ColoradoBenz

My hands may have a few scratches on them, but after a couple hours of work I have HID headlights, LED parking lights, and LED license plate lights.

Thanks to AZN Optics for quick answers to questions and fast shipping!

PurpleS500

any one went with DDM Brand route ? if so what system did you nuy for the headlights , the car I want to install is a 2006 w211 . was thinking 4300k or 6000k if any pics, I see the 6k pics posted on this thread. otherwise was going to do the MTEC
thanks guys

PurpleS500

Side view of w211 HiD install








So much better lighting with canbus Hid system and help of the forum to adjust the lights higher look the brightness 5500k/35w xenon system

Ottin

My Canada version e320 is halogen headlight, it acts DRL in day time, as dimmed; only fully on at night, so I think it uses lowed voltage supply for DRL.
If I upgrade it to HID, I must consider voltage pairement for HID.
Do someone has experience on it, thanks.

samaritrey

All you would have to do is program the car for xenon lights and then the DRL's would work fine.

tonyt77

Alright, after an hour struggling to install my brand new ordered Morimoto H7 HID for my W211, I can't get the HID bulb to fit the retaining clip. Is there a way to do it ? There's like a hard plastic cap at the bottom of the HID bulb in the way and I wonder if I will void the warranty if I trim it down and risk breaking anything. Any tips of advice ? Please help

ss.dna02

^^^ I had to file down the plastic around the bulb and a little on the clip.

AsianR350

Trim the retaining clip.

AMGAffalterbach

I had this same issue and got so frustrated over it. You either have to trim the retaining clip or get aftermarket clips that have clearance. The clips on these cars are the worst design and most obnoxious thing I've ever dealt with, luckily a member on the forums (I think it was boardboy) sent me some that worked but I forget what brand they were, eBay may work too.

NewShockerGuy

So my initial plan. Buy oem bi-xenons and then code the car, and everything works minus the active curve... welp that's not correct. The bi-xenon feature won't work for the low beam as the shutter won't turn (active curve projector is different from normal projector where the shutter is round and rolls rather than flips down like a normal shutter).


Anyways, I had trouble with the oem bi-xenon, the low beam wouldn't turn on, I heard rattling from the ballast... It has had water in it because there was corrosion. Turns out the ebay dude is a douche. The ebay seller magically stated that the headlight was taken off the car a year after it purchased than it sat in a box for 5 years, so he has no idea how water would have gotten in, then begin to blame me for doing the damage..rofl. E-bay is great so I am going to file a claim send it back to him and get my money back. Complete tool, not willing to help at all.


I figured lets do an OEM swap but using halogen headlights. This is what I am doing and below is what I am getting. Note that I am not using the stock H7 projector with a HID bulb as this is the incorrect way of doing it.



*1. I will be purchasing OEM ballasts that are for D1S bulbs. Will mount directly on the bottom of the headlight and there is already a punch out for it since both xenon and halogens use the exact same body headlight.
OEM Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2007-2010 HID/Xenon Ballast (HID215) | eBay
$75 x 2 = $150
*EDIT: This is not going to work due to not finding the harness for it. See below for updated item.


**2. Since those are OEM ballasts I will need the internal wiring to connect them. I found this though coming from China is exactly what is needed: EDIT: This appears to be the wrong pinout via the notch... is there a wiring harness for the OEM ballast Hella 5DC009060-00?
2x Power Cord Wire Harness For Hella Factory Original D1S OEM Xenon HID Ballast | eBay
$12.50 for the pair


**EDIT 2:
It appears this ballast would NOT work with the above wiring connection. From my research the ballast that normally comes with the headlight does a bunch of things plus ignite the bulb... it processes information from CAN lines in order to send signals to adjust the motors in the headlights. I don't need that. I just want a plug in play almost connection and it seems like the below ballast matches with that of the above connector.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261993047797

3. Getting EvoX-R projectors to replace standard H7 halogen proctor in housing. This already has the clear lenses (saves $40 from ordering separately) and takes a D2S bulb. Note that the factory bi-xenon's take a D1S bulb. Of course ordering from TRS.
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bi...ox-r-48654.htm
$150 for the pair


4. Since the projectors take D2S bulbs and the ballast is for D1S obviously we have a problem... no fear Morimoto actually has a solution to this, the harness from the ballast plugs into the ignitor which then attaches to the D2S bulb. YAY TRS comes through again.
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/mo...onversion.html
$70 for the pair ( I think pair, I HOPE)

Total Cost: $382.5 minus any coupons which should start taking place with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner... probably save about $15-20% more. So it's actually less money doing it this way than buying factory because the one I just bought was $400 with shipping.


Which brings me with a better quality projector than the stock halogen, OEM style parts for the most part and all without chopping up the headlight. PLUS most importantly the bi-xenon feature will work when tied in with the high beam, which is the entire point of bi-xenons..lol


***EDIT 3:
I ended up purchasing one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/112001352534?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It appears to have the same oval shape as the ballast I have now and what comes on the factory bi-xenon, but it doesn't have the other features that would be controlled via the CAN lines... so, we shall see. It comes with the wiring harness which is good. I am going to order the rest of the stuff from TRS if this ballast fits the bottom of the headlight housing, then I should be good to go I am hoping. My only other concern might be that adaptor for the D1S - D2S would be too thick and not cause the end of the headlight housing to close.... but who knows at this point. I think this will all work if the parts match up! I will definitely post pictures to help others once I receive everything.

-Nigel

EuroDriverSD

DRLs are actually very bad for HID lights. It is recommended that you either (preferably turn off the DRL feature or alternatively, code your DRL intensity to 100%

EuroDriverSD

@Nigel: I bought these ballasts from TRS.

I mounted them in the same spot where the original OEM ballast is suposed to go, using double-sided tape and a couple screws with washers as retention brackets.

I drilled a hole in the twist-on cap on the back of the headlight assembly and fed the connector wire through with a grommet. Wiring them up was super easy, but I did have to cut the D2S connector wire and re-solder to feed them through the light bulb dust cap.

I have been very pleased with these ballasts. They fire up much quicker than my old MorimotoXB ballasts.

EuroDriverSD

I hadn't snooped around in the forums for a while, so I'm just catching up on this thread.

I wanted to add a comment for those of you with flickering/strobing light problems. The simplest solution is to spend around $100 with your local dealer or independent shop with a STAR system and have the car coded to XENON PRESENT. Once that is done, there is no need for capacitors, resistors or CANBUS-ready systems.

This solution only applies to headlight HID conversions. Those of you with issues in the fog lights, (or those who opt not to re-code your car), I have had very good luck with the Morimoto CANBUS adapters. You can get them from AZN Optics (he's a vendor here on the forums) or directly from TRS.

EuroDriverSD

jcat - I really don't want to re-kindle a debate that has raged through endless threads on many different forums, but I want to chime in here, for the sake of those that are on the fence between a cheap plug-n-play kit vs. dropping several more bucks on a thorough oem retrofit.

Having done several retrofit projects in my days, I can tell you that the old addage holds true that you get what you pay for - or as others may say, you pay for what you get. I'll start off by mentioning that the halogen E55 projectors are among the best-suited for plug-n-play HID conversion. The output is actually pretty decent. However, is there a significant difference over a true OEM xenon projector? You betcha! for starters, plug-n-play HID kits are ILLEGAL and for good reason. The chances of getting busted are slim but those laws are in place for safety.

To your naked eye, you don't see much difference in your beam cutoff vs. a xenon-based E55 projector. But what do others in front of you see? A lot more glare. In addition, your naked eye does not distinguish much difference, but there definitely is a difference in lumen output and beam focus. Another factor to consider is quality and reliability.

OEM light manufacturers spend millions of dollars on R&D to develop headlights that put the light beam where you need it, and keep it out of where it doesn't belong (other people's eyes). Although the difference may not be very noticeable to you, halogen vs. xenon projector bowls are designed around the bulb they are designed to take. The light source from a halogen bulb vs. a xenon capsule is focused on very different positions due to the shape and positioning. Projector bowls are designed to reflect that light source and direct it into a very specific beam pattern. Thus, when you put an HID capsule into a halogen based projector, light is inevitably going to be scattered where it doesn't belong. This means that you are not getting optimum lighting where you need it, and some of that light you are missing will be scattered into oncoming driver's eyes. Another consequence is that an aftermarket bulb is likely to run much hotter, at temperatures that the projector bowl is not designed to withstand. This results in eventual burn marks on the reflective surface which will result in a much dimmer light output. There'a a whole science behind it that cannot be explained in one mouthful.

The same holds true for aftermarket, re-based xenon capsules. They are not all created equal. Bulb alignment, light intensity, heat production/dissipation and even color temperature are not equal. I have used many aftermarket kits and even the most reliable have produced weird light patterns, uneven color temperature and premature failure. This all adds up to you not having light where you ideally need it. There is definitely a significant difference in light output in the Osram CBI's I'm currently using.

Ballasts may not be as much of an issue from a safety perspective, but I'll tell you that my lights fire up much faster and with no flicker with my Denso ballasts compared to my old Morimoto ballasts. With the aftermarket ballasts, my lights would turn on dim and slowly brighten up to full intensity, often with an initial flicker. It was annoying enough when I'd start the car and try to drive off in a hurry (often having to drive the first 1/2 to 1 block with dim lighting). This issue went away when I installed the Denso ballasts. I can also argue that perhaps there may be long-term consequences to the vehicle's electrical system, but I have no real evidence to back that up, other than the many people with flickering/strobing light issues.

That aside and going along with the argument that a halogen E55 projector is "good enough" or that for the price of a proper OEM retrofit you can do a plug-n-play conversion many times over is akin to stating that for the price of a MBZ SLS AMG you can get several Ford Fiestas that get you from A to B just fine. Is there a difference? Of course! Aftermarket lighting will get you from A to B with just enough light in front of you to see where you are going, at the cost of eye strain and glare to oncoming traffic. In other words, there's performance and then there's high performance.

I'll sum it up by reiterating that I'm in no way trying to bash you - I'm simply putting it out there for the benefit of those considering a retrofit, so they can make a more informed decision. I ran with rebased HID bulbs in my halogen projectors for some time too, but after doing a proper retrofit, I can tell you there is definitely a difference. Converted halogen projectors on our cars are fine - they're actually quite decent, but they are not optimum performance.

If anything, I feel much better knowing that I have the optimum lighting exactly where I need it, that it's projected in a manner that reduces strain on my eyes and reduces glare to oncoming drivers and ultimately, that I'm not breaking the law. For me, the significantly increased cost is worth it - I'm happy to pay for the R&D and quality control that went into it.

If you or anyone else wants to get a more in-depth understanding, I recommend you read this article.

NewShockerGuy

Yep, agree with EuroDriver. The bowls and output make look identical to the halogen/hid setup. But they are not. One simply has to look at the filment vs's the HID capsule. They are NOT in the same place there for will produce different light output.


There is a thread over at hidplanet and the dude that helped design the E55 projector bowl assures that both bowls are different.


I will post up my progress as I receive parts. I think it might be a nice alternative for those looking for OEM look without drilling holes in the back caps or having sloppy ballasts dangling.


You get what you pay for via hid lighting. I cringe everytime I see DDM tuning and people recommending them. I always try and stay with OEM parts as you know it will be quality and last. I did a retro fit on my 05' STi back in 2006 or 2007, I can't remember it's been so long. It still functions perfectly 10 years later. S2k projectors FTMFW btw...lol


-Nigel

NewShockerGuy

Since this seems to be the all inclusive HID thread I will post my findings thus far.


So far I was able to get a hella ballast that does not have the can lines to do active curve. It will mount in the same location as the stock ballast. The ballast came with a new harness which will then be wired internally to the low beam wiring inside the headlight housing. I am purchasing EvoX-R projectors from TRS since it's bolt in to our E55 H7 projector bowls.


See pictures of progress so far. I will then purchase the D1S > D2S adaptor/ignitor for the D2S bulbs and will have an OEM looking headlight with bi-xenon function. Total cost after any sales should be right around $350 or less depending on where you are shopping from. All in all it will be such a nice upgrade compared to the stock halogen projector.


Thanks,
-Nigel

NCBenzUser

I currently have halogens in my vehicle with headlights which have been resurfaced several times. I'm checking on replacements and LEDs seem to be coming on strong. I'm looking at these:
http://www.andysautosport.com/produc...tured%20Videos

My main goal is better visibility since I'm usually driving at night on country roads. Anyone have an opinion on these LEDs or with this manufacturer?

jbeech

In post $260 NewShockerGuy wrote in part . . . "Will mount directly on the bottom of the headlight and there is already a punch out for it since both xenon and halogens use the exact same body headlight."

I'm wondering if this is true because my C320 wagon headlamps became yellowed in about 5-6 years while my E320 with factory Xenon lamps (the kind that bobble up when I first turn them on and are sort of blue before warming up and becoming white) is a 2004 model and these lenses have not developed the cataracts, or yellowed like those of the C320. Does anyone know if the lenses themselves are different?

NewShockerGuy

Between factory hid and factory halogen the lenses are identical. There is nothing different between the two. More likely than not one got more damaged by UV rays or a cleaning product or anything really. This can happen quicker depending on the bulbs that are used. If they are crappy ebay bulb from China it will happen faster. This happens a lot also when people use crappy $40 hid kits from ebay and then wonder why their projector bowls are burned or the inside of the headlight is messed up.

What I'd recommend is purchasing Depo headlights and just simply bake them, take off the clear lense and put on to your existing headlight once baked. People do it all the time for the w211 so I can't image it being different for your c320.

-Nigel

jbeech

I sold the C320 and mentioned it only to put into context of how the E320 headlamps had not yellowed while those of the C320 had yellowed - during the exact same time frame and under the same conditions. However, this raises the question regarding my wife's E320; if there comes a time I want to replace the headlamp units, because I've found new replacements offered for $120 labeled for Halogen while the HID-labeled units are $560 each, do you confirm you have certain knowledge I can purchase/use these less expensive housings for transplant because this part of the component (housing/reflector/lens) is exact same-same? I wonder this because I would sooner spend $250 and have brand new versus polishing existing lenses.

NewShockerGuy

There is a thread on here somewhere that I posted pictures of the factory HID and my stock halogen housing were identical with the exception of the wiring inside (obviously the bi-xenon w/active curve had more wires/motors) but the housings and lenses were identical.

there are threads here as well that people purchase the depo housings and then swap the lenses. I don't think there is a need to swap your internal components to the new headlight housings as that would be pointless unless you were going to do a projector retrofit. Otherwise just bake the new headlight, bake your stock headlight. Pull the lens off the new one and put it on our oem housing then bake again to seal. Done. Our headlights are super easy to bake. 230 degrees F in the oven for about 15 minutes. They pull right apart quite easily.

Note that if you don't want to do that and you use the Depo projectors/internals they are inferior to the stock e55 projector.

-Nigel

jbeech

Nigel,

Thanks for the information/explanation. I know this thread is about upgrading from Halogen to HID projectors but my car already has the factory projectors and my interest is solely in physically renewing the lenses instead of polishing them.

I'm wondering; is it difficult to remove the motors and wires in preparation for baking, or is it easy-peasy? Regarding Depo (I'm assuming this is an aftermarket brand) I don't mind taking a shot at this job but prefer to maintain my original projectors because everything works perfectly. All this because, while the lens are still OK, upon close inspection it's obvious they're no longer as nice as new so the 250 bucks to renew by buying aftermarket halogen bodies is on my mind. Hence my question regarding whether the lens material and body was otherwise same-same between the units. Also, I've seen various brands offered but Hella is a brand name I have long experience with (though their housing are rather more expensive than the others). Is anyone aware of the identity of the OEM for these units? I also wonder if they're made to spec, e.g. brand is less important than I'm ascribing - any info? Also, is removing the assemblies easy - any tips? I presume they come out and do not require re-aligning when replacing them; do you know if this is the case?

FWIW, I have her car detailed at the dealership each year where they do a pretty nice job (and charge me $200). I have two dealers nearby but favor MB of Sanford (Florida) instead of a private detailing guy. Costs me maybe 50-75 bucks more but I trust them (my service advisor is Mike Wheeler and he couldn't be more professional). For example, during the last year Lynn took a box with hydraulic hoses to Amazon Hose for me and it seeped all over the rear deck carpet. It made a Godawful black stain about a foot across, which I feared would be permanent. I refrained from trying to do anything about it for fear of setting the stain (but it did slip my mind for about 6 months) and as it turns out, the stain wasn't permanent and the carpet looks new again. Anyway, I think there are new lenses in the future to cap off the car's refreshed appearance and your explanation has been helpful. Thank you.
--
John

NewShockerGuy

John,

All good. I don't think we are hijacking this thread plus there isn't a ton of activity on it anyways...lol

Ok so you answered the question I was about to ask on your headlights so just that I am correct in clarity. You OEM headlights are OK, functional wise other than the clear outer lens of the headlight which you'd like to replace at some point?

If so then you have the following options based on cost/skill level that you are comfortable with.

Option 1: Buying new headlights and then baking them in the oven to remove the clear lens. On a scale of 1-10, personally this is a 2-3 to ME. Others might say harder. But, it involves the following:
*Jacking front end up so that you can remove both tires.
*Remove bottom splash shield
*Remove inside front fender liners
*Undo side clips in fenders (torx bolt)
*Then misc front/top/button bumper bolts (there's a howto here somewhere and YouTube) It's not nearly as difficult or hard as how I'm explaining. I can take the front bumper off in about 25 minutes. The first time might take you 40 minutes, then every time after much less...Putting it back on even quicker.
*Disconnect headlight harnesses then remove 3 bolts and the headlight comes off.

Note that you do NOT have to remove wires/or anything inside the headlight when you bake it. However, just out of doing it for so many years I do remove the following:
-Bulbs
-Ballast (which is held on by 2-3 torx screws on the bottom of headlight) then they just pull off.
-If the headlight has any rubber gasket on the outside.

Turn oven on at 200-215' degree F' and bake for about 12-15 minutes on a cookie sheet.
PREHEAT OVEN FIRST... do NOT stick the headlight on then turn the oven on.
I also put a towel under the t just it's not sitting on a bare piece of metal.

After that take headlight out of oven and you should be able to easily pull the outer lens apart.... note that if you can't pop it back in the oven for a few more mins and try again. Our headlights us butyl glue/tape which is super easy to work with when it's soft.

Do the same for the aftermarket headlight (In this case Depo that I referred to is the brand that everyone tends to go with). You could probably put your OLD lenses back on the Depo headlights and recoup half your money back from the cost of the headlights... Put the new lenses on the factory headlights then put back in the oven for about 8 minutes. Take them out and squeeze the halves together. Put back into the oven for another 8 minutes and then take them out and if you have any clamps you can put them in a couple places just to hold everything in place as it cools. Once it cools you are good. I've never needed to add more butyl tape for most headlights I've done. None of my headlights have ever leaked/condensation/or otherwise not been sealed...

As far as OEM brand of our headlights would be Hella. You can find Hella but be prepared to spend $200-600+ per headlight and where you shop.

If you are still reading this fantastic!..lol Everything is now complete, put bulbs back in, and start doing the reverse process in putting the car back together.

Option 2: This might be a better option if you are no comfortable in removing the bumper or doing the above process... And it would be cheaper. There are MANY MANY kits out there to polish headlights. I have the Diamondite Clear Plastic Kit.
http://www.autogeek.net/diamondite-h...ht-how-to.html

I think the kit cost me something like $50-60... it's large enough to do MANY headlights MANY times over... I bought the kit probably 4 years ago and still have plenty left. Very easy to use if you have an orbital polisher or a little longer if you have a drill.

*You pretty much wash headlight to get the grime off.
-Use the first yellow pad with polishing compound.
-Use the second orange pad with the second polishing compound.
-Wipe clean, then apply the sealant on the headlight.
*You might have to do this once a year but again, with the above product that I use it will last MANY years.

Heck your dealer when they detail your car probably does something like this already.

Honestly this sounds like a better solution for you in terms of cost/benefit ratio. This will get your headlights looking 95% great, with only taking up about 15-20 minutes of time per headlight. Compare that to at least a couple hours for option 1.

I love detailing cars, it's extremely relaxing to me. I have two professional polishers and a couple grand in detailing supplies so an average detailing job is around 18hrs when I do our personal vehicles. Much less if I detail others but honestly I would say the average person doesn't spend that much time nor cares that much.

Hope this helped, feel free to ask anything else if I skipped over something, I'm winding down now since I am working at night and now it's my bedtime..hahah

-Nigel

jbeech

Nigel,

Been busy this morning else I would have answered more promptly. Thanks for taking time to walk me through it. I tend to DIY many jobs and what you're saying is not beyond me. For example, I recently replaced the front rotors and pads of Lynn's car because the dealer wanted to do both axles when only the front pads needed replacing. Thus, I spent $180 for a pair of rotors plus premium pads plus an hour-and-a-half of my time versus $1000 (though my service advisor offered to throw in the $200 detailing job with that).

FWIW, along with some friends and my wife (I couldn't have done it alone), I recently installed a 2-post lift in the end bay of my building. The reason is to let me store Lulu (my sports car) up and out of my way (she's been in the garage at the house but now Tootsie will go there instead). Lulu is awaiting my having time to mess with her. Of course, the lift also eases working on cars in general (but I am in no wise a professional and am strictly a hobbyist when it comes to twisting wrenches). By the way, I'm the portly fellow on the lift truck and drilling the holes in the concrete.

NewShockerGuy

Dang than you are fine! You have a lift and it makes everything half the time. So option 1 is definitely doable for you then.

I was looking at your picture and garage, for some reason it looked like I have seen it somewhere... sure enough you posted on GarageJournal some years back...lol too funny!

I envy your space! Seriously full size lift and a big shop! I am doing everything in my tiny *** two car garage with a Maxjax... but making due that's for sure...lol


-Nigel