Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

CCFL or LED

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
Post Reply
Imy
Member
Member
Posts: 585
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:26 am
Location: London

CCFL or LED

Post by Imy » Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:45 pm

I would like some opinions really. Im going to get some Angel Eyes, cant decide between CCFL's or LED angels:

LED's
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151029203265? ... 97.c0.m619

CCFL
http://www.car-mod-shop.co.uk/x5ccfl-bm ... 0k-uk.html

I cant decide between the two. I like the look of the LED's because they are bright, but then I also like the subtlety and tidiness of the CCFL's. I have OEM Xenons, so am not convinced the LED's will suit...    I have heard about alot of issues with CCFL's however and that LED's are far more reliable.

Any opinions appreciated

dpbayly
Member
Member
Posts: 227
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by dpbayly » Wed Jun 12, 2013 7:34 pm

Im impressed with my CCFL's they are fairly bright even in bright day light and Ive wired mine as DRL's as well as them being standard sidelights.

User avatar
Steamyrotter
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 1304
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:06 pm

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by Steamyrotter » Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:25 pm

I have CCFL on the main & dip & LED on the Fogs....
Search my username for posts and there is a picture of them switched on..
If things were meant to be easy, then I will soon complicate them....
Please note...
Anything I say is only from my personal experience and knowledge..
I don't assume to know everything, and know there is a lot I don't know..
But then I could be talking bollox.. O:-)

dpbayly
Member
Member
Posts: 227
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by dpbayly » Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:01 pm

Did you ever get any of the above?

Only reason I ask is because after getting the CCFL ones and fitting them I then ordered some of the LED ones and they turned up this morning there the set from your link so I might be changing them depending on if there much brighter.

I'll post back once Ive had a play.

Imy
Member
Member
Posts: 585
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:26 am
Location: London

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by Imy » Mon Jul 15, 2013 3:05 pm

Yes, I got the LED's. They have been sitting in the box for the last 2 weeks. Not sure how to go about fitting them as there were no instructions and I am worried that I will shit up my electrics.

I understand the jist:

Connect rings to the inverstors, then connect trigger wire to interior lights (so it lights up when car is un/locked) second trigger wire for DRL's, then power and negative sounds easy, doing it is another ball game.

dpbayly
Member
Member
Posts: 227
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by dpbayly » Mon Jul 15, 2013 3:45 pm

That's exactly right how you wire it,

mine will be slightly different as I've already wired them to come on when unlocking and as DRL's so it's even easier for me just red black and the yellow is all I need red to battery positive black ground and yellow to sidelight positive.

Should be fitting mine (at least one side) tonight

Imy
Member
Member
Posts: 585
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:26 am
Location: London

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by Imy » Mon Jul 15, 2013 4:34 pm

How do i wire the trigger wire to the interior light power? And I assume the DRL trigger wire will go into the ECU?

dpbayly
Member
Member
Posts: 227
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by dpbayly » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:36 pm

Well the brown wire is the wire that activates off the interior light so you would need to route that wire into the cabin and easiest way is to tap into the live wire on one of the footwell lights as for the yellow i would wire this into a ignition switched live so they come on when the ignition is on this too needs to be routed into the cabin unless you find an ignition switched live under the bonnet.

Or you could wire your's like I wired mine then you can do away with all the wiring loom like I've just done and wired the SMD rings straight into my sidelight circuit at the back of the headlights this is fine to do as the SMD led's are 12v and don't need an inverter like CCFL rings and mine are wired to come on when the ignition is on (just the rings) they also stay on when the sidelights are turned on and they turn on with unlocking the car and all this is done with the use of a single 5 pin relay (basically the same as the one that comes with the kit) and all in the passenger footwell.

Here's a link to the post explaining how to do it:

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... ic.php?t=3

User avatar
lezmtaylor
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:25 pm
Location: Gloucester

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by lezmtaylor » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:48 am

[quote="Imy"]
I would like some opinions really. Im going to get some Angel Eyes, cant decide between CCFL's or LED angels:

LED's
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151029203265? ... 97.c0.m619

CCFL
http://www.car-mod-shop.co.uk/x5ccfl-bm ... 0k-uk.html

I cant decide between the two. I like the look of the LED's because they are bright, but then I also like the subtlety and tidiness of the CCFL's. I have OEM Xenons, so am not convinced the LED's will suit...    I have heard about alot of issues with CCFL's however and that LED's are far more reliable.

Any opinions appreciated

The leds supplier in the listing do NOT ship to the UK, do you know of other suppliers that do?

Lez
[/quote]
2002. 4.4lpg,ledAE's,Xenons,paddleshift,compass mirror,inst rings,led int lights,rear camera,crystal tailights,eisenmann road exh,Schnitzer pedals,chrome indicators,colour co-ord headlamps & bonnet grilles,hualigim entertainment system.dash and rearcamera,comfort seats.hud,bull bars,engine instalube

Imy
Member
Member
Posts: 585
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:26 am
Location: London

Re: CCFL or LED

Post by Imy » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:58 am

That's strange. Thats the guy I got mine from. Maybe he's got them listed on uk eBay for more than what he has on dollars on the US site.

Post Reply