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2000 c230 kompressor special edition, 2004 E320 (sold), 2012 E550 coupe (sold), 2017 C63 sedan
Originally Posted by tobeit
After reducing the max current to 120mA the flicker is now gone. Little dimmer than it was before but it works. Only caveat for me is that my PSM side skirts shadow portions of the logo but that’s okay with me.
On Monday I will confirm the resistor size I used so that anybody who has the same flicker issue can follow.
These look awesome, super tempted now. Thanks for posting all of your progress, I'm sure it will come in handy!
it’s pretty straightforward. I use one of these small plastic tools for removing door labels and such. Stick it in the bottom seam on the outside and work my way towards door by twisting it and popping the cover off. Then the same on top and it comes off. First time it took me a while as I was super careful. I now have it done a dozen times (also put sequential signal lights in) and it take seconds.
it’s pretty straightforward. I use one of these small plastic tools for removing door labels and such. Stick it in the bottom seam on the outside and work my way towards door by twisting it and popping the cover off. Then the same on top and it comes off. First time it took me a while as I was super careful. I now have it done a dozen times (also put sequential signal lights in) and it take seconds.
Sequential lights sounds interesting. I'd like to see that but don't derail this thread on my account, I'm sure others might like to see and do it as well.
Sequential lights sounds interesting. I'd like to see that but don't derail this thread on my account, I'm sure others might like to see and do it as well.
Are you prettyhappy overall with the brightness of the LED? But from what it looks like, for some reason, you're the only one who had to modify the light to get it to work properly?
Otherwise the lower voltage LED should work done on those without 360 view?
Are you prettyhappy overall with the brightness of the LED? But from what it looks like, for some reason, you're the only one who had to modify the light to get it to work properly?
Otherwise the lower voltage LED should work done on those without 360 view?
yes, I am happy. I think it’s plenty bright enough. It maybe a weird coincidence how my car was preconfigured (it’s setup for 360 but does not have it but have all the other options like distronic) or if they changed something like the max current limit for later model years (mine is a 2018). I also tried the so called low power version (same issue) and will measure tomorrow if there is actually any difference between low and high power...my guess not. Will see. But it now makes sense - the car provides approx 100mA to these lights and when it attempts to draw almost twice as much the car shuts it off...and then it starts all over again making it blink. Also, noteworthy that these LED can draw up to 235mA when slowly increasing supply current and then snap back to 175mA...that means they have some kind of current limiter itself built in as well.
So, if you have the flickering issue you can do what I did and install a 65 Ohm Resistor (3 Watt) in series (on the 12V supply side) and problem solved. These are the so called high power version with that resistor. Plenty bright for me even though it reduced brightness by about 3dB from max current output.
I always thought puddle lights were cheesy until I saw these. Hard to pull the trigger on $200 LED’s, I’ll probably install these when they’re everywhere for 50 bucks 😋
Even though I said "last update" I have one more detail to share I just found out.
The supplier indeed has a low and high power version. The low power version only draws 75mA and the high power version draws 175mA. The OEM is right in between at 100mA. In my car, BOTH high and low power versions flickered. I did measure the peak current they can draw, which is likely to happen during switch-on (in-rush) for a short moment in time and the low power version draws 140mA and the high power version draws 235mA, i,e. well above the 100mA of OEM. I assume that it is that in-rush current triggering the car current limiter to switch them off and causing the on/off flicker. I used the 65 Ohm serial resistor on the high power version and it works fine now and is still bright. "eye" balling the muted high power version is still brighter than the none muted low power version...and to make it work I would have to mute the low power version even further or experiment with an inductor instead of a resistor. So, it looks for some of our cars, the in-rush current of these LED's trigger the current limiter to kick in. I assume depending on the car configuration, that the max allowable in-rush current may differ a little and enough to make it work on most cars (140mA in-rush vs 120mA steady state working in mine). I also suspect that most here have the low power version (140mA peak vs 235mA peak - I would suspect most if not all cars would show the flicker using the unmodified high power version drawing up to 235mA). Probably too much info...but just in case some are interested.
There is another way to put a piece of plastic in the mirror and take out the mirror.
Will this method work?
mercedes E-class
Don't remove the mirror - you still have no access to the LED that way. Have to remove the back cover and back cover only.
Originally Posted by Khalidss
I tray to remove mirror cap But I didn’t success
Did you use the same method?
No, he just pulls on it and looks bad. Use a plastic tool used for removing door and dash panels or a similar plastic piece you can use. Put it in between the bottom seem of the upper housing and slight pop the housing off. The gets them unsnapped from the clips inside. Do the same on top and side (door side) and it once its popped out of the clips you can slide it off.. Slide it forward as the connector for the signal light is unlatched at the same time.
Don't remove the mirror - you still have no access to the LED that way. Have to remove the back cover and back cover only.
No, he just pulls on it and looks bad. Use a plastic tool used for removing door and dash panels or a similar plastic piece you can use. Put it in between the bottom seem of the upper housing and slight pop the housing off. The gets them unsnapped from the clips inside. Do the same on top and side (door side) and it once its popped out of the clips you can slide it off.. Slide it forward as the connector for the signal light is unlatched at the same time.
I will tray tomorrow because i don't have a plastic tools thanks so mach
I will tray tomorrow because i don't have a plastic tools thanks so mach
You can use anything soft, not sharp to not damage the edges of the plastic. I did it once with a plastic squeezy you use for applying vinyl. Or take the widest screwdriver you have and wrap some cloth around....you dont want to have a narrow, hard, and sharp blade. That's all. Work slow. First time its a bit nerve wrecking but after doing it (too) often, it takes seconds.
You can use anything soft, not sharp to not damage the edges of the plastic. I did it once with a plastic squeezy you use for applying vinyl. Or take the widest screwdriver you have and wrap some cloth around....you dont want to have a narrow, hard, and sharp blade. That's all. Work slow. First time its a bit nerve wrecking but after doing it (too) often, it takes seconds.
the driver side is done It was easy
but the ather side it take for me long time I don’t find enough space to remove OEM light
but the ather side it take for me long time I don’t find enough space to remove OEM light
Yeah, also the replacement lights are even taller and I had to demel off that ridge carefully to make it fit. I think the passenger side is different due to the 360 camera option, but various people reported that too.
I'm about to pull the trigger on this. I have the 360 cameras with distronic, so sounds like I have a slightly variant setup from everyone who's already done this.
I'm curious though, I don't have a dremmel. What is the black piece made of? ABS Plastic? Can I cut it with a razor?
Also those sequential lights look nice, thanks for the share! Did you get the option with blue or white lights? I can't tell how that would affect the blink since it looks like they blink when they're moving in yellow anyways.
I'm about to pull the trigger on this. I have the 360 cameras with distronic, so sounds like I have a slightly variant setup from everyone who's already done this.
I'm curious though, I don't have a dremmel. What is the black piece made of? ABS Plastic? Can I cut it with a razor?
Also those sequential lights look nice, thanks for the share! Did you get the option with blue or white lights? I can't tell how that would affect the blink since it looks like they blink when they're moving in yellow anyways.
my sequential lights are actually yellow...matching the yellow in the headlights when you turn off and on.
06-20-2020, 09:54 PM
- Thanks
