Clear xenon lens + 2nd projector MOD

[classba]

My top man Trups has taken my head lights away to mod them further. He is fitting clear Xenon lens and secondary projectors. Below is just a sneak peak of the difference just with the clear lens in place. Getting them back on Wednesday so will update at a later date.

Top part of the photo is OEM frosted lens and the bottom is with the clear lens.

I don't know much about lighting so I'll let Trups chip in and explain.

[Golfather]

Clear lens provides a sharper cutoff, and more colour variation and is used for aftermarket setups.
OEM setups use a frosted lens to make the cutoff more softer and provides less glare to oncoming drivers.

I can't see it providing more light output though as essentially its from the same source, ie 35w D2S bulb.
Unless you upgrade the bulb itself to higher wattage, which would required new ballasts, and changes to the CEM to provide the extra power.

Secondary projectors would be to the fogs, again no use for daily driving unless they are wired up to the lowbeam?
Still changes needed to the CEM as its a fussy bugger detecting the slightest variation in resistance and logging errors.

Interesting to see what Trups has to say..

[Trups]

Very interesting on what you say Golf.

I don't see how a sharper cutoff will cause any glare to oncoming traffic, the beam is not been raised, its in exactly the same place, if you look at my before and after picture there is more is a hot spot which is below the cutoff which will provide bags of extra light on the floor, anything above the cutoff is where you will have issues with dazzling oncoming cars.

I can show you a whole load of projectors that use the same bulb but have had clear len's and the difference it makes is night and day and on some projectors it can make the width and distance a lot better even using OEM bulbs.

For the bulb upgrade Dave has CBI's, as you know from fitting them in your own car with the OEM ballast and frosted lens they are crap, make no difference what so ever, I put a pair of clear lens and CBi's in Daves mates C5 a few weeks back, Dave could tell from when he saw him how better it all was.

When you have OEM bulbs you can use a 55w ballast, you don't need to change the bulbs to 55w as you cant get OEM stuff in 55w so the ballast would need to go aftermarket.

I have wired the secondary projectors to the Fog lights, so they will still come on as coming home, no error issues as Dave has been running a HID kit in there for the last year and has not reported errors and regularly scans his car for faults so no CEM issues. The new projector is bi xenon so I have connected the shutter up to the OEM one so when driving at night with the fog setting on with the dipped beam and he uses his flash both projectors flash providing extra light.

I have set the secondary projector up inline with the OEM one so it can be used as a quad setup, so he can leave dipped beams on and use the fogs so both projectors in each light are on. I have left it simple, I could of tapped into the OEM power source and ran both projectors off dipped beam/high beam but then I would need to use a resistor in the Fog light wire as there would be no bulb causing errors and im not a fan of them little golf resistors so have done it this way.

if you look at this picture of my daily:

This is my Sidelight


Its The LED foglights from a 2014 X5, taken apart and built into my headlight


This is my Dipped beam

its set the correct way, when 25ft from a car the beam should be no higher than a wing mirror on the car in front and when sitting in the car the beam should be straight.

I will put my lights on my daily up against any RS model fitted with Xenons and mine will have bags more output. forget about your 790ps, its no good if you cant see where your going golf

[Trups]

Sneak peak of Daves headlight before it gets put back together.

[Golfather]

Good work there bro! But a massive project! Not for the feint hearted thats for sure!

Obviously having 4 projectors instead of 2 will double the amount of lumens emitted, so yeah definately brighter
Be interested to see how the cut off and all 4 projectors line up including focus?

BTW what projector lenses have you used? This place does some good deals http://www.theretrofitsource.com/closeouts.html
Fog connection is fine as long as ballast is canbus compliant.

Jury still out in terms of frosted vs clear, lumens may be slightly reduced but it produces a softer light output with less contrast.

I like the original look so may go 55w ballast. But a ballache to faff around with different setups as bumper off... and then theres the hassle of alignment of the housing with the bodywork

[classba]

Golf... hence I left it all to a pro.

[Trups]

Thanks, they will be worth the work for sure, just gotta seal them up and then put them back on Daves car.

I have some photos on my phone of one headlight turned on, that's the 2 projecotor but as it over laps you can't see the oem projector cutoff as the fog light one has more intensity as its and aftermarket one, ones I have fitted them to Daves car we will put pictures up of just the fogs, then fogs and dipped and then high beam on both.

I have tuned the projectors so all 4 are sharp, I've mounted the 2nd in such a way that when I realign the main one the fog will move in the same way, the only thing the fog don't do is swivel around corners like the oem one.

I get the lens from the link you put up, I'm their uk dealer so stock there products.

For the 55w ballast you will get your cbi's performing how they should. If you want me to get you some good oe spec 55w ballast plus wiring then let me know, you could leave the old ballast mounted and fit the new one inside without drama as all of Daves is on the inside.

[Golfather]

Nice work mate.
Interested in the 55w decent spec ballast. Have u tried both OEM and 55w ballast in parallel?

[Trups]

How you mean?

[Trups]

Finished.

[classba]

They look fab and thanks Trups. Can't wait to have them fitted.

[classba]

Ok guys, the head lights are now back on and 1st impression looking at them is that they look so OEM and once tuned on... OMG, they look so clear, clean and bright even in the day light. We did had to manually adjust the height of the beam which was easy. The best part is when you flash, all 4 lights flashes...so so cool. Will get some night shots done if the weather permits tonight but so far, well worth the effort and cost. Thumbs up to Trups for doing such a great job.

[Trups]

Dave, glad you like them

I think they are one of the best set of lights I have built to date, I think it brings the car well upto date and I can't wait to see night time shots. Wish I lived closer to you, I would of hung around for darkness just to see them.

Enjoy them.

[Golfather]

Look great and very OEM!
Well done chaps

[C6NVS]

OMG !!! Trups, you have done it again !! Kudos to you and David for pioneering this. Great mod.