LCI Taillights retrofit - finally managed to get this working
07-18-2007, 11:24 PM
#81
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='449487' date='Jul 19 2007, 04:24 AM
Clearly, there have been differences with E60 tail lights and BFD between countries. I do think that's the case here. If you look at the US owner's manual on page 99 (which is page 101 of the .pdf file), you'll see an illustration showing that the inner bulb (round one) is used for the BFD indication. Remember we're not smart enough to understand how to properly use fog lights -- especially ones in the rear!
So, here's what happened on my little experiment...
Using bruce_miranda's color coding, my US-spec LCI car always uses the green and blue (middle and outer) lights simultaneously for normal braking -- no matter if the parking lights (or headlights) are on or off.
Is that what you guys needed?
Oh yeah, I almost forgot -- I think I might have discovered a software bug while experimenting with the lights -- it seems that the eyebrow does not light up if you use the left or right "roadside parking lamps", only if you use the regular parking lamps. From a safety standpoint, I can't believe they would have purposely programmed the car to not light the appropriate side's eyebrow light. The way it is now, there really isn't any side marker light on in the front if you choose to use the roadside parking lamps. They sure do seem to have a nagging problem with Progman versions and eyebrow functionality, don't they? (Anyone care to wager what Progman version number it'll take to fix this one?
)
So, here's what happened on my little experiment...
Using bruce_miranda's color coding, my US-spec LCI car always uses the green and blue (middle and outer) lights simultaneously for normal braking -- no matter if the parking lights (or headlights) are on or off.
Is that what you guys needed?
Oh yeah, I almost forgot -- I think I might have discovered a software bug while experimenting with the lights -- it seems that the eyebrow does not light up if you use the left or right "roadside parking lamps", only if you use the regular parking lamps. From a safety standpoint, I can't believe they would have purposely programmed the car to not light the appropriate side's eyebrow light. The way it is now, there really isn't any side marker light on in the front if you choose to use the roadside parking lamps. They sure do seem to have a nagging problem with Progman versions and eyebrow functionality, don't they? (Anyone care to wager what Progman version number it'll take to fix this one?
)With regards to the roadside parking lamps Rudy : only the angel lights are supposed to light up (so no eyebrow) in the front together with the normal rear taillight for each side.
Do your angels light up in this case ?
07-18-2007, 11:31 PM
#82
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='449487' date='Jul 19 2007, 03:24 AM
Using bruce_miranda's color coding, my US-spec LCI car always uses the green and blue (middle and outer) lights simultaneously for normal braking -- no matter if the parking lights (or headlights) are on or off.
Any EU LCI members out there who can confirm how this works on an EU car? I can't see how both can light up on an EU car especially if one of them is supposed to be the BFD.
I'll see if I can resolve in the future this but I may never be able to make both light up because of the limitations of the current LCM set-up. Each bulb is powered via a separate power line. So effectively I've got to connect two bulbs in parallel to one power line to make this work. But the LCM is current limited and may treat the effective resistance of two bulbs as a short circuit and will throw an error on the iDrive.
07-19-2007, 06:24 AM
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I finally saw a LCI yesterday and I can confirm that it is both green and blue bulbs that light up when braking. Frankly I dont really care if one or both light up....All I know is that the lights looked great!!!
07-19-2007, 06:34 AM
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Rudy, Is this in complete darkness outside or was there light. I need to know what happens during normal braking especially after the light sensor switches the headlights on automatically.
Any EU LCI members out there who can confirm how this works on an EU car? I can't see how both can light up on an EU car especially if one of them is supposed to be the BFD.
I'll see if I can resolve in the future this but I may never be able to make both light up because of the limitations of the current LCM set-up. Each bulb is powered via a separate power line. So effectively I've got to connect two bulbs in parallel to one power line to make this work. But the LCM is current limited and may treat the effective resistance of two bulbs as a short circuit and will throw an error on the iDrive.
Any EU LCI members out there who can confirm how this works on an EU car? I can't see how both can light up on an EU car especially if one of them is supposed to be the BFD.
I'll see if I can resolve in the future this but I may never be able to make both light up because of the limitations of the current LCM set-up. Each bulb is powered via a separate power line. So effectively I've got to connect two bulbs in parallel to one power line to make this work. But the LCM is current limited and may treat the effective resistance of two bulbs as a short circuit and will throw an error on the iDrive.
07-19-2007, 06:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='449708' date='Jul 19 2007, 05:34 PM
The angels do light up but why wouldn't the eyebrow in this mode? If you use the full parking lights, you get rear taillights as well as the front angels with eyebrows. If you change to parking lights just on one side of the car, you lose the eyebrow only. Where are you learning what's supposed to light up? To me it doesn't make sense that they'd drop the eyebrow...
I didn't realize there was any light sensor involved for brake lights. That doesn't make sense either. When I did my test, I did it with the headlights in both automatic and manual modes and the brake lights worked the same way I described above.
I didn't realize there was any light sensor involved for brake lights. That doesn't make sense either. When I did my test, I did it with the headlights in both automatic and manual modes and the brake lights worked the same way I described above.
07-19-2007, 06:49 AM
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Originally Posted by nicke60gre' post='449714' date='Jul 19 2007, 10:43 AM
Rudy, you did the test during daylight or at night? It is possible that the (day)light sensor manages the LCM in a different way at day/night, thus and the DRL features.
In the case of the parking lights "bug", the test was done at the same time with the same light levels. It really makes no sense why the eyebrow would go off if the roadside parking lamps are used given the same lighting conditions, etc.
07-23-2007, 01:41 PM
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All the best. It may seem like I pushed the limit of the resistors a bit too far for US cars. Cwest got an iDrive error which is very easily fixed by lowering the values of the resistors. On the EU cars because of the added complexity of the circuit both for the taillight and the brake you should not get the error. However since these are electronic components not all cars will be affected by this as it depends on the tolerance of your car.
07-24-2007, 10:34 AM
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I've now managed to make contact with the suppliers of the aftermarket LED lights to see if they can supply me with the electronic parts that hang outside those lights. I believe that whatever they are is what is stopping those LEDs from strobing on start up and I'm hoping I can find that out. Watch this space. In the meanwhile I'm still waiting for some cables to come in from BMW and some electronic parts so if anyone is waiting for their cable then I'm extremely sorry about the wait.
Cwest gets an error on his iDrive on start up that disappears in a few seconds and that simply confirms that the US and EU cars are slightly different because the kits that work for me dont work on US cars as is and I need to lower the resistor values used in the boxes.
Cwest gets an error on his iDrive on start up that disappears in a few seconds and that simply confirms that the US and EU cars are slightly different because the kits that work for me dont work on US cars as is and I need to lower the resistor values used in the boxes.
07-29-2007, 09:55 PM
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Originally Posted by bruce_miranda' post='451516' date='Jul 24 2007, 09:34 PM
I've now managed to make contact with the suppliers of the aftermarket LED lights to see if they can supply me with the electronic parts that hang outside those lights. I believe that whatever they are is what is stopping those LEDs from strobing on start up and I'm hoping I can find that out. Watch this space. In the meanwhile I'm still waiting for some cables to come in from BMW and some electronic parts so if anyone is waiting for their cable then I'm extremely sorry about the wait.
Cwest gets an error on his iDrive on start up that disappears in a few seconds and that simply confirms that the US and EU cars are slightly different because the kits that work for me dont work on US cars as is and I need to lower the resistor values used in the boxes.
Cwest gets an error on his iDrive on start up that disappears in a few seconds and that simply confirms that the US and EU cars are slightly different because the kits that work for me dont work on US cars as is and I need to lower the resistor values used in the boxes.
Hey Bruce
Any Updates on the new improved cables?