HID Retro Number 3 (2Ga Headlights)

[Blurred Talon]

This is HID Retro number 3 for me, always in the quest of the perfect HID set up. My old set up was 4 FX-R projectors but only 2 worked and it looked like ass. I wanted something more OEM looking so I scrapped the old set up.
I'll try and give as much tech in this post as possible.

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Set consists of:
Acura TL slope Bi-Xenon Projectors
ZWK-R Clear lenses (for a sharper cut off)
Boosted Bosch AL Gen 2 Ballasts (Rotary switch allows me to turn the wattage from 35W to 70W, not pictured)
Morimoto 5000k D2S bulbs
E46R Extended Shrouds
Cree P4 White and Amber LEDs for Markers/Turns
Nokya Hyper Yellow Bulbs (For DRL use only, not pictured)

Swapped the clear lens into the TLs today. Stock fresnel lens compared to the ZKW-R clear lens.

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Separated both headlights.

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Going to have to refinish my plastic lenses on both headlights.

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I've got a lot of work a head of me making the TLs fit into my headlights.

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[tuxdreamerx]

I'll be interested in seeing the finished product. I was thinking about doing this with some 2gb headlights since most projector headlights I have had for these cars are junk, except the set of APC's that I had but they were not HID.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Most aftermarket projectors are pretty crappy and don't get me started on HID kits.
I actually found the factory headlights in my 96 to be pretty craptacular too.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Always good work. After all my studying, I think that the S2000 has the best projectors but they aren't BiXenon. I want BiXenon. Just to say I have it! . I cannot wait to start my retrofit with these brand new headlights.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Yea, S2000s have a nice wide beam but I prefer Bi-Xenon high beam over halogen where I live. If you can deal with having our stock high beam it's not an issue.

I also figured out how to wire up my DRLs.
InfiniteGSX, that was me who added you to MSN last night btw.

 

[Black Widow97]

Cool idea, way to be creative.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Yea, S2000s have a nice wide beam but I prefer Bi-Xenon high beam over halogen where I live. If you can deal with having our stock high beam it's not an issue.

I also figured out how to wire up my DRLs.
InfiniteGSX, that was me who added you to MSN last night btw.

Oh ok. Sometimes I'm never on MSN cause I just don't open it. I am only on AIM when I'm logged into my gmail since gmail chat signs into aim. and yahoo, never on that. But lately I been on MSN to talk to a friend. Just hit me up whenever.

Thats what I'm suffering from. I reeeeaaaallllly want BiXenon, but I think having that huge wide beam pattern rocks!

I first gotta get my new headlights aligned right. They seem to be deformed on how you mount them so one is fine, lined perfect already, and the other is pointing downward a lot, almost too much. I'm starting to think its the actual alignment and not the position of the head light.

So the problem with installing the BiXenon in the headlight is the actuator for the blockoff plate? Time for a dremel!

 

[Blurred Talon]

Cool idea, way to be creative.

Thanks!

Oh ok. Sometimes I'm never on MSN cause I just don't open it. I am only on AIM when I'm logged into my gmail since gmail chat signs into aim. and yahoo, never on that. But lately I been on MSN to talk to a friend. Just hit me up whenever.

Thats what I'm suffering from. I reeeeaaaallllly want BiXenon, but I think having that huge wide beam pattern rocks!

I first gotta get my new headlights aligned right. They seem to be deformed on how you mount them so one is fine, lined perfect already, and the other is pointing downward a lot, almost too much. I'm starting to think its the actual alignment and not the position of the head light.

So the problem with installing the BiXenon in the headlight is the actuator for the blockoff plate? Time for a dremel!

I started using Trillian recently so now I can talk to everyone from one program, much easier imo.

The FX-Rs will fit but you'll have to do some cutting or the Morimoto Mini D2S will go in without cutting.

The major issues with the TLs is the height and the depth. Depth I'm not too worried about, height is another story. I'll likely end up trimming the top of the projector and some of the reflector (and maybe the housing too) for the Bi-Xenon Solenoid.

 

[Blurred Talon]

A did a bit of work on this today, I'm waiting on perf boards and other things but decided to start planning and testing my turn signals.
I'm going to be using Cree P4 amber LEDs for markers, when the turn signal is on it will then switch to white and then back to amber...so on and so forth. This will be controlled by a P-Channel MOSFET. Of course the major issue with LEDs is day time visibility so I put 30 of the amber P4s on to a bread board and fired them up, they are running at 70mA.

Here they are sitting on my front porch in direct sun light.

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About 20ft back of them.

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Not bad but I'm sure that once mounted inside the housing with the pillowed lens in front they would bit a bit more focused.

 

[kdiddy01]

I replaced my parking lights with HIDS.....

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[Blurred Talon]

Uh.....yea, that's just stupid.....moving along.

I pulled the reflectors out of the housings to take a look at things.

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Now if I notch the reflector for the BiX solenoid then I should be able to cram the TLs into my housing. The housing will of course need some trimming for the solenoid too. I need to get a drill because the chuck on the one I have is too small. Once I do that I can hole saw out the back of the reflector and start working on this more.

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[Blurred Talon]

Went digging through my closet today trying to find some LEDs I though were packed in a box from the move when I came across some perf board, awesome!

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I grabbed some cardboard and after some tracing and cutting I came up with a template that I then transferred to the perf board.

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Took out my dremel and started cutting and sanding to get the right fit, used the OEM screws to hold the board in place.

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Here we are with 33 amber Cree P4 LEDs (series of 3 running at 60mA) and 27 white P4s (series of 3 running at 30mA), there aren't wired yet but rather just sitting there to get an idea of what it looks like.

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With the headlight lens back on. I will paint the board either white or silver to have it blend in better (likely white as it reflects better) plus I'll use some reflective chrome tape on the gray parts of the housing to help reflect some more light out.

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Now for the buzz kill, the white P4s at 30mA are no where near bright enough for turn signals in direct sun light from the test I did. Maybe being in a housing would help get some more light out but for now it's looking like I'll have to find something brighter.

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EDIT:
The left side board is cut now and fits snug.

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Here's what I keep all my LEDs, Vregs, caps, etc in. Nicely labeled and organized (need to add part numbers and bin numbers to the LED Labels).

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I've decided to use all amber for the markers and turns, that's over 60 LEDs per side, it'll be bright enough.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Anthony! I'm coming over! Were gonna do some shit of my own hehe. love the setup. You gotta take into account that the LED's are inside a dark housing. So light will look different that way.

I'm going to go an opposite direction with my Retrofit on those new headlights I got. I'm going to amber out the corner light/signal lens and just use a normal bulb. I usually have a Silverstar behind that.

The HID in the Side marker is funny. Now we have a direction to look for those Alien Abductions!

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[streetlegends]

Here is my opinion on the retro thing. Okay I have a set of projector headlights made for my 2Gb. I put 5000k bulbs in them and they look awesome. I had 8000k's in them for like two years. Anywho I think if you want to retro use 5000k bulbs better light output and if you buy projectors for your DSM still use 5000k bulbs. I just don't see the difference in retro and in the projectors made for our DSMs.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Anthony! I'm coming over! Were gonna do some shit of my own hehe. love the setup. You gotta take into account that the LED's are inside a dark housing. So light will look different that way.

I'm going to go an opposite direction with my Retrofit on those new headlights I got. I'm going to amber out the corner light/signal lens and just use a normal bulb. I usually have a Silverstar behind that.

The HID in the Side marker is funny. Now we have a direction to look for those Alien Abductions!

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Hope you don't get sea sick, crossing the gulf can be hairy

What do mean by amber out? Paint the lens amber?

I'm ready to start this but I need to get some chrome vinyl first.

Got some chrome vinyl today for free.
I traced the boards out on the back.

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Then I cut the trace and stuck it to the perf board.

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I also applied the vinyl all over the turn signal housing, ooooh shiny!

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Came up with the wiring diagram last night, 60 P4 amber LEDs running at 60mA with 4 in a series. Only thing on the diagram is the Vreg which will limit the voltage coming into the array to 12V.

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[dffusion20]

I am legitimally impressed! I've been thinking about doing these but wow... I want to see the finished product.

 

[Zdrummer15]

I was just looking at your LED taillight thread the other day. It looks like you do some pretty nice work with your lights.

 

[Blurred Talon]

I am legitimally impressed! I've been thinking about doing these but wow... I want to see the finished product.

Thanks! I can't wait to test the LEDs maybe tomorrow they will be all soldered.

I was just looking at your LED taillight thread the other day. It looks like you do some pretty nice work with your lights.

Thanks man, it's an addiction. This is my 3rd retro now, number one was a failed Quad set up with E55s and FX-Rs, it never saw the light of day. Number 2 was a failed Quad again with all FX-Rs. I ran this one but couldn't get the inner projectors aimed right so they never got used.
This will hopefully be my last and best looking one yet. I need to borrow my old man's drill since the chuck on mine is too small. I'm headed out there this Sunday for a couple days so once I'm back I will start on mounting the TLs

 

[Silver99OZ]

Great work so far, I looked into doing this last spring but it never happened. This just motivated me to do this as winter project.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Great work so far, I looked into doing this last spring but it never happened. This just motivated me to do this as winter project.

Projector retro is the way to go my man!

The mini D2S from The Retrofit Source are an easy install and will fit great in our small housings.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Here is my opinion on the retro thing. Okay I have a set of projector headlights made for my 2Gb. I put 5000k bulbs in them and they look awesome. I had 8000k's in them for like two years. Anywho I think if you want to retro use 5000k bulbs better light output and if you buy projectors for your DSM still use 5000k bulbs. I just don't see the difference in retro and in the projectors made for our DSMs.

Are you serious? Or are you just blind?

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.... Not trying to be a dick but its just fact. You don't know what light output means! Your Ebay Headlights with HID's is as bright as my cell phones Dual LED Flash! The Projectors (usually sold all over ebay) for DSM's or any other car use a very poorly constructed Fog Light Projector Unit. Usually H1 but old school versions use H3. There is a reason they are not DOT Legalized and thats because of their poor output. I once put HID's in my Aftermarket Projector Headlights.... That was sad! There is no real light output when it comes to those kind of headlights vs a real DOT Legal Projector. Weather you think so or not. And if you honestly think so you need your eyes examined.

Here's a H1 HID kit, 4300k inside my old 98 GST's Projector Headlights (newer style)

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Here's a S2K Retrofit (Said to be one of the best Projector units ever designed)

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What your saying you don't see any difference in, is like comparing a Gecko to Godzilla.

Hope you don't get sea sick, crossing the gulf can be hairy

What do mean by amber out? Paint the lens amber?

I'm pretty good when it comes to traveling in Unidentified Aircraft with Inertial Dampeners!

I like the Amber Look... Like Honda's with the Amber Signals. Our Lens stock is a clear lens with a clear/amber lens behind it and a clear bulb. Before I've taken the amber lens out and installed a Sylvania Silverstar Signal Bulb which gives that bluish look when not illuminated but then when it is on its amber. Now what I'm interested in doing is just taking the clear outer lens, and painting it with Amber/Yellow Krylon Staind Glass Paint. Which is a Candy/Transparent Color Paint. Similar to VHT NiteShade but they don't make black. They have it in Amber/Yellow, Red, Blue, Green.

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I don't know why, it just feels more..... Fulfilling, if thats even a way to describe it.

 

[Blurred Talon]

I figured that's why you were talking about. I did that to my first Civic over 10 years ago when the only amber corners were Vision corners and they costed a grip.
Never seen it on a 2G though, should be interesting.

All soldered up, I have some dead strings so I've got to do some testing and figure out what's up. Once I do that I'll get pictures of it all lit up.

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After another hour of work everything is perfect. I had to remove one section of LEDs (top right corner) as they were in an L shape and a PITA to solder. I also had to replace 2 LEDs and do some re-soldering of my resistors and power lines but now it's all working. I would have gotten pictures outside but it's over cast here today, I did test them outside in the housing though and WOW are they bright even at 50ft it hurts my eyes a bit. I now need to research my PWM to dim them down.

Testing.

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Inside the headlight housings.

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These little suckers are bright. I'm sure if it was dark they'd light up the whole room!

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With the lens off, you can see where I removed the one string, there's still 56 LEDs in there. My camera can't capture it but you can see any empty spot without the LEDs there so I might put the string back in.

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Back of the circuit board, this took me about 4 hours, sitting cross legged on a cold concrete floor bent over staring at what I'm doing. My back and legs hate me today

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I went ahead and soldered that L shaped array in, the turn looks 'complete/full now'. I wish my camera could capture this stuff.

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I'm very pleased with how this side came out. Need more LEDs to do the right side now.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

How much did it cost to make the single panel? Thats pretty sick.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Pffft.....good question man. I've had the LEDs kicking around for a long time now, I think I paid 20 for 60 of them (need 120 plus extras in case you frack up), resistors where free, vinyl was free, perf board I had.
Then there's the PWM side of things, which controls the brightness for markers/turn.
You could maybe do it for under $100 if you find deals.

 

[kdiddy01]

I am so scared to take my headlights apart honestly, because when i put it in the oven and baked it to take the glass off...well let's just say it came off, along with everything else, but i will take the LED corner light thing to someone who knows how to do it, and have them do it, and blame them if they mess things up