No fogs, i have an idea!

[ETAbullet]

[86 325e]

So a while back my foglight bolt on the driver side rusted and broke off during removal. So i disconnected them both and removed them completely. Now i have no fogs and i'm left with a switch that does nothing.

The fog light switch still works and i want to do something with it. Maybe wire it to the high beams and run low power to have some makeshift city lights. But the problem is, i wouldn't know how to do that :(.

Does anyone have an idea as to how i would go about making these work? I've got Smileys, btw.

Or i can just place the fogs back onto the bumper but i dont want them close to the center of the car, i'd like them further apart, under the low beams. Have any of you done this before? (I know i've seen it before)

I'd like to go from this: http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...lLeftFront.jpg

To this: http://www.dtmpower.net/forum/attach...ates-photo.jpg
(also wondering where i can get this valance:grin:)

[ak-]

You can do anything.
And that is an early model 'is' valence pictured. You'll have to find a used one.
There are also 'es' valences that are identical pretty much, but the difference is the two bottom vents aren't there.

[DaveSmed]

[86 325e]...to have some makeshift city lights....

I've got Smileys, btw.

You have actual city lights....?

I'm confused with what you are trying to do here...

[ETAbullet]

Ok, you know how some cars use the high beam assembly as the running lights? i want to know if i can do that instead of the current DRLs (above the projector in the low beams)

[DaveSmed]

Ah.

Well, there is a cheap way to do that like GM does, but it is a shitty solution that causes glare. That's why GM went to a plain 1156-ish bulb for DRLs 10 or so years ago.

BMW also did that, but they used PWM which is less cheap/simple but much less shitty. They also abandoned that idea around the same time.

Unfortunately due to the construction of the smileys and the H1 bulb, the GM method is a poor choice anyway, as it floats the ground on one side around 7 volts. With the H1's frame grounding, that could cause trouble if an adjuster gets worn or something touches the light housing.

Go with a nice bright Luxeon LED in the city light, that's how the manufacturers are doing DRL these days anyway.

[bernzpeed]

I have those fog lamps. Original Bosch Halogen
I'm selling a pair. $60 shipped. I am actually parting out my 87 325i that looks like that but only has 63k miles on it.
Email me if you are interested in other used parts.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bernzpee...eat=directlink

[86 325e]

So a while back my foglight bolt on the driver side rusted and broke off during removal. So i disconnected them both and removed them completely. Now i have no fogs and i'm left with a switch that does nothing.

The fog light switch still works and i want to do something with it. Maybe wire it to the high beams and run low power to have some makeshift city lights. But the problem is, i wouldn't know how to do that :(.

Does anyone have an idea as to how i would go about making these work? I've got Smileys, btw.

Or i can just place the fogs back onto the bumper but i dont want them close to the center of the car, i'd like them further apart, under the low beams. Have any of you done this before? (I know i've seen it before)

I'd like to go from this: http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...lLeftFront.jpg

To this: http://www.dtmpower.net/forum/attach...ates-photo.jpg
(also wondering where i can get this valance:grin:)

I have those fog lamps. Original Bosch Halogen
I'm selling a pair. $60 shipped.

[ETAbullet]

...Go with a nice bright Luxeon LED in the city light, that's how the manufacturers are doing DRL these days anyway.

I only have a slot for a DRL above the projector, not the High beam assembly and they look like this: http://www.m42club.com/forums/pictur...&pictureid=183

I want my highs to be on [@ low power] without blinding other drivers :?

[Mo Brighta]

Highs /= DRLs

I only have a slot for a DRL above the projector, not the High beam assembly and they look like this: http://www.m42club.com/forums/pictur...&pictureid=183

I want my highs to be on [@ low power] without blinding other drivers :?

Why? Seems to me the high beam is inherently going to 'blind other drivers' due to reflector design. The question is, to what extent?

There is a tradeoff with bulb life you should consider with lower operating voltage / reduced output.

The higher the voltage, the brighter the filament, and the shorter the filament life.

The lower the voltage, the longer the life of the filament, BUT the darker they get over time due to inadequate temperature for the 'Halogen Recycle' process. That's what causes the darkening inside the bulb envelope over time, mostly directly above the filament.

Pull an old bulb out of your tail lights and look at the glass, you'll see what I mean. They darken and dim over time. Most light sources of any type will do this, for various reasons.

I'm not up on the 'particle physics' behind the Halogen Recycle, but I know what the result is. I have a suspicion that you will not notice it, but the effect will be dimming of your headlights over time.

Best answer is to use bulbs at their rated voltage. If you're going to insist on putting a city light in the high beam, I suggest a city light socket and bulb, not some fancy rewiring of the H1 bulb. Use plenty of care drilling it for a proper socket assembly, and seal it to exclude dust. Heat will not be too much of an issue, city light bulbs are usually 4W. Just run a lead from the parking light circuit to the bulb, and done!

Don't forget- technically, city lights are supposed to be at the extreme outer edges of the front of your car, hence their nomenclature 'Position Lamp.' If you put them in the high beam, they are inboard by a foot or so; you shouldn't lose sleep over it, though. Sounds like you are doing this because you like the appearance.

Good luck, and if you want more info / pics of a 'proper city light' assembly, I have one right here I can post.

I also have a line on the Hella H1 BiFocus low beams, with internal city light! Happy to sell youo a set of these!

Andy

[evil_twin]

OP, so what you're trying to say is you want to do what I did.



City lights in the high beams operated by the fog light switch. High beams are still there working normally.

[ETAbullet]

Thanks Mo brighta can I get a pic of those Hellas?

And evil twin, where did you put the drl bulb to make it look like that? And does it affect your high beam output?