's bulbs have a mirror like finish, mine have a matt silver finish. After letting the paint dry, I popped it back in the car and tested it out... it works fine... just as bright as the Bimmian bulb and just as effective at eliminating the egg-yoke effect when off. To top it off, I suspect it will last longer than Bimmian's cheap-ass bulbs.
Next time DIY with a $5 can of spray paint and save yourself $30+ and a bunch of frustration!